Whisper: A Warrior Cat Fan Fiction

Chapter four: Greyfeather

The sea was calm today, a stark contrast from the storm that ravaged the island the day before. Greyfeather couldn't count how many fallen trees he had leapt over to get here, nor how many patches of ferns had been flattened by the powerful wind.

Luckily, the critters of the forest had grown hungry waiting out the storm. They scurried out of their burrows to find a bite to eat, inside discovering the nimble claws of the hunting patrol. Greyfeather had caught two mice, a squirrel and a seagull until he came upon the cliff.

He was drawn to it, the same way that mosquitos were drawn to warm bodies. It made his stomach turn to sit so close to the dreadful drop, and it made him feel dizzy when he leaned out over the edge to peer at the jagged rocks below. How would it feel to fall? To, for a split second, be part of the sky? How would it feel when you crashed into those sharp stones, breaking your body and crushing your bones? Did you understand what had happened before the waves washed into your lungs and drown your breath?

How did it feel when Rosewhisker died?

"Are you proud of yourself, you miserable piece of fox-dung?" A voice growled.

Greyfeather whipped his head around so fast that he almost lost his footing. Galeheart prowled out of the woods, his head high and his eyes glowing with fury.

Greyfeather stepped away from the cliff, eyes on the huge brown tabby. "I never killed anyone," he said evenly. It would be best to act calm, considering his back was against a sheer drop.

Galeheart snarled. "Then I suppose Rosewhisker just walked off the cliff, did she? Saw a pretty butterfly and wondered away from camp, huh?"

"Listen, Galeheart, there's-"

"There's no way that you would ever harm your sister, I know. That's what you told everyone. Those words are the only reason you're still alive, because Pearlstar believes "You would never harm your sister." But I know differently. I know that you killed her." He prowled closer, tail twitching. Greyfeather could feel the carnivorous energy radiating off of his pelt. He's been waiting for this he realized, his heart sinking. He's been waiting until I was alone with my back was up against a cliff.

Greyfeather tried slipping to the side, but the powerful tom blocked his way.

"Oh, no you don't, you traitor. You're not getting away from me." He gathered his muscles and pounced, his paws landing squarely on Greyfeather's chest, slamming him into the ground. "I'm going to do to you what you did to your sister, fox-heart. I'm going to give the Dark Forest one more pathetic warrior." His claws dug into Greyfeather's throat.

"Galeheart, please," Greyfeather croaked, wiggling under the tom's stone grasp. A sickening fear shot thought his body.

"That's right," Galeheart hissed, his claws piercing Greyfeather's skin. "Beg, kittypet, beg for mercy."

Greyfeather twisted his head to try to nip at his attacker's paws, but Galeheart pounded his weight down on Greyfeather's chest, making his gasp for breath.

"I want you to say her name," Galeheart's voice dropped to an icy whisper, "I want you to admit what you did to her."

At this point, Greyfeather would have gladly done anything that was asked of him, as long as it would stop the crushing pain. But Galeheart's paws had traveled back up his neck and were crushing his throat. He tried to speak, but it came out as a gurgle. Darkness rimmed his vision.

This is where I die, he thought bluntly.

"Galeheart!" came a cry somewhere in the distance, shocked and angry. "What in the name of Starclan are you doing?"