Reedstar's Selfishness (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Chapter 26 - Lilypatch's P.O.V.

Sudden screeches filled the air after Mudpaw had left again. I glanced into the distance as my heartbeat quickened. "I hope they're okay..." Heatherleg muttered to Lighteningice. The forest was filled with unease. 

Narrowing my eyes, I turned to face the newcomer. "And who are you?" I hissed. He was black and white with a wound on his front leg. His eyes were a bright light green. 

The tom rose his chin. "I am Blazefang. You may not know of the four Clans, ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan, but that's where I used to live. Where we all used to live... Until those... senseless, insane, disturbing creatures came in and ruined everything we had," He spat, glaring sideways. I flicked my ear. Blazefang was silent for a few heartbeats but eventually continued, "I was in ShadowClan. I was just about to become deputy when those stupid infected pigs ruined it! The Clans are no more... Just cats scattered around trying to survive, desperate for shelter and prey." He clawed at the ground.

"ShadowClan? ThunderClan? WindClan? RiverClan? There were four Clans only a days travel from our home, and we didn't know?" Poppyheart whispered in disbelief. Lighteningice stared at the tom with distrustful eyes. She kept her kits and Ebonykit close with her tail. 

Blazefang shrugged. "I suppose so. Are you cats rogues?" He looked to each of us with uncertainty. 

Do I dare spill our life too? Would it even matter now? "No, we came from Clans just like you. I came from LightClan, where I was the deputy. DarkClan and SpiritClan were the other two Clans. Not many of the Clans remain... The only cats who survived thus far in SpiritClan are Poppyheart, Cloudjaw, and Ebonykit," Ebonykit's black ears perked up from out of Lighteningice's pure white fur at the sound of his name. The tom nodded once and continued to listen, "We... came across the same problem. It almost wiped us all out in the beginning but a few of us managed to survive the first bit. But, a tragedy here and a tragedy there brought us to just thirteen of us." I murmured, looking around at the tired and skinny group.

Poppyheart sniffed the toms wound and without asking, began to treat it. Her eyes were hollow, emotionless. She chewed up her withering herbs and smeared it on before wrapping it with the remaining cobwebs. Her bundle was no more than a couple of leaves.

Blazefang nodded and Eclipse looked to the sky. The moon was at the top of the sky. "It's crazy how not long ago we were all fighting for a territory that is so useless to us now." Squirreltail croaked. Through the corner of my eye I watched Redfur stroke her spine with his fluffy tail.

We sat in silence, not even the kits made a peep. A sudden yowl made me jolt. Birds took off from the trees where Mudpaw had ran off to. "Was that... Cloudjaw?" I mewed. No one answered as another short scream echoed through the air.

We waited again. Poppyheart paced behind Heatherleg and Lighteningice. My pelt bushed and I rose to stand, glancing behind me. It seemed like forever before the sound of thumping came. Mudpaws' brown pelt came scampering toward the group. Before he even reached us, he began to yowl. "Go, go, go!" I swallowed and instantly I knew the bad news... Cloudjaw is gone...

Everyone scrambled to their paws. Lighteningice took Stormkit, Redfur grasped Sootkit in his jaws, Heatherleg grabbed Sunkit, and I scurried to get Ebonykit. "Cloudjaw wants us to keep moving and for his sake, I think we should! There were flesh-eaters coming toward the sound of his screams, and I'm sure they'll be able to follow my scent!" Mudpaw panted. I hesitated and set Ebonykit down to speak. "What happened?" I gasped even though I knew exactly what had happened. Swallowing, I waited for him to spit it out.

Lighteningice let out a whimper; she looked like she was about to collapse. Poppyheart let her head hang from a few tail-lengths away.

"For the kits' sake, I'm going to make it brief. Cloudjaw tripped... He told me to get us out of here before it's too late." Mudpaw whispered. His eyes were wide with horror, staring at his paws.