Rising Tension

  rising tension

 episode two of this war of mine

 — fawnstep

I'm awakened by a voice. Despite its best efforts to stay quiet, it was obvious that someone was there. Without moving, I slowly open my eyes and look toward the speaker.

Windpaw.

His hushed voice names two cats: the deputy, Dappleface, and a senior warrior, Eagleheart. Both cats rise and carefully pick their way past the other warriors, trying not to wake them. Dappleface steps on my tail and I resist the urge to look up. Once the three cats disappear from view, I slowly stand.

I know I shouldn't, but I have to see what's going on. If I get caught, I could just... act like I was passing by.

I slip after them, trying to stay as quiet as possible. I peer outside and watch as Windpaw leads the two cats directly to the medicine cats' den. Another cat is waiting for them.

"Brightstar." Dappleface mews to the impatient leader, dipping her head. Eagleheart starts to copy her, but Brightstar hisses something to the two and turns to the den, lashing her tail. Dappleface and Eagleheart glance at each other, like they're worried, but they both follow her into the den. Windpaw hesitates before disappearing after them.

When I'm sure no one else is around, I creep out into the clearing like I'm stalking prey. I swiftly stalk over to the medicine cats' den and cautiously look inside.

"...and his condition suddenly got worse," Leopardheart was saying. "As if his wound got infected. He said that it hurts to move."

"Impossible!" Brightstar snarls, her tail lashing. "You've kept a poultice on it since he got the wound, haven't you?"

Leopardheart looks startled by Brightstar's tone. "Of course, but--"

"Then he shouldn't have an infection!" Brightstar snaps. "Maybe it's because you've kept him cooped up in here since he became a warrior."

A sixth cat shifts in his nest. Through the dim light, I can tell that it's Robinsong. His voice weak, he whimpers, "P-please don't be mad at her, Brightstar..." He tries to stand, but cringes in pain and turns away. I can see his wound now; it has a poultice plastered over it, with something holding it to his fur.

Brightstar's gaze snaps to him, and he shrinks back. "Who can I be mad at, then, Robinsong?" she hisses to the warrior. When she whips around, I instantly scramble back out of sight. The leader storms past me, lashing her tail. No one follows her, and, seeing no reason to continue spying, I head back to the warriors' den.

 — ??

A dark-furred she-cat perched on a rock overlooking the ocean, precariously close to the edge of the rock. Piercing green eyes stared blankly, unblinkingly out toward the water. It was as if the cat was frozen to the spot.

She was silent for a while. It must have been hours before she moved, and even then that movement was small. Her head tilted back and her eyes closed. Then she opened her eyes to stare at the sky, her gaze so intent that it seemed like she was counting every star. Then she spoke.

"Death." Her voice was forceful, as if she were scolding a kit. "Death will soon be upon them."

Closing her eyes once again, she continued. "And when the first death comes, waves of despair will crash over them and take more. And you can't save them."

Then she abruptly stood and turned away. "And you can't save them." she repeated clearly one last time before launching herself off the rock. Then she was gone.

 — fawnstep

"Fawnstep, hey! Wake up!"

I reluctantly open my eyes. Rooktail is shaking my shoulders with her paws, trying to make me get up. I stifle a yawn and rise to my paws. "What is it, Rooktail?"

Instead of answering my question, Rooktail is only mumbling to herself, in a somewhat panicked tone. "Something's bad! Something's really bad...!" Repeating those words, the black she-cat slips outside, leaving me standing there, bewildered.

As I step outside, I hear a loud commotion from the clearing. Cats are scattered in groups of three or four, each group chatting among themselves. Some cats sit alone, anxious looks on their faces. I spot Blackpaw talking with the other apprentices.

Her brother, a white tom named Hollypaw, mews, "Will she be alright?"

Another she-cat, Honeypaw, nods assuringly. "Of course she will! She's strong!"

Hollypaw looks doubtful. Blackpaw purrs, "C'mon, Holly! Like Honeypaw said, she'll be fine!"

Who's "she"?

Before I can think too much into that, a yowl sounds from Brightstar's den. Instantly Leopardheart is bounding across the clearing and disappears into the leader's den.

Cats begin to crowd around the den, their anxious meows causing me to worry more. I don't want to be one of those packed around the den, but I have to know what's going on. I swiftly pad toward the crowd, and try to push past them. At the front of the group is Blackpaw, and beside her is Hollypaw. Rooktail is craning her neck to look over their heads.

"Rooktail!" I hiss to her. "What's going on?"

She doesn't even look at me. Instead she hurriedly explains, "Something's wrong with Dappleface. She collapsed while talking with Brightstar, and she's unconcious in there. Brightstar had to leave, so Leopardheart's with Dappleface."

