Nightstar's Crown

Chapter 3

|| Chapter 3 ||
➣

Angry yowls rattled the air in a terrible ringing. Claws sank into flesh. Fur flew and blood was drawn, staining the snow a crimson red and gradually darkening. Some dribbled down into the creek and into the stream that formed the border. Nightpaw had just been thrown into the cattail reeds of the marshlands by a warrior, whereby they'd evidently gotten taken on by another warrior since she wasn't immediately pursued. From the beginning to now, the fight had been rather chaotic. Nightpaw had been handling herself rather well, though the added factor of outstretched claws and teeth actively trying to bite was a...relatively new feature. Neither clan was overpowering the others in this fight. It was rather even, in fact.

ShadowClan warriors hauled the enemy clan cats with brute strength until they got into a good place so they could throw them. RiverClan warriors were using their unique battle technique, using the stream to their advantage. They were agile and quick combatants. But this wouldn't ward off the cats of the shadows, as was expected. Thicketstar and Beaverstar's reign had been relatively evenly set, and much like their clans, they'd been having a long feud continued from past leaders — relatively recent in the aspect of generations. It was only a matter of time before one of them would have the last whisker. Scrambling to her paws, she was about to return to the battlefield when she heard a sound of choking from behind her. Turning around, she decided to investigate with narrowed eyes.

Padding hastily through the reeds, she eventually came to a stop and stared within the hidden shadows, at her leader. He was pinned to the ground by his throat and staring up with shock and betrayal as claws sank into his flesh, and the warrior slashed the tom open. "You've lived nine, long enough lives..." Cold, slow, spiteful words reached Nightpaw's ears but didn't seem to sink in. She could only stand there and gape at what she couldn't even process. "And you've ruined enough of mine."

"Th– Thor..n...thr-throat, you...tr..aitor," Thicketstar rasped with a weak voice, choking, and even from Nightpaw's position she could see the light leave his eyes and him breathe his last breath. Her own blood went cold. The sight jarred her entirely, her mind unable to comprehend what was happening. M– Ma...ma? A cat slipped through the reeds and stared in shock at the scene. A RiverClan cat

"What in—" Before they could go on, Thornthroat pounced with an infuriated yowl and began battering the warrior around. Her intense ferocity was stunning the warrior, overcoming their own senses as Thornthroat had taken advantage to corner them. As the cat threw a powerful back and up in the air, and the RiverClan warrior lost their balance, the apprentice couldn't keep watching. Nightpaw whirled around and sprinted away to go find someone. Anyone. She dodged enraged, battle-torn cats and finally spotted a familiar face.

"Feathersong!" She cried out and took off for the deputy. "It's Thicketstar!" The deputy threw an attacker off and turned back around, eyes alertly darting around for the source of the voice. Spotting Nightpaw, she furrowed her brow but quickly took off to reach the apprentice.

Without any further questions, the deputy merely said, "Take me to him."

Nightpaw nodded quickly and was about to turn back around when she saw Thornthroat trudging up to them. "Call the battle off, Feathersong," she said simply. "Thicketstar's been killed."

"What?"

Nightpaw grimaced and started to back away from her mother and mentor, bumping into the deputy. Thornthroat glanced over at her and narrowed her eyes a touch before turning back to the brown-and-white tabby. "I fell into the reeds and just as I was getting my bearings, I saw Cedarsplash kill him. I went to defend Thicketstar in the hope he'd still be alive, and he backed up too close to a cliff and the soil gave way—"