Wolftail's POV

"What makes you think we can trust you? Coming over here with your gross looking skull protector thing like you own the gorge!" Wildflower snapped. Marshstar hushed her. I could hear Thornpaw and Whisperpaw purring behind us. Blackwind whipped around and hissed something to them.

"Though rude, Wildflower is right. For all we know, if we follow you we could get ourselves into more trouble than we are already in." Marshstar stood tall and proud.

"If you have some sense, and if you truly care about these cats, then you will come with me." Lark looked at Marshstar dead in the eye. The rain poured down hard. I pushed past Crowflight and Silverfeather to stand in between Wildflower and Marshstar.

"Even if he is leading us into a trap, we could easily kill him and whoever might be waiting for us. I'm sure he is only trying to help us, and for SoulClan's sake we need it," I looked over to Marshstar then to Wildflower. They looked a bit more convinced but didn't say anything.

"If you won't go with him, then you won't see me again. I'm going with him and I'm taking Loudbird, Chipkit, and Nightshade with me." I bowed my head to Lark and then backed away, heading to wake Loudbird and Chipkit.

As I headed towards the log, they all started to talk again. I felt Nightshade's presence beside me. "Who are you to choose if I go or not?" She hissed. I glanced over at her. "You are my sister and I will not lose you to the infection spreading like a wildfire."

Nightshade narrowed her eyes at me but to my relief, she didn't argue.

I ducked my head into the log. Dreamkit was sleeping peacefully beside Ripplecurrent who had four kits sleeping at her stomach. Hollowkit was the smallest, Lionkit and Pebblekit were growing bigger and stronger, but Boulderkit was just as small as Hollowkit. Small and still. Loudbird was still as well with Chipkit cuddled up beside her.

I headed over to the other side of the log. Splashing through puddles, I ducked my head into the log to nudge Loudbird awake. She was cold and stiff. My heart practically stopped in fear.

"Loudbird? Loudbird we are leaving soon." I whispered. I started to shake. Ripplecurrent opened her eyes. I nudged Loudbird harder but she barely budged. "Loudbird, we have to go."

Chipkit woke up and stretched. He was growing even though he probably hadn't had a decent meal for a few days. "Is Loudbird still sleeping?" Chipkit mewed. I didn't answer him. Still shaking, I nudged Loudbird one last time before it hit me that she really was gone.

"Look, Wolftail! It's still raining!" Chipkit squealed, prancing around and splashing in the puddles. His light brown pelt was caked in dark brown mud in mere heartbeats. I tried to feel happy at seeing my son finally pleased, but all I could think about was that Loudbird was gone.

Ripplecurrent dragged Loudbird out by her scruff and laid her in front of the log. Everyone turned around. Ripplecurrent sighed as her kits began to mewl. She padded to the log to check on them. Chipkit stopped bouncing around when he realized Loudbird was laying in the rain. He looked up at me with sorrow in his eyes. "Wolftail, will Loudbird turn into a monster like Flamepaw had?"

I felt my heart break at how at such a young age, Chipkit had to fear that his own mother would turn into a flesh-eating monster.

I shook my head and reassured him, "No, don't worry." He padded in under my chest and nuzzled my stomach fur.

"Seastar has agreed to stay here and wait for Sootclaw's patrol to come back. We are all going with Lark to the Twolegplace." Marshstar announced. I personally thought Seastar was ill and that she should come with us, but I didn't feel the need to say anything.

I grabbed Chipkit by the scruff as Ripplecurrent laid Boulderkit beside Loudbird. Oh SoulClan, why do there have to be so many deaths? As everyone said their goodbyes to the two cats, Stormcloud hung his head in shame when he seen his kit dead. Ripplecurrent was emotionless as she grabbed Lionkit. "I fed the three a few moments ago," She informed her mate as Stormcloud hurried into the log to get Pebblekit.

Crescentmoon took Hollowkit as Shadowflower gave Ripplecurrent herbs. "These will help you produce more milk," She muttered. Hollowkit squealed as the cold rain hit his tiny, fluffy pelt. He squirmed in her mouth and Crescentmoon looked uncomfortable.

I put Loudbird in the log with Boulderkit since we couldn't bury anything in the gorges rock. Nudging him, I scooted Chipkit away. He tried to resist but I hurried him along anyway.

