Warriors: The Trail of Centuries

Chapter 15

     Spottedpaw stumbled as cats swarmed through the cave, knocking her around. She felt her insides churn at the familiar feeling of the cave floor that she called her home. No, this isn't right, she thought as she struggled to keep her panic at bay. I got out, I was safe. Why am I back here?! Pelts blurred together as cats writhed around her, fighting one another savagely. 

     In a corner, she saw Nightpaw cowering under the malicious glares of Pearlpaw and Dustpaw. Spottedpaw tried calling out to her friend, but no words came out of her mouth. Panic continued to bubble up inside of her, threatening to spill over. Despite all her senses telling her to escape, Spottedpaw stayed rooted to her spot and watched the cats around her tumble with claws flying. Screeches and yowls echoed off the walls of the caves, overwhelming her senses. 

     Through the disarray—and her own panic, Spottedpaw picked out a few more cats she recognized. Near the Smoothstone, Foxleap and Greyheart faced off. Her father looked as unforgiving as ever, while her mother's eyes were bright with fury. Behind her was Riverpaw, pressing himself against the large stone and watching their argument with wide eyes. Not far off, Coldstep was lashing out at her Snowface and Frostheart. Upon closer inspection, Spottedpaw saw that the cloudy-furred tom had the same wound she left him with when she escaped.

     When she cast her gaze further into the swarming mass of cats, she spotted the familiar black-and-white fur of Mudwing. He was one of the few who remained still in the cave, standing rigid as his campmates fought all around him. Spottedpaw took a few pawsteps forward and saw his face—his eyes were wide with dismay, his mouth agape in a silent scream. When Spottedpaw followed his gaze, she felt her heart drop to her stomach.

     In the middle of the cave, a familiar creamy-furred tom slumped in a puddle of blood. The shrieking of cats faded out until only a deafening silence existed; it was the kind of silence so heavy that you can only hear the ringing of your ears. The writhing and slashing of the cats around her slowed until they were frozen mid-attack. Beneath her, Spottedpaw's legs felt weak, and the ground swayed. She took a few pathetic steps forward, only to freeze again when she heard an all-too-familiar laugh.

     "His death is on you, Spottedpaw," Deadeye sneered mockingly, though he was nowhere to be seen. Spottedpaw dared a few glances around, thinking she saw a flash of his black fur in the frozen crowd around her. "You knew the consequences of your actions, and yet you insisted on spewing nonsense about some dead cats. And now, your poor mentor is resting in a pool of his own blood, the only cat that cared for you . . . ." The sound of a pebble skipping across the floor came from behind Spottedpaw, and she whipped around only to see the still-frozen Gorge cats. She felt her heartbeat picked up as her panic rose even more, her breath coming out in ragged, desperate gasps.

     "Y-You're wrong," she responded in between gasps. "You caused this—you didn't have to kill him." Her heart twisted as she spoke, and deep down, she felt as though it truly were her fault. When Spottedpaw blinked, the frozen cats around her vanished. She glanced behind her and saw that, much to her dismay, Hawkscar still laid limply on the stony floor.

     Another, even more distinct laugh sounded around the cave. The laughter dripped with venomous, rife with malicious intent. Spottedpaw took a shaky breath and turned around, blinking in surprise when she saw a strange, dark-furred tom. His amber eyes seemed to glow in the darkness of the cave.

     "It seems you've started yourself along a path that only ends in misery," he sneered. His voice jerked forward a memory of one of her first visions—he was the tom that she saw arguing with Shadestar, and the one that killed Ivorystar. Crowstar.

     "What do you know?" Spottedpaw snapped back, suddenly finding her courage. "You're a murderer, you're the reason the forest is the way it is today. Why should I believe a word you say?" Crowstar stepped towards Hawkscar's lifeless body, flipping him over so that Spottedpaw could see the fearful expression frozen onto his face.