Cougarstripe's Shock (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 3

Cougarkit could hear the yowls from afar. Worry pierced him and he hoped every cat that returned would be okay. But foxes were nasty creatures - he'd never seem one of them, but he knew what they were like. Vicious. Angry. Unforgiving.

"You can stop pacing, you're taking up the entire nursery," Silverkit complained.

"I can't stop! I feel like something bad is going to happen." Cougarkit sighed. "I mean, if you're so annoyed then go spend time with your precious Lightpaw."

Silverkit narrowed her eyes. "What's your problem with Lightpaw and I? We both like each other. You said you knew that. Yet you're so bothered by that fact and you keep complaining about it!"

"Sor-ee!" Cougarkit snapped. "Oh, wait - no I'm not."

"You're just as bad as Lightpaw used to be," Silverkit whispered angrily, stomping out of the nursery. Cougarkit watched Lightpaw run up to her. After a minute Lightpaw flashed Cougarkit with merciless eyes and Cougarkit growled. If Silverkit didn't want to be his friend anymore, that was just fine.

***

It had been a while before Cougarkit heard the rambling paws of his coming Clanmates. They were back! He expected to see bright and happy faces about how they drove out the foxes, but instead something else hit him like a monster. The cats returned - bloody, scarred, and grief-stricken. Cougarkit saw something he never wanted to see. His Clanmates were carrying a light tannish-brown body and a silver tabby body as well.

"Fawnfur!" Cougarkit screeched and ran to the bodies that were laid on the ground. He didn't care about all the warriors staring at him. He buried his muzzle in his mother's fur. No... Fawnfur couldn't be dead... She just couldn't! His own mother. Her eyes were glazed over and clouded, looking lifeless as she stared up into the sky.

"I'm so sorry, Cougarkit," Lightpaw meowed, staring at the kit.

"You shouldn't be. No one should be sorry for her death! She fought like a true warrior..." The tan tom hissed. Lightpaw backed away to where Silverkit was, and he could feel her eyes brining into his pelt. Then, Cougarkit felt rage and anger toward one cat - Greenstar. He had chosen a queen to drive out foxes.

"You!" Cougarkit snarled, raising his head and locking his eyes to Greenstar's lime green ones. "You killed Fawnfur! Not a fox... You brought a queen to help you when there were more warriors to spare... Lavenderwing, Woodspark, Icehaze..." Greenstar looked guilty; his ears were flattened and his eyes showed sadness. Cougarkit hadn't even noticed the corpse of Ottertail, the other warrior that had been killed by a fox. Greenstar didn't reply and threw his bloody body onto the Highrock, staring down at all the cats.

"We drove out all the foxes, but with a price - Ottertail and Fawnfur were murdered recklessly by the foxes. I have also lost a life. Every cat that went were as strong as they could be." Yowls of grief surrounded the hollow as Greenstar turned tail and padded into his den. Wildjay, the deputy, stared at Greenstar as he entered the den in concern. He leaped up and followed Greenstar, darkness covering himself from being seen outside.

"Your mother fought strong."

Cougarkit felt his father's tail touch his shoulder. Blazefur looked down at Cougarkit in grief. "She really did. She died like a warrior. I want to bring her back to life as much as you do but we can't. Her spirit has already been sent to StarClan. Just know Fawnfur will always be by your side, and in your heart." Cougarkit, Blazefur, Kinkfur, and Cedarfoot sat vigil for Fawnfur. She had been such a wonderful cat and now she was gone... Killed by a fox.

Cougarkit noticed something. He looked into Fawnfur's claws. Fur. Not fox fur, though. Black fur.

Shadowpaw?