Warriors: A Dark Sun

Chapter 12

Lilypaw sobbed beside her grandmother's body. "I'll make you proud. I promise." She promised even though she knew Mintfur couldn't hear her. Jasperheart helped her up then started to drag Mintfur's still warm body. Echomist fell in beside Lilypaw and rested her tail on the grieving apprentice's shoulder. Lilypaw pushed it off as she didn't want sympathy. She wanted Mintfur. Echomist just moved her tail and let Lilypaw grieve alone. When they got back to camp Lilypaw blocked out the shocked whispers and numbly walked to the apprentice den. Owlpaw tried to sooth Lilypaw, but all Lilypaw wanted to do was sleep. She started to feel more grateful towards her sister. With the help of the rhythmic strokes of Owlpaw's tongue, Lilypaw feel into a deep dreamless sleep. When the apprentice woke up she was alone in the den. She heard Owlpaw walking in through the narrow den entrance. "Grayheart says you can take the day off." Owlpaw softly mewed. Lilypaw nodded then sat back down and watched everyone walk around the camp. Pixiekit came up to Lilypaw, but Lilypaw just turned her head away from the white kit. She knew that she had hurt Pixiekit, but she didn't care. Lilypaw wanted to be alone. Adderkit had learned to be fiercely protective of Skykit and Pixiekit. Adderkit marched over to the red apprentice. Lilypaw batted him away, growling how she couldn't get peace in this dump. Lilypaw saw everyone staring at her in shock as she was usually gentle with the kits. She growled at Olivepaw when he tried to comfort her.
"I don't need a useless tom to take care of me! I'm not a kit!" She snarled at the gray tom. His eyes, that a second ago were filled with warmth and grief, turned ice cold and unforgiving. He turned around and padded into the den without looking back. Lilypaw felt awful, but she didn't need his sympathy. She didn't need anyone. Lilypaw stood up and walked out the camp entrance. The ferns rustled around her as she squeezed out the entrance. Lilypaw raced into the forest, the snow making her paws pads hard and cold. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She missed Mintfur so much. Lilypaw ran to the spot where she had found Mintfur's body the night before. She could still smell her grandmother's warm scent, but by now it was stale. Lilypaw smelled fox and stiffened in rage. Mintfur would still be alive if it weren't for that beast! She padded into the clearing and looked at the tree trunk and gasped when she saw the biggest fox she had ever seen, sniffing around the fallen tree. Lilypaw felt her eyes harden with rage. She yowled and jumped on the fox, scratching it's face. The fox snarled and shook her off. Lilypaw took a second to catch her breath then leaped on the fox's back. The fox bit her front paw in the struggle to free itself. Lilypaw yowled in pain. She ignored the throbbing pain in her paw and slashed the fox again and again in the face. She ripped off one of the fox's ears and the fox snarled furiously. Then the wild beast batted the apprentice against the fallen tree. Lilypaw hit the tree then fell with a dull thump. She struggled to catch her breath and yowled in agony. She felt a sharp pain in her chest and she had sprained her leg. The fox walked menacingly slow towards the weak she cat. This is it. This is where I die. The fox got so close that she could feel it's breath, hot on her cheek. She was filled with pain and desperation. Then a flash of silver hit the fox on the side of it's massive face. The fox staggered and tried to shake the cat off. Lilypaw gasped in surprise when she saw that Owlpaw had come to her rescue. Lilypaw yowled in joy. Owlpaw slashed the fox repeatedly in the face. All Lilypaw's joy padded abruptly when Owlpaw tripped on a root and fell, revealing her soft white belly. The fox saw an opportunity and took it. It leaped forward and started slicing Owlpaw's belly with it's sharp claws. Owlpaw's shrieks must have reached the ThunderClan camp. Lilypaw sat, frozen with horror, but the sight of her sister fighting for her life snapped her out of her shock.
"NO!! OWLPAW! HELP!"