Warriors: Crazystar's Battle

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Crazypaw closed her eyes and tried to ignore the stiffness and pain in her legs. Keep swimming, just a little farther.

For a moment, she was too weary to continue on. She lost her grip on Stonepaw's neck. The WindClan apprentice hadn't helped at all, hanging limp and unconscious from her jaws the whole time. Her head sank beneath the water and Crazypaw closed her eyes, resigning herself to drowning, as she slowly drifting towards the bottom of the lake.

She was surprised when after she'd scarcely dropped beneath the water's surface, her paws touched a solid surface. The lake bottom! That means I'll be able to stand in a few moments!

With one last burst of energy, Crazypaw pushed her way back up to the surface. She grabbed Stonepaw, who still hung lifelessly in her jaws. After a few long tail-lengths of water, her paws touched the rocky lake floor. Her legs trembled and she staggered forwards a few steps before falling onto her side. No! I've made it this far! I can't bring him all the way to shallow water only to be too weak to drag him onto the shore.

Suddenly, she felt warm fur against her side, gently helping rise to her paws and then supporting her. C'mon, Crazypaw, a voice, definitely a she-cat, hissed. You can do this.

"Who are you?" she whispered, fearing she was imagining the whole thing. "Are you from StarClan?"

There was a brief hesitation before the response. I am from a time before StarClan. I lived and died before Thunder was born, the voice was soft and persuasive. I will help you as long as you heed the warning I bring.

Time seemed to slow down. "What is it?" Crazypaw asked.

There was another hesitation. Your nighttime mentor's old grudge puts ThunderClan, StarClan, and all the other Clans at risk. Thunder's desire for vengeance for the wrong deeds of his father is a danger, and believe me, he will do anything to achieve his goal, the cat answered. And the cat he intends to use to accomplish this is you, Crazypaw. He has twisted the words of an ancient prophecy to suit his own dark purposes. Be warned, young apprentice, when the day comes that he asks you to betray your own Clan, you must answer no!

"But Thunder isn't like that!" Crazypaw protested. "He wouldn't intentionally do anything to harm the Clan!"

You are truly foolish if you believe that, the she-cat hissed back. Thunder would do anything to strike out at his father, Clear Sky.

Crazypaw panted heavily. She was near collapse once more. "Please just help me make it to shore," she pleaded.

As you wish, the feline replied, with a noticeable note of disappointment in its voice. I am simply a messenger trying to convey the truth to the cat of the prophecy. And you must be assisted, so that you may survive to achieve your destiny.

Stonepaw's weight was suddenly lifted from her jaws. With a powerful tug, the invisible she-cat pulled him onto the lakeshore, where moist golden sand glistened in the moonlight as waves gently washed over it. Crazypaw staggered weakly over to where his body lay, and feebly clawed at his beautiful stone gray fur, trying fruitlessly to wake the WindClan apprentice. He looked so calm and peaceful, laying lifelessly in the sand, unmoving and scarcely breathing. Crazypaw sank onto the ground beside him, feeling his warmth seeping into her fur. Her eyelids closed and she fell into unconsciousness.