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The Last Stand
A Fan Fiction by Spottedspirit
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The zombies started showing up in leafbare. Back when nobody expected any trouble. But first, Dustpelt was gone. W searched and searched, but we couldn’t find him. Then, he came back to camp. But, he was different. He had a oily black layer on top of his fur, and his usually amber eyes were the color of blood. He had a deep gash through his chest, and a steady flow of red pumped out. He started attacking cats, as if he was scared at first. Then, he began murdering them. Berrynose and Spiderleg each died, a terrible death. Nobody was sure who killed them, except for me. I knew, but only because I could scent the distinct scent they carried. Soon, more and more cats dissapeared, and more and more cats were being murdered and more and more cats appeared like this, and each time, they had a steady flow of blood pumping from their stomach, throat, or chest.. And that was just the beginning. Now, they took over our camp. They leave a spew of toxic oil behind them, killing trees and animals. Our once beautiful forest is now a wasteland. They murdered Bramblestar brutally, the same death as his father. And now, they can’t be stopped. Too many cats have died. Crowfeather, Nightcloud, Daisy, Spiderleg, Berrynose, Shrewfoot, Blackstar, Birchfall, and so many more. And now, only me and a group of survivors can try and stop them. But this might be our last stand.
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“Snapfrost,” Dovewing called, yanking me out of my sleep with her horse, dehydrated voice.
“Hmm?” I sat up, my eyes squinting to see through the harsh fog.
“It’s time to go…” she said, her green eyes blurry with exhaustion.
“Is Briarlight ready?” I asked, and suddenly realized my voice was as husky as Dovewing’s.
“Yeah, you’re the only one still asleep.” the pale gray she-cat responded.
“Oh…” I stood up, my eyes finally focusing. Briarlight, Cinderheart, Hollyleaf, Ivypool and Icecloud all stood, expectantly at the edge of our makeshift camp.
Briarlight’s brown pelt was spiked up against the moist fog, her ears pricked to listen for danger. When she saw me, her blue eyes widened.
“Snapfrost, are you ready?” she asked, her voice cautious.
“Yes, I am. Is Cinderheart leading today?” I asked, tilting my head in curiosity.
“Yes, actually.” Cinderheart said, padding up. My mother’s gray pelt shimmered with condensation and her eyes were narrowed in order to see through the fog. Her tail lashed slowly.
“Okay.” I meowed, “And where’s Bristlethorn and Frondbush?”
“Snapfrost,” Cinderheart said, gently, “I’m afraid that the zombies took them… I couldn’t save your littermates.”
“My littermates….were taken?” I squeaked, my voice suddenly high-pitched.
Icecloud dipped her white head, apologetically. “Afraid so. But there really wasn’t much we could do about it.”
Dovewing thrust her muzzle into the conversation. “We must go,” her voice seemed harsh, but her green eyes danced with fear.
Briarlight nodded. “We haven’t much time to lose, unfortunately.”
Everyone started to nod in agreement before Ivypool set off into the thicket-covered tangle of paths. Everyone followed, but kept their ears pricked and their guards up. I carried Briarlight, who’s brown pelt brushed mine. Her blue eyes were flecked with fear as we walked, the trees around us dying and melted. It hadn’t been long since this place was lush and green, but the zombies left a trail of toxic acid behind them. It burnt the trees and melted the paths with their sticky black oil.
“Hollyleaf,” Briarlight whimpered, “Tell us again where we’re heading?”
“Further away from the zombie camp.” Cinderheart responded, her ears flicking back towards Briarlight.
“Of course…” Briarlight said, sighing.
I felt a rush of sympathy for her. Her brother, Bumblestripe, had just been taken by zombies a few nights back and it had been hard on the young she-cat.
“It’ll be okay…” I murmured in her ear.
Briarlight wasn’t listening, though. Her blue gaze rested on the bushes on the other side of the path. The leaves were rustling, and out slid five cats. Not zombie cats but members of ThunderClan! Out slid a gray tabby she-cat, a tortoiseshell-and-white, a pale gray tabby tom, and a black and white tom.
“Jayfeather, Hazeltail, Blossomfall, Toadstep!” Dovewing exclaimed, her gray pelt ruffled with excitement.
Jayfeather’s eyes were wide with shock. “Dovewing!” he exclaimed in surprise.
He raced forward and wove around the she-cat. He purred loudly, nuzzling Dovewing and the rest of our patrol. He’s face was the definition of relief.
