Warriors: Setting Sun: Falling Feather #1

Chapter 16

Featherpaw slashed at Lily, which was one of the leaders. She leaped up, jumping on the cat's back and clawing at her. Lily knocked her off. Although this cat was small, she was older and stronger than Featherpaw.

"Stupid cat," Lily snorted. "I can't believe you're siding with the others. This tribe has been ruled with weak rulers over and over, and those leaders are so afraid to kill because it would upset their non-existent spiritual ancestors," the honey-colored she-cat scoffed.

Featherpaw glared at her. "And you think you're any better?" She growled, lashing her tail. She dug her claws into the rocky ground. "You think you're a better leader by killing innocents?" She prompted.

"Yes, I know I am. And so is Jay and Cliff," Lily growled. "You're scum if you think we're terrible leaders," she growled.

"Cliff is dead!" 

Featherpaw gasped and turned. She saw Stalkfire standing over the large brown tabby tom, blood staining his mouth. Had Stalkfire really killed him? She could see Cliff limp on the ground, blood trickling down the gash in his throat. The scarlet liquid pooled around the tom.

Lily bristled, flattening her ears. "You monster!" She spat. "I'll kill you!" She yowled, leaping towards Stalkfire.

Featherpaw growled and raced towards the she-cat before she could get to Stalkfire. The apprentice leaped in the air, her head slamming into Lily's stomach and knocking her down. 

"You-" Lily growled, getting cut off as she hit the floor roughly. She spit up blood and lay on the ground, her eyes wide and her flanks rising and falling quickly as she tried to breathe.

Featherpaw padded up to the she-cat, panting. "I won't kill you. But I want you to run away and never return to this tribe so that I don't have to finish this," she sighed.

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Of course you won't kill me. Clan cats have grown quite soft, unlike that bright tom over there that killed Cliff," she growled, lashing her tail. "I'm not leaving until I kill you!" She yowled, leaping up and slashing at Featherpaw's face.

Featherpaw yowled as claws tore at her muzzle. She backed away, stumbling over a rock as she grasped at her mouth in pain. Featherpaw gasped as Lily pounced on her stomach, and she coughed out spit and blood. She thrashed wildly, tasting blood in her mouth.

"Filthy rat," Lily growled. She lifted her paw, about to deliver a killing blow.

Featherpaw stared at the she-cat, her eyes wide. She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to come. Nothing happened. Featherpaw opened her eyes, seeing an old-looking brown that had green eyes. "Get away from her!" The tom hissed.

"Stupid pest!" Lily hissed, knocking the old tom away. She pinned the elder down, lifting a paw with extended claws.

Featherpaw widened her eyes. She's about to kill an elder! Featherpaw leaped forward. I'm not gonna be the cause of some cat's death! She leaped on Lily, her paws surging with power. "Don't you dare kill him!" She yowled, clamping her jaws on the small tabby's neck. Blood began to lather her tongue. Featherpaw could the weight under begin the collapse, and then she let go, spitting out fur and blood.

Featherpaw backed away, her gaze resting on the dead cat in front of her. The realization of it set in, and she gasped in horror. "Oh, StarClan, I didn't mean to kill her!"

The old brown tom pushed the dead cat away and got up. "It's fine that you killed her. Y-you saved my life," he mumbled.

"You saved my life too," Featherpaw murmured. She blinked at Lily again, feeling horrible that she had killed another cat. No, I shouldn't worry! These cats are bad anyways! Featherpaw then saw Stalkfire padding up, his green eyes dark.

"Lily is dead, that's good. The means all the leaders are dead now," he meowed. Stalkfire then leaped up on a big rock, lifting his head. "The fighting is over! All the leaders are dead!"

The tribe cats around looked relieved, but some cats looked angry. A tortoiseshell tom with amber eyes bristled. "How can they be dead? I thought those leaders were good!" He growled.

A gray tom with blue eyes flattened his ears. "I'm leaving the tribe. It's going to suck with weak leaders."

A mottled, yellow tabby she-cat padded towards the gray tom and nodded. "I'm leaving too." The two young cats were joined by a light gray mottled she-cat that looked pregnant. 

"Willow? You're leaving? How can you? You're my sister!" A dark gray tom padded forward, his blue eyes clouded with pain.

Willow looked at her brother. "Jay is the father of my kits, and now that he's dead, I must leave. But I will miss you, Storm," she murmured.

"Bee and Ashes are leaving too," the old brown tom sighed. He sat down next to Featherpaw.  "I can't believe we lost some good cats. Ice was killed and I don't know who will be leader next."

"I was thinking that Peachfur might choose the next leader," Stalkfire murmured, watching as three of the tribe cats left the cave.

"Fire That Rages Through Forest would be a good pick. He was the Stoneteller before Ice's son," the old brown tom dipped his head.

"What's your name?" Stalkfire asked.

"It's Rock That Parts Creek, but you can just call me Rock," the old tom explained. "Those leaders were terrible. We have Cave-Guards and Prey-Hunters for a reason, but they made everyone a Cave-Guard."

"We will ask Peachfur for information," Stalkfire meowed, dipping his head. "Do you mind if us Clan cats stay here?"

"We don't mind at all. Anyway, how did you even get here?" Rock asked.

As Stalkfire explained to the old tribe cat about why they were there, Featherpaw couldn't help but wonder if they'd ever find SkyClan.