I love the smell of blood. Hickorypelt thought with a grin of satasfaction.
The Dark Forest cats were training, and Tigerflower had just scarred Yielddust's neck.
"Bravo!"Ashwing exclaimed.
Tigerflower's eyes brimmed with pride as Yielddust staggered to his red feet.
For an instant, Ashwing stared at the minor group,"Go on then!"she snarled after a few moments, her opaque gaze once again turning cloudy and dull.
"Go-go on then what?"Yielddust asked.
"Continue the fight! Fight to the death you idiots!"she sneered.
Tigerflower suddenly looked terrified,"Fight to the death?"she echoed,"B-but your ma- your majesty...that would...uhh...d-decrease your number of t-troops,"
"I know that,"Ashwing spat,"Fight to the death or I'll kill you myself,"
Yielddust looked as Tigerflower as if looking for the younger cat's advise. She stared back blankly.
Letting out a holler of rage, Ashwing charged at them. Horrified, Hickorypelt darted to intercept her, taking a hard blow on the shoulder.
"Stop it!"he rasped, shoulder aching as if he'd swum across a lake.
Ashwing glared at him.
"This isn't going to help anyone,"he sighed,"It'll just rob you of back-up,"
"I don't need back-up,"Ashwing hissed, pushing him out of the way and lunging for the young deceaseds.
Hickorypelt closed his eyes, unable to watch as they fell limp on the groan with choking screeches.
Mouth stained with red, Ashwing glanced up. Ignoring Hickorypelt, she trotted over to her tree and yelled: "I have a new battle tactic,"
One-Eye's face lit up, "Does it have a cool name?"he begged.
"No,"Ashwing growled,"But let me talk   you through it whilst demonstrating. Hickorypelt, here,"
He gulped, fear wracking through every hair on his white pelt.
"Corner me,"she ordered.
He obeyed, knowing how much danger he was in; cornering Ashwing would be certain suicide.
As he did as told, Ashwing lept off against the rock that she was against, and lept behind him. She staggered when she fell, then collapsed, fear alight in her misty amber eyes.
Hickorypelt stalked up to her, triumph nearly making him choke.
That was easy...
When he was very near, Ashwing smashed her paw against his foot and he staggered. Seizing the moment, Ashwing dived underbeath him and raked his belly, claws sheathed. She then made him stagger again and lept on top of him onto his back. She pawed at his eyes and tail and shoulders, and, although she was being gentle, Hickorypelt was battered.
"Okay, done,"Ashwing meowed, jumping off him.
"If your claws had been unsheathed, great EssClan, I'd be dead,"he gasped.
Violetslash only smiled along with One-Eye.
          
                           ☆☆☆

Why did One-Eye wear a look of sympathetic sorrow everytime he looked at him? Why did Violetslash's eyes stretch wide with sad shock whenever she sas him? Was something happening to him? He shook his white head in confusion.
When are they planning to tell me?
He sighed and trotted over to where Greengaze, Shellgull, Pineskull and Wolfmoon were about to go hunting. In this place, generations of cats could survive on one scrawny robin.
Hickorypelt veered off course to go to Ashwing, who was demonstrating another complex battle move to Beechpaw and Saltpool.
"Hello, Hickorypelt,"she meowed, not lifting her head.
"Greetings, Ashwing. I-I was hoping to join Greengaze's hunting patrol,"he explained, dipping his head.
"No. I've been looking for a partner in this battle move. Doing it in the air looks pathetic,"she told him.
"Oh. Okay. Alright,"
I'm basically dead. He thought, as he got himself into position.

                           ☆☆☆

The training had resulted in the deaths of Beechpaw and Saltpool after Beechpaw mistimed a jump and Saltpool refused to kill his former apprentice.
Hickorypelt sighed. There was an unexpected movement in the crowd. One-Eye was cautiously slipping away, controlled fear in his eyes.
What was he doing? Whatever it was, he was going to find out.

Can anybody guess what's happening to Hickory?