Sharptalon's Vengeance/Chapter 2

 Chapter 2 

Sharptalon padded back into camp, his paws heavy with exhaustion, his wings too tired to fly. The Gathering, even though he had been chosen, had been a complete waste of his time. Besides Hawkstar reporting that there were no dogs in the territory, the brown furred leader had said nothing else besides Screechrush, a newly appointed warrior, earning her warrior name. Grumpily Sharptalon heaved himself into his nest and he faintly heard Phoenixfire settle into his own nest a few perches up.

He was beginning to settle into sleep when he felt a paw sharply prod his side. Sharptalon jerked his head up from his paws and snapped angrily, "What do you want?"

He felt guilty when he saw Screechrush's wide, panicked eyes flash with fear. "SkyClan are invading," her voice quivered. "Hawkstar wants all the warriors out - now!"

"SkyClan again?" Sharptalon snarled, heaving himself up to his paws and flying easily out of his den, Screechrush following. He looked down to the clearing below and saw that most of the warriors were beginning to mill around Hawkstar and Phoenixfire, and Sharptalon banked, landing lightly. He unsheathed his claws and dug them deep into the dirt, feeling the familiar rush of exhilaration whenever a battle was going to start. It was his inner thirst for battle awakening again, this time for SkyClan. He would make sure that those mangy jumping cats would feel his claws and never hurt his Clanmates again.

"Phoenixfire, will you lead a whole-territory patrol out to scout the area for SkyClan?" Hawkstar mewed urgently to his deputy. The handsome ginger tabby tom nodded and flicked his tail to a few warriors, and they soon took flight.

"So," Sharptalon broke in icily. Even after the long time since the dog incident, Sharptalon didn't trust Hawkstar with organizing battle patrols. "What are we going to do about SkyClan, Hawkstar?"

Hawkstar glared at him, and he knew that he had hit a nerve. "We'll leave the condor-winged warriors to guard the camp," he meowed evenly, trying to keep his tone calm, but his eyes betrayed his feelings of panic and anger. "Sharptalon, you can lead a patrol to follow Phoenixfire. Once you see SkyClan, attack and show no mercy."

Sharptalon was surprised by Hawkstar's hostility but nodded, satisfied. He rounded up a few of the best warriors and took flight, unsheathing his claws as his eyes hungrily tracked the ground below for his SkyClan enemies. Sharptalon soon spotted the invaders, and they padded across FeatherClan land proudly, as if they owned the land. Sharptalon's claws curled. Soon I'll teach them that FeatherClan isn't to be trifled with!

"FeatherClan, attack!" Phoenixfire yowled, and Sharptalon spotted the spark of battle ignite his friend's eyes. Fizzing energy building in his paws, Sharptalon dived down towards the nearest SkyClan, his claws outstretched. He slammed his paws into the cat's spine, and felt a glimmer of satisfaction as the cat, a white-and-gray tom, yowl in agony. Sharptalon shredded up the cat's fur in a flash of fur and claws, tearing out clumps of white-and-gray fur. Blood splattered Sharptalon's muzzle as he bit down repeatedly at the tom's neck, all the while beating his wings furiously to blind the tom. The tom flailed helplessly under him as Sharptalon pinned him down, tearing into his neck fur. The SkyClan tom's paws were unfocused and weak, and Sharptalon could see fighting explode all over the clearing.

"Watch out!" Flowerbreeze growled. Sharptalon whipped around, his muzzle flecked and splattered with crimson blood. A she-cat, presumably the tom's sister, let out a fierce battle cry and lunged for Sharptalon. Taking flight quickly, he grimaced as the she-cat missed, slipped on the grass, and dug her claws deep into her brother's neck wound. Her brother gave a great shudder and fell limp. Yowling out her grief, the she-cat leaped for Sharptalon, but Sharptalon easily darted in and out of her reach.

Meanwhile, Phoenixfire grappled with two cats, both larger than him. The rest of the cats were doing well, savagely clawing and biting the SkyClan cats. Better finish this pitiful she-cat off before I help him, Sharptalon thought grimly and dived for the she-cat, clawing her eyes and then kicking her square in her muzzle. She let out a wail of agony.

"I'm blinded! I'm blinded!" The she-cat screeched, and all around, the SkyClan cats stopped fighting.

"Duskflower is injured! Retreat!" SkyClan's leader, Mallowstar, shrieked. "Hang in there, my precious daughter..." he mewed frantically, grabbing the she-cat's scruff.

"Coward!" Sharptalon yowled, and he nodded to Phoenixfire. Together, the two toms dived for Mallowstar and they aimed a flurry of swipes at the leader, and the SkyClan leader collapsed under the blows. Scratched and bleeding, Mallowstar feebly batted at them, but Sharptalon darted in between Phoenixfire's relentless strikes to clamp down on Mallowstar's neck and a sickening crunch of bone was heard. Mallowstar crumpled, falling to the ground beside the wailing Duskflower.

"Mallowstar! Duskflower!" A black and white tom screeched, and the SkyClan cats clustered around the fallen bodies protectively. "You will pay for this, FeatherClan! SkyClan's feud with you doesn't end here!"

"I won't expect it will," Sharptalon snarled as Phoenixfire called the retreat. The FeatherClan cats swept into the sky in one graceful flight, and as they flew back, Sharptalon gazed back.

There were five fallen bodies.

Good job, Sharptalon. A voice purred in Sharptalon's head.

''Who are you? What do you want with me?'' Sharptalon thought furiously, struggling to concentrate on flying.

''That is not important now. The ferocity you showed in the battle has shown me that you are worthy...''

''Worthy of what? ''Sharptalon replied in his head helplessly, but the voice faded. He then realized that he was veering off course. Phoenixfire noticed before Sharptalon could flap his wings back on course, and fell back to fly beside him, guiding him back on course. Sharptalon hated being treated like a kit by his best friend, but he also quietly enjoyed the feel of Phoenixfire's pelt brushing his.

''What's going on? What am I feeling? Why am I hearing voices and seeing things? ''Sharptalon wondered hopelessly as Phoenixfire asked, "Are you okay, Sharptalon? You seem a little distracted after the battle."

The concern in his friend's mew warmed Sharptalon, and again he wondered what was he feeling. "I'm fine," he replied quickly. Phoenixfire held his gaze, the very same way he did the night of the Gathering, and yet again, Sharptalon was lost in that brilliant amber gaze.

"Are you sure?" Phoenixfire pressed.

Sharptalon felt slightly uncomfortable. No, he admitted to himself. "I'm fine, really!" he mewed evasively and gave his friend a reassuring lick across the ear.

As they approached the camp, Phoenixfire just muttered darkly. "You better be."

Sharptalon felt a jolt of panic. Did his friend know something that he didn't?