Warriors: Omen of the Stars #6: The Last Hope by Erin Hunter

dark and cruel. His mind flooded with images of bloodstained pelts.
    “Who’s there?” Spinning the other way, he lashed out with a paw. Fear shot through him as his claws grazed hard flesh. “Who are you?”
    A shoulder buffeted him. Claws scraped down his spine.
    Jayfeather ran. Blind, he stumbled over the marshy earth, his paws sliding on the mud and plunging into puddles. Sharp as thorns, claws raked one side, then another. Pelts jostled him and hot, stinking breath scorched his ears. He tripped and fell sprawling into the mud, scrabbling to his paws, fighting the blurry shapes that jabbed from every side.
    “Can’t StarClan guide you?” Brokenstar’s sneer made Jayfeather freeze in horror.
    Have the Dark Forest cats broken through into the real world?
    Hawkfrost pushed him from the other side. “We shall taste victory soon!”
    Now Tigerstar blocked his path. Jayfeather lashed out but strong paws blocked his desperate swipes. “All the power of the stars in your paws?” Tigerstar’s growl dripped with scorn. “I don’t think so.”
    Jayfeather crouched, his body pulsing as his heart seemed to thump the ground beneath him. “You’ll never win!” Terror exploded into fury. He sprang forward, claws stretched, and slashed at his shadowy attackers. Claws raked his muzzle and teeth sank into his tail.
    Yowling with rage, Jayfeather fought harder. “You can kill me!” he screeched. “But that won’t stop me. I’ll find you beyond my death, and I’ll stop you!”
    “Jayfeather!” The call of a WindClan warrior made him stop in his tracks. The stench of the Dark Forest warriors faded and the scent of Owlwhisker, Nightcloud, and Gorsetail flowed around him, warm and familiar.
    “Are you okay?” Owlwhisker leaned over him. “Did you fall into a thornbush?”
    Jayfeather could smell his own blood as it welled in his stinging wounds. “Y-yes.” He struggled to find his paws and felt Gorsetail’s muzzle beneath his shoulder as he helped him up.
    “What are you doing?” Jayfeather recognized Crouchpaw’s mew. The WindClan apprentice sounded frightened. “That’s the medicine cat who killed Flametail!”
    “Murderer!” Nightcloud growled.
    “Be quiet!” Gorsetail silenced them. “This is a Clan cat who needs our help.”
    “I—I’m okay.” Jayfeather fought the tremor in his voice.
    Owlwhisker brushed past him. “We’ll escort you to the border.” His mew was brisk.
    “Can you walk that far?” Gorsetail asked.
    Nightcloud growled. “If he can’t, we’ll drag him.”
    Owlwhisker ignored his Clanmate and sniffed Jayfeather’s pelt. “It’s just a few scratches.” He headed down to the shore. “Come on.”
    Gingerly Jayfeather followed, testing out each paw. He was relieved to feel his scratches didn’t reach too deep and he hadn’t wrenched any muscles. He quickened his pace, using scent to follow Owlwhisker’s pawsteps. Gorsetail padded behind him while Nightcloud and Crouchpaw hung back, distrust sparking from their pelts.
    Jayfeather was still trembling from his vision. Surely it was a vision? The Dark Forest cats hadn’t found a way to break through to the lake territories, had they? He pushed the thought away. No. Ivypool would have warned them. Or StarClan…
    Despair washed through him. StarClan was useless. No Ancient cat had rushed to protect him from a vision that had been so real, it had left him scratched and battered. Where was Yellowfang, or Rock? Jayfeather’s paws dragged on the pebbles. The Clans were going to face the Dark Forest warriors alone.
    The familiar scent of ThunderClan touched his nose. They had reached the border. “I can manage from here.”
    “We’d better see you to your camp,” Owlwhisker told him.
    “You seem a bit shaken up,” Gorsetail added.
    Jayfeather wanted to argue, but how could he reject their help? He’d been wishing the Clans would unite.
    Owlwhisker called to Nightcloud and Crouchpaw, who were still trailing along the shore.