“I can’t believe you’re okay!” exclaimed Blossomfall, her eyes round and as big as a full moon. She padded up to Ivypool, weaving around her mate, their multicolored coats mixing.
Hazeltail’s eyes were round, too, but she didn’t say anything. Her white-and-gray tail lashed back and forth, anxiously. She almost looked guilty.
“I’m so sorry…” Blossomfall said, stepping back from her mate and her ears folding back, “They took Squirrelflight…”
“Squirrelflight?” Icecloud’s eyes were wide, her white ears dropping back to press against her skull.
“I-I am so sorry…” Jayfeather muttered, his head hanging, “W-we tried to save her…”
“Anyone else?” asked Ivypool, her eyes wide with fear and her pale pelt spiking, pressing against Blossomfall, “Did they take Lakepaw or Plumpaw?”
I braced myself for the answer. I knew that Ivypool’s adopted kits were precious to her.
“We never found your kits after the zombies took over. And, sadly, we also lost Leafpool and Brightheart.” Hazeltail mewed, finally, biting her lip.
“There really wasn’t much we could do.” Blossomfall shifted her paws, nervously. Her paws were covered in black muck, proving they had just encountered the zombies. The fur along them was scorched from their toxic acid.
“We should go. Are the zombies close by?” Cinderheart asked suddenly to Jayfeather.
“Hard to say,” he responded, “They carry almost no scent.”
I shivered. The scent of zombie was something only I could scent and it was coming closer. I nudged Briarlight. “The zombies are close.” I whispered, my voice scarcely heard over the sound of rustling of leaves. Black oil rushed out from under the leaves of the trees, lapping at my paws.
Cinderheart!” I called, my voice shrill with fear.
Cinderheart turned to see what I was talking about. Along the edges of the path was a growing puddle of black oil. The gray she-cat’s ears fell against her skull.
“Run!” Cinderheart called, starting to flee.
Everyone turned to follow, running hard. Briarlight started sobbing as we ran. I could feel the wind gush past me, smelling acrid and blistering. It was hard to breath, the smell of death was so thick. I was scared when I heard a ear-splitting scream behind me. Cinderheart’s head turned, and she saw that Icecloud was being attacked.
Her white pelt smoldering and her eyes dull, she was weakly fighting against three zombies. With a jolt, I recognized Bumblestripe, Rosepetal, Poppyfrost and Berrynose. Except now, their fur was covered with oily black goo and their eyes were a deep red color.
Bumblestripe’s claws dug into Icecloud’s face, leaving red welts. Berrynose’s teeth dug into her ear and Poppyfrost helped Rosepetal dig their claws and fangs into her exposed belly. Hollyleaf stopped running and was gaping at the scene in horror.
“Icecloud, fight back!” Hazeltail called, her ice-blue eyes wide.
Icecloud made a strangled cry and then went limp. Her pelt crawled with little black droplets of oil and they seemed to seep into her white pelt. Her eyes opened, and started to turn red, seeping color into every cell. Her burns started to glow an ugly green and her eyes were starting to get wider as if she was scared. Then, she stood, her eyes large and she started to make the gurgling sound that the zombies made.
Cinderheart gasped. Icecloud was now a zombie and there was nothing we could do about it. Icecloud’s tongue darted out from her lips and licked her nose. It left a black trail of oil. Icecloud was horrifying in this form.
“Come on,” Jayfeather called, “We can’t save her!”
I turn away, and follow. I don’t remember running so fast before, and yet, I felt strangely alive. The wind ripped past me, my spotted fur ruffling out into spikes. But the experience was ruined, when a sickening scream caught my attention.
We had run into the zombie camp.
“Daughter…” Cinderheart said, “Stay still…”
I turned. My father, Lionblaze, stood behind me, his eyes wide and calm. But his pelt was one of a zombie. His normally amber eyes were red, and his jaws was slack and dripping the black oil. He had a terrible red gash through his throat and he made a quiet gurgling noise, and oily black blood pumped from the wound.
“Snapfrost, come here.” Cinderheart said, her voice commanding.
I stepped away from my father.
Lionblaze closed his mouth. His slackened jaw tightened and his eyes seemed to flare with fire. His breath was so acrid, I could smell in from where I stood. Cinderheart growled. Lionblaze flicked his tail. A zombie version of Tigerheart, Bramblestar, and Dustpelt joined him. They all advanced on us. Their black oily fur dripped and sagged, as they slowly walked towards us. I suppressed a whimper. Lionblaze and a zombie Bramblestar started to come closer. They had their claws unsheathed, dripping with oil.
