Facing A Forest of Shadows

Chapter Thirteen {Edited}

Another monster flashed passed. Its brilliant crimson coat dazzled Frostfeather's eyes. She didn't exactly trust this strange she-cat. The delighted look on her face at the mention of Blizzardstar's demise had made her pelt crawl.

She watched as Dewdrop lined her Clanmates up next to the verge of the dark path. "It's best to go in small groups. Everyone should pair themselves with another cat," she instructed.

Pineheart remained next to Smallfire while Elkleap slunk closer to Lionpaw. Sootsplash took up his position beside Meadowshine. That left Frostfeather with Sweetmind, the timid, calico she-cat.

They waited there for some time, while monsters constantly rushed by on the Thunderpath. "This is taking forever!" Lionpaw wailed.

"Hush, Dewdrop needs to concentrate," Meadowshine scolded her. Frostfeather sunk her claws into the grass, anticipation swirling like a storm in her chest.

Miraculously, the endless quake of the monsters eased. "Whoever is going first needs to be ready," Dewdrop warned.

Elkleap traipsed forward with Lionpaw practically glued to his side. His tail wrapped protectively over her back and down her flank. As the monsters disappeared, Dewdrop howled, "Now!"

Elkleap sprang onto the surface of the Thunderpath and flew in the direction of the opposite side. Lionpaw seemed like a blur of russet fur as she kept pace with him and finally came to rest in the grass on the other side.

"See, easy," Dewdrop purred. Frostfeather still wasn't convinced. Next came Sootsplash and Meadowshine, who crossed without incident. It sounded like the monsters had taken a break.

"Next," Dewdrop urged as Pineheart and Smallfire inched forward. As they started to hobble across, Frostfeather was painfully aware how slow they were.

In the distance, the hum of monsters once more vibrated the oily, black surface. Frostfeather held her breath until Pineheart and Smallfire fell into the soft grasses on the other side.

"We will have to wait again," Brokensong murmured as the Thunderpath erupted with the harsh sounds of monsters as they shot passed. All that remained was Brokensong, Dewdrop, Sweetmind, and Frostfeather.

"Do you know where you're headed after this?" Dewdrop questioned Brokensong as they waited for their chance to cross.

"I figured we could just keep moving onward. The sun sets in front of us, so we can just keep following that," she explained. Dewdrop nodded and turned her attention back to the Thunderpath.

"I think our chance is coming," Dewdrop mewed, "you'll have to cross by yourself so that I can instruct you." Brokensong nodded in response.

Frostfeather could feel Sweetmind tremble next to her. She watched with wide eyes as the monsters ceased and Brokensong flung herself across the Thunderpath. Her black tipped tail vanished into the bushes where the others had stopped to wait.

"Your turn next," Dewdrop meowed as Frostfeather and Sweetmind stepped up to the edge. She glanced back at Dewdrop as foreboding boiled deep in her limbs.

"Alright, go!" she grunted. As Frostfeather went to take her first leap onto the path, something solid snagged hold of her tail. The pain made her stagger, like hot needles up her spine.

She turned to see that Dewdrop had her tail tip firmly clamped between her jaws. With a defiant yowl, she tore her tail free and scrambled to catch up to Sweetmind. But as she neared the center of the path, a screech sounded from down the Thunderpath. She stopped and lay her eyes on a monster that hurtled straight towards her.

Oh no, I'm done for! She felt her limbs freeze with shock, too numb to move. But just as the monster was about to strike, something pushed her out of the way. With a thud, she landed on the side of the Thunderpath. The monster swerved  away in a cloud of gritty smoke and dust.

Frostfeather stared back across the path to set her eyes on Dewdrop. The gray medicine cat glared back at her, her face creased with fury. She lifted her head to look where she had been frozen to the black surface. What she saw made her heart start to slam against her rib cage.

In the middle of the Thunderpath, lay a smear of bright orange, white, and black fur. "Sweetmind!" Frostfeather cried. Dewdrop advanced across the path in a few moments, her tail twitched behind her.

She felt Dewdrop grab her scruff as she started to drag her across the last section of the road. "Let me go!" she shouted, "I need to get Sweetmind!"

"She's as good as dead," Dewdrop hissed around her fur. She twisted her body to attempt to free herself, but Dewdrop just clenched her teeth harder into the soft skin of her scruff.

As they finally padded onto the opposite side, Frostfeather felt Dewdrop release her as she was dropped into the furry embrace of the lush grass.

"Where's Sweetmind?" Elkleap asked. Frostfeather wanted to answer, she wanted to confess they had left Sweetmind's body, crushed, back on the Thunderpath.

Why? Why did you have to save me, she thought wretchedly as the angry hum of the monsters intensified and swallowed up the lifeless body of Sweetmind.