Reedstar's Selfishness (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Chapter 37 - Mudpaw's P.O.V.

This has to be a dream. Reedstar drowned. Squirreltail said he pushed her up out of the water before tumbling downstream... Great StarClan, help us...

"Reedstar?" Mistystar's nose wrinkled up with disgust. "I thought you said he was dead?" The grey leader frowned and stood up, unsheathing her claws as her shoulder fur bristled. Blackstar and Bramblestar exchanged glances; neither of them looked fazed by the intruder. 

Heatherleg glanced up at the trees and swept Sunkit closer to her stomach. "That's impossible... You pathetic furball, you're supposed to be dead!" Heatherleg snarled. Stormkit stopped running dead in his tracks and dropped his feather. Sootkit, with his gaze over his shoulder, didn't realize his brother had halted and bumped into him. The thicker kit stumbled but didn't make a retort, only cowered down. Poppyheart hurried over and brought them closer to her. "I want Lighteningice!" Sootkit let out a wail and tried to scamper out of the island. The tortoiseshell medicine cat nosed him back in front of her without a word.

"I'm half-dead, for your information. Did you think that rancid cat on the other island was the only cat who could be half-infected?" Reedstar snorted, jumped down to the branch below. It barely budged under his weight. "You cats really are mouse-brained." 

Silence ebbed through the island. "Did you actually think that I died? I'm Reedstar, the best, most powerful of them all. I'm a legend for StarClan's sake! And legends... well, legends never die." He boasted. Reedstar's eyes glowed from inside of the spindly tree. 

"Legend? The only reason you could be labeled as a legend is because of how selfish you are!" Poppyheart snapped, guarding Lighteningice's two kits with a fierce snarl.

The slick tom let out a menacing purr as he walked the branch. "But I'd still be a legend. Selfish was always planned to be my second name." The moonlight flickered onto his pelt so we could see his body. He was thinner now, a few gashes here and there. White puss lined the deep wounds. He really is half infected...

Mintfur let out a yowl. "Enough of this, kill that stupid tom before he infects us!" She spat. Many of the other Clan cats let out sneers of approval.

"Oh, it isn't me you have to worry about," Reedstar sighed, laying down on the branch with a glistening smile covered his face. Crossing his paws neatly one over the other, his sharp gaze drifted to the entrance to the island. "My infection won't be the cause of your slow deaths, someone else's will."

"Blood..." Mothwing muttered, glancing over at Poppyheart. Is that the half-infected tom's name? 

I gulped and the only thing that could come to my mind, too, was the half-infected cat. Cats glanced at each other, and each of them unsheathed their claws. Sootkit let out a muffled whimper from Poppyheart's belly while Stormkit unsheathed his tiny claws, preparing for whatever Reedstar was talking about. As Blackstar opened his mouth to confront Reedstar, Blood suddenly came rushing into camp with Rowanclaw at his tail. Their eyes were wide with horror, Blood's tail shivering and his fur on end. 

"Infected... They're coming!" Rowanclaw gasped. A distant groaning sound bounced off of the lake and entered the island in waves. Ebonykit lay in between the two different Clan-groups, his body quivering. No one seemed to pay attention to him. Squirreltail met eyes with me and caught sight of Ebonykit, curled up on his own.The snarls grew closer and before I could hurry after Ebonykit, Squirreltail began to wobble over. Her ankle never did heal properly and to our distress, we knew she would never be able to sprint the way she used to, let alone keep up. 

My heart lurched into my throat as Reedstar flew from the branch he was perched on and snatched Ebonykit before Squirreltail could get to him. Ebonykit let out a squeal, wriggling in the sly tom's grasp, as the half-infected leader bounded away. "Have a wonderful time!" Reedstar retorted through his kit's scruff.

Squirreltail snapped her jaws at Reedstar's tail but missed only by half of a whisker-length. "No!" She wailed, and tried to run after him. But it was too late; the sound of Reedstar plunging into the water meant he was gone, and so was Ebonykit. I dashed for Squirreltail and stood in her way before she could leap the barrier to the water. "You can't get him." I croaked. 

"It was probably for the best, anyway! Ebonykit was bound to become his father!" Heatherleg snapped. I shot her a glance but she had already turned away to grab Sunkit. 

"Grab the medicine and the kits! Is there anyone who can't climb?" Bramblestar yowled, eyes serious. No cat bothered to answer; every cat immediately knew what he was implying. Tigerheart nosed Dovewing up the nearest tree and scrambled up behind her. In one swift leap, Nightcloud and Crowfeather jumped half way up the trunk of the tree Reedstar had perched on from either sides and clawed up to the nearest branch. Poppyheart had Sootkit in her jaws but before anyone could grab Stormkit, he hurried up the tree Tigerheart has disappeared in with Poppyheart on his tail. Mintfur and Blazefang were next to climb the tree nearest to them.

Glancing around, the only thing my ears took in were the sounds of the flesh-eaters as they tore at the barriers. My breathing started to come short and my heart thumped hard and fast. Eyes wide and tail quivering, panic began to set in. The three leaders hurried each of their warriors up the trees and didn't follow until their own Clanmates had made it up safely. I had blocked out the voices of the others and was frozen to the spot.

The remaining cats tore up the two trees and made their way up as far as they could. Flesh-eaters burst through the weak barriers within moments and let out pleased growls as their eyes set on me. Bloody saliva dripped from their jaws and the murky lake water clutched to their thin frames. The world around me was growing dizzy as the flesh-eaters closed in. 

"Mudpaw!" A yowl interrupted my thoughts and brought me back to my senses. It was Squirreltail. She shoved me along and I shook my head to gain more thought. Stumbling, I fought to clear my head. As she pushed me toward the closest tree, only one thought entered my mind: How is she going to climb up? 

I climbed up to the first branch and expected the red she-cat to follow, but to my horror she was standing her ground at the base of the tree. "You mouse-brained furball, get up here!" I snapped, but she didn't budge. Unsheathing her claws and lashing her tail, she prepared for the flesh-eaters as they staggered toward her.

"No! Squirreltail, come on!" I yowled. I could feel the vibration of my voice deep in my chest as I screamed at her to follow. It was as if she had blocked me out; she just wouldn't listen.

With an annoyed grunt, Bramblestar dropped to the ground and grabbed the stubborn warrior by the scruff and threw his way up the tree. The flesh-eaters snapped at my tail, their milky eyes filled with their only desire: food. With my eyes locked on the torn up cats, I tried to scramble farther up the tree to a safer branch but my front paw slipped and suddenly I was surrounded by the dark lake water. 

As my body sank to the mossy floor of the lake, an eerie peace closed around me. Nothing but the sound of the bubbles could be heard as they escaped my mouth and nose and rushed to the surface. For a split moment, I wanted to let the water consume me. It could finally be over for me. I could finally end this nightmare and be with Snowpaw... 

My racing heart slowed as panic dissolved from my mind, leaving me to watch the moon become smaller and hazier until the whole world around me faded to black.