Reedstar's Selfishness (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Chapter 7

I tore away, my sides hitting the trees and thorn bushes. I hissed as a thorn sliced open my paw and hissed as each time my paw hit the ground, the thorn stabbed farther into my paw. I pushed the thought of that kind of pain and began to think, If I don't stop worrying about the thorn, I'll get eaten! I can't leave the group unguarded... they need me.

I pushed harder until we came to a huge tree. It was a dead, thick tree with thick branches sticking out of every place on the trunk. I didn't even stop to tell them I was going up, I just leaped up and shot myself up to the nearest branch.

One after one, cats climbed up the tree. In my head, I counted up the names of who was here and who wasn't.

There's Heatherleg with Sunkit. I thought to myself as the long legged she-cat clawed her way to the branch above me. Boldfang, Redfur and Poppyheart. Mudpaw, Snowpaw. Squirreltail and Blackpaw.

My heart raced as she shot up the tree, far away from me. I was hoping she was alive still.

I saw a group of flesh-eaters rushing toward the tree with the rest of the cats. Relief flooded over me as Leopardstar, Cloudjaw, Whitetooth, Lighteningice and Lilypatch rushed toward us. Whitetooth and Lighteningice held Stormkit and Sootkit in their jaws. I could hear their whines from down below.

I was only relieved because Leopardstar, Whitetooth and Cloudjaw were strong and we needed strong warriors. After Venomsoul and Viperslash had apparently ditched us, we needed all the power we could get.

Suddenly I realized Birdfeather and our two kits were no where to be found. I stood up, my heart in my throat. I tried to swallow the feeling but no matter what, it returned. I noticed Cloudjaw had a bundle of fur in his jaws. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the black fur as Ebonykit.

I knew something was up when I had left. Birdfeather - nor Otterkit - showed up, Bluewave and Sharppaw weren't anywhere to be found either. Cloudjaw perched beside me with a wriggling Ebonykit. "I'm sorry," He whispered, "We couldn't get to them in time. I was lucky to even get out alive with Ebonykit." The white deputy's eyes were wide with horror and misery. I stared at Ebonykit at my paws. He let out tiny mewls of terror, unable to speak just yet. I laid down with him. All of the guilt and dread seemed to have washed away. There was nothing, not even sadness for Birdfeather, or even thankfulness for Ebonykit being alive.

As the cats settled, I looked around. Mudpaw nuzzled Snowpaw gently, grooming her knotted white pelt in an attempt to soothe the frightened apprentice. Poppyheart comforted Lighteningice and her two kits, while Whitetooth sat as quiet and still as a rock.

Leopardstar laid with her paws off the edge of the branch, eyes clouded with dread and sorrow. Could I... Make her step down now? Maybe she'll agree without knowing and then she can't argue?

The moaning below came louder and then paws were scrapping the tree trunk, chunks of bark falling onto them. The branch was high enough that they couldn't get me, so I felt a bit more at ease next to Ebonykit.

I put my head on the base of the branch - where it came out of the tree trunk - and went to sleep with my son at my belly.

I watched myself run away and my heart skipped a beat, Where is he going? Why won't he help us? A thought came to mind and I didn't even think it. Flesh-eaters poured in as much as the warriors poured out, leaving us behind.

The two kits huddled up at my stomach squealed, attracting more flesh-eaters. Bluewave and Sharppaw clawed at them, stuck in the back, as I stayed in the corner, frozen with fear. I tried to move forward but I couldn't; it was as if I was watching a memory.