"SunClan! SunClan! LichenClan is attacking!" Flowerpelt jolted awake, feeling a slight pain in her chest. The cats around her in the warrior's den where scrambling awake as well. The warriors in the den scrambled out to defend their camp. Flowerpelt saw that the camp had been overrun with LichenClan warriors.
Flowerpelt was instantly tackled to the ground by a dark gray she-cat named Ashstream, she felt claws ripping into her pelt. I shouldn't be fighting, Honeywing told me not to. Flowerpelt bit down into Ashstream's foreleg. I just have to be careful. Ashstream clawed violently at her haunches, Flowerpelt hissed and dug her claws into the she-cat's shoulder, flipping her over and throwing her to the side.
Ashstream jumped up and spat at her, lashing her tail with rage. Flowerpelt jumped at the she-cat, they collided half way and landed on the ground. Ashstream's claws tore through Flowerpelt's flesh, she felt blood welling from deep wounds on her side. If I'm not careful, I could easily end up tearing open my old wound. Flowerpelt thought, she made sure to not ever let her belly and chest be exposed to Ashstream.
Ashstream jumped onto Flowerpelt's back, forcing her to the ground. Flowerpelt could attack from this angle, she was left with Ashstream clawing at her back. She hissed and did her best to throw the LichenClan warrior off but she was stuck to her like a tick. With nothing else to do, Flowerpelt cried out for help.
Sure enough, Mallownose came running from the fray of battle and tackled Ashstream to the ground, allowing Flowerpelt to stand up. Flowerpelt spun and around and faced Ashstream who was now locked in battle with Mallownose. The SunClan deputy fought viciously, biting and clawing all around Ashstream's body.
Ashstream let out an angered, sickening hiss and jumped on Mallownose, pinning the gray she-cat on her back. Flowerpelt ran to help Mallownose, but Ashstream moved quicker. The she-cats teeth sank into Mallownose's neck and the deputy let out a choked cry. "No!" Flowerpelt cried and jumped onto Ashstream once more, the two she-cats did a somersault over each other and landed a few mouselengths away.
However, Flowerpelt wasn't staying to fight. She scrambled to her paws and ran to Mallownose. "Mallownose!" She cried. The gray she-cats eyes were glossy, she tried to speak but no words came out. She let out a shaky breath, then the deputy's breath stopped entirely. "Mallownose!" She cried once again, trying to nudge her awake. Ashstream will pay for this. Flowerpelt stood up, anger blazing inside her like a fire. "You killed my deputy!" She spat. Ashstream's eyes went a little wider.
"I-I didn't--" Flowerpelt let out a caterwaul and launched herself at Ashstream, clawing violently at her chest. The cat let out a shriek of pain and scrambled away from Flowerpelt, running into the forest, out of SunClan camp. Her entire body ached and her wounds burned, Flowerpelt panted heavily. The battle didn't seem to be ending anytime soon, however. Cats were fighting viciously, bleeding from heavy wounds.
Flowerpelt looked at Mallownose's body. I can't leave her here. Flowerpelt quickly padded back to the deputy's body and grabbed her by the scruff, dragging her body to the medicine cat den. Inside the den was just Poppyfur, she was frantically tending to a nasty chest wound on Fernsong. Cloudstorm and Sandfoot were also resting from wounds.
Poppyfur looked up, her eyes going wide at the sight of Mallownose's body. "She's dead?" Her voice was strained and full of fear. Flowerpelt nodded and set down the deputy's body.
"Where's Honeywing?" Flowerpelt questioned, the golden medicine cat was nowhere to be found.
"She went to go get some more marigold." Poppyfur's voice trembled. "I'm using the last of it on Fernsong." Her entire body and voice shook, her paws were uneasy. "She's been gone a while, I'm worried about her."
Flowerpelt took a deep, shaky breath. "Don't, Poppyfur. Honeywing is strong, she'll make it back okay but we need our medicine cat here."
"I'm not much of a medicine cat without any herbs!" Poppyfur exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear. "I barely have a few strings of cobweb left." She stopped working on Fernsong who was well patched up. "I have to go and find her." Poppyfur turned and started leaving the medicine cat den.
"Wait!" Flowerpelt called to her. "What are we going to do if bad wounds come in here? We need our medicine cat!" Poppyfur stopped and looked over shoulder.
"If any really bad wounds need help then use moss to try and stop the bleeding. We have a small bit of goldenrod left, use that to chew into a poultice and put it on the moss. I'll be back as soon as I find Honeywing!" Before Flowerpelt could stop her, Poppyfur was gone. Flowerpelt stood in the medicine cat den, horrified. I'm not a medicine cat! Why am I the one in charge of this!
Flowerpelt paced inside the den, her wounds still burning but she would dare use the last of the healing herbs on herself. No wounded cats were coming but she knew they were out there and it was only a matter of time.
The first cat to come inside was Rainears, she had a deep wound in her side and could barely walk, she had Crowfur at her side to steady her. "Flowerpelt?" Crowfur tilted her head. "Where's Poppyfur and Honeywing?"
"Honeywing left to get herbs but hasn't returned so Poppyfur ran after her and now I'm here." Flowerpelt replied, aware of just how panicked she sounded.
"Whatever," Crowfur helped Rainears into a nest. Flowerpelt ran to the back of the medicine cat den to get the moss and goldenrod.
