Reedstar's Selfishness (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Chapter 16 - Cloudjaw's P.O.V.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Mudpaw stood at the edge of the gorge. Blackpaw, Boldfang, and Lilypatch also took their places. I noticed that no flesh-eaters were on the other side stumbling around, just the blood stained grounds where others were killed.

Lowering myself at the cliffs edge, I murmured, "So," My voice echoed along the rocks walls. Rain pelted down harshly and I fluffed out my white fur. A pang in my heart made me cringe. Any mention of 'white' made me remember that Whitetooth was gone; it was like an open wound, still fresh.

I swallowed my grief and muttered, "Who's going first?" I glanced over at Lilypatch and seen her gulp. She blinked but before she could respond. Boldfang fluffed out his long fur and stood up straight. "I will." He decided and I dipped my head.

"Very well, jump then." I insisted. Boldfang took in several deep breaths, shuffling his paws. As the tom bunched up his muscles, Lilypatch put her paw in front of his chest. "Wait, we should all jump at the same time. Look for rocks before you go, though," Lilypatch mewed and I took in a deep breath. My heart started beating fast at the thought of plunging into the dark water.

Leaning over the edge, I quickly checked for any rocks that could be jutting out. Inwardly, I hoped that at least one would be threaten us, so we would have an excuse to go down the muddy hill instead. All was clear, at the surface anyway.

"Go!" Lilypatch yelled and without thinking, we all jumped.

As I fell, my legs flailed in the air, as if my instincts expected to climb back up. My mouth was open wide but no scream escaped. As for the others, Lilypatch and Mudpaws' screams bounced off the cliff walls.

As I neared the water, I took in as much air as my lungs would hold. The sky escaped from around me as I was consumed by the rivers fast currents. My vision was a blur and I had to blink several times to keep the water from stinging my eyes anymore than they already were.

The current thrashed me around, throwing me in circles through the cold water. My lungs were already aching and I was desperate to get to the surface. I kicked as hard as I could, but without any sense of up or down, it was hopeless. A sudden pain shot through me as my hind paw hit a rock. Quickly I spotted the slimy boulder and grasped it, hooking onto it as best as I could. Pushing myself up, I broke the surface and gasped for air.

"Lilypatch! Mudpaw! Boldfang! Blackpaw!" I spluttered, but I was the only one with my head above the water. I looked downstream to see the current coming on stronger and harder. A boulder stuck out just far enough to give me a warning, but I couldn't get away from it in time. Holding my breath, I was forced under the rivers' current, rolling downstream. The air in my lungs was knocked out of me as I slammed into another rock.

I watched the bubbles float to the surface as my vision grew dark. I caught a glimpse of a figure in the water; if it was a flesh-eater or one of us, I had no idea. I suddenly could see the sun shining through the water and my first though was, Oh no... StarClan is here to get me! As I was forced down the river with my lungs screaming for air, I was suddenly jerked upward. I quickly realized that the sun was brighter because I was out of the gorge and more toward the lake.

Having broke the surface, I gasped loudly and let out wet coughs. I was drug onto the shore of the river, hacking up water. I staggered to the side and looked to the left to see who my saver was.

"Squirreltail?" I whispered but she didn't look toward me. Her frame was scrawny and her eyes hollow while they searched the water as it churned and swirled. The only thing I knew that hadn't changed was her bushy red, squirrel-like tail.

Squirreltail kept watching the water and I stepped forward. "You're... Alive?" I croaked. I cleared my throat as water crept up again. I coughed until I felt better, spatting out the water. Peeking at the sky, I noticed the clouds were thinning and I figured the rest of the day would be warm and filled with sun.

She didn't answer me at all, so I watched the water as well. "Where's Reedstar and Viperslash?" I asked after a few more awkward moments of silence. My tail whipped from side to side in impatience. Squirreltail faced me for a brief heartbeat and then faced the water again.

"I didn't see them when I got out of the river. Reedstar pushed me to the surface just when I was giving up." Squirreltail explained. I nodded, watching the water again. She continued, "I saw you five jump. I was here, waiting, I guess."

