Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Twenty

Nightshrike bit into her mouse, her belly full with nothing. She forced down a bite and went for another, forcing herself to chew, swallow, and repeat. She wasn't hungry at all, but she forced herself to eat.

Once her mouse was gone, she rose to her paws and padded towards the elders' den. Goldenpaw and Snowpaw were tasked with changing the bedding while Amberpaw and Applepaw went hunting.

Some hunting practice couldn't hurt Goldenpaw. She thought as she stretched and yawned. After all, we can't focus only on fighting. Shaking out her pelt, Nightshrike headed for the den.

She hadn't gotten there when a yowl came from behind her and she whirled around. Cats were flooding into the camp, teeth bared and eyes ablaze. Nightshrike yowled as one of them crashed into her, knocking her off her paws and slamming her head on the ground.

Head throbbing and dazed, Nightshrike felt teeth sinking into her scruff and suddenly she was weightless as she was thrown across the clearing and skidded into the dust.

Vision blurry, Nightshrike made out the shape of a golden tabby tom. Lionflight. Her claws unsheathed and she staggered to her paws, hissing. "What are you doing here?" She demanded and dodged to the right as Lionflight lunged at her.

The tom let out a growl and glared at Nightshrike, who stood her ground despite the size difference. "Your pathetic Clan stole prey from GlacierClan," he hissed, tail lashing. "One of your useless apprentices crossed the border and stole a rabbit from us."

Nightshrike reared on her hind legs as he leaped for her again, swiping at his muzzle. Her claws met his mouth and blood sprayed the ground and Lionflight let out a hiss of pain.

Growling, Nightshrike pounced on his back and nipped at his ears. Her claws tore his back and her ears caught his yowl of pain. That's it, Nightshrike. Cooed the voice in her head, soft and urging. Tear him to shreds. You want him to harm your Clanmates? Weaken him and tear his throat out.

Claws struck her shoulder and Nightshrike yelped. Her grip on Lionflight loosened and he wiggled free, bouncing away to lick his wounds and glare at her. Turning to face her new opponent, her eyes landed on Perchwhisker.

The blue-tabby she-cat looked about ready to kill Nightshrike, but she wouldn't let that happen. Before her enemy could think of a way to attack, Nightshrike launched her self at Perchwhisker and slashed her cheek with a paw before scoring a blow to her shoulder.

Perchwhisker yowled in pain and anger and reared on her hind legs, raking her claws against Nightshrike's shoulder. As the tabby she-cat failed to connect her paw against Nightshrike's flank, the black-furred she-cat rammed her shoulder against her belly and clawed the soft flesh.

"Argh!" Wailed the blue tabby she-cat as she kicked Nightshrike away in panic and fled. Nightshrike turned, blood covering her face as she glared at Lionflight, who turned tail and took off after his Clanmate.

Nightshrike looked around, seeing her Clanmates clashing with so many GlacierClan warriors and apprentices. Songscratch and Birdfoot were exchanging blows near the Tall Tree while Spiderstar and Snowstar brawled.

Both leaders were covered ears to tail tip in the blood that gushed from their countless wounds. Reedpaw better know how to quickly treat all of us. Nightshrike thought as she heard a screech coming from the elders' den. Turning her head to look, Nightshrike gasped at what she saw.

At the paws of Rowantail lay Deerstripe, her throat slashed open with blood creating a rivulet as it trickled from her fatal wound. Nightshrike's world turned upside down and began to spin. Not Deerstripe. No, no, no. She staggered, trying to comprehend what happened but all she could see was the look of pure terror and horror on the dead elder's face and the endless river of blood that poured from her neck.

Nightshrike stared numbly at the she-cat, the battle around her beginning to feel far away. Was StarClan happy that Rowantail took the life of a cherished elder? Were they glad that she would tell no more kits of her tales that were fantastic and intriguing?

Nightshrike looked at Rowantail, who looked just as shocked as Nightshrike and the cats who ignored their rivalry to see the dead elder. Rowantail met her eyes, his own wide and broken as he opened his mouth. He tried to speak, but nothing came from his mouth.

"Get out," croaked Nightshrike, her voice hoarse. "You've done enough damage today." Rowantail looked as though he wanted to explain what happened but Nightshrike cut him off. "I said leave, or I'll do the same thing you did to her but I'll make it even more painful."

Rowantail dropped her gaze and dragged his paws as he slowly made his way by Nightshrike, who put a paw in front of his chest. The tom stopped, confused.

"You were at the Moonpool when the medicine cats were killed, Rowantail." Nightshrike rasped, her voice raw and hostile. "You murdered Tanglewatcher and you murdered Deerstripe, both cats who did nothing to harm you."

Rowantail said nothing, only flattened his ears as Nightshrike spoke. You can't say anything, Nightshrike. Sneered the voice in her head. You killed Blackheart at the Moonpool.

"You, Rowantail, are a scourge on the name of the cats around the territories." She hissed, slashing his ear. "Get out of my sight, before you go to a place no cat wants to go when they die."

Not needing to be told again, Rowantail and his Clanmates fled, leaving Nightshrike and her Clanmates watching and with the dead body of a beloved elder.