"Use the moss to try and stop the bleeding." Flowerpelt told Crowfur who nodded and did what she said. Flowerpelt chewed the herb and placed it on more moss to put on Rainears's wound. Rainears let out a wince as the herb juices went into her wound, but after a moment she looked relieved.
"Has anyone else died?" Flowerpelt questioned Crowfur, explaining that Ashstream had killed Mallownose.
"Jayflight is dead." Crowfur replied, her voice low. "I don't know who killed him, but I saw his body. I couldn't stop to get him, I had to get Rainears help."
"I understand." Thankfully, Rainears's wound wasn't as bad as it looked, they got the bleeding to stop so Flowerpelt used more moss to lay on top of it until Poppyfur and Honeywing returned.
Crowfur went back into the battle while Flowerpelt kept watch over the sick cats. She could hear the pained yowls and hisses of the fighting cats. This is the worst battle I've ever seen. Flowerpelt thought, her stomach churning. Why would Elmstar do this?
After a long wait, Flowerpelt saw Poppyfur, her green eyes were empty and sad. "Poppyfur!" Flowerpelt ran to the medicine cat, she had several herbs in her jaw. "Where's Honeywing, did you find her?"
Poppyfur set the herbs down and moved to Rainears, brushing away the moss to cover her wound with cobwebs. "She's dead."
Flowerpelt's heart dropped. "What?" She could barely from the words. "Where is she?"
"Branchfur killed her." Flowerpelt's eyes went wide, she could hear the pain in Poppyfur's voice. "He was mad that I told him we couldn't see each other anymore, so when he found Honeywing he killed her in front of me." Poppyfur's body shook, she was in clear distress. "I couldn't do anything to save her, she told me to take the herbs and care for SunClan so I am."
Poppyfur met Flowerpelt's gaze, inside her eyes was the soul of a broken cat. Flowerpelt's heart ached for many reasons, Honeywing was dead. Poppyfur had to watch her beloved mentor die at the claws of a cat she thought she loved. "Flowerpelt." Poppyfur mewed, her voice growing bolder. "Go out there and fight for our Clan. Chase LichenClan out our territory and show Branchfur that even though he killed Honeywing he won't break us."
Flowerpelt felt somewhat inspired from Poppyfur's words. Flowerpelt nodded and ran out into the battle. Blood covered the ground, all the cats in the battle were bleeding and tired. This battle won't last much longer, neither sides can take it. Flowerpelt scanned the fighting, looking for any cats that needed help.
While she was looking she spotted more bodies, including Rockfall and Moonfur. Poppyfur is going to be torn apart... Flowerpelt shook her head, she couldn't think about that right now. She also saw Gingerdust, Daisyfern and Timberfall of LichenClan. Flowerpelt eventually spotted Jaggedtail, the LichenClan deputy. He was fighting Bramblepelt who bled heavily from a wound on his shoulder.
Flowerpelt ran over to the two toms and jumped on Jaggedtail's back, knocking him over and letting Bramblepelt run for help. Jaggedtail threw Flowerpelt off, she rolled across the ground but quickly jumped to her paws. I always thought Jaggedtail was a decent warrior. "Why are you attacking my Clan?" Flowerpelt demanded. "You're killing my warriors! Your warriors are dying too!"
Flowerpelt saw pain flash in Jaggedtail's eyes, a look she wasn't expecting. "I didn't want this to happen." He said, his voice strained and exhausted. "But Elmstar is my leader and I have to follow his word."
"A leader doesn't go blindly into battles causing the deaths of innocent cats!" Flowerpelt cried. "Elmstar is a monster, Jaggedtail! I'm sure you can see that yourself." Jaggedtail's amber eyes looked frantically around, they were filled with fear and pain.
"Let this be a lesson!" Foxstar's voice cut through the battle, silencing it as all heads turned to the SunClan leader. Beside Flowerpelt, Jaggedtail let out a cry of alarm as he saw Elmstar's body lying at Foxstar's paws, the LichenClan leader was losing a life. "I don't care how young of a leader you are, if you challange my Clan you will lose!"
Elmstar's body jolted and he stood shakily to his paws, Foxstar knocked him back down with a quick hit to the head. Elmstar landed awkwardly and hissed at Foxstar, but he could clearly no longer fight. Jaggedtail ran to Elmstar's side and for a moment, Flowerpelt thought that he would attack Foxstar. Instead, Jaggedtail dropped down beside Elmstar. In his eyes was love and worry, they were clearly close friends. That's why Jaggedtaill follows him so closely, but he's going to have to choose between loyalty between his friend and loyalty to the safety of his Clan.
"Elmstar," Jaggedtail said to his leader. "We have to retreat, we can't fight any longer." Elmstar growled at Jaggedtail but said nothing.
"Listen to your deputy, Elmstar." Foxstar growled. "Gather your dead and get out of my territory."
"Very well," Elmstar growled and stood up with the help of Jaggedtail. "But this isn't over, Foxstar." The leader spat. "LichenClan! Get our dead! We're leaving!" Flowerpelt just stood in shock at what had happened. There was an uncomfortable silence as LichenClan left.
When they had all gone, Foxstar spoke up once more. "We shouldn't have had to fight this terrible battle," He spoke, exhausted. "But I'm proud of all of my warriors for fighting. Just as I said before, SunClan will never fall and it's thanks to all of you."