"Wake up, Fallenpaw." A pale gray tabby she-cat muttered in my ear. I groaned, squinting at the face, trying to make out who it was. Willowpaw. Why would she be talking to me? Then I remembered.
"What… where are we going?" I mumbled, blundering out of the den like a sleepy badger. I let out a low yelp as I crashed into a ginger she-cat, leaping away quickly. "Oh… hi, Emberstrike." I greeted.
"Whitestar is going to assign the groups for the battle today." Emberstrike meowed to me, her voice almost high pitched and squeaky with excitement. I frowned; my mentor always seemed to be happiest when there was a battle and bloodshed involved. "Come sit near me."
I nodded sleepily, still not fully awake. I rubbed at my eyes with my paws, then hissed darkly and squinted, shielding my eyes from the stinging rays of sun. "It's so bright!" I exclaimed, my voice thin with shock and annoyance.
"You're acting like a kit." Emberstrike scolded; I braced myself for a harsh lecture and perhaps clout on the ear, but my mentor broke out in a smile. "I'm glad that Willowpaw is your friend now; if not you'd still be like a grumpy old elder." I snorted, rolling my eyes.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highledge!" Whitestar yowled, his white pelt groomed and neat. His white fur shone brightly under the sun; making him look very sophisticated and elite. "Today, we will invade ShadowClan."
I shivered with excitement, my eyes sweeping the clearing. As I looked around, I realized I wasn't the only one who was overjoyed by the prospect of a battle. I felt my stomach growl, and I wished I had eaten when I had the chance; instead of fooling around near Emberstrike. "Do you think Whitestar will mind if I eat during this meeting?" I hissed in Emberstrike's ear; not knowing the proper rules yet.
Emberstrike snorted with laughter. Whitestar's head swung around to her, his blue gaze scorching her pelt. The ginger she-cat stood up straighter, pulling on a straight face and gazing seriously at him. She batted a mouse towards me with her tail, clearly still amused.
Awkwardly, I turned around and gulped down the mouse as quickly as I could. I sighed in content as I finished my mouse, glad that Whitestar was still rambling on about the plan. I was hoping Emberstrike would brief me through most of the details later. As long as I got the main part of it. "We will go in from the left and the right first. Then as they all spring out and they think thats all there is; we'll slam them with a third wave. We will also have a group here to defend our elders, queens and kits."
"The group on the right side will be: Jayleaf, Mosspaw, Redfire, Cloudfrost, Berrypaw, Pinefeather and Nightmoon." Whitestar announced to the clan. I saw Mosspaw and Berrypaw exchanged an excited look; their fur and tail shivering with anticipation.
"The left side will be: Emberstrike, Fallenpaw, Thistlefrost, Tigerstorm, Hazelcloud, Snowflash and Willowpaw." He announced. I grinned at Willowpaw; excited for my first battle.
"Middle will be: Sunfeather, Raintail, Darkshade, Flowercloud, Leafstream, and myself." Whitestar yowled, his eyes gleaming. "The queens and their kits will go up to Highledge with the elders, just in case of ShadowClan coming to attack us. Cherrypaw, Poppypaw and Lynxpaw will go up with them."
The litter mates exchanged dismayed glances with each other, disappointment radiating off of their pelts. Poppypaw opened her mouth to protest, but clearly thought better of it. They scuttled backwards, their mother licking them over the head.
"Feathersnow, Roseleaf, Stormpaw and Darkshade will stay guard around the camp. Dawnriver and Skypaw, you stay alert." Whitestar meowed. He picked himself up, leapt gracefully off of Highledge, and waved his tail as a summoning sign. "Tigerstorm lead your group, Jayleaf lead yours, and I'll lead mine."
"Ready?" Emberstrike meowed. I nodded mutely. I fell back until I was standing next to Willowpaw. The pale gray apprentice glanced at me, her eyes shining.
"Hi Fallenpaw!" She purred, grinning happily. "I'm so excited. This is my first warrior battle; I can tell by your fighting that it isn't your first one." She meowed. "I mean, I'm just guessing but you're a really good fighter and…" She meowed on and on and on. I wanted to wrap my paws around her muzzle, snapping it shut, frustration shooting through me.
"Quiet! We're approaching the border." I hissed.
Whitestar waved his tail for us to split up. I glanced back, at the ThunderClan territory. The woodlands got thicker here, from the nice oaks it turned into the dark wood of pine trees, and thick, muddy marshes. I trudged through the marsh, wincing as I heard the sucking and popping noises of the mud when I raised my paws. Tigerstorm nodded for us to roll around in it, disguising our scents. Scowling, I rolled around in it.
"Disgusting." Willowpaw hissed under her breath. "I wont be able to lick my fur for a moon!"
"Better than getting caught by ShadowClan." I meowed. Willowpaw nodded.
"True."
Tigerstorm lead us forward, and I caught a glimpse of my mentor, her ginger pelt smeared with mud padding after him. I waved goodbye to my friend and ran stealthily towards her. She greeted me with a flick of the tail. It was getting darker now; harder to see the sunlight. I shivered; it felt weird, dangerous, and way too dark. We weren't going to attack their camp; that was rude. Emberstrike had explained to me.
Suddenly, Tigerstorm stopped dead. He raised his nose to sniff the air, and his eyes turned icy. Coldness gripped my pelt; and I had the feeling that something was terribly wrong. "ShadowClan is attacking our camp!" He whispered. I opened my jaws to scent the air; and could smell a scent of them coming from our territory.
