Chapter 7! Thank you so much for all of your support, R&R!
Scorchpaw gave a final lick to her sister's cheek, before Mosspaw headed into the forest.
Silently, she padded into the warrior's den, nudging Beeclaw's figure.
"Beeclaw!" She yelped quietly, "Mosspaw is missing!"
The ambitious warrior's eyes shot open, and he lifted his head, "What?" He hissed, getting to his paws and shaking off his pelt.
"Shall I get Cinderstripe?" Scorchpaw questioned.
Beeclaw thought for a moment, before nodding vigorously, "Yes, she could be a great… asset."
Once Cinderstripe and Beeclaw were fully awake, Scorchpaw sniffed the air, "I smell her scent! This way!"
The two warriors trailed behind her, as she sprinted through the warm night.
The silver moonlight turned the cherry blossoms a pale blue, and they floated down from the treetops, showering Scorchpaw's black pelt.
"The scent is getting stronger!" Cinderstripe howled.
Mosspaw please tell me you made it! She prayed, knowing she hadn't given her sister very much time to get into her position.
She glanced backwards, thankful to see Beeclaw behind her and Cinderstripe in the back.
The plan was working, if Beeclaw was thinking the same thing as Scorchpaw.
She could see the sliver of ambition in his eyes, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
Scorchpaw suddenly took a sharp left, and not to her surprise, the two warriors didn't follow.
Scorchpaw leaped upwards, claws snagging bark. She climbed to the top swiftly, and then turned her attention to the tree next to her.
Taking a deep breath, she pressed herself against the tree, before dashing forward.
With all her might, she leaped off the branch to the next tree, gasping as only her front two paws caught the branch.
She forced herself not to wail in terror and hauled herself upwards.
"Scorchpaw!" She sighed in relief as Mosspaw called her name from the branch next to her, which was overhanging a clearing.
Cinderstripe was underneath Beeclaw, flailing uselessly. "You took my spot as deputy! I thought I had finally achieved my goal after killing that pitiful Sparrowsoar," Beeclaw growled.
Scorchpaw gasped, so it was true!
"Leap now!" Mosspaw shrieked, diving from the tree and landing on Beeclaw's shoulders.
"Mosspaw?" He yelped.
Scorchpaw followed soon after, landing beside the vicious cat and biting hard onto his paw.
He shrieked, loosening his grip on Cinderstripe enough for her to wriggle free.
The gray deputy had a gash in her forehead, as well as missing chunks of fur near her shoulders.
Mosspaw bit hard into his scruff, ripping a chunk of fur out. He winced slightly, before cackling and throwing her off. Mosspaw's shriek was cut short as her head hit the point of sharp rock.
"No!" Scorchpaw wailed, bounding towards her.
A heavy weight on her backstopped her, and she shrieked as Beeclaw's teeth ripped at her flesh.
She struggled, searching for a move Dawntail had once taught her.
With a sudden light in her eyes, she used all of her might to roll over, and then smash her head into her opponent's chest.
He fell backwards, the air knocked from him.
"Scorchpaw! Bring Mosspaw up that tree! And hurry!" Cinderstripe ordered.
She grabbed hold of her sister's scruff, which was stained with blood.
Tears ran down her cheeks as she began to climb the tree. "Mosspaw this is all fault, I am so sorry."
With a pang of guilt, she realized why Mosspaw had hated her so much, and why her parents despised her.
She had killed Sweetkit, and now Mosspaw may die because of her, too.
She had nearly reached her designated branch, which was about six fox-lengths off the ground, when she slipped. A shower of blossoms came down on her, and stabbing pains were sent through her front left paw.
She screeched through Mosspaw's scruff, using her remaining strength to haul her sister onto a sturdy branch.
I didn't mean it to be this violent! She wailed inwardly.
Scorchpaw glanced at her paw. Horror coursed through her as at the sight.
A twig had impelled her leg. Blood spattered out of the wound, creating scarlet blossoms.
With her wound bleeding heavily, there was no way to help Cinderstripe.
The two cats circled each other, growls of fury filling the air.
"You will pay!" Beeclaw yowled, bowling over the gray she-cat.
Claws unsheathed, the Clanmates tussled, hissing at spitting curses.
Beeclaw swung her paw out, and Cinderstripe retaliated by ducking and lashing out at his belly.
With a screech of pain, Beeclaw stumbled backwards. Cinderstripe saw the opportunity, and bowled him over.
She leaned down, biting into his neck and ignoring his pleads.
After a few heartbeats, Beeclaw fell still.
Scorchpaw noticed guilt enter her eyes as she stepped off of Beeclaw's body.
She turned away from the dead cat, towards the tree Scorchpaw was in.
"Scorchpaw? Are you alright?" She meowed.
"Y-yes… Cinderstripe, I'm sorry! I knew nobody would believe me so I devised this plan and-"
Cinderstripe cut her off, "It's alright. Beeclaw can do no more harm."
It all happened so fast. Beeclaw suddenly stood up, charging towards Cinderstripe. As he leaped, the figure of Snowpaw bowled him over. She slammed her head hard against his, knocking him unconscious.
