Warriors : A New Omen

Chapter 15 >> Desperate

The cats immediately swarmed around their leader. They stared, dumbstruck, at the gasping Badgerstar. He thrashed in the trap, only worsening the grip it had on his neck. He screeched and blood dribbled out of his mouth.

"Hold still!" Ashpelt shouted in his ear. He turned to the others. "Use your claws and try to pry it! There's no time for clever plans!"

Willowpaw finally regained control of her paws and rushed over, eager to help but terrified of the scene up-close. It was much worse than Brightblossom's ordeal. She could see Badgerstar's eyes cloud and unfocus. She saw his labored breathing grow ever shallower.

"Use your strength!!" Ashpelt howled. He grunted and his muscles strained as he pulled at the trap with all his might. Brightblossom and Beeflight followed suit, huffing and puffing.

Willowpaw joined in the corner of the trap, digging her hind paws into the leaves for stability.

"Hang in there, Badgerstar!" Beeflight gasped.

The ThunderClan leader's head went limp and lolled, unconscious.

Willowpaw felt the bars budge and begin to separate. They were so close!

And yet the tom's chest rose and fell less and less until it stopped altogether.

"No!" Brightblossom cried. She gave an extra heave and the trap released the leader's neck. Ashpelt bent down and dragged Badgerstar out from between the glinting bars and laid him down against the juniper bush.

"Is he dead?" Willowpaw breathed. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the crumpled body of Badgerstar. He looked so fragile and pathetic, legs a tangled heap below him and neck fur ruffled from where it had been ensnared.

Nobody answered her. They were panting and looking on with fear. Their bodies heaved from exertion.

Willowpaw stared at the black tom. He wasn't breathing.

Is he out of lives? What if he is? Oh StarClan, please, please let him wake up. She sat there for what felt like forever. Waiting. Watching. Worrying.

Finally, after many a bated breath, Badgerstar's amber eyes fluttered open. He gasped a giant mouthful of air and coughed.

Brightblossom gasped and was at his side in an instant. Ashpelt and Beeflight followed her and helped their leader rise to his paws.

Badgerstar continued taking deep gulps of air. He focused on steadying his trembling legs.

"Are you okay?" Beeflight asked, eyes wide.

Badgerstar caught his breath. "Y-yes." He coughed. "Just give me a moment."

Willowpaw almost went limp with relief. Now her legs were shaking.

As she looked over Badgerstar she noticed how weary he looked, life loss aside. Silver hairs streaked his muzzle and his fur was dull, much unlike the younger warriors surrounding him.

Once he had recovered enough to walk, Badgerstar thanked the patrol for their help and reassumed his role.

"Collect your catches and let's get back to camp." He said. His voice was quieter than usual.

As was the patrol's. Few words were said besides that of simple orders.

Willowpaw kept her head down the duration of the return. Her mind buzzed with what just happened. Her leader just lost a life! And even worse, she could have spoken up sooner.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I couldn't have done anything. It's not my fault. Willowpaw reasoned with herself. To help push it out of her mind, she counted her steps. One, two, one two...

As soon as the patrol entered camp, Badgerstar silently made his way to the medicine den. The other warriors branched out and chatted softly with their den-mates, recalling the tale.

Willowpaw chose a nice spot in the gorge and rested while she waited for Badgerstar to take his leave. She wanted to be the first one that told Frostpaw.

Why didn't the trap patrol find that one? Part of her mind wondered.

Because it was well-hidden, duh. The other half pointed out.

At last, Badgerstar reemerged with Fawndapple at his side. Worry shone in both cats' eyes and they parted with a tense nod.

Willowpaw quickly stood. She trotted to the den, searching for her friend beyond the veiled entrance.

"I'm sorry, but no visitors right now." Fawndapple said. Her voice was distant, her eyes even more so.

Willowpaw opened and closed her mouth. "But...I uh, have to really talk to Frostpaw." She pawed the ground. "It's important."

Fawndapple nodded and padded away. If the apprentice hadn't known any better, she would have thought that Fawndapple was oblivious to the entire conversation.

She darted inside.

Frostpaw spotted her friend and coughed harshly before propping herself up.

"What's going on? Fawndapple wouldn't tell me and Pondpaw left before I could ask her!" Frostpaw whined.

Willowpaw shushed her. "We aren't supposed to know anyway! But where's your sister?" She glanced around the den. No sign of the fluffy black she-cat.

"Pondpaaaaw! My throat huuuurts!" The ginger and white apprentice wailed, throwing her head back.

"Great StarClan, I wonder why," Willowpaw laughed.

Sure enough, Pondpaw appeared with a little honeycomb cradled in her jaws. She narrowed her eyes on seeing the best friends together. After putting down the honeycomb in front of her sister, she said cautiously, "I'm assuming you want to know about what Badgerstar told me." She stared at Willowpaw with a wary look on her face.

Frostpaw didn't seem to notice. "Well of course we do! You ran off and I know you heard me calling."

Pondpaw glared. "Well it doesn't concern you, so shove off!" Her unexpected aggressiveness stunned the other two. She instantly shrunk back from her own words. "I'm sorry. It's just – I have to go." She whirled around, ears flattened to her skull.

"Hey!" Frostpaw growled. She lunged forward and bit Pondpaw's tail. The she-cat screeched.

"What was that for, beebrain?" She spat. Her fur was beginning to rise.

Frostpaw hacked before laying back down in her nest. "At least tell me this: how many lives does Badgerstar have left?" Now she was unsettled.

She made sure her mentor wasn't around and lowered her head level with Frostpaw's. "One."

Half of Willowpaw wasn't too surprised. The leader was getting elderly, so it would only be fitting. But her heart told her it wasn't so. The strong wise tom always was there. He was a rock of stability both for her and the Clan. She couldn't imagine anyone else taking his place.

"One?" Frostpaw gasped.

Pondpaw nodded, guilt spreading across her features. "You can't let anyone know that I told you. It's against the medicine cat code to divulge private information like this."

Frostpaw stared blankly at her sister. "Simple words, please?"

Pondpaw rolled her eyes. "I'm not supposed to gossip about the leader of ThunderClan." Her voice carried a hint of condensation.

"You couldn't have just said that?" Frostpaw mumbled. She took a lick of the honeycomb.

Willowpaw kicked Frostpaw for her to shut up. She then spoke up, "We won't. We promise."

Well, here's a little update to start off the summer! Lots more are on the way.

So who's your favorite character so far? Do you have any guesses on what will happen next? I love to hear what you guys think x3