Lark, Marshstar, and Wildflower took the lead of the patrol as we all began to head out. "StreamClan behind me, RockClan behind Marshstar." Wildflower demanded. I stood at the front just behind her with Chipkit in my jaws. Already my neck was sore from him but I refused to let him walk.

As I examined the traveling cats, I noticed Blackwind kept Thornpaw and Whisperpaw in front of her, Dawnflower kept Amberpaw and Rowantail on either side of her, Stormcloud, Ripplecurrent, and Crescentmoon stayed together, and Smoketail and Shadowflower stuck side-by-side. We headed off in silence as the rain slowed down.

Thornpaw couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer once the log was out of sight. "Lark, where did you get that cool skull?" The small brown tom chirped. Lark looked over his shoulder at the small tom.

"I was traveling here when I came across a rotting dog. Its skull came off easily when I tried. I ate the meat from its bones out of hunger and then put it on my head. The end," He replied simply. Thornpaw looked up at the tall tom with amazement. Whisperpaw rolled her eyes as if she didn't believe it, but with such a muscular, scarred tom like Lark, I believed it fully.

No one spoke for what seemed to be moons until Rowantail let out a moan. "How much longer? My legs are sore..." Dawnflower hushed her. I rolled my eyes. Good thing she is behind me or my eyes would be scooped out by that stupid she-cat, I thought.

We padded on quickly and quietly. I scanned the terrains for any infected cats and just to our luck, a figure stumbled toward us. "Infected dog." Lark muttered, leading us around it.

I watched it drag its twisted, stained hind leg behind it. It had no bottom jaw. Chunks of flesh was missing from its thighs and I wondered how it could still be walking. I assumed it was hit by a monster, but with no Thunderpath near, I wondered as well where it came from. My fur spiked up along my spine.

"Ew! It's all bloody!" Dreamkit whined. Chipkit agreed with another "ew". Blood trailed from it as it tried to catch up to us. It moaned at us but as hard as it tried, it couldn't gain any speed. Chills went down my back as its groans echoed. Within moments, it was behind us.

Marshstar and Wildflower suddenly halted the group. "Wolftail, Nightshade, I think you might want to come see this." Wildflower sighed. My heartbeat sped up in curiosity. Setting Chipkit down, I headed around the leaders of the group and gagged at the sight.

My heart sunk. I looked away in shame as I realized the mangled body was my missing sister, Skullsong. Blood had leaked from her torn open stomach and pooled around her body. Tracks of big and small paw prints led away, proving the infected cats and dogs had gotten to her.

"No," Nightshade murmured from beside me. I looked over at her with pure agony and guilt. Loudbird and now Skullsong? I should have forced her to stay... This is my fault. As if Nightshade had read my mind, she rested her fluffy tail on my shoulder. "She chose to leave. It wasn't our fault." She reassured me softly.

"We must move on." Lark pressed, padding past us. Without a second glance at my dead sister, I headed back to the group to get Chipkit.
***
The sun beamed down on us harshly as we padded onto a Thunderpath from a ditch. We had camped out in the forest that night. To our luck, we had caught a few mice and birds, so we ate well. "I highly doubt any monsters will come by. Follow me." Lark trotted down the faded yellow line with everyone following cautiously.

The Thunderpath had blood stains and black trails all over it. It stunk of something rancid, making it hard to breathe through my nose. Thornpaw began to complain of the smell.

As we padded on the hot Thunderpath, we neared a monster that had fallen into the ditch. Its eyes were broken, its big black paws were flattened, and the Twolegs that had been in it were growling and reaching for us. A pool of blood had dried on its grey skin from the Twoleg that had been thrown half way out of the transparent front.

Even though it had the jagged transparent surface sticking through its back, it reached for us, too. Another infected Twoleg was trapped under the paws of the monster on its back. It growled at us and swung its arms, trying to grab us. As we passed by, I noticed a Twoleg kit was banging at the back transparent surface. It didn't talk like a Twoleg, only groaned.

Gulping, I hurried off.

I looked ahead to see Twoleg nests. I could hear the moaning and growling from where I was. As we came to the first Twoleg nest, Lark halted the group.

"I am going to check out the Twolegplace. Do not move from this spot unless something chases you." He instructed, padding off quietly.
***
Only like two days this took me! Woop woop!
Hope you guys enjoyed chapter thirteen. Comment what you think! Have a good week!

P_A83 out!