At the same moment, Scorchpaw's eyes began to close, from the loss of blood and the shock of what had just happened. She faintly heard Cinderstripe call her name as she began to slide off the branch. Teeth suddenly dug into her scruff.
"I've got you," The voice of Tigerpaw soothed.
Scorchpaw let the darkness overcome her, feeling her body go numb and the pain slowly ebb away.
She woke in the medicine den, head spinning.
Graypaw was tending to her wounded paw, and her eyes shone as she noticed Scorchpaw's awakening.
"Seedfoot! She's awake!"
The calico she-cat entered the den, her mouth full of herbs and cobweb.
Slowly, the black apprentice lifted her head, "What happened?"
"A twig went through your paw, but luckily missed all of the major arteries and muscles. You began to fall out of a tree, but Tigerpaw saved you in time. With the height, you would have broken something! As well, there were quite a few large gashes in your side, head and back. Beeclaw put up a nasty fight. You have been asleep for about two days. However, you should be able to train again in about a moon." Graypaw explained.
"A moon?" Scorchpaw demanded, "But then my warrior ceremony will be delayed!" And I won't be able to train with Hawkfrost!
"No, you can still catch up easily, Scorchpaw. But you must rest," Seedfoot meowed.
Scorchpaw sighed, changing the subject, "What about Cinderstripe and Mosspaw? Where is Beeclaw? Are Snowpaw and Tigerpaw okay?"
Graypaw chuckled at the waterfall of questions, "Cinderstripe is fine. She will be perfect in about a day. As for Mosspaw," She trailed off, eyes suddenly clouding, "She hasn't woken up. However, she will have a terrible concussion. The rock she hit split her head open. As for Beeclaw, he is to be exiled, by the way Redstar and Cinderstripe are talking."
Graypaw paused to place fresh patch of cobweb on Scorchpaw's paw, "As for my brother and sister, they are having their warrior ceremony at sundown." She beamed, pride shining in her eyes.
"I need to go into the back and organize the herbs, Seedfoot is right outside if you need her." With that, the gray apprentice padded off.
Scorchpaw sighed, wondering what Sandfoot was going to tell the kittens.
Beeclaw is a terrible cat, she reminded herself, He deserves this.
The entrance of a cat shook her from her thoughts, and she glanced up to meet the blue eyes of Tigerpaw.
"Why did you save me?" She blurted, tears beginning to leak from her orange eyes.
"You should have just let me die! I deserve- I deserve-" She began to sob uncontrollably.
Tigerpaw padded forward and wrapped himself around her, grooming her ears.
Her tears tried up, and she closed her eyes, letting herself sink into Tigerpaw's warm fur.
"Why are you suddenly being so nice?" She murmured.
"Because," Tigerpaw whispered, "You're special."
Scorchpaw stiffened.
Tigerpaw had hated her.
Tigerpaw had blamed her for Sweetkit's death.
So, what did she feel for him?
Stop it! She hissed inwardly, you couldn't love Tigerpaw! It's a phase, it will pass.
She took deep breaths; you can't just fall in love with a cat! It takes time.
However, one look in Tigerpaw's eyes told her differently.
She didn't understand, how one look could make you feel a spark.
The spark didn't leave as Tigerpaw said he had to go, and helped her to her paws.
He let her lean on his shoulder as they made their way into the clearing.
"I was hoping she was dead," Honeyfern hissed to Nightgaze.
"Ignore them," Tigerpaw meowed as she flattened her ears.
ThunderClan gathered, and Redstar summoned Snowpaw and Tigerpaw forward.
"Tigerpaw, Snowpaw, two days ago you saved our deputy and two apprentices. You have truly earned your right as warriors. Snowpaw, Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the name of the warrior code, and protect and defend this Clan, even with the cost of your life?" Redstar meowed,
"I do!" They said in unison.
Scorchpaw could see a prideful glint in Tigerpaw's eyes, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior names! Snowpaw, you shall now be known as Snowcherry, StarClan honours your bravery and selflessness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan!" The ginger leader yowled.
Rosie couldn't have a bigger smile, and Scorchpaw watched as she nuzzled into Blizzardclaw.
Scorchpaw couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have kits, and thought about how it felt as if just yesterday she was in the nursery.
"Tigerpaw, from this day forth, you shall be known as Tigershade, StarClan honours your protectiveness and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan!"
"Snowcherry! Tigershade! Snowcherry! Tigershade!"
Scorchpaw yowled, despite the fact that Snowcherry wasn't too fond of her, she had still saved her.
The furious yowls of Beeclaw were coming from his prison, and she felt pity as she saw the wide, scared eyes of Bumblekit, Spottedkit and Goldenkit.
Sandfoot wrapped her tail around them and scooped them into the nursery.
Beeclaw gazed at her through the crack the guards had given him for light.
Scorchpaw limped forwards, getting close to him.
"You," He hissed, "Are going to die a painful death at my claws."
Woahhhhhh please review and tell me what you think! Constructive criticism is what I'm hoping for :)
