Shadow Warriors

Chapter Twenty

The faint cries of her Clanmates seemed like echoes as Sagepaw struggled against the darkness that haunted her gaze. Her head was pounding, matching the beats of her heart only more demanding as it stripped the thoughts from her mind, the only thing she knew was pain, the pain was numbing yet it controlled every part of her body, she could feel it coursing through her limbs as she fought to stay awake. She felt herself being dragged over the ground, rocks and stray thorns stabbed into her flank but it was nothing compared to the battle she was facing on the inside. 

Sagepaw's eyes fluttered open, catching a glimpse of a fleeing figure as Larkshine threw himself back into the chaos, her mind starting to clear as her spirit reunited with her body, the hurt she felt slowly ebbing away. Her headache ceased, and her heart slowed. She got shakily to her paws, stumbling forward in an attempt to walk back into the battle. 

Glancing into the fight, she saw Quailpaw being pinned by a tom much larger than the ShadowClan apprentice. Quickly, Sagepaw focused on the RiverClan foe, her eyes absorbing the bloodlust in his eyes as he lunged towards her littermate. At the last moment, she felt the strength of the tom in her limbs, twisting him around. He lost his footing and crashed into a tangle of thorns, letting out a yowl as Sagepaw's mind returned to her shaking form. 

Her eyes landed on a young RiverClan She-cat, who was hiding in the bushes, fear plastered on her face. Sagepaw gave a small grin and stalked up behind her newfound prey. Instead of leaping, her eyes locked on the crouching form of the other cat, her possessions had ripped away her strength, she would be no match for even this cat, cowardly watching as her clanmates spilled their blood. Hopefully, at least with the last of her vitality, she could force this she-cat into the battle. 

Fixating all her mental abilities on the foe she willed herself into the opposing body, feeling her breathing quicken she instantly realized it wasn't her own, but the RiverClan scum in front of her that she was feeling, the panic in her chest seeming there yet not as her spirit fought for control. Go, Sagepaw ordered the she-cat's body, fight. The ShadowClan apprentice raised her eyes to the other cats. 

Suddenly it dawned on her how strange it would seem for two of them to just suddenly attack their own clanmates, their own family. Sagepaw let out a hiss, then I guess you'll just have to fight one of my own... Spotting Cloudyfoot - ready to launch himself back into the turmoil - Sagepaw smirked. She watched at the RiverClan cat ran over to her mentor, trembling as if trying to fight her way back into control. The opponent unsheathed her claws, batting weakly at the tom she faced. He hissed, ducking his head, jaws open and ready to return the attack. 

Before any of them could even blink, she heard a wail, a cry full of grief and confusion. Why? it seemed to ask, why has this happened? "S-Salmonpaw! Salmonpaw is dead! Shellclaw killed her!" a cat yowled, voice shaking.

Sagepaw froze, eyes full of disbelief. Salmonpaw. an image of the RIverClan apprentice flashed in her head, is dead? 

She took a step back, her mouth gaping wide with horror. The mental connection broke and she was vaguely aware of the she-cat she had controlled escaping from the astonished figure of Cloudyfoot and running back towards her own territory. 

Her own actions suddenly clicked in her mind - she had forced the apprentice to fight her own Clanmate... Shellclaw, he must've lashed out in defense... he, he killed her? Suddenly it all hit her like a wave, the pain, it never quite registered in her mind of why it had all hurt so much. She assumed Salmonpaw had been injured and fled as her controller collapsed. Sagepaw let out a choked whimper. What have I done? The RiverClan apprentice hadn't even lived her life, she would never have a mate, never bear kits, never even get named a warrior and be able to show her Clan her true potential. 

The gathered cats still stood in shock, unsure of what to do next. Sleekstar was the first to step forward, dipping his head at the grieving cats around the still form of the dead apprentice. "RiverClan, we're going home. Nobody has won this battle today, we have all lost." and with that he nodded to his cats and turned tail, walking somberly back towards his own camp. Several cats moved to pick up Salmonpaw, quickly following after their leader. 

Sagepaw stood still, her mind in complete shock, how had it all gone so wrong? She didn't understand, this was supposed to make her a better warrior, but how could that happen when she had so carelessly shattered the code? She stared at her feet, blank, her claws were coated in blood, dark and ominous, light glinting off the dried flecks that stuck to the soft fur of her paws. 

Her emotions threatened to show themselves, to pour out, she wanted to scream, cry, but no, she would be strong, she would make Viperfang proud. But as she stood there her legs continued to tremble, feeling weak and unstable, like a branch being forced from the core of a tree by the whipping wind. 

She slowly looked up, observing Finchfur as he flicked his tail, ordering the ShadowClan cats to do the same as their enemies had, head back to camp. Sagepaw stared blankly after her clanmates as they dispersed, the weight of what she had done sending her world crashing around her. Cloudyfoot gave her a concerned look but carried on, glancing back once more as Sagepaw, tail down, trailed behind him. 

Hey, guys, it's your, not, favorite Admin Moon, oml look I updated are you proud I'm trying please love me.

What do you guys think of the chapter? I haven't written in awhile so hopefully, it's okay. -Moon