I guess Reedstar isn't totally heartless after all... I thought. Just then, a head popped up. It was Mudpaw. "Grab him! Grab him!" I insisted, craning my head out over the water to grab him if Squirreltail didn't. But Squirreltail swiftly grasped the apprentice by the scruff and backed up to bring him up to the shore. Mudpaw didn't move much as she laid him down.

I padded over to him and prodded the small brown apprentice. His eyes burst open again and gasped for air. A splashing sound made me turn, Mudpaw's coughs in the background.

Squirreltail lifted Lilypatch from the river, her soaked body dripping as she dragged herself from the water. Lilypatch, too, let out desperate coughs until water came out. "There's still Blackpaw and Boldfang." I hissed, my throat stinging and my head pounding.

Within heartbeats, Blackpaw popped up on the other side of the river, gasping for air and legs slapping at the water. Squirreltail jumped in and grabbed his scruff, dragging him to the other side of the river. Squirreltail easily grabbed onto the shore just under me. I moved aside as she dropped Blackpaw's body safely onto the ground.

Blackpaw wheezed but didn't let out any coughs. He didn't move, as if in shock. "Squirreltail?" Lilypatch murmured, gazing over at the fluffy she-cat. The LightClan deputy sat up and shook out her grey fur, water droplets showering us like mist.

We waited for Boldfang's head to pop up too, but as moments went by, he didn't. My heart throbbed, What if he doesn't make it? I knew this was a bad idea... Meanwhile, I noticed Poppyheart was climbing onto the shore with Sootkit. "I hit something on my way over!" She called to us and I exchanged a glance with Lilypatch. 

"Like... a body? We're still missing Boldfang." I meowed, narrowing my eyes. Mudpaw padded up to stand beside me, swallowing nervously. "Yes, it was soft and didn't grab me, so I'm assuming he was... gone," Poppyheart mewed, padding closer. Redfur pulled himself up with Ebonykit safely in his mouth.

The tortoiseshell medicine cat took a second glance at the red warrior. "Squirreltail, is that you?" Poppyheart mewed, her head tilted to the side. After she set Sootkit down, the small fluffy kit shook out his pelt.Squirreltail still didn't reply.

As Lighteningice crossed with Stormkit, she let out a gasp and set the small tom down. She hurried up to Squirreltail, Sootkit and Stormkit following on her heels. "You're alive? How good to see you!" Her white fur sparkled and clung to her skinny frame. Squirreltail's ear flicked. "I didn't think it would be too much of a shock," Squirreltail mewed and then muttered, "But I guess I was wrong."

The white queen sat beside Squirreltail and groomed her kits. I assumed it was more for their warmth than their looks.

Poppyheart let out a whimper from behind us. Everyone turned to face her as she bent over Blackpaws motionless body. He lay like a stone on the grassy shore. Squeezing my eyes shut, I prayed to StarClan. Please don't let any one else die... Poppyheart and I are the only ones left of SpiritClan now.

A growl rumbled deep in my chest as the rage of losing another cat weighed on me. Kneading my claws into the ground, I fought to stay sensible. "After we bury Blackpaw, we need to find shelter before dark. Should we make some of those sticks we made to help kill the infected?" I asked Lilypatch. She shrugged, her sorrowful gaze following the current, "I don't know. We should, but where are we even going to find branches?" Looking away from her, I sighed.

"Running might not be the best answer, since half of us are weak from almost drowning and not eating. We might have to make weapons and find our shelter as we travel," I pointed out.

Redfur shook his head. "Most of the flesh-eaters fell and are being taken into the lake. I think it would be a waste of time." The medicine cat insisted. I dipped my head to the tom. "Right. So, lets get going. We should hunt tonight, too."

Lilypatch, Poppyheart, and I started digging out the hole for the brown tom. No one spoke as we lowered him into the grave. Poppyheart and I said our final farewells to him, and then together we covered him with dirt. 

As we started to leave the shore, Squirreltail padded up to me. "We need to find a place made by Twolegs. Their nests are a lot more stronger than ours."