The Ebony Jury (Warriors, Book 2)

Epilogue

Cold and frosty stone scraped Waspheart's pads as he readied himself for the final jump into ThunderClan territory. Rearing up on his hind paws, the warrior leapt. With one paw, he felt himself touch the soft yet frozen grass of his familiar territory. He tasted the air, looking for what his leader needed. I really hope Hauntedstar meant what he said. Waspheart thought, smelling no trace of kits. But I trust him. And he's right; I'll always be loyal.

Raising his muzzle to the air, Waspheart breathed in a final deeper sniff. It'd be almost impossible to scent things due to the wind of leaf-bare. But hope sparked his chest as Waspheart smelled a faint trace of something milky and soft- definetly kits.

His paws thumping against the snow, Waspheart slowly followed the scent. Weaving through sharp bramble bushes and mud brown trees with claw marks of generations of different warriors, he eventually came to a spot that was just by the twoleg fence- but he doubted any twoleg or kittypet would come out of their safe home.

Waspheart continued following the trail until it became sharp and steady; he spotted a rock with frost edging its silver sides. Exhaling misty breath, Waspheart crouched a little and crept over to the rock, which seemed to have a wide ditch in it.

Poking his head inside, Waspheart's ear twitched with excitement.

Two tiny bundles were curled up with each other in a weird, square-shaped wood colored cube; one golden with black spots and the other stone-grey with almost black spots. Their eyes were squeezed shut and their ears were laid back to their heads. Waspheart glanced at their flanks rising and falling softly, but their ribs were still visible through their kit fluff. Not a great mother, I see. He thought, wincing in pity for the tiny bundles.

Careful not to wake them up, Waspheart thrust his muzzle inside the cube, then sank his teeth gently into the golden kit's scruff. Then, struggling to fit both their scruffs in his jaws, he managed to grip the grey one. The weight of the kits heavy in his jaws, he stepped backward, his feet crunching the snow.

Adjusting his grip on the kits to make sure they didn't fall out, Waspheart began to trail through the thick snow, cold wind ruffling his pelt.

"Hey! Hey, you!" The angry mew caught Waspheart's attention. The kits wriggling a little, he whipped around. A golden kittypet was standing a few fox-lengths away from him, her teeth bared and her fur fluffed up and bristling. "Those are my kits!" She snarled.

Waspheart shrugged. He turned back around and picked up speed. His ear flicked. He heard footsteps behind him, mixed with the satisfying crunch of snow. Waspheart peaked over his shoulder to see the kittypet close behind. He realized that she looked oddly damp, the pink thing around her neck shredded. She had a few cuts on her, and her gaze looked mixed with rage and carelessness. She looked slightly familiar, which was weird. Waspheart flinched when he saw her claws sliding out.

She could kill these kits, He thought, turning to a bolt, despite the extra weight in his jaws. I need to hide them. Then fight, if I have to.

Thinking quickly, Waspheart whipped around a tree with a thorn bush behind it. In front of the thorn bush was the thunderpath, marked with white and yellow stripes. Waspheart swiftly brushed some snow aside with his paw, then placed the kits down on the frosty grass. They let out tiny mews.

Waspheart cautiously crept out from behind the tree. He glanced around. The kittypet was no where in sight, but then he saw the ferns rustle, and he let his claws slide out. Waspheart tensed, getting into battle stance.

A long, silent moment passed. Wind whistled past Waspheart's ear. Did I lose the kittypet..? He wondered, glancing behind the tree again. The kits were still curled up there, trembling slightly. Letting out a low growl, Waspheart pirked his ears again, his gaze traveling across the frosty bushes. He spotted a pink flower on a bush, which was odd. Curious now, Waspheart crept over to the flower. Thrusting his muzzle towards it, he gripped it. It was in an odd shape, he realized. He tugged on it, realizing it was heavy.

A low grunting sound startled him. He let go of the flower as the golden kittypet flung out. He looked at the pink thing around her neck. Thats not a flower! I'm such an idiot...

"Where. Are. My. Kits?!" The kittypet demanded, her eyes slits. Waspheart tensed but didn't flinch. "They are Hauntedstar's kits, and they deserve to be in the Clans. Not being starved by some crazed kittypet." He snarled boldly. If she attacks, I can take her. She looks tough, and... familiar... but she's just a kittypet.

Letting out a snarl, the kittypet bared her teeth, yellow fangs gleaming. "Fine, then!" Letting out an ear-splitting yowl, she lunged at Waspheart. Taken by suprise, the yellow and black warrior was flung back, claws raking his belly. As the kittypet leapt on him, he recognized the fury in her eyes. This is one of the kittypets who fought in the battle! "You!" He snarled. "You're one of those ruthless kittypets, aren't you?!"

"Thats right!" Snapped the kittypet, slashing her claws across Waspheart's muzzle. Blood sprayed into his eyes, blinding him for a moment. "You're lucky we didn't shred you all and you're pathetic Clans!"

Letting out an angry hiss, Waspheart reached up his available front paw and struck the kittypet in the chest. She was flung off of him, and she rolled into the snow, frost covering her side. Snarling, Waspheart nipped at her wrist as she got up, making her spit and yowl with anger. Both of them lunged with once, teeth ripping apart fur and claws raking pelts. Blood sprayed onto the snow and leaves, red engulfing the lush nature. The kittypet had timing all wrong and their claws were tiny and dull, but she seemed to have more battle instinct than most kittypets, and sh even dodged Waspheart's blows once or twice. By the time they broke apart, panting, both were scratched up, blood flowing down from their wounds.

The kittypet let out another yowl. "If I can't have those kits, than I'll send a message to the Clans!" She reared up on her hind paws and lunged again at Waspheart. Spinning around and kicking up snow, Waspheart struck her with his hind legs, but he missed her head and hit her shoulders instead.

Unbalanced, the kittypet fell onto her side. "Just go away, or more blood will be spilled!" Snarled Waspheart as the kittypet leapt to her bleeding paws again.

"NEVER!" She snarled.

Waspheart and the kittypet locked in battle once again, snapping at each other muzzles. Letting out a hateful snarl, the kittypet clawed Waspheart's side, leaving a deep, painful scratch. With similar hits and blows, the two cats wrestled and clawed in a bloody storm, until both lay on the ground, panting. Snow turned red in Waspheart's vision. His usual golden and black pelt was stained red, same with the kittypet's. At the corner of his eye he saw the kits lying in the bush, looking frozen and about to die any moment.

I'm sorry, Hauntedstar. Thought Waspheart as he let his eyelids drift over his green gaze. He felt his pelt go cold. I failed.