Warriors: Decaying Bodies

Chapter 3

Toadhop's POV

I was waiting to be leader for so long. It was itching in my paws. Right after everyone pushed Glidestar off the cliff, I could feel power over LakeClan. Right in my paws.

"Alright, today two new leaders are going to lead LakeClan and BreezeClan." Cometstar announced.

Gorsecloud stepped forward, puffing out his chest.

I leaped up next to him. Curling my claws, I waited for my new name.
Toadstar, obviously. Its a leaders' name.

But at that moment, Gorsecloud had called out. Approaching from the fog was about four or five flesh-eaters.

"What happened to Tigerpounce and Brightcloud?" Lightrunner, that cowardly she-cat asked.

"Not now, we need to run!" Gorsecloud growled. Leaping down, he scooped up Yellowkit. Yellowkit whined, "Whats going on?"

Featherclaw shook her head. She picked up Frogkit swiftly, then started running.
I grunted, then picked up one of the rogue kits. It was a brown tom, with yellow eyes. He looked strong, and had potential.
I could take him on as apprentice, since we're in the same group...
My mind trailed off, then I snapped away from my thoughts when a flesh-eater had spit in my face.
Backing away, I turned around and ran away.

Goldenfall was picked up again, by Geckoeye and Willowtail. They rushed out of there, going as fast as they could.

Scanning the area, I found our group fox-lengths away. Bounding after them, I struggled to keep up. This kit was really heavy.
Everyone stopped at a certain point. "Whats the deal?" I asked, a bit annoyed.

Cometstar turned around. "We have to jump."

I gulped. I absolutely hate heights.
Ripplestone stood up. "I'll jump first." He said.

Geckoeye looked back at Goldenfall worriedly. "What about Goldenfall?" She blurted.
"Maybe he just won't make it, Geckoeye..." Fernstripe murmured.

Goldenfall moaned. "W-wait. I think I can walk." He meowed weakly.

Slowly getting off Geckoeye's and Willowtail's back, he pressed three of his four paws on the ground. He tried putting his crippled leg on the ground, but it hurt him.
Ripplestone tensed his muscles. He leaped, landing on the other side of the cliff. It was two fox-lengths apart, but looking down, sharp rocks were below. One wrong move and you'd be dead.

Owlwhisper picked up a kit. It was Pear.

Nutmeg looked worried. "Will you make it?" She asked.
"Of course. He'll be fine." Owlwhisper promised.

The white tom whimpered. "Please StarClan..." He cried. Pear closed his eyes shut.

Owlwhisper got ready for the jump. Ripplestone was encouraging him. "I'll catch you!" He called out. "It's going to be alright!"

Owlwhisper leaped, he barely made it, his hind-legs scrabbling against the rock before making it.
Nutmeg sighed with relief.

One by one, everyone took turns jumping.
When I jumped, it was easy.

The last ones left were Chippaw, Remi, Willowtail and Goldenfall.

Willowtail lapped at Goldenfall's cheek. "I'll jump with you." She whispered.
Goldenfall nodded. "Okay."
Goldenfall was getting ready to jump.

"Lets do it!"

Willowtail and Goldenfall jumped, leaping across.

Willowtail landed perfectly, while Goldenfall missed the rock, plummeting down.

"No!" Geckoeye screeched, reaching out her teeth.

She barely caught Goldenfall's scruff.

Cinderpaw and Flywing came over to help, getting Goldenfall back on the mountain.

Chippaw grabbed Remi's scruff. "I'm going to jump!" He yowled.

The flesh-eaters were making their way toward them, their eyes bloodthirsty.
Chippaw gave a cry, then jumped.
Remi screamed, her yellow eyes wide.

Chippaw landed on the exact edge of the cliff. Sighing, he dropped the she-kit on the ground.
The rock under him started cracking. He gave a smile, then mouthed the words "goodbye" to us.

The piece of the cliff fell, Chippaw jumped at the last moment, quickly grabbing Remi.
He landed on one of the cliff edges jutting out. He had his eyes closed, and the apprentice looked dead.
Remi started pushing at him. "C'mon, Chippaw! Stop sleeping!" Remi was ramming her head into his shoulders.

Nutmeg called down to them. "Remi! Are you okay? Remi!?"

"I'm fine, mom!" Remi called back. "Chippaw's sleeping. The water from his body is not the one we drink. Its red, mom!"

I wanted to tell the young kit it was blood, and Chippaw was dying.

Firpaw's eyes flashed with determination. "I'm going down there."
He picked up a wad of cobwebs, and looked at the best places to jump down on.

"No, Firpaw. Its too dangerous." Fernstripe said.
"I don't care." Firpaw snapped.

He jumped down, one edge by one, until he reached Chippaw.
I for one was not interested it what was happening.

"Hey, can I be a leader now?" I asked.

Remi's POV

I didn't know what was going on. Chippaw wasn't waking up from his nap. A red water was running from his belly and sides. I saw Firpaw jump down to help.

"Whats the red stuff?" I asked curiously.

"Its, um, blood Remi. It comes out when we start hurting." Firpaw explained, wrapping cobwebs around Chippaw's hurting area.

It started coming out when he hit himself on the sharp rock." I told him.

Firpaw was done, then he lapped at Chippaw's head. "Wake up... Chippaw...."

"S-stop playing!" I stuttered.

"You're all better now, Remi's waiting..." Firpaw whispered.
I saw him, Firpaw shed a tear.

I pushed on Chippaw. "You're my friend! You promised we'd play when we're safe! Chippaw, you promised!"
I kept pushing, was he okay? Was Chippaw tired? Maybe he was sleeping, and Firpaw was crying because Chippaw didn't move away.

"C-Chippaw?" Firpaw asked.

I felt Chippaw's brown fur. I snuggled on it. His pelt was warm, I could feel it.

Firpaw slowly grabbed my scruff and pulled.
"He's not taking a nap, Remi. Chippaw is dead."

I shook my head. "No he's not! Chippaw promised he'd play with me. Nothing is going to stop him, he told me!"

Firpaw pulled me away. "Just stop! Chippaw's dead! He's never seeing daylight again!"

Thats when he grabbed me away, for good.