Warriors: Bound To Stars

Chapter 27 || Sinkholes

"I didn't expect the trek to be this long."

⠀⠀"This wasn't even a quarter of what we had to go through," Batchaser mumbled, tail lashing back and forth like an angry adder. He already regretted letting the three stooges come along. This whole journey was turning even more sour than before, and Batchaser didn't particularly want to keep that bitter taste in his mouth.

⠀⠀Jackalstar huffed, splotch-ridden pelt ruffling through the wind. "Well, whatever. My legs hurt and I'm bored with you idiots."

⠀⠀"Are you talking about yourself?" the black tom snapped, sniffing around a particularly deep trench they stumbled across. Hmm. Shallower than the one Rushingpaw nearly fell into earlier. Idiotic little weasel.

⠀⠀Jackalstar stopped, thinking about his words for a moment until they finally hit. "Hey! Wait!"

⠀⠀The ShadowClanner ignored her petty insults, sighing and craning his head up to the looming mountain. They didn't seem to have too long to go, and Batchaser was seriously ready for all of this to be over. The silent treatment from Cypressfall had been enough—listening to Rushingpaw's and Jackalstar's constant blabbering made him want to drive a pinecone into his head, and walking near the cat that had killed him a second time was igniting the anger stored deep within his broken soul. At least Galewhisker wasn't annoying, because that would be an extra cat to look forward to scratching.

⠀⠀"Over the hill and we should be close," Cypressfall murmured, speaking for what seemed like the first time in hours. "Wait... how many of these wolf claw's thingies have we finished again?"

⠀⠀Batchaser paused, counting on his claws. "Wolves... or that forest or whatever... that stupid maze, weird zombie cats, uhh...whatever is next? I really hope it's nothing insane. And I'm guessing the mountain is the last mark of the dragon's claw. Because if not, I'm throwing myself off that cliff. No regrets."

⠀⠀"No regrets from me either. Actually, I'd love it if you threw yourself off a cliff." Batchaser sent a glare in Jackalstar's direction but stopped in his tracks. He'd been in the middle of walking over another one of the deep trenches, but plumes of smoke began spilling into the air from below him. Heat billowed at his belly and he craned his head down.

⠀⠀"What in StarClan's name..?"

⠀⠀A deep, dark red flame was spiraling towards him. Batchaser screeched and threw himself out of the way, paws shaking as he scrabbled in the dirt. His blue eyes widened, watching the lava erupt from deep within the earth and breathing life into the sky. The six cats stopped, watching with awe before the ground rumbled below.

⠀⠀"Oh.... so that's what the rumbling was," Cypressfall thought.

⠀⠀"RUUUUUUN!!!" Shellstar screeched, speeding towards the mountain without a second thought to help the others. Fire began erupting from the trenches behind them as well, sending shivers through the rock below. Galewhisker and Jackalstar, confused as ever, trampled after Shellstar with Batchaser hot on their tail. The black ShadowClanner whipped his head around to make sure his other two companions were okay—he was surprised when Cypressfall ran past him with Rushingpaw firmly grasped in her jaws.

⠀⠀"Come on, you stupid lump of fur!" Jackalstar screeched, stopping and turning to glare at him. "Are you just going to stand there like an idiot and get burned to death?!"

⠀⠀Batchaser felt fire lapping at his paws. He let out a cry of fear and ran as fast as his body would carry him. Jackalstar waited, perhaps the only selfless thing she'd ever done in her life, and ran for the mountain side-by-side with what could almost be considered her enemy.