“Snapfrost, take Briarlight and go.” Jayfeather said, his voice pleading.
“No, I’m not leaving you.” I told Jayfeather, my voice frail. I slid Briarlight off my back, and onto my uncle’s.
Lionblaze then spoke, but his voice was ancient and sounded almost like rock sliding against rock. “I see, daughter, that loyalty is your weakness.”
I figured the voice he spoke with was the voice of whoever murdered the first cat. He had started this, and was now using my father’s boy in order to maintain his rank as leader. “No, father.” I said, “My loyalty is my strength.”
Then, I charged.
I don’t remember the end for most of my friends, I just remember fighting alongside them. It was a thrilling moment of adrenaline, coursing through my veins making me fight with more strength than I thought possible. I remember killing Dustpelt, my claws making contact with his throat and then his breathing silenced. Then, I remember killing Leafpool, my teeth biting her scruff until there was a sickening crack. I knew I was killing my former friends, but then again, I knew this fight was in vain. I saw the body of Cinderheart thud to the ground, her blue eyes wide and her mouth open in one last snarl of defiance. I remember whipping around, digging my claws into anything black and oily and fleshy, until the last sounds of the battle was me panting, and a groan of pain from Jayfeather.
I looked his way, my gaze starting to blur. I was exhausted.
Jayfeather lay, his pale pelt lined with stars and his blind blue eyes wide and alert as if he could see. He pushed into sitting position, his eyes wide with grief. “Briarlight?” he called, his eyes wide.
Briarlight’s body lay dead on the other side of the clearing, along with Dovewing’s. I whimpered, and limped over. Briarlight’s sky-blue eyes were wide, her mouth open as if to plea for mercy or as if she was cussing them out. I pressed my muzzle into her fur, and I lapped at her muzzle with my tongue. Her fur was still silky and soft, unlike the rest of them. She was killed with a bite to her throat, breaking her spine and killing her painlessly.
“Jayfeather,” I managed, “She’s dead.”
Jayfeather shook hit head, his wide ears pressing against his skull. “No, we can fix her!” he said, though it sounded like a plea. “She’s fine.” He nuzzled Briarlight’s limp remains.
But, then a spirit rose from the body as if it was just some replaceable shell. Briarlight’s sky-blue eyes were now full of life and she walked on her back legs, which had been paralyzed for so long. Jayfeather suddenly purred, and he nuzzled Briarlight.
“Oh, Jayfeather,” she purred, her voice full of joy, “You stupid furball.”
Leaving them, I padded over to my mother’s body. Cinderheart looked wasn’t so peaceful, her eyes open and angry. I pressed my muzzle into her pelt, breathing in her sweet scent. Then, her spirit arose, her speckled gray pelt now full of stars. She purred and pressed against me. Then, I saw Blossomfall’s and Toadstep’s. And even Lionblaze and Bramblestar’s spirits. Even the zombies were now spirits, released from their terrible bodies.
“Don’t be sad, daughter.” Cinderheart said, “Look around.”
I looked around. I saw Blossomfall, Briarlight, Cinderheart, Toadstep, and Lionblaze’s bodies all scattered across the zombie camp. I knew they were dead, but it looked like they were sleeping. All of them, except Toadstep, who had massive wounds on his throat and belly, still pumping a steady flow of red blood. It was horrifying to see them so still. So lifeless.
“We have all left our bodies. They are nothing but shells. And look, even you have.” Cinderheart gestured to a lifeless spotted lump.
I peered at it more closely and realized it was my own body. It was almost too much for me to bear. I was unaware of Jayfeather when he walked up to me until he said;
“Snapfrost,” Jayfeather said, though it sounded like saying my name made him feel better.
I looked back to look at Jayfeather. I was told many times how much I looked like him. His angular ears, his lithe build, and his wide blue eyes. The only difference, they said, was our pelts and attitude. Now, I stared at my look-alike, and realized just how much we actually had in common. We both were loyal to our Clan, and we both loved our Clan more than anything.
“I believe that today,” I said, “Is the start of a new era.”
Jayfeather nodded. “We must keep ThunderClan alive.” he agreed.
The other StarClan cats nodded.
“I believe that whoever started this apocolypse wanted to draw us apart. But, he has failed.” Lionblaze said.
“Then, let us start with burying our bodies.” I replied, and I knew that though life was bad, we would pull through.
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But, somewhere, an ancient voice rumbled and whoever it belonged to, smiled. He chuckled to himself and then said, “Is it that easy to rid yourself from Fear?”
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THE END