Chapt 45

"Jay's Wing, you will help me attack Fringed Eagle,"  Furled Bracken's throaty meow was directed at the gray tabby tom. Jayfeather nodded, he was prepared for anything now after the long training session with Stone Song and the others.
"Alright," Furled Bracken surveyed his patrol of cats; Shy Fawn, Stone Song, and Jay's Wing were all huddled around the tribe's leader. The sky was growing darker as the sun settled below the horizon. A patrol during the day had spotted Fringed Eagle crossing the moors, and had followed him as far as the Pine Forests- way on the other side of the lake, so Furled Bracken decided to set out earlier. They wanted to catch him as he was going to sleep. Nothing mattered to them anymore, not even mercy, they would kill Fringed Eagle at any cost. Jayfeather had learned from Half Moon that Fringed Eagle had savagely attacked and killed many tribe cats and stolen kits. But the worse was yet to come. Fringed Eagle was a ruthless killer- and hunter. He ate what he caught, and the elders of the tribe called him a kin eater. Half Moon said he had teeth longer than any Sharpclaw's and claws sharper than the talons of the hawks that flown above looking for prey on the moors. Jayfeather was terrified of the thought of being a kit sneaking out of camp looking for an adventure, only to be caught between the claws of this murderous cat eater.
"He has a tribe name," Jayfeather had said to Half Moon earlier,"How did he get it?"
"I swear you must have bees in your brain if you forget this story," Half Moon had sighed,"I don't even know how many times the elders have told us this story. Fringed Eagle was born here in this tribe, his mother was Fish Leap's mother's mother, not Fish Leap's mother's littermate, but a litter older than her. He never really socialized with any cat. The elders say, one Leafbare it was so cold, no prey at all could be found, and many kits died. Fringed Eagle had buried them, and we don't know for sure- but many think he ate them. Soon apprentices and a few elders died. He always volunteered to bury them, especially alone. All Leafbare he was full and plump while the rest of the tribe starved. The leader then was Snake Bite, and she confronted Fringed Eagle about this. Fringed Eagle only said he was more used to the cold than us. Then Greenleaf came, and cats stopped dying. Fringed Eagle must have been yearning for cat meat, because he tried to kill his softpaw by drowning him in the river. It worked and his softpaw was dead. Another sharpclaw was hunting nearby and had stumbled upon Fringed Eagle, eating his softpaw. When Fringed Eagle had saw the sharpclaw, he attacked almost killing her. Fortunately, she managed to escape and tell the tribe before anyone else got hurt." Her gaze darkened as she finished.
"Then what?" Jayfeather murmured, mesmerized by the chilling details of which she told the story.
"Fringed Eagle was banished from the tribes and for a long time we didn't see him. Last Leafbare we lost a sharpclaw. A patrol soon found her remains, half buried under a leaf pile. Her bones were stripped bare, except for her head and tail. Another cat's scent was all around her bone's, and the patrol followed it to a clearing," Half Moon had settled closer to Jayfeather," And in the clearing, that's where they saw him. Fringed Eagle was running, faster than any cat who chased him. He ran out of our territory, but he didn't leave forever. We could scent him almost everyday from then on." Half Moon finished. She looked hollow and frightened, and even though Jayfeather knew he shouldn't do this because he was a medicine cat and because he wasn't the real Jay's Wing, he pressed his gray tabby fur against hers.
But now, standing on the moor with the patrol, Jayfeather was not able to be comforted by Half Moon's sweet scent. Furled Bracken was in the lead, carefully trotting through the tall grasses. Jayfeather was a step or two behind him, watching for any signal of the terrifying cannibal. Suddenly, Furled Bracken stopped.
"Tonight we shall face an enemy like no other," Furled Bracken whispered,"But we must be strong. I only ask of of my patrol one thing. When the time comes for Fringed Eagle to die, you must promise that it will be me, and me alone that kills him." Furled Bracken turned around, looking into each cats' eyes. Jayfeather guessed that it was a pride thing for Furled Bracken to kill this cat that threatened his tribe for so many seasons.
"Do you promise?" Furled Bracken murmured. Each cat, including Jayfeather, nodded their heads determinedly. Furled Bracken breathed in a gust of air, and turned around. Jayfeather could hear him mutter to himself,"Guide our paws well tonight, fire, wind, earth, and water, we will need all your help,"
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The final rays of the sun were making the lake's usually blue water stained scarlet. Jayfeather wondered if this was a bad omen. None of the other cats seemed to notice, and without his warrior ancestors, Jayfeather felt utterly alone. Furled Bracken began to pick up the pace, until the whole patrol was running full speed along the shore, sending sand and pebbles in the air. Just as they reached the pine trees, the sun set fully, and an owl hooted above them. Jayfeather shivered, this day was full of evil omens. Something bad was going to happen.

