"Wolfspirit, Dovefeather, Chivewhisker, and Mistfur, I need all of you to wait on top of the fox den. You four will be the ones jumping unto the foxes to stifle them." Blazestripe instructed to the TideClan warriors, the orange tabby tom standing beside a senior BoulderClan warrior, Hornet-tail. Wolfspirit narrowed his eyes and turned his head back to the fox den, his whiskers twitching. This large patrol of TideClan and BoulderClan warriors were assembled many fox lengths away from the fox den. Two foxes have made their den in a den of stone and it was a threat to both clans. So the clans banded together to drive this fox out towards the north.
The plan was that a couple of BoulderClan warriors would lure the foxes out. Then, Wolfspirit's group would leap unto the foxes, enough to hurt them and give time for two other groups of warriors that flanked the foxes to attack. Hopefully, by attacking the foxes enough, the foxes would flee to the north. The fastest warriors were positioned carefully to make sure that the foxes ran north, not any other direction. The three groups that attacked the fox would make sure that the fox fled, not attacked.
I'm surprised they didn't allow Swiftblossom unto this mission, Wolfspirit thought in astonishment, watching as the division of cats take off north; they were the ones that made sure the foxes kept north. She would be a great cat to force the foxes north. Or, she'll be a great ambusher. The tom then shook his head, flattening his ears against his head. Agh! Why am I thinking about her now? I should be focused on my mission. But his heart thought otherwise.
The tom held in a sigh, blinking slowly as he thought fondly of his beautiful mate. He felt guilty for last night and he wanted to apologize but he was still lost for words. He glanced up towards his right, catching a glimpse of Blackpaw, or Blackivy. My situation isn't too good and it doesn't help that Blackivy is part of the flanking ambushers. He held back a short growl and listened to Hornet-tail's orders to his warriors.
Was it coincidental that Wolfspirit had problems with his mate and also had a patrol with a she-cat who was obsessed with him? Clearly not, he thought sarcastically. His heart and mind weren't in the right place, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he wanted Swiftblossom to be with him.
"Warriors, move out," Blazestripe ordered, and all of the cats scattered to their positions. Mistfur, Dovefeather, Chivewhisker, and Wolfspirit began to run towards the fox den, each TideClan warrior flattening their fur against themselves. Then, when they got close, they crouched very low and stepped carefully.
The large groups had met in the forest, where there were fewer boulders and rocks. But the fox den was located at the bottom of a stony hill, with a large, pointier rock protruding from on top, leaning north; it was a perfect ledge. This created a shadow and a cover for the fox den, as the base of this hill was stone. Around this den, only grass, weeds, and a few shrubs grew, making the three ambushing patrols a bit harder to hide. But once Wolfspirit's group reached the top, they would be better hidden.
The crouching TideClan warriors crept towards the left, venturing in a wide circle to the side of the fox den. They passed by one of the other ambushings groups, with both TideClan and BoulderClan warriors, hiding in the lining of trees. Wolfspirit led his group of ambushers into this wide circle, keeping an eye on the fox den at all times. Then, once his group was directly behind the significant protruding stone, his tail flickered, telling his warriors to emerge forward. One by one, each warrior cautiously climbed this stone, their claws quietly scratching into the stone. Wolfspirit would be the first to climb up, pivoting himself on the very top. This stone had enough room for all four warriors to sit at the very top, ready to jump below. Once their ears were visible to the BoulderClan distraction team to see, the mission went into action.
Three BoulderClan warriors nonchalantly stepped out, making themselves as visible and loud as possible. Among these warriors was Poppyfoot, who Wolfspirit watched anxiously. Poppyfoot stepped closer and closer to the den until she was only a fox length away. The two other warriors followed. Wolfspirit's spine was touched by chills once he heard the wicked cries of the foxes.
He kept his eyes on Poppyfoot, but something was wrong. Poppyfoot's eyes grew wide and her fur stood up high. The two warriors beside her began to cower slightly in fear. Beside Wolfspirit, Mistfur quietly hissed, "Why aren't they drawing them out?"