Quickly, we swerved around and dashed back. "Fallenpaw, go get Whitestar and Jayleaf." Then he shook his head. "No, you're a solid fighter. We might need you, Willowpaw, go quick." Willowpaw nodded, her eyes wide and terrified before turning around and dashing through the thick undergrowth. My heart pounded in my chest; were cats going to die? Was Dawnriver going to die?
"Follow. Go fast." Tigerstorm growled, running forward. I tried to match his pace, finding that I was the same pace as any other apprentice; I scowled, wishing that my past life had prepared me to run faster. I caught of the ShadowClan cats splitting up, and we ran towards one of the patrols. Rage shot through me as I saw them sneak through the side.
"Quiet!" A black tom-cat hissed. "Don't want them to hear us."
"Go!" Tigerstorm yowled, and we leapt forward together. The heat of the battle raced through me; and I looked around for Pricklepaw. I snarled with sheer frustration; she wasn't in this patrol. I leapt at the nearest cat I could find, a bulky white tom. Pure rage ran through me, blocking out any sense of self-control or emotion, my vision darkening till all I could see was the tom's eyes.
I lunged at him. He sidestepped, but fast as lightning I twisted and stuck out a paw, raking his side. He hissed with pain, and swung his paw at my side. I matched each of his strikes with one of my own; then lunged at his stomach. I ducked under, raking it. I saw his leg muscles, knowing he was preparing to drop down and crush me. Quickly, I rolled out, swiping his paws out from under him. I leapt at his throat, raising my paw, ready to slash it open.
"What are you doing?" Emberstrike snarled, throwing me off of my opponent. My vision darkened with rage, I spat angrily at her. My vision was blurred with red, and angrily I shouldered her aside as I raked my gaze along the vision; searching for my next target.
I leapt at a brown tabby she-cat, leaping upwards and twisting, clinging onto her back. I sank my teeth into her scruff, gripping her shoulders with my front claws while raking my hind paws along her back. She let out a screech of pain, twisting and falling onto her back. I let out a hiss of pain as her weight crushed me. Adrenaline kicked in once again, and furiously I kicked her off of me. I stalked forward, charging at her and knocking her against a tree. She slumped against it, her eyes half-open.
I didn't see the forest anymore. I didn't see friends. I didn't think of the pain I was causing them; how I would felt if I was them. I had no compassion; I wasn't acting like a cat. I was a merciless killing monster, striking down one opponent after another. The rage that powered me; the adrenaline, the speed, nothing could stop me; not even myself. I purred with dark satisfaction as another cat squirmed, whimpering out of my claws.
A ginger blur leapt in front of me, knocking the breath out of me as she drove me against a tree. Her eyes gleamed with anger and slight confusion. "What are you doing, Fallenpaw?" I leapt at her, wrapping my paws around her neck and thrusting her to the ground. I pummeled at her belly with my paws, sinking my claws deep into her shoulders. She hissed with pain, throwing me off of her and against a tree. I gasped at the impact. "It's me, Emberstrike!" She meowed.
I didn't hear her; ignoring her comment I shoved past her and raced back into the battle. I unsheathed my claws, diving back into a fight. I leapt at a small white and black tom, slashing my claws across his pelt. He turned around, his lip drawn back and leapt at me. He raked his claws across my shoulder; angrily, I shoved him down, and with a whimper he stared desperately at me.
"Fallenpaw! You're acting crazy." A dark brown tom snapped at me, shouldering me aside and freeing my opponent. I stared at him, narrowing my eyes with fury. I curled my lip to reveal my sharp fangs.
Control your anger, Fallenpaw. Control it. I hissed, shaking my head. I raced through the forest, past my patrol, looking for another group of cats to help. I saw a cream and gray tom pinned against the ground, whimpering with pain. I leapt at the gray-black she-cat pinning him down. I head butted her, driving her off her paws. She leapt back up, staring at me indignantly. She swiped at my ears, but I ducked. I slashed at her muzzle, feeling the satisfaction as my claws connected with her flesh, sinking into her skin, the blood splashing out.
She let out a yowl of pain, backing away. I wasn't finished yet. I leapt at her, sinking my fangs into her tail and dragging her back. I grabbed onto her scruff, and threw her against a tree.
CONTROL YOUR ANGER! The voice whispering to me was more urgent. I blocked it out, stalking forward angrily, my eyes blazing with rage. I towered over her, unsheathing my claws. I glanced back at the gray tom slumped to the ground. That she-cat harmed my ally; she deserved to pay. I leapt at her, ripping at her flesh in a frenzy. I heard her whimpers grow weaker; and then nothingness.
A white tom grabbed me by my scruff, pulling me off of her. "Fallenpaw. What have you done?" His voice was filled with dismay. "What have you done?"
"ShadowClan! Retreat!" Another cat yowled, it's voice laced with fury and slight fear. The cats crowded around their fallen clanmate, their pain so strong it radiated off of them like an aura. They picked the limp body up, hoisting her up on their shoulders. I felt the adrenaline rush gone, and I crumpled to the ground, my body numb.
What had I done? I stared miserably at the unmoving body of Pricklepaw. I didn't know what had gone over me. Why I was acting so crazily. Please, StarClan. Save her. I whispered to the stars, sobbing. Despair ran through me; how could I ever get them to trust me if they thought of me as a cold-hearted murderer?
Emberstrike ran towards me; then stopped in her tracks. My clan mates formed a half-circle around me; and I shied away from their scorching glares. Crying, I flung myself past them and ran into the forest. I didn't know where I was going, why I was running, only whom I was running from. Those accusing, scorching, glares. All of my mistakes. Everything I had done.
If you've got the time; please give me some feedback! :-)
I didn't particularly like this chapter; it wasn't so well written. :[