Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 38

Lighttail jerked underneath his brother, his mew of terror cutting off as a gurgling sound replaced it.

Sharptalon backed away, the iron-tang of blood in his mouth. He stared down at his brother's body, blinking. I shouldn't feel guilty.

Lighttail was on the ground, twitching, his neck fur torn, blood spilling from the wound. He was breathing still, his eyes staring pleadingly into Sharptalon's eyes. "Brother.... p-please," he rasped, blood trickling down his chin. He coughed and spat blood onto the ground.

Sharptalon backed away. "Don't plead me, brother," he hissed cruelly. "You betrayed me. Now you get to suffer. A-a brother like you.... I thought you'd always stay loyal to me, agree with me, help me with my depression and anxiety.... but look where you are now."

Lighttail's reflection shone in the pool of blood that he lay in. His eyes reflected Sharptalon and his emotionless face. Then he twitched violently, his legs jerking wildly. Finally, he fell still, his eyes dull and staring blankly into the sky.

Sharptalon felt the anger melt from him. Grief overcame him. "No, no, what have I done?" He murmured. His tail drooped, his claws sheathing. He looked around, hoping no cat had heard them. He dropped to the ground, his heart pounding. Blood stained his mouth. What did I do? 

Sharptalon darted forward, grabbing his dead brother's scruff. The tom was already stiff with cold. He picked him up, grunting as he felt his weight. I'll put him by the rogue's border. 

Sharptalon dragged him through the undergrowth, his paws heavy. Lighttail is dead. Now what? 

Sharptalon had left Lighttail's body by the rogue's border, and was now at the stream. He'd washed off his bloody paws and mouth, and was now looking at his reflection. How do I make it seem like we were attacked? Maybe a..

Suddenly, a growl erupted behind Sharptalon. A fox! 

A fox jumped from the undergrowth, already snapping at Sharptalon's shoulder. He stood still, allowing it to bite him. Pain sliced through his shoulder but he ignored it. He swiped at the fox's snout, his claws slicing through flesh. Blood spattered on the ground. Run! 

Sharptalon darted away from the fox, heading towards camp. He could feel his wound stinging with pain and could feel blood trickling through his fur. Then he stopped in his tracks as a patrol come from the bushes: Foxleap, Birchfall, Whitewing, Blossomfall, and Sootpaw. 

Foxleap immediately leaped forward, landing on the fox's head, his claws digging into its muzzle.

Birchfall leaped forward with Whitewing. The two warriors leaped onto the fox's back, their claws digging into its fur.

Sharptalon glanced at Blossomfall and Sootpaw. "Ask later!" He gasped, turning around to face the fox. Snarling, he darted underneath its belly and slashed. 

The fox yelped with pain and shook off Birchfall and Whitewing, then backed up, snarling. Anger showed in its eyes, but it understood it couldn't beat this fight. Blood trickled from scratches on its face. Blood dripped from its belly. With a yelp of annoyance, the fox turned and ran off.

Sharptalon turned to his Clanmates, panting. Foxleap had long claw marks along his flanks that bled heavily, staining his fur and dripping onto the ground.

Birchfall glared at Sharptalon. "What were you thinking, running blindly through the undergrowth with a fox behind you?" He asked.

Sharptalon blinked at Birchfall painfully, surprised at his hostile tone. "Well what would you do?" He growled defensively. "I was trying to make it back to you," he rapsed, his shoulder wound stinging.

"And why?" Whitewing asked, her ears pricked forward. "Why were you out here by yourself anyway?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Me and Lighttail," Sharptalon began. "He wanted me to take a walk with him to talk about stuff, and a fox just came out of nowhere and attacked us!" Sharptalon meowed, lashing his tail. They can't find out I'm lying.

Birchfall blinked at him, looking around him. "Well... where's Lighttail?" He asked.

"The fox k-killed him," Sharptalon lied, his voice cracking. "I-it all happened so fast," he murmured, his head drooping. He dug his claws into the ground.  "My poor brother, killed by a stupid fox!" He hissed.

Blossomfall glanced at him with sympathy.  "N-no, not Lighttail!" She gasped with shock. "Lighttail was an amazing warrior. How could he of died?" She murmured.

"That stupid fox! We need to take revenge!" Sootpaw growled, bristling.

"I-I'm sorry about that, Sharptalon," Birchfall murmured, his gaze shimmering with grief.

"Poor Lighttail," Whitewing murmured, shifting her paws.

"Where is his body now?" Foxleap asking, panting.

"At the rogue's border," Sharptalon mewed. 

"Why at the rogue's border?" Birchfall asked.

"We went over there to check if maybe any rogus had crossed over," Sharptalon lied. "And then that's when..." he trailed off, remembering the horrified and surprised look on his brother's face as he died.

"That's why you don't go out with only one cat. Squirrelstar warned us all that fox scent was caught inside the territory," Birchfall pointed out, his whiskers twitching.

"Hey, Birchfall! Let's get back to camp before Foxleap bleeds to death!" Blossomfall hissed, her tail lashing.