Warriors Secrets of the Shadows: Frozen Blood

Chapter 23

Slatetooth was leading a patrol with Sunblossom, Shrewfur, Flyingleaf, Brightstripe, Silverwing, Sleekpelt, Brio, and Burnclaw. They had been instructed by Crimsonstar to hunt, and check for any scents. Everything was quiet.
"Hummingclaw told me yesterday he and some of the others freshly marked the terrirtory and scented for Blizzardscar. They said they found no traces." Sunblossom murmured to Shrewfur.
Brio snorted. "He's probably curled in a ball freezing to death." He meowed coldly.
Shrewfur was about to say something but a shriek rang out.
"What was that?" Brightstripe hissed. Her one eye moved wearily in all directions for any danger.
"Come on." Brio mewed padding in that direction.
Slatetooth bounded beside him. "Must be a cat." He observed.
"Definitely. Let's just hope that it's not a cat being ki-"
An AshClan patrol was crowded in a circle.
"What's going on?" Brio asked from their side of the territory.
The white snow was painted with red near their own paws.
"None of your business!" Sneered a bracken colored tom.
"They killed a cat." Silverwing murmured. "Was the cat you killed a black and white tom with scars on his back?"
"Didn't I just say none of your business?!" Snarled the bracken colored cat again. A black and white tail rested on his shoulder. "We should tell them Brackenpelt, since they want to know so badly." Sneakingfoot meowed, his eyes glittering with fury.
Brio stayed calm. "Was he?" He asked. They all revealed his body to them;lacerations and a deep gash in his throat.
"Blizzardscar.." Brightstripe mewed. "Great StarClan.." Murmured Sunblossom.
Sleekpelt saw Brio sway and take a step back. When he had said that his brother was probably freezing to death, it was unknown whether or not he had wished it had occured.
"You killed him." Burnclaw growled. "So what?! Was he special to you?" The thin AshClan tabby Cinderfrost mewed, faking sympathy.
"He was my brother." Brio hissed. Slatetooth let his hackles rise. "You lot better get back to your territory or you'll regret it!" He spat.
"Run!" Brio yowled in fury.
"Run?!" Sneakingfoot echoed. "AshClan cats never run!" He curled his lip.
"Then let's avenge my brothers merciless death!! He had a family!" Brio shrieked.
"You'll be in for a world of hurt AshClan.. I promise!" The ScarClan deputy sneered. "ScarClan cats!" He yowled over his shoulder. The patrol bristled snarling and growling. "Attack!" He yowled, raising his head to the sky and leaping forward. The cats yowled and raced head on taking the AshClan cats by surprise matching their deputy stride for stride, leap for leap at the enemy in their sights. Brightstripe tackled a white she-cat, catching her off guard and batting at her ear.
Brio lept out at Sneakingfoot. The deputy yowled loudly.
"Why?!" The big tom yowled, demanding an answer.
"He was prey stealing filth!" He spat in reply.
"Look out! More ScarClan warriors are coming!" Yowled a pale orange AshClan warrior.
Brio yowled and clawed at his face. "You should've ran!" He growled. Goldenheart, Meadowstripe, Hummingclaw, Swiftfur, Blazetoe, Skyfoot, Thornfurl all charging forward with yowls of fury.
The AshClan cats were falling back. Goldenheart clawed at a tom who had Silverwing by her back, leaving a long scratch that would scar in their pelt. Sneakingfoot pinned Brio down. "Are you listening? I will kill you and all of your prey stealing friends!" He snarled. Brio lost it. Yowling, he clawed at his neck, not enough to kill him but enough to stun him. The AshClan deputy stumbled and ran, leaving a trail of dripping blood as he awkwardly left with his Clanmates by his side. The AshClan cats fled.
"Retreat!" Sneakingfoot gasped. Looking back at them, he hissed, "This isn't over," and limped off.
"You bet it isn't." Brio hissed and looked at his dead brother.
"Cowards!" Slatetooth spat as the last two raced away.
"Blizzardscar." The black and white tom meowed.
The tom was dead, his yellow eyes clouded, his lips curled in a final snarl of what seemed to be a declaration that he would not die.
"He put up a fight." It was Emeraldeye. She had followed Blizzardscar and was hiding in a hole of a dead tree in horror.
Slatetooth's green eyes were cloudy with grief for Brio.
"I'm sorry father." Emeraldeye mewed. "This cat put up a good fight." Blazetoe mewed.
The ScarClan warriors knew that the brothers may have had their differences, but their kin bond was strong. Brio picked up Blizzardscar by his back.
Slatetooth lead the way back to their camp. Emeraldeye padded beside her father.
Not a cat said a word the entire way. They walked into the camp. Bristlekit and Mistlekit were playing around. "Come now kits into the nursery for a nap." Blueheart mewed to the two she-kits. It was Bristlekit, the second born, who noticed their father's body. "Daddy!"
"No no my darling! Don't go that way!" Blueheart yowled padding after her as she made her way forward.