Speckfire's Gem

•.• 02 •.•

Sleekraven threw himself at the warrior blocking the exit, "Hello Eelcoat." The tom smirked leaping onto his back. His claws tore at the bigger toms shoulders. Eelcoat snarled and whipped his head back and forth trying to snap at the tom. The pitch black tom soon dropped into a roll only for Sleekraven to leap off and streak out of the camp exit. He threw his head back and let out a cry mimicking a crow. The large black crow, carrying Bluepaw, made long circles over head and brought Bluepaw along to wherever Sleekraven wanted.

Baileythroat landed next to her brother easily transitioning to running. Her claws helped propel herself forward as her chest heaved and rain poured around them. Puddles of mud started forming, and now and again one of them would slip up slightly. They kept running until their legs felt like the embodiment of fire itself and their chest screamed for more air. Baileythroat collapsed first, chin landing roughly on the ground, and a whimper on her tongue,
"Sleekraven... I can't move anymore. My legs will literally fall off." Baileythroat even struggled to move her shoulders so they weren't in an awkward position as she laid in the mud. Sleekraven came to a galloping halt and stared at his sister. His amber eyes flashed with annoyance but understanding. His own legs where burning as he let out another caw of an order to his friend the crow. The black bird swooped down and dropped off Bluepaw and took off again into the safe sheltered branches of a tree.

Bluepaw laid curled up in the mud, her originally heavily bleeding eye had slowed its flow. Now what was left was a very torn eyeball and it was occasionally slipping out of the socket. When this would happen, Bluepaw would let out an exhausted whimper and use a paw to tiredly push it back.
"We need to find Marbledpetal." Sleekraven said out of no where and stared from Bluepaw to Baileythroat, "Shes the only one who can help."
"But then we risk leading Jackdawstreak to her! And we can't let him have her Gem. Then we truly can't beat him in getting Speckfire's." Baileythroat's voice hardened in a defensive and bitter way.
"You don't think I know that? We have to! Otherwise shock will set into Bluepaw, if it already hasn't." Sleekraven bared his fangs at his sister in acrimony. Baileythroat's ears flicked down,
"Fine. But if our sister ends up dead because of this, it was your idea. You won't forget that." The exhausted she cat somehow found the strength to shove herself to her paws. Maybe it was her anger towards this plan or the delightful hope of seeing her littermate again.

Sleekraven crouched low and pushed his nose under Bluepaw and slid her down his neck and onto his back. The miffed warrior padded forward, ears flicking in displeasure when his sister led them through the forest instead of around.
"Are you sure you know where you are going? Didn't we leave her on the outskirts of the clan territory?" Came the question tainted with irritation.
"Yes. We did. But cats don't just sit and stay you know." Baileythroat scoffed sending a scowl over her shoulder. Her tail lashed, "She told me she'd make camp near the river in some hidden den. She's smart. She knows how to get by on her own." Her rosy mew was back and her eyes sparkled once more with their kindness. She clearly had missed Marbledpetal. Sleekraven flicked an ear. He missed his other sister too, but Baileythroat had a point. If Marbledpetal ended up dead, he'd blame himself for the rest of eternity.

The walk felt like it dragged on forever. Bluepaw had finally went completely limp on Sleekraven's back. Her shuttering and whimpers died out as unconsciousness set in and her blood had started crusting up. Not great. They had to get her to Marbledpetal incase infection somehow already buried itself inside her eye. The river had been next to them for a good three fallen redwood lengths before Baileythroat started lettingnout small mews. She was trying to locate her sister but in a way that yells wouldn't echo around the woods, and risk Jackdawstreak locating them.
"I'll run ahead for a better look. Don't die without me." It was meant as a joke but her eyes glistened with sincerity, "Seriously. Don't." With that the she cat disappeared deeper into the woods leaving Sleekraven to follow via scent trail.

Baileythroat padded along a path that seemed to be worn down by other paw steps trampling the grass. It led down a small beautiful flowery hill. At the bottom there rested a fallen colossal redwood with vines seeming to grow over a hole in its side. Distorted shadows moved about inside the den and small huffs and mews sounded from inside. Mews Baileythroat recognized. The warrior wanted to burst into the den but knew she hadn't been near other cats in ages. Something bad might happen. So Baileythroat let out a bold and excitement bitten meow to announce her presence.

