Lemonshade
I stood to the side as Bramblestar shouted orders to his warriors and the medicine cats. He called for herbs that work best for rat bites and called for his best fighters, I saw Squirrelflight shake her head when he asked for her help but I could hear what her reason was. I perked my ears forward to listen but there was too much commotion from every cat, "Rats, can you believe it?" Fleetwhisker said, "Rowanstar wouldn't help themselves from drowning." Cloudtail snorted from the elders den. Realizing Ravenpaw wasn't next to me I looked around for him, spotting him talking to his brother who regarded me coolly.
I guess he was still mad about that night I attacked him, it was nothing personal but he has never shown the same warmth that his bother and sister had. Thunderclan warriors past around me like I was a stone in their path, some nodding in greeting and after a few moments I began to feel a bit self conscious. "Don't tell me your nervous?" Ravenpaw said, padding up to me. "No way, I could take on all these rats myself." I shrugged confidently, "Oh I am sure you can, I bet those sleek claws of yours could snap the wings off a butterfly." He chuckled, that mellow tone causing my pelt to warm. "Are you making fun of me?" I inquired fainting insult, he shrugged his eyes moving to the corner of his head in a knowing way.
Shoving him with a paw I asked, "Do you think we will still make this Shadowclan thing?" he straightened, "I don't know, I hope we will have enough cats to avoid injury and I pray to Starclan this doesn't take long. I doubt Shadowclan will stop the meeting for it and Mudpaw wasn't picked to go on the raid, I asked Silverpaw if he would go without us and he said he wouldn't leave me to fight rats alone. I don't want to miss this chance." I nodded in understanding, I had to admit this night meeting did sound a bit suspicious and with Shadowclan refusing to help us I imagine that tensions between our clan will be sour.
Before long Bramblestar had rounded up those chosen to go on the raid. I saw Silverpaw and Sweetpaw standing next to Ivypool, Fleetwhisker, Birchfall, Finchfur, Whitewing, and Batfang all being led by Morningdew. I looked away as she padded over to nuzzle Ravenpaw, "We are lucky that you were in Windclan when you were, I wouldn't put it past your father to do this on his own." I felt Ravenpaw purr, "Don't be silly mother, he wouldn't charge into battle without being prepared." Bramblestar let out a merow to signal their departure and I quickly moved to follow them. I decided to walk near the edge of the group, not really sure who else to talk to besides Ravenpaw. Inwardly I chastised myself for still being uncomfortable around Morningdew, I had once idolized her the way I did Nightfang but when I found out they were mates I began to view her as a rival for his affections. Maybe I just needed more time to heal, or as my sister had suggested another male.
Going over the available males in Windclan had distracted me enough that I barley noticed when we walked right through the clan entrance. Nightfang jumped from his spot and purred a greeting to Bramblestar, "Welcome, welcome thank you for coming so quickly." Thunderclan's leader dipped his head, "Don't mention it. To be honest I am excited to dig my claws into something. Where are these rats?" I moved closer to the toms, making it known that I was an important part of this mission. Going over his current plan Nightfang scratched a few lines in the dirt to symbolize us and the rats. "I had the idea to post a few warriors at the mouth of each hole, this way we wont be over run." Bramblestar nodded in understanding, "I also had the idea to dig them out, but we have not had much rain this summer and the ground is hard. How the rats were able to dig in it I will never understand."
An idea popped into my head, I opened my mouth to speak but Morningdew cut in first, "I don't think digging would work, the most dangerous weapon the rats have are their teeth and digging would make our paws vulnerable. Is there a way to scare them out in the open?" Nightfang and Bramblestar fell silent in thought, "I bet if we jump on top of their tunnels then they might cave in, the rats will run out if they think their being buried alive." I suggested, hoping it made the same kind of sense that it did in my head, "Interesting idea, we could try it." Nightfang said, pride in his eyes as he looked at me. I smiled wide, "Yeah and when they all run out in a panic then we have the element of surprise." Morningdew agreed, giving me an approving nod. "Lets give it a try." Bramblestar agreed and we broke the circle, turning to our clan mates, "Alright, Kestrelflight and Featherpool do you have everything you need?"
