Ghosts of the Clans

Chapter 18

"Minnowtail." A long breath was let out. Minnowtail blinked open her eyes hazily. "Pebblefoot?" she murmured. The mottled gray tom touched his nose to he head, and Minnowtail felt a sudden surge of warmth for him. He was the only family member she had left...

"The battle's still ongoing. Troutstream and Hollowflight are dead too. And Dapplenose." Pebblefoot told her. Determination roaring in her ears, Minnowtail staggered to her paws, wincing. "I've got to help them!" she gasped. Ignoring her brother's cry of protest, she pushed out of the den.

"Minnowtail!" It was Mossyfoot! She cowered under Flashtooth, an orange-and-black tabby tom from the Dark Forest. He batted at her ear, then scored his claws along her muzzle. "I'm coming!" Minnowtail plunged toward her, just in time. The brown-and-white she-cat collapsed, her pelt matted with blood. Flashtooth's amber eyes lit up and he buried his fangs in her neck.

"No!" Like a hawk, Minnowtail dragged him off and sent a blow that sent him staggering backwards. Energy coursing through her veins, she ducked all his swipes, then lunged forward to sink her teeth into his leg. He let out a howl of agony and pulled away, scraping her forehead.

Knocking Flashtooth away as he dived towards Mossyfoot again, who was lying limp on the ground, she hit his shoulder, hard, feeling a throb of satisfaction when he finally fled. Then, she turned back to Mossyfoot.

The brown-and-white she-cat's light green eyes fluttered open and she choked out, "Thank you, Minnowtail, for being a great mentor to me." Her head lolled, and she fell limp. Not wanting to believe that her former apprentice was dead, Minnowtail pushed her into the medicine den.

Willowshine, who was on duty, examined her solemnly. She declared, "Her wounds are very deep, but she is still alive. I can try to fix her, but all the same, she may not survive." Her heart threatening to burst out of her chest, Minnowtail pleaded, "Please, try your best!" Only when Willowshine had promised did she plunge into battle again, despite the look the pale gray tabby she-cat's look.

"Oh, so you survived?" Stripewhisker blocked her way when she tried to make her way to Toadstep, who was having trouble with Spottedmask and Scorchfang. The two Dark Forest she-cats weaved and struck with practiced accuracy, until the black-and-white ThunderClan warrior couldn't keep up with their swift attacks.

Minnowtail nudged Stripewhisker away, but the dark gray tabby tom swiped at her muzzle, which broke her self-control. Charging forward with a guttural roar, she slashed his chest and the dark gray tabby tom stumbled but managed to keep his balance, clawing out tufts of her own chest fur.

But Minnowtail had enough. She knocked him backward with a powerful blow to the forehead and Stripewhisker fell, his white belly exposed. Showing no mercy, Minnowtail raised a paw and brought it down.

Turning away, she pushed her way to Toadstep again, who was barely able to defend himself. Scorchfang was hitting him hard, while Spottedmask watched, her pale amber eyes shining with malicious glee. Charging forward, Minnowtail barged into the slender tortoiseshell she-cat, throwing her off balance. Toadstep raised his head slightly and caught Minnowtail's eye; his amber eyes began to spark with hope and renewed energy.

While his pale ginger tabby opponent was distracted by Minnowtail's arrival, the black-and-white tom reared, slamming both front paws down hard on her head. Scorchfang stumbled, reeling from the force of the blow. Meanwhile, Spottedmask was hanging on to Minnowtail's tail determinedly, despite Minnowtail's strong swipes to her side and face.

At last, the tortoiseshell she-cat let go, and caught Scorchfang's eye. The two Dark Forest warriors began circling Toadstep and Minnowtail, trapping them. Minnowtail stiffened. Hadn't Shredtail taught her the counterattack for this tactic? She could picture the ragged dark brown tabby tom now, instructing her. Tail-to-tail is the best defense!

Backing toward each other, she saw Toadstep's eyes widen in fear. She whispered in his ear, "Tail-to-tail." Hastily, the ThunderClan warrior scrambled to press his back against hers, uncoordinated in his terror.

The two she-cats dived, aiming for their paws to knock them away. But Minnowtail kept her back tightly pressed against Toadstep, and sliced Scorchfang's black ear. She yowled and staggered back, flying towards her once more. Quickly glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that Spottedmask was doing the same.

In a single move, Toadstep and Minnowtail pushed off the ground in a graceful leap, soaring over the heads of the Dark Forest warriors. While they were confused, they jumped onto their opponents' backs, raking them mercilessly until the two she-cats begged for mercy. 

Finally, Scorchfang collapsed beneath Minnowtail. Struggling free, the pale ginger tabby she-cat fled, letting out a wail. Spottedmask also ran from Toadstep's whirling claws, her tortoiseshell fur stained crimson with blood.

Minnowtail turned to Toadfoot. The ThunderClan warrior's left eye was badly swollen, and blood trickled from his cheeks. He had lost fur from his neck and hindquarters, and had gashes along his shoulder blades. Furthermore, he was limping badly, his right hind paw lifted from the ground. "I'll bring you to Mothwing," Minnowtail offered, letting the black-and-white tom lean on her. "Thanks," he grunted, his amber eyes glazing over with pain.

When they were almost at the den, Toadstep looked at Minnowtail with gratefulness in his amber eyes. "Thanks for saving me, Minnowtail. I'd been crow-food for sure if it weren't for you!" he purred, brushing his flank with hers in a gesture of deep appreciation.

Minnowtail touched her tail to his wounded cheek. "You fought well, too." she commented softly, ushering the black-and-white ThunderClan tom inside.

Just when she was turning back to the battle, a Dark Forest warrior hurtled into the RiverClan camp, his brown fur bristling.

Clawface.