Warriors: Starfaith's Fate (SOB short story) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 15

The ShadowClan camp was cold and quiet. Every cat seemed to be sound asleep in their dens. Starfaith drifted across the clearing, walking on starlit, semi-transparent paws. It felt so strange to be in the camp without being confronted by anyone. She was a warrior of StarClan now. No ShadowClan warrior could scent her or here her. Only Depthstar would be aware of her presence.

She slipped into the leader's den. Depthstar was asleep in his nest, his flank rising and falling slowly. She hesitantly crouched by the ShadowClan leader and whispered. "Depthstar." When he didn't wake, she repeated urgently. "Depthstar..."

His dark blue eyes flickered open, and his fur bristled with surprise when he saw her. He sat up in his nest quickly. "Starfaith? What are you doing here?" He looked past her. "Who let you into the camp?"

She dipped her head politely. "Only you can see me, Depthstar. The stars in my fur will tell you that I walk with StarClan now," She murmured. As Depthstar's eyes widened, she went on anxiously. "Something horrible has happened to Dewstorm. You must go to highstones immediately to save him."

"What?" Depthstar gasped. He shot to his paws and pelted out of the den. Starfaith quickly followed him, surprised to see another cat in the clearing.

Bloodpaw seemed to have just returned to camp. He stared at Depthstar, clearly startled by him. "Depthstar? Is everything okay?"

"No," The clan leader responded as Starfaith stepped to his side, his voice full of fear. "Something's wrong!"

The apprentice hurried over to his leader. "What is it?" He asked anxiously. "Rogues? Is-"

"It's Dewstorm," Depthstar breathed, staring at her. "Starfaith just told me that something has happened to Dewstorm!"

As Bloodpaw stared at his leader in confusion, Starfaith fearfully imagined Dewstorm bleeding out onto the stones, the life draining out of him. Depthstar is in shock. But there is no time for him to process this!

She whisked around Depthstar and hissed urgently in his ear. "We have to go, now! There's no time to waste!"

At her command, the bluish black tom jolted forward. "We have to go!" He gasped and headed for the thorn tunnel. "We have to go to highstones, now!"

Bloodpaw's fur bristled in panic. "Shall I fetch Cobra-"

"No, there's no time!" Depthstar hissed at him to Starfaith's relief. "Come with me, Bloodpaw! We must hurry!" He raced through the thorn tunnel and into the forest, and the apprentice pelted after him.

Starfaith bounded just above the forest floor ahead of Depthstar, leading the way to highstones. She looked back and saw Bloodpaw hard on his leader's paws, his yellow eyes wide and anxious.

It truly can't be a coincidence that Bloodpaw is the one who happened to be in the clearing. She thought with a rush of comfort. Dewstorm was right. He is a good cat, and when his clan hears of his bravery tonight, they will see that.

They ran out of the pine forest and toward the rocky slope of highstones. Starfaith bounded up the rocks and looked behind her impatiently. They're so far behind! He knew that as living cats, they could not move as quickly as she could. But knowing that Dewstorm's life was ebbing away by the second scared her. What if they don't make it in time? She wondered anxiously.

Bloodpaw had paused at the base of highstones, panting heavily. Depthstar paused ahead of him and glared over his shoulder. "There's no time to rest! Come on!"

As the red tabby apprentice forced himself onward, Starfaith continued up the slope, soaring like a breeze up the rocky incline. When she reached the top, she let out a gasp.