Taking Flight--a Warriors fanfiction

Chapter 21

Skylark waited, watching, a bundle of herbs in her jaws. She saw Crowpelt and Trailblaze spring into a wrestle-match on the ground from high in the trees, darting swiftly down. She watched as Kiteheart and Eggnogshine stood in front of the elders' den, protecting the elders and Dustkit. Down on the floor, Sparrowberry seemed to be leading a group of RobinClan cats with swift tail signals. The cats watching her seemed to be moving in sync, jumping and twisting in their own scuffles. A rush of pride for her friend glowed in her heart.

Chasecloud and Parsleyclaw dove into the battle, yowling with the bravery of eagles. The three-legged engineer was just as nimble as her Clanmate as she leaped from a branch above to strike at a she-cat. Chasecloud's pelt was a blur; Skylark knew she was fighting for Kiteheart and Dustkit.

Splashpaw was pacing at her side, albeit with a slight limp. "I hope no one gets seriously injured."

"I don't think that's likely," Skylark murmured as she watched the battle unfold in front of her in the falling snow. Splashpaw gave her a look, but then sighed. "Yeah. Mallowsight showed us: Claystar wants us gone, doesn't he?"

"All for some cursed prey." Skylark meowed sadly. How could CometClan stand by and watch this happen? Lynxbranch said she would help them, but where was she now? The brown-patches she-cat looked to the sky. Snow had begun to fall, stinging her pelt with cold air. Somehow the white flurry reminded her of Avalanchefall. It would have been beautiful if her Clanmates weren't in a battle right now.

"CometClan told me to settle this peacefully," Skylark meowed, almost to herself.

"Yeah, they told me too." Splashpaw flicked his tail with anticipation as he looked at her. "They said a cat...one in the Clan...will help us."

Skylark nodded, her gaze trailing across camp. Originally she had thought that cat was Splashpaw. But if CometClan had told him the same thing...her eyes fell on a grey shape on the main platform. The lightest shimmer of light fell over the apprentice's fur and Skylark gasped. It was like CometClan was giving her a sign.

"I think I know who it is." Skylark beckoned her apprentice with her tail, but he was already right by her side. Just like he always was. She smiled, realising how grateful she was for him. Avalanchefall had changed her life, and Splashpaw had only continued that, becoming one of her closest Clanmates. His blue eyes flashed with understanding as he saw the shaft of light that she did. Together they scrambled, herbs dangling in leaf-wraps, toward the main platform.

Lichenpaw was fending off an attack near the medicine-den when they passed by. Time seemed to slow as Splashpaw brushed by her, pausing. The tension that hung in the air was thicker than a bramble thicket.

"Thank you for protecting the herbs," Splashpaw murmured finally with a shy glance at his sister.

Lichenpaw flicked her tail, looking away, but a slight smile curved on her muzzle. "I already told you, Splash. I'll protect anything that's important to you." With a formal dip of her head Lichenpaw dove back into the battle, shielding Skylark from a MarshClan cat's striking claws.

"Twitchpaw!" The grey she-cat turned before Skylark called out. "We need your help."

The apprentice's green eyes brightened as she stood up. "I guessed so. How are we going to settle this peacefully?"

"We need to come up with a plan," Splashpaw meowed, pacing around Twitchpaw.

Skylark nodded, her mind flashing back to Mallowsight, the Darkspirit. "What do you think?"

Twitchpaw let out a strained purr. Hopefully all the heat of battle wasn't getting to the mediator apprentice. "I don't know, usually I just help cats get together to talk about the issue in the first place and that works out. But I'm not sure about Sparkstar and Claystar...they're both so headstrong..."