River Of Blood (The Forest In The Sky (book 1))

Chapter 22

Tilleypaw's pov

A wave of relief sunk into her for a few heartbeats. She staggered to her paws, almost falling over again. Blood still making its way out of her flank, she tried to take no notice.

"We have got the first cat we need! We need the second, now where are they." A cat yowled as if they were trying to make us give up.

"No! Cedarpaw!" A desperate yowl came from the one and only Duskfeather, her own mother. Tilleypaw straightened as she heard her friends name. She looked over the cats staring at a cat being held up by the scruff. It sure enough was Cedarpaw. Frightened, Tilleypaw turned and tried running around the fight towards Ackleypaw. She streamed over there, her body aching and pain slowly taking over her. But at once, a body bowled her over, sending her crashing to the ground. She thrashed as she looked up to see the beast eyes of the green cat she had fought off of her mother. Some cats were still fighting and others were staring at dead and lifeless bodies. Some were staring into nowhere. Tilleypaw lashed out at the green cat with a weak paw. The green cat easily batted it away and scratched her spine from her neck to the start of her tail. Blood spilled from the wound the cat was making. The cat towered over Tilleypaw, digging its razor sharp claws into her belly and near her ribs. Tilleypaw hadn't even started to rehearse her goodbye as the cat forced its claws deeper....and deeper....deeper....til there was no more deeper. Almost fainting from the excruciating rack of pain and the blood pooling from her wound she finally could get up as the green cat got off her. Nothing except pain was on her mind. Images of cats flashed in her mind over and over continuously. Thoughts and feelings of pain dived at her. Blood dripping down her shoulders and from her belly, back and arms. She felt the need to scream in pain but she couldn't talk. No words made an appearance on her tongue. Her fear and anger was on level 1000. She slowly padded forward, her legs wobbling in all different directions. She could recognise Galaxypetal and Novapaw who were covered in blood and scars. Cloverfern was barely on her paws. Duskystar and Dolphinstar were nowhere to be found in amongst the cats. Cinderpaw was looking out of the medicine den while Kitkat and Cycloneheart were bringing cats into the medicine den. Shark peeped his head out and then his head just disappeared. Tilleypaw forced her tired paws to go to the middle of the crowd so she could see Cedarpaw, the hostage, at the front of everyone. Duskfeather was lying on the floor, looking like she was asleep, she was probably knocked out. Sabre was talking with some of his cats and they began to walk around the cats and inspect every one of them. Sunflowerstem and Cheshirebounce hissed at the cats as they were coming around. Not much was happening and all Tilleypaw could smell was the metallic blood smell mixed with a little bit of herbs.

"Stop Havenpelt and Scarface." Sabre called to the two cats that were going around the group of cats.

"Yes, what have you found." The ugly green cat that Tilleypaw had attacked immediately responded, straightening his back.

"I think i found them." Sabre snarled and jumped down off the log he was on and padded around the cats. Havenpelt and Scarface were laughing, along with some others from The Assassins. Moringabelly and her father Cypressfoot were keeping track of the apprentices and also the extras. Tilleypaw turned and saw Sabres tortoiseshell pelt stop in front of her. No one was watching at this point. He bent over her and his eyes struck through her pelt, making her fur burn in anger. "Come with us." He snarled, baring his teeth.

Tilleypaw stepped towards him confidently. "What—what if i-i dont w-want to." She made sure a few cats could hear she was in danger.

"Maybe because it'll cost you life or death." Sabre replied simply and let out a small scoff.

"Tilleypaw don't." Of all the cats she could of heard today, she heard the nice warm voice of her brother Wrenpaw. Tilleypaw could just make him and Wirepaw out from the crowd. Tilleypaw took no notice and looked back at Sabre who was staring her dead in the eye. She looked around for a few heartbeats. Everyone was now eyeing her and Sabre sadly or suspiciously. She got ready to back away but a growl hinted that Sabre was going to jump on her. Before she could do anything, she felt a powerful paw on her back. Sabre unsheathed his claws and let out a menacing growl before he stabbed at her shoulders.

NO! Tilleypaw couldn't even make out Brackenpaw and Ackleypaw yowling inside her head. She had given up once and for all. Sabre picked her scruff up and dragged her to the front of the camp. Tilleypaw could now see Cedarpaws basically lifeless body hanging from a cats jaw. Sabre dropped Tilleypaw and another tortoiseshell cat came an stopped her from getting up.

H-h-h-h-h-help. She croaked weakly in her mind.

"This cat is the solution to our problems and will always be so i have to kill her!" Sabre yowled and The Assassins started yowling at the top of her lungs.

"Don't do this Sabre!" Tilleypaw faintly heard Shark calling from the medicine den.

"Try stop me Shark you filth. I will do this and i will do it now." Tilleypaw looked up and saw Sabre standing over her. "You filth, you will be gone forever, i will give you wounds you can never heal. You will die once again when you get to AuroraClan because they will kill you." Sabre lifted a paw, his claws unsheathed. "We will do it for Brave!" Tilleypaw saw his paw came down onto her stomach. Punctured with pain, she looked around at the cats watching her get beaten up. He kept slicing at her belly and slowly made her way up to the shoulders and neck where he got ready to bite down on her neck. Her eyes were barely open, water coming from then, blood staining everywhere on her. "Goodnight." Sabre scowled and her life enclosed, folded over and disappeared into nothing. The sky was now black as the night.