Wolfspirit readied his haunches and so did Mistfur, Dovefeather, and Chivewhisker. Slowly, from above, Wolfspirit could see two foxes emerge from below, their long snouts pulling back teeth. Poppyfoot and her group pulled away, their tails bushing. Something's wrong. This fear... they shouldn't be this scared. He could smell their fears from above and he knew the other cats could smell it, too. "Everyone, get ready to leap," Wolfspirit murmured under his breath, unsheathing his claws.
Poppyfoot's group had a certain border to pass before they let out the alarm to let Wolfspirit's group fly down. But they backed up quicker to it and the two BoulderClan cats cried out the alarm. But Poppyfoot didn't, and with her amber eyes as wide as moons, she cried,
"WOLFSPIRIT! THERE'S THREE, NOT TWO!"
Just as the three bodies of the foxes emerged, ready to rip Poppyfoot's small patrol, Wolfspirit cried to his patrol, "Dovefeather, stick with Mistfur's fox! Chivewhisker, you and I are taking on the other two alone!" Chivewhisker and I are heavier to keep those foxes at bay. That's when Wolfspirit leaped off the stone, letting out a loud battle cry, puffing out his pelt to make him look bigger. The foxes looked up to the flying cats but not quick enough, as the cats fell upon them. Wolfspirit dug his claws into the shoulder of the first fox. Chivewhisker took the fox in the middle, and Dovefeather and Mistfur clung unto the remaining fox. There were three foxes, not two. Very easily things could've gone wrong. Wolfspirit thought as he held on tight to the fox below him.
All three foxes let out cries and tried to shake off the cats above them. Wolfspirit threatened, "I will not let you go!" His hind claws pierced into the back of the fox and his teeth caught hold of the fox's ear. He positioned himself specifically not to be easily thrown off. Chivewhisker had sunk his teeth into the neck of the beast, the large, senior warrior keeping his hold tight. Mistfur was practically burying his claws into the cheeks of the fox, while Dovefeather kept her claws in the hind legs of the fox, the two warriors stifling the fox.
Wolfspirit's fox shook violently, desperate to get him off. That's when the two parties of ambushers joined them, their fangs out and their claws ready to slash. Wolfspirit and his fox were more to the left, so the left party split up, one half attack his fox, the others go for another. A blur of claws and teeth erupted below Wolfspirit, but the black tabby tom made sure he did his part.
Wrapping his front paws around the beast's neck, he then viciously buried his claws and raked the fox's throat to the best of his ability, the moving creature making it harder for him to stay on top. The fox tossed his head left and right, spraying blood unto Wolfspirit's face. "Gah!" he gaped, almost losing his footing. His life flashed before his eyes, seeing his body being ripped apart by the fox.
But he calmed himself down. I know myself better than this. I'm much stronger than this fox alone! He remembered the battle at the Shiny Shore, remembering taking down many DriftClan warriors. I must stay on this fox until it runs! I CAN DO THIS!
Already, two cats were killed by his fox. One was a BoulderClan cat, while the other was Lichenface. His blood boiled and with a fury, he didn't know he had, he took a chance. Gritting his teeth, Wolfspirit stretched out his paws and with the strength, he mustered together his sharp claws and raked them through the eyes of the fox. Wolfspirit glanced up, seeing the two foxes running away quickly, the cats chasing after them. But his stubborn fox wouldn't go. That was until Wolfspirit slashed its eyes.
The fox let out the ugliest, loudest, and an unpleasant cry of pain. It shocked Wolfspirit slightly and he almost let go. The cats below him backed up in fear, unsure of what to do. The fox was now blind, its miserable life coming to an end. Wolfspirit's front paws and some of his face was covered in blood.
The warriors below him were exhausted, covered in scratches and blood. But he wasn't. An internal bloodlust made him want to kill this fox, and so he let it overtake him. It was evident that this fox wouldn't leave and the only option now was to kill it.
Wolfspirit leaped off of the fox, rearing around and snarling ferociously. Though this fox was blind, its senses made up for sight. From the thump of Wolfspirit, it detected the warrior and lunged in to attack. The mangled warriors could only watch as Wolfspirit took on this fox alone, trying to assist as much as possible.
