A Warrior's Honor {closed}

The sky was a hazy gray as Finchbreeze climbed out of Mothermouth. The dark cavern had provided shelter for SkyClan and WindClan thus far, but the deputy missed the open air of the moors. A few sunrises had passed since the other three clans left for the mountains, the quiet that had fallen upon Highstones since was strange. There were no birds to sing a morning song, and even the Twoleg monsters had abandoned the flooded Thunderpath. It seemed as if the whole forest was mourning what was lost. The sun stood high but provided minimal warmth. A thin layer of cloud mist coated the top of the sky, casting a cold light on the rocks and shrubs. Dew rested on every grass tuft, every bit of debris and mud. It felt like a Newleaf day, but lacked the sense of whimsy that came with most times such as these.

Finchbreeze found a perch at the crest of a grassy hill, where he could look down and observe the flooded forest. The orange and white tabby pondered a search party. His clanmates had been missing too long, and, while he didn't doubt their capability, he feared for their safety. A certain russet she-cat who created Finchbreeze's very resolve was one of the missing. Brookclover... The tom thought, feeling a pang in his chest. But they were all fine, the deputy knew it, his stubbornness wouldn't allow him to admit otherwise. Brindlestar, Brookclover, Barleytuft… they were all fine and healthy. That was the truth.

Taking a long sigh, the tom decided to hunt, needing to clear his head. He picked over the wheatgrass tentatively, scenting the moist air, yellow eyes creased. The two clans sheltered at Mothermouth had begun to heal, wounds were mended and mouths were fed. Soon WindClan would be strong enough to began searching for those lost. But Finchbreeze's clanmates always needed prey. It was a simple task, and an honest one. A fleck of brown caught Finchbreeze's vision, and the scent of hare filled the air. Stifling a grin, the tom began to chase after it, relishing the wind in his fur. Paws thumped against grass and grew louder, louder still. Those aren't my paws... The deputy realized, now feeling hot air on his haunches, the snapping of jaws turned his head. A large long-furred dog was pelting after Finchbreeze, tongue lolling from its mouth, floppy ears flying loose in the breeze. Eyes wide, the tom started to dart from side to side like a rabbit, making sharp turns, hoping to lure the massive creature off his trail. But the mottled black and white dog was fast and determined, soon he caught up with the deputy and lunged forward, aiming for his neck. Great StarClan! Finchbreeze thought as he recoiled, Not like this!

The white mountain hare darted away right from underneath Rabbitfrost's paws, causing the newly appointed warrior to collapse to the ground with a furious hiss and a pained howl. The horrible gash running along the length of his inner hind leg was hindering his ability to hunt for what remained of WindClan. How were his Clanmates supposed to eat and grow strong enough to find their ways back home? At the rate he was going, the Clans were going to remain in Highstones forever. His stubbed tail flicking back and forth in irritation, the WindClan tom stumbled back up onto his paws, his injured leg hovered over the ground by a whisker to keep the pressure off.

Another hare, a brown one, suddenly dashed right past him, startling him into yelping and stumbling back on his haunches. What in StarClan's name caused that thing to become so spooked? Standing back up, Rabbitfrost looked behind him, and what he saw absolutely terrified him. A giant, long-furred dog was chasing after WindClan's deputy Finchbreeze, and it looked like it was about to catch up to him and dig its fangs into his neck at any moment. Not if I have anything to say about it!

Forcing himself to ignore the intense pain in his leg, Rabbitfrost streaked down the mountainside in a flash of grayish-brown. Once he reached the short ledge that led to the grassy plain the dog and older tom were running in, one for hunger and the other for survival, he launched himself into the air and unsheathed his claws to slam right into the side of the dog's head, using his momentum to throw it down into the ground. He bit his tongue powerfully to hold back a howl of agony as he landed awkwardly on his injured leg, and he scrambled back up onto his paws before launching himself once again at the dog just as it was getting back up. After getting a few swipes in, he called over his shoulder to his deputy, "I'll lead the dog away! You go back to the others and protect them!" He knew his Clanmates would be perfectly fine. He just needed to make up an excuse he was sure would work on Finchbreeze to make him flee from the scene so he could save him.

After all, chances were very slim he would survive after this ordeal.

Trusting that Finchbreeze would flee to the safety of makeshift camp higher up along the mountainside, Rabbitfrost lashed out once more at the dog's nose, creating a large bloody gash in the soft, leathery flesh, causing the beast to howl in pain and fury. Seeing he got its attention now with it rounding on him, black eyes glittering with hostility and vengeance, the young tom whipped around and streaked down the mountainside in powerful, rabbit-like bounds. He looked behind him for a quick heartbeat to find the dog was indeed chasing after him, and it was rather fast on his tail, too. Kicking his speed up, Rabbitfrost continued his race down the mountain away from WindClan's deputy and the rest of the surviving cats until he and the dog both disappeared over the hills.

Blood spattered the deputy's face, but it was not his own. Rabbitfrost had appeared out of nowhere, slamming into the dog's head, and knocking him off course. Finchbreeze gasped as the two rolled with each other, tussling and tearing at fur. The young warrior's shout was a bold one, as he attempted to remove Finchbreeze from the equation. "I'm staying here." The orange and white tabby shouted, kicking up grass in an attempt to run after the two. But they were already a significant distance away, nearing steeper hills. The massive beast and smaller warrior stood as two dark shadows against the horizon, only their figures could be made out. Teeth flashed, hissed, and claws slashed. Finchbreeze's eyes widened as Rabbitfrost fought. There was a gracefulness to it, a serene acceptance of the situation. The spry warrior wasn't much younger than himself, yet fought with pride, purpose, and raced like he himself was the embodiment of wind.

"Rabbitfrost!!" Finchbreeze yowled as the warrior twisted over the hill, taking the massive dog with him. He's fine. The deputy told himself as he cleared the rest of the distance in a few bounds. If only he had been faster. In the distance, white light reflected off of the flooded forest, with only the darkened tree line to break the endless horizon. Highstones was silent once again. Mourning. It was a sad sound, silence. And when Finchbreeze crested the hill and called out his clanmate's name, a cruel, cruel silence followed. On the rocks below laid the massive dog, unmoving. And next to it, laid Rabbitfrost, soaking up morning dew in his fur. Finchbreeze numbly picked his way down the hill after the two, paws feeling like stones. The deputy's face contorted into one of sorrow. His yellow eyes glazed over, and a single tear dropped onto the fallen warrior's pelt. Why had Rabbitfrost done it? He had sacrificed himself, laid down his very life for the cat that stood before him now. Nothing about it was fair. Finchbreeze let his muzzle rest on Rabbitfrost's pelt, a cold stone in his heart. Why give your life for me? Finchbreeze thought, guilt threatening to overtake him. I'm no more important than you... But the answer was simple. Rabbitfrost was a warrior, and carried with him honor, a drive to do what is right. It made the deputy feel important, more important than he ever wanted to feel. It was another commitment. On top of Brookclover, his kits, and Aspenpaw. He now lived for Rabbitfrost too. As if dying now would be a stain on the young warrior's legacy. "I... I won't let you down..." Finchbreeze breathed into Rabbitfrost's fur, a new sense of duty pricking at his paws. "All of WindClan will hear of your legacy... You're an honorable cat if I ever saw one." Finchbreeze blinked tears away as he hoisted his clanmate onto his back, beginning to climb the rocky slope. "May you find good hunting, swift running and shelter where you sleep..."