Chapter 66: The Last Battle (Continued)
Flamestar
Then I remember where I am. Mapleleaf and Skullstar are strong fighters: they've nearly taken out Rosekit and Frostkit. Suddenly, Mapleleaf grabs Rosekit and slings her into a tree. Rosekit is blown into the tree with a sickening crunch.
"Rosekit!" Frostkit cries. Mapleleaf laughs.
"Now do you want to give up the bones? Or do you want to wait until all of your friends are killed?" Mapleleaf asks, her snout covered with blood.
"Now I get it," Grayfur growls. Everyone including Skullstar looks at her.
"There is no Mapleleaf or a Skullstar," Grayfur growls. Skullstar gasps.
"Are there, Mapleleaf? Or should I even call you that, Maple?" Grayfur snarls. Grayfur points her tail at Skullstar. "Those are your bones, aren't they, Rage?" Rage gasps. Mapleleaf cries.
"Sad, aren't you, Maple?" Scarletpaw and Blooddrop step up from the crowd.
"You caused this," Scarletpaw growls. Maple's eyes widen.
"What does the mean?" Rage looks at Maple. Maple bows her head.
"I didn't mean to," she says quietly.
"Mean to what?" Rage asks.
"I didn't know those were deathberries. I didn't know any of those herbs! They looked delicious, so I picked some, I figured they would feed the clan..." Rage gasps. His eyes soften to a calm blue.
"Oh Maple..." he says quietly. I look at Grayfur. She shrugs.
"How do you know this?" I ask her.
"Snowfur was poisoned by deathberries," Grayfur says sadly. "Putting two and two together... it makes sense."
"Well, this has been a surprising night, but it isn't over," Rage says. "I still need my bones back." Rage races off with Maple on his heels.
"Follow them!" Frostkit shouts. I take off after them. The two DarkForest cats enter the clearing that started it all.
"At last," Rage laughs.
"No!" Darkfeather cries. But just as Rage and Maple begin to run to the bones, a huge current of water crashes into the clearing. Rage and Maple are taken by surprise in the rushing currents.
Ba boom! Lightning crashes nearby.
"We have to help them!" Grayfur screams above the pounding rain. Ivystar jumps in the water after the cats. I race along beside the rushing water. The rebel group led by Frostkit and Sharpfang, Grayfur, Scarletpaw, and Blooddrop follow. Suddenly, another water force sounds nearby. Mist rises above the water.
"Ivystar! No!" I shout. "If you don't come back you'll drown!" Ivystar's eyes widen as she tries to swim back, but the current is too strong. Maple and Rage are stronger, however, and they cling to a branch, watching.
"We need the fifth cat!" Darkfeather shouts. "Scarletpaw?" Scarletpaw shakes her head.
"It isn't me," she says quietly. Suddenly, a yellow cat jumps into the current and grabs Ivystar, pulling her towards Maple and Rage. Maple latches onto Ivystar's scruff and pulls her to the branch.
"I know you!" Ivystar gasps. The yellow cat nods. Suddenly, a white blob rushes past them.
"My bones!" Rage shouts. He tries to reach out to them, but Maple grabs him and they vanish over the edge.
"They're gone," Rage whispers. For a moment, everyone is silent. The rain pounds on. We all take a moment to catch our breath as the reality of the night sinks in.
"My name is Weed," the yellow cat says quietly after awhile. "And I am the fifth cat."
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