The fox extended its sharp claws forward, but Wolfspirit sidestepped. The fox's claws dug into the soil and Wolfspirit swiped his claw to the fox's cheek. His ears ran with blood as he felt the whoosh of the fox's snapping teeth, barely missing his ears by a whisker. He ducked down to escape the fox but was pushed aside by the beast, sliding in the jagged earth.
Before he could get up, he felt the fox's fangs sunk into his front left leg and he let out a cry of pain. He cursed the beast, shaking violently. His hind legs stuck up, kicking the bottom of the fox's muzzle, making the beast step back and release his leg. Wolfspirit regained his footing, panting heavily, his pelt scratched up slightly from the rocks below. Exhaustion gripped him tightly, his bitten leg a huge problem, but he forced himself to fight.
If I were to back down now, the beast would kill me. His heart was gripped with guilt. If I die today, I may never see Swiftblossom ever again. His minds flashed with his most cherished memories of the beautiful calico as he rushed into battle, flattening his ears against his head. As if it were yesterday, he remembered how the moonlight touched her face at their first Gathering together, how her amber eyes shone brightly.
He opened his mouth to seize a tuft of the fox's fur from its chest, ripping it out before taking another chunk out, the fresh blood of the fox staining his mouth for good. He fondly remembered how kind Pricklepelt was to him on his first day as a TideClan apprentice, the mud-brown tom emitting a warm presence, his ears perking up when he saw Wolfspirit for the first time. Wolfspirit spat out blood before spinning around and dodging a swipe from the fox's sharp claws, his tail curling up between his legs.
The fox slid forward intentionally and its claws caught Wolfspirit's face. Letting out a screech, the fox drew its claw unto Wolfspirit's left eye vertically, a little revenge for his missing eyes. Its claws dug into the sides of Wolfspirit's neck, about to rip them apart. The black warrior's mind flashed with the image of his father, Blizzardtail, who must've sacrificed so much, the mottled warrior eagerly teaching him the ways of fishing (and he must admit, Blizzardtail is a much better teacher than Swiftblossom).
Wolfspirit let out a cry, opening his right eye wide, seeing the teeth of the beast open. He felt the sides of his throat slowly rip apart, something that chilled his spine. Sadistically, this fox wanted him to suffer. Am I going to die? He thought in horror as the fox cried in his face.
But then, his mind went back to Swiftblossom and specifically when they were apprentices. He remembered how her eyes blazed like fire the night she told him about Acornpaw, how her fur bushed out, and how her tail would lash. Yet, he especially remembered how her eyes shone when he'd calm her down. Back then, he wouldn't know that her eyes shone of love.
As his vision blurred, Wolfspirit could feel his paws grow numb. No, I don't want to die like this, but my body can't... can't take anymore. He realized that he wanted to live so he could see her eyes shine of love all the time. He wanted her.
He blinked and immediately the weight of the fox was lifted off of him. The fox was knocked over by the exhausted warriors that had to hopelessly watch, for they were too numb to fight. But now they struck back, making sure to leave the fox dead. Wolfspirit laid there on the ground, his breathing growing shallower and shallower.
He didn't want to die. He wanted to see Swiftblossom in love and happy again. He struggled to keep his right eye open, trying to regain his vision. But the tom couldn't get up, for his body was drained of energy, and he couldn't see, his left eye was covered in blood. When the ragged fox let out the last cry before its throat was ripped out, Wolfspirit closed his eyes. The lingering memory of his mate perished.
Wolfspirit wasn't asleep, nor was he fully awake. He felt the vibrations of incoming cats approach him and softer vibrations of the exhausted warriors come close. His body was numb, probably covered in scratches. Wolfspirit's nose detected the scent of his father and it made him relieved. Blizzardtail was part of the cats who would drive the foxes north.
The black tom felt his body being moved gently, and then that's when he finally passed out.
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Did you know that my latest book, 21Asianways's Warrior Cat Short Stories is finally released? There, you will find "Blizzardtail's Sacrifice", something I'm sure all of you have been waiting to read! But make sure before you read it you take a break from the screen, I'm sure all that reading would've strained your eyes.
I absolutely love to write fighting scenes, especially with how creative I get with battle moves.
What did you think of Wolfspirit during this battle? How did he think of his loved ones like he was going to die? Do you think this will be his last stand in the book? Let me know!
-Morgan