Warriors: Ashfur's Insanity

Chapter 9

Jaypaw padded through the dense forest, Stonepaw at her side.

"How long will it take?" Stonepaw growled.

Bumblepaw lashed his tail. "Ok. I suddenly regret going with you all," He meowed. He faced the strong wind.

Jaypaw could tell rain was coming. Night was falling. The moon floated high in the night sky and the tall trees cast shadows over the forest. "I think we're lost," She meowed.

"WHAT?" Bumblepaw hissed. It was freezing cold, it was night, they were lost, and it would rain soon.

"Hey! It's snowing!" Icepaw meowed. She danced in circles as snow began to fall lightly.

"Leaf-bare," Jaypaw muttered. She looked at Bumblepaw.

"We've got to hunt or we'll starve to death!" He growled.

Stonepaw parted his jaws to sniff the air. "First, we've got to find shelter. We'll freeze to death," He meowed.

"Well, i'm hunting!" Bumblepaw growled. He turned and stalked off. It began to snow harder.

"You'll get lost!" Jaypaw called. It was dark in these woods. The only thing she could see was white. The little white flakes of snow. "Blizzard!" She meowed.

"We've got to find shelter!" Stonepaw meowed.

"There!" Icepaw meowed. She pointed with her tail tip to a twisted tree. Underneath it was plenty space. The ground was dry and the tree had holes in it. "Great!"

"Should we sleep inside it? Or... under it?" Jaypaw meowed.

"It's best if we go inside," Foxpaw meowed.

Jaypaw dipped her head in agreement. Bumblepaw could get lost. They would find him alive. Or dead. Jaypaw darted towards the tree. She pushed through the hole. It was warm inside the tree.

"I'm hungry!" Icepaw meowed.

"We shall eat once-" Jaypaw was cut off as the ground beneath her paws tumbled. The log was rolling!

Icepaw squealed in terror. "Jaypaw!" She wailed.

Jaypaw felt splinters of wood fly in the air. The log tossed her around as it rolled over and over and over. Her heart almost stopped. She unsheathed her claws and planted them into the wood so she could hold on. Then she heard a thud noise and she flew through the air. One of Jaypaw's claws snapped. She winced in pain as blood dripped from her paw. The log split in half and Jaypaw was thrown out. She screamed as she plunged onto the frozen river. Her paws were stiff with cold. She wailed as the ice broke beneath her weight and she sunk in the frozen water. Jaypaw snapped open her eyes and prayed to StarClan that she wouldn't drown. Cold water drowned her lungs. Jaypaw was swept by the current and headed farther down the frozen river. She hit the banks and small rocks. Jaypaw saw blood stain the water, its redness against light blue. Jaypaw growled as a dead fish slapped into her face. She was growing dizzy. Jaypaw's eyes clouded. She needed air. Jaypaw sprung upward and burst through the ice. She slipped on the ice and scrambled to the bank.

"Help!" She wailed. No response. "Please! Please. Someone. Anyone..." Jaypaw's voice trailed off. She could only hear the breeze blowing hard with the snow. Everything was white with snow. Jaypaw was freezing cold. Her blood was frozen to the core. She pulled herself closer to a tree. It had a small hollow in it, small enough for her to squeeze through. She pushed herself inside. Jaypaw curled up, her soaked tail brushing her nose. "Please," Jaypaw whispered. She blinked and closed her eyes, her pelt soaking everything around her. After heartbeats, sleep finally took over her.

Jaypaw snapped open her eyes. Thistleclaw and a tortoise shell she-cat stood over her, their shadows bathing the hollow. "What do you want?" Jaypaw grumbled.

"Hello," The she cat meowed.

Jaypaw blinked. "What in the name of StarClan!? Who are you?" Jaypaw asked. Her claws were unsheathed.