Nodding the two medicine cats pointed to several bundles of herbs that I assumed were for any rat bite wounds. "Breezepelt, Nightcloud, Crouchfoot, Deerpaw, Hawkwing, Lizardfang and Pumkinfur are you ready to go?" I looked to my sister who was brimming with excitement and smiled, it looks like every cat is eager for some action. "Lets move then." Nightfang signaled with his tail, taking his side Bramblestar and him led us out of the camp. I noticed how many of our warriors stepped aside from the Thunderclan cats and I wanted to roll my eyes at them making a point I walked over to Ravenpaw, "So do you think this will work?" he looked above us at the beaming sun, "I hope so, its still a ways from Moonhigh and I remember hearing that rats were nocturnal so hopefully they are all asleep. Your plan was brilliant by the way." He added with a purr, "Only if it works." I muttered.
"Of course it will work, I bet we wont even see any rats, they will just be buried alive." He made a mocked choking sound and I laughed a bit louder than I had intended, a few cats looked over to us and I suddenly felt hot under my fur. Silverpaw slowed his pace to walk beside us, "Whats so funny?" he asked his brother, "I was just reminding Lemonshade that she is a genius." Ravenpaw shrugged and I bumped his shoulder. Silverpaw rolled his eyes, "Anyway, since this wont be taking long what is your plan for tonight?" he whispered low so no cat could hear, "I didn't really have one, I was thinking that we would just show up and see what was going on." Ravenpaw said, kind of embarrassed. "No plan? You make a plan for what you are going to eat for breakfast certainly you have something floating around in the giant head of yours." Silverpaw joked, "Really Silverpaw I don't think we need a plan until we find out if this is anything to be worried about."
"Ugh, this is sounding like more of a waste of time every second." The gray tom huffed, "If anything we might learn something." I added trying to lighten the sour toms mood. Ravenpaw gave me a grateful look and I smiled back at him. "Fine, ill let you two get back to planning your honeymoon." Silverpaw winked at his brother, whos mouth was open wide in embarrassed shock, "What!? Im not, I mean we are not, just go away." He stammered and I chuckled a bit, he was kind of cute when he got flustered. He looked at me apologetically, "Sorry, Silverpaw doesn't know his paws from his whiskers sometimes." I shrugged, realizing that the suggestion of us being a couple made me feel a bit uneasy. Its not like Ravenpaw wasn't a good tom or anything its just….he was from Thunderclan and he was Nightfang's son I just couldn't picture a situation where this would work out.
Just because the border were down did mean there was an open invitation for outer clan relationships. Pumpkinfur teased about liking Raincloud but even she didn't seem all that serious about it and no other cats had come forward with any plans for mating out of clan, you may not be punished for it but I couldn't help but feel like it was still against the warrior code no matter what Starclan says.
Ravenpaw
I shot a sideways glance at Lemonshade, she didn't say anything about Silverpaw suggesting us being more than friends but she didn't disagree either, my heart began to beat faster jut thinking about what she must be thinking about. Silverpaw was right when he said I planned for everything but when it came to Lemonshade my mind just went blank. Even the first time I saw her at the gathering I had trouble thinking of anything intelligent to say, sure I teased her a lot but when it came to asking her to spend time with me I just couldn't think of the right thing to say.
Her eyes seemed to betray confusion and though and I wondered if she was thinking the same thing. The silence ticked by and I thought for a second that she wasn't going to say anything else I was about to ask her if she was alright but Nightfang signaled for our group to stop. "They are just up ahead, lets fan out and find the escape holes." Quickly we separated and I was thankful for the distraction. I stuck my nose low to the ground and the musky, moldy stench of rats filled my nose. I snorted in disgust, even living in the dirt they smell like garbage. I crept slowly across the grass, not wanting to alert any of them to our presence and soon I came across a small opening that was pouring with the stench. I waved my tail around to signal that I had found a entrance and I saw Nightfang nod at me. I looked around for Silverpaw and Lemonshade, Silverpaw crawled over to me quickly but Lemonshade gestured for Pumkinfur and Lizardfang to join me instead. My heart sank, why didn't she want to come over?
Lizardfang nodded at me and him and Silverpaw quickly began whispering about the attack, Pumpkinfur viewed me coolly. Keeping one eye on the hole and another on Lemonshade I waited for another signal. After a moment four groups were dotted around the rabbit warren openings, Nightfang and Morningdew and Bramblestar were waiting in the middle silently. When we were all positioned he gave the ear flick and the three cats began to stop hard on the ground, I could feel the vibrations from where I stood and before long I could hear the panicked squeaks within the depths of the warren. "Get ready!" Bramblestar yowled and I stepped back from the entrance, several pairs of eyes glowed in the dark. I braced myself as the first rat emerged, clumps of dirt covered its long body and I could see long, yellow teeth bulging from its mouth as it spotted us.
