Chapter 2
Screamheart felt as if every vein in her body had turned to ice. Her claws extended as shock gripped her stomach.
“What…?” The pale-gray she-cat ran full pelt towards the nursery.
Pushing her way through a tangle of bracken and stray strands of moss and ferns until she finally pushed her way past a fallen tree and entered the nursery. She felt a warm, sticky liquid stick to her paws. Lifting a front paw up to the small ray of light that was accumulating from the space between the nursery wall and the tree where she had crawled through.
Is…is that… blood?!
She thought, shaking the warm liquid off her black paw, only for a wail of alarm to sound abruptly from the darkness. Screamheart tensed, ready for a wolf to pop out and attack her, only for another small wail to come from the back walls of the nursery. Carefully, she picked her way through the broken branches of the nursery, the small ray of light shinning on a small, gray-and-white pelt. Moving closer, Screamheart saw the two glowing, emerald-green eyes of Mosswolf.
“M-Mosswolf…?” She called out, warily. A small, white head popped up in response. Screamheart took a small step forwards, only for the young she-cat to growl and swipe at her. Screamheart hissed and raised her paw, only to remember that Mosswolf never meet her. The pale-gray she-cat put her jet-black paw down and sat down, wrapping her tail neatly over her paws.
“Mosswolf… it’s okay.” She reassured her.
“H-How do you know my name?” Mosswolf demanded, eyes narrowed and accusing. Screamheart sighed.
“It’s a long stor-“ Screamheart stopped when something touched her back paw. Spinning around, she saw Yellowleaf’s limp body. With her eyes open. Screamheart’s heart skipped a beat. I can still save her!! She thought.
“Yellowleaf! Yellowleaf, can you hear me?” She called, running over to the wounded medicine cat. Putting her paw underneath the dark-gray she-cats head, Screamheart lifted her up, looking into her bright-yellow eyes. Yellowleaf let out a weak purr, making Screamheart’s stomach clench.
“S-S-Screamheart…? Is… is that really you…?” She asked weakly, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
“Yes.” Screamheart replied, tears starting to form in her eyes, “I’m here…” Screamheart pressed her muzzle into Yellowleaf’s blood-soaked fur, holding back the urge to curl into a ball at her stomach. Yellowleaf licked Screamheart’s head, like she used to when Screamheart was a kit all those moons ago. Screamheart couldn’t hold it back anymore. She burst out crying into her half-sister’s fur, ignoring the sent of blood and death clinging to it.
“Oh, Yellowleaf! Yellowleaf, please!” Screamheart could barely get the words out without choking back a wail of dismay.
“You- you can’t do this to me! I just got back! Please, just stay alive for just… I don’t know! Just-” Yellowleaf’s tail silenced Screamheart.
“My darling… I… I’m so sor… ry… I wish I could… travel with you l… longer…” Yellowleaf reassured her half-sister, blood flowing faster out of the hole in her neck. Screamheart watched in agony as her half-sister bled out in front of her.
“Don’t cry Scream… heart… it was a good life… thanks to you…” Yellowleaf’s eyes filled with tears.
“You can’t just die!” Screamheart yowled. Ignoring the rage-filled voiced coming from outside.
“Screamheart! Let us in!” Adderfang demanded from outside the nursery. Screamheart’s paws were planted to the ground, unable to move from Yellowleaf’s side.
“I love you… Screamheart…” Yellowleaf choked out the best she could, despite the copious amounts of blood spilling from the giant gash in her throat. Screamheart choked back a wail.
“I… I love you too…” Screamheart’s voice cracked in sorrow and agony as she watched the dark-gray body twitch one last time. Then lay limp. Screamheart tried her hardest to stay on her paws, but she couldn’t. She collapsed to a heap on the floor, a wail of apprehension and heartbreak escaping her mouth. Curling into a ball, she made her way to the medicine cat’s stomach and curled up in her paws, pushing at her muzzle.