"I am Mapleshade.  I have trained many cats. Crookedstar, Tigerstar..." Mapleshade's words were drowned out by Jaypaw's thoughts. Tigerstar!   The evil cat who had to much power. Tigerstar killed Redtail. He even killed many other cats. And another evil cat that ruled ShadowClan.... Brokenstar. Jaypaw remembered Yellowfang's words about Brokenstar: He could make you believe a mouse was a rabbit if he said so.

"Jaypaw!" A voice yowled.

"M-Mapleshade? Thistleclaw?" Jaypaw blinked. It was Bumblepaw!

"Where's Foxpaw and Icepaw?" He asked. He dropped a sparrow and mouse to the ground. Food at last! Jaypaw sunk her claws in the mouse and dragged its lifeless body towards her. She began to explain what had happened.

Bumblepaw curled up beside her. "Hmm," He was thinking aloud.

Jaypaw twitched her whiskers. She pricked her ears to hear a slight purr coming from Bumblepaw. Her ears were hot with embarrassment. Jaypaw stretched her neck to peer outside the small hollow. It was still snowing. Not lighter, but harder. When would it ever end. Jaypaw dug into her mouse and began to eat it.  After she finished, she curled up beside Bumblepaw, their pelts brushing. Do I like Bumblepaw? Jaypaw shook her head and pushed the thought away. Bumblepaw was warm. Jaypaw began thinking of their kits. Afterlife. She wondered if she would get to the old forest. Get her warrior name. Come back, alive. Bumblepaw flicked an ear as a snow flurry blew in and swirled around the hollow. It touched the warmness of his pelt and melted away. Jaypaw closed her eyes. Sleep drifted over her once again.

Jaypaw snapped open her eyes. She felt lush grass beneath her paws. Ferns rippled in the wind. The breeze carried a strong scent. Blood!   The blood roared in Jaypaw's ears. She ran in all directions. Shrieks and wails from cats were coming on the other side and the trees. Jaypaw darted up the tree and leaped on the other side. There. Many cats crowded around two cats. A small black tom with a white paw and a tattered purple collar studded with long, sharp dog teeth. And a huge tabby tom with a nick in his ear and a scar on the bridge of his nose. He seemed familiar. Tigerstar!

"Traitor!" Tigerstar growled. He leaped for the small black tom, his long, sharp claws unsheathed. The black tom was barley bigger than an apprentice! But the small black tom leaped to one side and struck a blow to Tigerstar's shoulder. Blood quickly spattered out of the wound but only hatred gleamed in Tigerstar's eyes. The black tom and Tigerstar flew through the air. Their eyes locked in contact. The black tom's an icy blue and Tigerstar's a dark amber. The black tom raised a paw, claws unsheathed. They shinned unnaturally in the sun. Jaypaw's heart beat faster. His claws were reinforced with long, sharpened dog's teeth. Then he slashed his claws into Tigerstar's throat. He ripped him down to the tail in a single slash. Tigerstar let out a wail of agony as his life spilled out of him. The cats only watched in horror. The black tom starred coldly at Tigerstar. Tigerstar breathed hard, blood bubbling from his mouth as he struggled to live. Then the massive tabby gave one last breath and fell limp. He's losing a life, Jaypaw thought. His body gave a jerk and he starred down at his wound as the blood poured out of him in waves, engulfing the black tom's paws.

A name rang clearly in Jaypaw's ear. Scourge. That black tom is Scourge. After what seemed like forever, it was over. Tigerstar died. Lost all his nine lives- just like that. The most powerful cat in the forest had been stopped. Scourge lifted his blood soaked paw and grunted. "Your friend here tried to control us. He was wrong," He growled. He looked down at Tigerstar's body.

A flame-colored tom rose to his paws. Fear was his only expression. "W-We don't want to control you!" He stammered. It was Firestar.

Jaypaw snapped open her eyes. She was seeing the past. How Tigerstar had died. How Scourge had killed a leader with nine lives. Jaypaw had to get home.