A beautiful black and white marbled she cat rose her head. Small green leaves hung from her black jaws as her oak brown eyes flicked at the shadow outside of the vines, hanging over the den entrance. Panic surged in the she cat and her claws sunk into the mossy and dampened wood underpaw. Almost instantly her panic went away and replaced itself with pure joy as she caught scent of who it was.
"What pleasure do I have of a visit from my family?" her voice was as sweet as her scent of lavender and honey.

"Marbledpetal!" Baileythroat happily entered thought the screen of vines and threw herself at her sister. The two laid in a cuddling hugging heap of joy. Baileythroat's purr brought herself peace from the battle from before. The battle. Baileythroat stood up and shook her pelt, "Marbledpetal, Jackdawstreak murdered Speckfire after the leader named Bluekit, now Bluepaw, his successor and now we need your help."
"No. I'm not going back to the clan Bailey. Never again."
"That's not what im asking of you. Bluepaw's eye was torn out in front of the whole clan and we barely escaped with our lives. Bluepaw and Sleekraven should be here soon." Baileythroat blinked at her sister. Marbledpetal sat down nodding,
"I'll see what I can do for her. How has Sleekraven been?"
"I've been good thank you." The large muscular tom, with a small blue apprentice spread across shoulders, said as he padded into the den. Marbledpetal blinked at him carefully before looking at Bluepaw, "I remember when she was first born..." she cooed as Sleekraven set her down. "What happened exactly?" Marbledpetal asked and turned to collect certain herbs that where displayed on a few bark shelves or holes. When she turned back around, a few berries where dropped into a bowl, mashed, and mixed together with a stick.
"This morning Speckfire was acting strange. As if he knew something bad was going to happen..." Baileythroat started, "He called Bluepaw up to sit next to him on the jutting rock and announced she was to take over the title of leader once he died. Then he hid in his den. The next time we saw him, he was dead under Jackdawstreak's claws. Throat ripped out and belly torn open." As Baileythroat spoke her ears had pinned to her head, head lowered to the ground, and eyes widened. The she cat jumped as Sleekraven rested a tail on her prickling spine and smiled small but reassuringly.

"Jackdawstreak had always been power hungry. Tried to take my Gem. I mean that's why you moved me out here isn't it? To protect me?" Marbledpetal flicked an ear and smiled gently.
"Speaking of which... where is your gem?" Sleekraven narrowed his eyes on her bare neck.
"I took it off. I'm going to slip it back on when helping Blue, don't worry. I just don't want to wear it when walking around or sleeping at night." The medicine cat warrior stated calmly.
"Right..." Baileythroat stood up and yawned, "Think you could shelter us for the night Marble?" The sister asked using a shorter version of the she cats name.
"I guess but you leave in the morning yes? You have to get to the Stone before Jackdawstreak does." Marbledpetal was calmly slipping her gem back on before walking over to Bluepaw.

Crouching low, Marbledpetal gently pressed her nose to Bluepaw's nose. Her eyes shut tightly as her lavender shaded gem began to pulse with light. Marbledpetal's tail quivered as pain shot through her eye and Bluepaw's tensed muscles relaxed. Marbledpetal shuffled backwards shaking and letting out painful choking sounds. Sleekraven knew it was hard for her but stood back breathing in deeply. Marbledpetal always hated being touched when her power was in effect. You risk feeling the same pain she stole from the cat who first had the pain. Soon the shaking and sobs died down and Marbledpetal weakly rose to her paws and shook out her fur, "I am very surprised she is still alive. Pain like that especially this close to the brain..." she shook her head, "I was able to assess the situation of her eye. We are going to have to take it out." She stated. A roll of thunder sounded in the shy and everyone flinched.

"Take it out?" Baileythroat soon broke the silence, "But why?"
"Her sclera, the white of her eye, is badly torn. The iris and pupil are torn and all that's left is a ball of useless nothing. It is even falling from her eye when she isn't trying to hold it back."
"Will it hurt her?"
"I've calmed her nerves and taken all feeling from her eye. It won't hurt until later. Since my power doesn't last forever."  Marbledpetal stated calmly. "Let me get to work."