Suddenly a yowl rises above all the anxious chatter. "Hey! Everyone, get away from Brightstar's den!" It's Windpaw. "Back up!" My Clanmates glare at him before dispersing into smaller groups like before. I remain where I stand.

Windpaw sighs and stalks up to me. "You too, Fawnstep." he growls impatiently.

"But... what's wrong with Dappleface?" I ask worriedly.

"None of your concern!" snaps Windpaw. "Go on a patrol or something, geez." He storms past me into Brightstar's den, leaving me alone.

I guess I should join the dawn border patrol then.

~*~*~

Me and three other cats are heading for the GorseClan border. I ended up stuck with Rippleheart and Honeypaw. Honeypaw hasn't shut up since we left camp, always bouncing ahead eagerly. Rippleheart had ordered her to settle down, but despite the tom's position in the Clan, Honeypaw refused to listen.

As we warriors struggled to keep up and stay quiet in the process, Honeypaw stops suddenly. "Hey, we've reached the border!" she announces.

"I can tell." Rippleheart growls. "Now step back, there's likely to be a patrol coming."

"Nahhhh, I'm not scared of some GorseClan cats~!" Honeypaw sings loudly. She dances across the border, as if there was no border.

"Honeypaw, get back!" snaps Rippleheart. He runs forward, but freezes at the border.

"H-Honeypaw, please come back!" I cry out, halting beside Rippleheart. "It's dangerous!"

A fourth voice sounds. "TideClan intruders!" Four cats come rushing from the trees. I instantly recognize Shadowstrike, the deputy. He leads the patrol. The black tom's fur is ruffled as he comes to a stop.

At his side are two warriors, Lightningheart and Whiteflower. An apprentice runs at their heels - I recongize her as Ashpaw. The three halt as Honeypaw scrambles back to our side of the border, her amber eyes wide as moons.

Rippleheart looks rather nervous as he dips his head. "I apologize for the actions of this apprentice."

"You can apologize all you want, but that won't change the fact that you just crossed into our territory!" Lightningheart hisses. His claws dig into the grass, and I take a pace back. "Ashpaw!" Lightningheart hisses. "Teach that apprentice a lesson." He flicks his tail at Honeypaw.

Ashpaw crouches, her muscles stiff. Her eyes are trained on Honeypaw, who is slowly taking steps back. Suddenly Ashpaw lunges at Honeypaw, who screeches as Ashpaw's claws sink into her neck. I start to act, but Rippleheart is faster.

He sinks his teeth into Ashpaw's scruff and hauls her away from Honeypaw, who scrambles away. Ashpaw yowls in defiance and tries to claw at Rippleheart's eyes. Rippleheart flings her back over to the GorseClan cats; she lands in a heap of grey fur before rising to her paws again, her ears flattened back.

"You crossed into our territory and attacked our apprentice, you hypocrites!" Rippleheart snarls.

"You crossed the border first!" Lightningheart shrieks, throwing himself at Rippleheart.

Whiteflower and Honeypaw look horrified, while Shadowstrike merely watches calmly. I don't know how I look, but I'm terrified. "Stop!" Whiteflower wails, but no one listens.

Rippleheart and Lightningheart continue to fight, snapping and slashing at each other. Lightningheart howls in pain as Rippleheart bites into his ear and kicks him away. Silver and white fur litters the grass, along with dark red specks. Snarls and screams pierce through the once-peaceful air as the fight draws on, longer and longer. It would seem like Rippleheart is winning the fight, but then in the next Lightningheart is, but it switches back in a heartbeat.

"Hey! Cut it out, y-you've proved your point!" I shout, but neither tom listens.

Lightningheart's claws sink deep into my Clanmate's neck and, in one swift movement, a deep wound is drawn.

"Ah--! No!" Honeypaw wails.

Rippleheart collapses, writhing in pain as blood spills from his neck and throat. Then he stops thrashing, and his eyes glaze over. The pool of blood, which was growing larger by the minute, has stopped getting bigger. The flow of blood has stopped, which tells me one thing.

My Clanmate - my friend - is dead.

Shadowstrike nonchalantly licks his paw. "Is that it?" he yawns, sounding bored. "Take this as your warning." he growls before turning and stalking away, flanked by Lightningheart and Ashpaw.

Whiteflower is the only GorseClan cat remaining. She still looks horrified. A faint, frail whisper sounds. "I'm so sorry..." She turns and races away.

Me and Honeypaw are silent. The silence draws on and on for a long time. Then a scream erupts from Honeypaw, a seemingly endless scream.

As I pad over to Rippleheart's body, I'm forced to realize that he's really dead, that this isn't a dream. He died for nothing.