Sharptalon's Vengeance/Chapter 4

 Chapter 4 

It was good hunting again. Rabbits had come out to feast on the new blooms in newleaf. Sharptalon and Phoenixfire had both caught a rabbit each and they were bringing it back to camp when suddenly something bowled Phoenixfire over.

As Sharptalon unsheathed his claws immediately, spinning around to face his enemy, he gazed at blazing green eyes that were filled with hate.

It was the SkyClan cat Phoenixfire had battled with.

The SkyClan cat had Phoenixfire pinned under him with strong paws, and he clearly wasn't showing any signs of relenting. Sharptalon let out a low growl and bunched his muscles, ready to spring. However, the SkyClan cat, who was the black-and-white tom that promised revenge during the skirmish, merely chuckled darkly and shifted his paw to Phoenixfire's throat, pressing down. Phoenixfire let out choking noises as he gasped for air, and pricks of blood appeared at the deputy's neck.

"Stop that!" Sharptalon yowled, bristling defensively. "You're killing him!"

"I have no recollection of you trying to spare a thought when you killed Mallowstar and Duskflower," the black-and-white tom meowed silkily. "Both of them are dead, thanks to you. I'm sure that killing your worthless deputy will certainly help SkyClan to settle some scores."

Sharptalon grabbed his rabbit carcass and hurled it at the tom. Surprised, he fell over when it hit him, rolling on the ground. Quick as lightning, Phoenixfire sprang up and flew up out of the tom's reach. Now the black-and-white tom's green gaze was blazing, and he pounced on Sharptalon. Sharptalon merely sidestepped; rage had made the tom's blows clumsy and unfocused, and as the tom swiped again, Sharptalon slashed his cheek.

Blood dripping down from the claw marks on his face, the black-and-white tom lunged for Sharptalon again. Doesn't he know when to give up? Sharptalon thought irritably as he flew up and then slammed his paws into the black-and-white tom's back. He lashed out a paw swiftly, and slashed open the tom's throat. Blood stained Sharptalon's muzzle as the black-and-white tom collapsed, convulsing rapidly, his claws reaching for Sharptalon, then fell limp. The grass patch around the tom was stained red.

Picking up the rabbit carcass he threw, Sharptalon merely gave a disdainful sniff and joined Phoenixfire in the air. Phoenixfire's eyes glimmered with satisfaction as he mewed, "One enemy less."

"More to go," Sharptalon remarked grimly as they flew back to camp.

"Don't be like that!" Phoenixfire remarked. His tone was teasing, but there was a weight behind his words that Sharptalon didn't quite understand. Sharptalon merely shrugged off his mate's words as they arrived back in camp and deposited their catches at the fresh-kill pile.

"You look rough!" A voice squeaked from behind Sharptalon. He spun around to see Kestrelpaw, the medicine cat apprentice and Skyfeather's apprentice, examining the blood on his pelt with wide, concerned eyes. Sharptalon couldn't resist letting out a purr of amusement.

"It isn't mine," Sharptalon assured the bright young tom. Kestrelpaw wrinkled his nose.

"Still," Kestrelpaw mewed, tipping his head. "We don't want that tang of blood spread all around the camp. Go wash yourself at the Stream, or we'll be attracting all the predators in the world in no time."

''But I just came back! ''Sharptalon thought indignantly, but gave a noncommittal grunt and told Phoenixfire, "I'm going to go to the Stream to wash myself. Save a vole for me." Phoenixfire nodded as Kestrelpaw scrambled all over him, examining his wounds. Sharptalon fluffed out his fur and took flight.

Sharptalon landed a short time later at the Stream. He sniffed in disdain as he set paw on the reedy, marshy ground that was the riverbank. He waded into the Stream, and making sure no WindClan cats were around, he rolled in the Stream, wincing at the icy cold of the water, despite the newleaf season. It cut through his bones, chilling him. Sharptalon got out of the Stream, gazing at the waters stained with SkyClan blood. But what he saw next chilled him more than the water did.

A pair of gleaming amber eyes glared at him. Sharptalon leaped back, gasping in shock. Suddenly, his vision blurred and shadows closed in at the edges of his sight. A shape of a cat with the same pair of amber eyes emerged out of the water and hissed ominously, "You did well with that SkyClan cat, Sharptalon. But to take your revenge, you need more than that kind of spirit..."

"What do you want with me?" Sharptalon snarled, his voice muzzy from the darkness, and he lashed out a paw to claw the cat. However the cat merely laughed and disappeared as the sunlight hit it. Slightly unsettled, Sharptalon flew back to camp and kept his experience to himself.

"You look troubled," Phoenixfire remarked as Sharptalon swooped into camp dripping wet. Sharptalon ignored him and shook out his fur, splattering water droplets everywhere and then fluffed out his fur. Several cats hissed where the drops hit them.

"I'm fine." Sharptalon mewed evasively and headed for the warriors' den. Phoenixfire darted in front and stopped in front of him, an annoyed look in his burning amber eyes. He stalked forward and pushed his muzzle in Sharptalon's face.

"You're not," Phoenixfire growled. "And stop hiding secrets from me. I know there's more you're not telling me." Sharptalon didn't understand why he was so angry.

Sharptalon heaved a heavy sigh. His tail drooped, all fight lost. "Just give me a little time until I'm ready to tell you, okay? I need some space." He pushed past Phoenixfire and flew up to the warriors' den. As he was about to slip inside, he heard Phoenixfire call.

"I'll always be ready!"