Skypaw's Fury

Chapter 4

"Come on now Skypaw!" Lakeheart mewed to her. "You can do way better than that!" Skypaw clawed the ground in frustration. She had just lost a squirrel because she was to slow. She kept on thinking about Smokeleaf's visit two sunrises ago. "Sorry Lakeheart," She called. "I'm just a but tired." She lied. Lakeheart nodded. "Okay, let's go over by the swamp," He called back. He bounded off into the direction of the swamp. Skypaw followed him. They arrived soon at the swamp. "Now, remember what I told you about frogs?" He queried. Skypaw reached way back in her mind. "Uhh..." She mumbled. "That they hide in the muck of the swamp and if you make the water ripple, they will disappear in the swamp." She answered proudly. Lakeheart waved his tail in approval. "Very good," he mewed. "Now, I'm going to watch you, catch whatever you want in the marsh." Skypaw flicked her tail and padded towards the marshy land. She glanced over her shoulder at Lakeheart. He was sitting with his tail wrapped over his paws. She sighed and crouched and waited. She saw a frogs head pop out of the brown water. Her ears pricked in excitement. Skypaw picked her way towards the water, careful not to step on any leaves or twigs. She reached her paw out slowly. "Skypaw!!! Look out!" Lakeheart screeched. The frog disappeared. "Mouse-dung, Leakeheart!" She hissed. But she was soon knocked off her paws. She screeched in terror. She opened her eyes to see a dark brown tabby on top of her. "WindClan scum!" She screeched. She unsheathed her claws and tore at the massive cat's underbelly. The cat's weight soon disappeared. She struggled to her paws and looked around wildly. Leakeheart had pulled that big cat off of her. "The Rouges!" She yowled. She was about to jump on the cat again, when more cats appeared out of the marshy plants. "Great StarClan!" She gasped. "Skypaw!" Lakeheart yelled. His voice was muffled underneath the tabby. "Get help! NOW!" More of the Rouges were coming. She sprinted away from the attack and towards camp. She skidded into the clearing and yowled. Cats looked at her and Twigstar hopped off Highledge. "Skypaw!" She yelled. "Your bleeding!" Skypaw shook the worried leader off. "Help us!" She gasped. "A group of huge Rouges attacked us!" Twigstar's eyes grew wide. Other cats had heard and were rushing towards them. "Who's us?" Twigstar asked. "Lakeheart and I," Skypaw answered. She realized with a jolt why she was so worried. "They'll tear him to shreds!" She shrieked. "Vineleaf!" Twigstar called. The ShadowClan deputy came racing towards her. "Organize a patrol," she instructed. "Now." Vineleaf nodded and called some cat's names. Twigstar turned to Skypaw. "We'll go," She mewed. "We'll protect Lakeheart for now." Twigstar pelted towards the bramble barrier and Skypaw was hard on her heels. They raced through the trees and bushes until they heard the screeches of battle. "Lakeheart!" Skypaw called. "Where are you?" Not soon after, a yowl came from behind them. "The patrol!" Twigstar gasped "Let's go!" The group of cats headed to the swamp. The sight they saw was blood-chilling. "No." Skypaw gasped. "No!" She repeated, this time louder. The patrol ran at the Rouges. Skypaw ran faster than the whole patrol. Then she tripped. "Fox-dung!" She cursed. She looked back to see what she had tripped on. It was Lakeheart. He was laying on the soft ground, hardly breathing. "Nooooo!!!" She screamed. She turned at padded to his side. This battle reminded her too much of the battle her mother died in. She looked up. The Rouges were gone! "Where did they go?" She asked Vineleaf, who was suddenly crouched beside her. "We scared them off," He sighed. " We had more cats." Skypaw buried her nose in Lakeheart's golden fur. He was still breathing. "Leakeheart?" She whispered. Lakehearts tail slowly swept the ground. "Yes, my little warrior?" He croaked. Skypaw licked his head. "Are you going to die?" She asked. She examined his wounds that answered her question. There was a scratch on his throat bigger than any she's seen. Lakeheart let out a raspy sigh, but was cut off by a fit of coughing. "Yes." He choked in between coughs. Skypaw yowled in agony. "But the kits!" She whispered in his ear. Lakeheart didn't say a thing, but she knew he had heard. She saw tears start to run down his face. "I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough," She rasped, still whispering in his ear. Lakeheart just shook his head. "No." Is all he said before he started breathing rapidly. "No please," Skypaw hissed. But it was too late. His chest stopped moving up and down. "Lakeheart!" She whispered. Skypaw touched her nose to his ear. "Skypaw!" Skypaw turned her head to see a white blur coming towards her. She blinked to get the tears out of her eyes. It was Snowpaw! "Snowpaw!" She gasped, relieved. Snowpaw halted. "Lakeheart?" He rasped. Skypaw nodded. More of the patrol appeared out of the bushes. "No!" Pineneedle screeched then pelted towards them. Rosepaw slowly pushed through the bracken, then she saw Lakeheart. "Why StarClan?" She hissed loudly. The last one to come out of the bushes was Twigstar. She stopped when she saw the grieving cats. She hung her head at the sight if her dead son. She dragged her paws as she walked closer. "He was an amazing warrior," She meowed quietly. "He died a brave death." All of the cats dipped their heads . Skypaw kept her muzzle in his fur. Snowpaw twined his tail with her's. After a while, Twigstar lifted her head. "It's time we get back," She began. "I want you to-" She was cut off by Skypaw. "I want to carry him." She announced. Twigstar sighed. "Skypaw, you can't do it by yourself." She reminded her. "Snowpaw will help me, then," Skypaw mumbled. She looked at Snowpaw. "Won't you?" She asked. Snowpaw nodded. "Of course." He mewed. Twigstar closed her eyes tight. "Fine." She decided. Skypaw dipped her head to the leader, then grabbed Lakeheart's still warm scruff. Snowpaw padded to the other side of him and grabbed his tail. They lifted him up. He was heavier that Skypaw emagined. But she wouldn't admit defeat.