Silently, the group padded through the pine forest, the slippery needles did not crunch as they padded on them. Soon, they reached a clearing, Furled bracken stopped dead in his tracks. The rest of the patrol hid below low lying pine branches and watched. A broad shouldered, orange golden tom was gathering his pile of fresh kill and dragging it into a hollowed out tree trunk. Jayfeather could see his long claws, but it seemed to fit more to call them talons. The murderous cat thankfully could not smell the patrol, with the wind blowing in their direction and prey covering his senses. Jayfeather looked to Furled Bracken, he was murmuring something over and over, but Jayfeather couldn't catch his words. Shy Fawn was behind him, digging  her claws into the ground, and Stone Song had his teeth bared.  Looking back, Jayfeather saw Fringed Eagle's  emerald green eyes glint in the darkness, then close as he fell into sleep. This was there chance. Furled Bracken lifted his tail slowly, and carefully padded into the clearing. Jayfeather watched each of his paws slide into the slippery needles, not making a noise. The rest of the patrol was doing the same. They reached the hollowed tree, and Furled Bracken let out a fierce caterwaul. Fringed Eagle shot up out of his nest, and fluffed up his fur making him look twice his size.
"Get out of here!" Fringed Eagle commanded.
"Not until your dead!" Furled Bracken roared. The two toms hurled themselves at each other. For a heart beat they fought alone until Jayfeather and the others jumped in to help. Even though Fringed Eagle was horribly outnumbered, he was doing as good as the other. He swiped his claws down the bridge of Jayfeather's nose, and Jayfeather bit his hind leg. He could feel the warm, sticky blood in his mouth. Shy Fawn was batting at his ears and Stone Song was clawing at his back. Suddenly, Fringed Eagle fell to the ground. Thinking he was dead, Jayfeather nosed his fur. Fringed Eagle shot up, grabbed Jayfeather by the scruff, and ran.
"Jay's Wing!" Stone Song roared, pelting after him. Jayfeather couldn't breathe, every time Fringed Eagle moved his front leg, it hit him, knocking them wind out of him. He tried to scratch at his kidnapper, but his claws just raked the air. Fringed Eagle was Running towards what would be Thunderclan territory, and Jayfeather remembered this place was full of badgers. Fringed Eagle never seemed to get tired, as he ran through the stream, soaking himself and Jayfeather. Finally he stopped, and slammed Jayfeather against a tree.
"Let me go!" Jayfeather screeched. Fringed Eagle ignored him.
"It's been a long time since I've had cat meat ," He nosed at Jayfeather's fur,"and you're nice and plump. All Softpaw's are, my softpaw especially." He sighed. He lifted Jayfeather again, and smacked him against the tree. Jayfeather saw spots. He was too dazed to fight back. Fringed Eagle smacked him again, and again, until Jayfeather blacked out. Jayfeather opened his eyes, he was watching Fringed Eagle smack his limp body against a tree. He could see that he was still breathing. Next to him a large hairless mass.
"Hello Jayfeather," It was Rock,"How is your time with the tribe going?"
"I'm being smacked up against a tree! That's how my time in the tribe is going!" Jayfeather hissed,"Why am I here?" He winced as he felt a dull pain in his head.
"For a time of watching and listening. Your tribe mates are coming for you," Now that Jayfeather realized, he could hear cats crashing through the brambles and calling his tribe name. Furled Bracken crashed through the brambles on the other side of where Fringed Eagle was and attacked him. Jayfeather's body fell limply to the ground as the two cats fought. Shy Fawn and Stone Song joined the fight. Finally the patrol over powered Fringed Eagle. Furled Bracken had his paw on the golden tabby's throat.
"Go and listen to Furled Bracken, quickly," Rock nudged him towards the tribe leader. Jayfeather sat next to Furled Bracken. He was muttering something again.
"Strip you of your soul, send you to the blackness. Will not harm again, will not see again." Furled Bracken murmured, in a trance.
"What are you doing?" Fringed Eagle spat angrily. But Furled Bracken did not flinch. Stone Song and Shy fawn just watched their leader.
"The evil will not be seen, the evil will not be heard. Your memory will vanish with your spirit." Furled bracken grew louder, fury in his eyes. "By the water, wind, earth and fire, I condemn you to a soulless afterlife! You will never harm anyone again!" Furled Bracken bit down on Fringed Eagle's throat. Fringed Eagle thrashed for a few moments, then lay still. Jayfeather was too shocked to speak, he just walked back to Rock.
"Remember that young Jayfeather," Rock murmured,"There will be a time when you will need this," Jayfeather turned back to Rock.
"Why did he do that?" The gray tabby murmured. Rock sighed.
"Furled Bracken has taken away the soul of Fringed Eagle, he will not spend his after life along with any other cat. Which means he can not hurt any other cat." Rock mewed. He began to fade away, and Jayfeather went blind again.