It let out a gargled hiss and I saw Lizardfang strike at it, claws extended and his fang flared. Pumpkinfur stood close to him hissing and I looked to my brother, not needing a word Silverpaw jumped behind the rat and grabbed its tail and flung it sideways. It rolled a second and wiggled like a large worm and I jumped on it aiming for its neck with a paw I missed and felt hard earth under my paw. The rat lunged at me and screeched, Lizardfang dug a claw into its side causing it to turn. I saw my chance and dug my fangs into its neck, I didn't get an artery but I was able to subdue it enough for Silverpaw to bite its spine, causing it to freeze and die. Triumph rose in me but was quickly dashed as two more rats dashed out of the hole, one was two times larger than the rat we had just killed and another was small but very fast. Pumpkinfur dashed after the smaller one while Lizardfang cut off the other. The smaller rat crawled up Pumpkinfur's side and she squealed in surprise, I dashed over to help but was too late as the rat bit into her flank. She hissed in pain and I clawed at the creature, tearing it from her leg. I hung on to the writhing rat as it snapped and bit at me with golden teeth. Pumpkinfur slunk to the ground, her leg burning in pain.
The rat in my claws struggled hard, tearing its own skin with the effort it broke free and tried to run but didn't get far before the blood loss claimed its life. "Are you alright?" I called to Pumpkinfur who was looking at her wound, before she could answer I saw more rats emerge from the tunnel, two and then four and than seven all hurrying out of the collapsing warren. Great Starclan how many were there? They were lunging straight for Pumpkinfur and I dashed forward to protect her. I swatted at the rats as they snapped and clawed at us, I let out a yowl and before long Lizardfang and Silverpaw were by my side, pawing at the rats. They darted between my paws and I grabbed one by the tail before it could get to Pumpkinfur, another bit into my foreleg and another jumped onto my back. Panic rose in me as I realized I was being swarmed, I flung the rat that dangled in my jaws into the rat that was now biting into my shoulder. Rid of them both I shook off the one on my leg, Silverpaw had bitten into one rats neck while Lizardfang stood over Pumpkinfur, his white fur standing on end and white teeth bare causing several rats to flee in fright.
I looked around and saw that we were not the only ones in trouble, the field was in chaos as cats and rats fought each other. I saw my mother and father guarding each others backs as they slayed rat after rat. I saw Bramblestar and Ivypool and Fleetwhisker chase off more. I looked frantically for Lemonshade who I found jumping and diving in between blows, her golden fur glowed bright in the mid day sun and her shining eyes were almost blinding. A flash of pain brought me out of my awe as a rat clamped down onto my back leg, its long teeth digging so deep I though it would tear into my bones. I quickly rolled onto my back and bit in its back side causing it to release its hold, it writhed in my grip and I felt its little claws cut into my nose. I heard Silverpaw growl as he grabbed the head of the rat and ceased its struggle. I panted a thanks and he helped my to my paws, my back leg flaring in pain. I winced, "Don't let them escape, we must kill them all!" I heard Nightfang howl as several rats retreated into the outskirts. I moved to charge after them but my leg prevented any movement. Silverpaw ran after one and Lizardfang another. Rolling over I saw that the battle had almost ended, Breezepelt killing the last rat with a mighty swing of his claws.
Lizardfang and Silverpaw came back with two rats in their jaws and I could hear the triumphant howls as we reveled in our victory. I rose to my paws, holding my back leg in the air I helped Pumpkinfur to her paws as well. "Thanks, you saved my tail back there." She said, "Yeah well I think I lost mine." I laughed back, gesturing to my back leg. She looked at me sorrowfully, "Im sorry you got hurt because of me."
"It's a battle, injuries were expected." I shrugged, "Pumpkinfur, are you ok?" I heard Lemonshade scream dashing over to her sister, "Yeah im fine, thanks to Ravenpaw." She beamed at me and I looked down shyly. Lemonshade looked at me, "You saved her? Oh thank you!" she dove into me, a loud purr filling her throat. All pain forgotten I relished in her warm touch, all too quickly she broke away. She looked up at me, her eyes shown even brighter than on the battlefield and all I could think about was how I wanted her to look at me like that always. "Um..thanks again." She helped Pumpkinfur limp away, looking back only briefly to show my parents where I stood. Morningdew rushed over and covered me with licks, Nightfang sniffing at my injuries. I ignored their questions though, my eyes glued to Lemonshade as she moved to her clanmates, the sun following her with every step.
