Darkeye's Fury

Chapter Twelve

When Darkpaw awoke, a heavy snow was falling. She looked around and saw everyone huddled together. "We should keep moving." Whirlwind meowed. Darkpaw nodded, and felt a tail rest on both her shoulders. Moonpaw and Flarepaw were at her sides, while Cloverpaw and Ravenwing stayed with Tumbletail. Silverwing and Frogfoot stayed together, while Jaywhisker led them through the storm. Whirlwind trekked through the snow by himself, his thick fur fluffed out against the cold. Moonpaw pressed up again at her, whilst Flarepaw kept his distance. Darkpaw squinted against the winds, and quickly lost sight of Jaywhisker and Whirlwind. She looked behind her, and saw Silverwing and Tumbletail. Ravenwing and Cloverpaw weren't in sight. Darkpaw started to panic, and Flarepaw pressed up against her. She calmed down slightly, and looked around. She couldn't find Frogfoot either. She trotted away from her friends, and looked at how terrified everyone was. "Follow me." She ordered. "I'm not going to follow an apprentice and die in a blizzard." Tumbletail growled. "Then freeze to death." Darkpaw snapped. Tumbletail grumbled, but followed Darkpaw. Flarepaw stayed by her shoulder, while Tumbletail stayed with Silverwing and Moonpaw. Darkpaw led them through the field, and stopped when the winds got to strong to keep moving. They huddled together, and soon Darkpaw heard a yowl. Darkpaw raised her head and yowled back, as Frogfoot came into sight Jaywhisker. Darkpaw smiled, as the two warriors settled themselves in the huddle. As they waited for the storm to calm down, Whirlwind never came into sight. When the storm had stopped, Darkpaw insisted they waited for Whirlwind, Ravenwing, and Cloverpaw. Jaywhisker shook his head, and led the patrol through the field. They climbed over a hill, and trotted into a meadow. Dead flowers covered the grass, as a few rabbits hopped across them. Darkpaw yowled and raced after then with Flarepaw and Silverwing. Flarepaw dove for one, while Silverwing dove for two. Darkpaw wrestled with a a rabbit her size, but she couldn't grapple it with her claws. It kicked her in the face, then hopped away, as Darkpaw sat, stunned. She shook her head, then looked up at the two cats. They each carried a rabbit back to the others, and Moonpaw shared with Silverwing. Frogfoot and Tumbletail shared, with Jaywhisker, and Darkpaw shared a rabbit with Flarepaw. When they had finished, they set out again. Jaywhisker led them, as Darkpaw padded alongside Flarepaw. Moonpaw was talking with Silverwing, while Tumbletail and Frogfoot padded in silence. Darkpaw trotted forward, and stopped when she heard barking. She whipped around and saw a huge dog running towards them. "Run!" She yowled. Jaywhisker bolted through the meadow, with Moonpaw and Flarepaw on his heels. Silverwing rushed behind them, with Frogfoot, while Tumbletail pushed Darkpaw forward. As they rushed through the meadow, the dog gained on them, and started snapping at Tumbletail's long tail. He scooped Darkpaw up in his jaws, and dashed forward. He put her down when he was at Jaywhisker's shoulder, and whipped around to face the dog. Jaywhisker halted, and flung himself at the beast. It yowled in surprise and Tumbletail leapt at it. Darkpaw lashed her claws across it eyes, and Silverwing took a step back as another dog came into view. They started running again, as the first dog ran away in terror. They hauled themselves up a steep hill, and the dog scrambled up after them. They dove down the other side, and raced across another meadow. A high pitched yowling came from the other side of the hill. Dog whining followed it, then everything was quiet. They all stared at the hill, bristling, their claws unsheathed. Four cats came into view, and Darkpaw hoped it was her clanmates. The stench of rouge filled her nose, and she hissed when they got closer. One was a blue-gray tom, and the other was a redish-brown tom. Behind them was... "Cloverpaw, Ravenwing!" She yowled. The cats trotted forward, and purred, as Moonpaw and Darkpaw greeted them. "Have you seen Whirlwind?" Darkpaw asked. They shook their heads, then Moonpaw asked. "Who are they?" She flicked her tail to the two rouges, and Ravenwing spoke. "The blue-gray tom is Sharp, and the redish-brown tom is Yew." Darkpaw nodded, and noticed that the rouges had scars all over them. Sharp looked at her and meowed quickly, "Dogs." She nodded, and turned to Jaywhisker. He flicked his tail, and led the cats across the meadow. The rouges followed them, padding next to Cloverpaw and Ravenwing. When they were almost out of the meadow, Jaywhisker stopped. The sun was setting, and a gentle snow began to fall. "Let's eat and rest." He meowed. The rouges nodded, and padded off together. Cloverpaw went hunting with Moonpaw and Silverwing, while Frogfoot and Tumbletail settled themselves together. Jaywhisker sat down, and watched over the cats, as Flarepaw padded up to Darkpaw. He started talking, but Darkpaw didn't listen. Her mind drifted towards Whirlwind, and she hoped he was okay. She looked around, and Flarepaw stopped talking. "Are you alright?" He asked. Darkpaw snapped back to the present, and blinked at Flarepaw. "I'm just worried about Whirlwind." She murmured. Flarepaw nodded, and laid down next to her. They groomed each other, and looked up when Moonpaw and Cloverpaw came back. Moon paw laid a plump rabbit at Darkpaw's paws, and took a bite out of it. Darkpaw's shared with Moonpaw and Flarepaw, while Silver ring padded up to the group, and shared with Jaywhisker. The rouges came back, with plenty of prey. They shared a plump vole, and have two rabbits to the others. Ravenwing shared with Clover paw, and Tumble tail shared with Frogfoot. After everyone had eaten, then went to sleep. Darkpaw quickly drifted into sleep, and awoke in the dark forest. She sucked in a breath, as Fireblaze padded out of a patch of brambles. He stood nose to nose with her, his foul breath bathing her muzzle. He glared at her, and she returned his unwelcoming greeting. "Hello." He meowed. Darkpaw heard anger bubbling in his voice, and she ignored him. He growled, and launched himself at her. "You caused Frostfang's death!" He spat. Darkpaw lashed out at Fireblaze, and caught him above the eye. She slithered under his stomach, her claws gliding across his stomach. He whipped around, and Darkpaw launched herself into the air. Fireblaze barreled into her, and knocked her into a tree. As she clawed frantically at him, a pool of blood formed around her paws, and she blacked out.