“Y-Yellowleaf?” She said, her voice no more than a slight whisper. Suddenly, a loud crash filled the void of silence. Screamheart opened her eyes to see Shadestar, Wolfsong, and Frostfire. As Wolfsong and Frostfire ran into the nursery, Shadestar lagged behind, heaving the log off his shoulders before stepping inside. Screamheart looked up at the powerful gray tom, tears blurring her vision.
“Yellowleaf…?” She questioned. Her eyes too filled with tears to see her leader clearly. Shadestorm choked back a wail at the name of his now dead sister.
“It’s me, Screamheart.” He said. Walking up to the pale-gray she-cat. Screamheart, remembering her secret, ran up to Shadestar and hung her paws around him, crying into his chest fur. Shadestar was taken aback by Screamheart’s reaction. Frostfire and Wolfsong were equally surprised. Frostfire growled as her fur rose, glaring at Screamheart. Screamheart looked over to her with confusion.
“Traitor…” Suddenly, Frostfire was on top of Screamheart, her claws ripping into Screamheart’s flank. With a yowl of fury, Shadestar pounced onto Frostfire, prying the tiger-like she-cat off of Screamheart.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Shadestar demanded, teeth bearing and claws out. Frostfire cowered under her leaders stone-cold glare.
“She…” Frostfire gulped as Shadestar took an intimidating lunge forward.
“She what?” Shadestar growled, as he stood his ground in front of the frightened Screamheart.
“She killed Yellowleaf!” Frostfire yowled. Shadestar stood up, his eyes wide with shock. He looked behind him at Screamheart, covered in Yellowleaf’s blood, then back at Frostfire, his eyes blazing.
“She did no such thing!” He yowled at the white she-cat. Frostfire curled her lips back into a snarl.
“Yes she did! Look at her!” Shadestar turned around to see Screamheart lying on the ground with Wolfsong standing over her. The powerful gray tom looked at Wolfsong.
“Wolfsong… what are you doing?” He asked. The light-gray she-cat stood there, glaring at both cats. Her bright-yellow eyes narrowed and filled with rage.
“I don’t care if Screamheart killed Yellowleaf!” She exclaimed, her claws tearing up the soft moss on the ground. “If any of you try to hurt her… I will kill you!” Wolfsong growled. Shadestar stared in horror at his sister, surely she wouldn’t hurt me, he thought as he took a step towards Screamheart.
Wolfsong bared her teeth at her brother, swiping her claws at his throat. Shadestar jumped back in pure terror. Did his own sister just try to slit his neck? He thought. Frostfire walked up behind him, snarling at Wolfsong.
“Wolfsong, move. Or I’ll kill both of you.” Shadestar turned on Frostfire, pinning her down, his claws digging into her neck.
“You wouldn’t dare!” He growled, letting go of her. Frostfire crawled away to the back of the nursery with Mosswolf. Shadestar looked back at his sister.
“Wolfsong, let me see her.” Shadestar said. Wolfsong gazed at him with suspicion.
“I won’t hurt her. She’s the mother of my kits.” He pointed out. Wolfsong realized what he was doing and moved away from Screamheart. Shadestar nodded his head at Wolfsong, then made his way over to Screamheart’s side. Grabbing the back of her neck, he hauled her onto his shoulders.
He carried her out of the den and into the middle of the clearing where Duskheart was treating the other injured cats. With a massive heave of his shoulders, Shadestar gently slid Screamheart off of his shoulders and onto the paws of Duskheart. The brown tom stared at his mate with horror.
“What happened to her!” He gasped. Shadestar looked down at his paws.
“She was with Yellowleaf when she died.” He said; his voice no louder than a whisper. Duskheart looked at him with shock in his eyes.
“She was still alive?” He exclaimed. Shadestar nodded.
“Only for a little bit. But when I came in, she was already on her way to Soulclan.” Shadestar meowed. Duskheart shook his head and padded over to Screamheart.
“Is she okay?” Shadestar asked, worry sparking in his voice. Duskheart choked back a wail of dismay.
“She should be.” He answered, looking up at his brother.