CHAPTER 8
It tasted likeā¦
Mouse.
Brightpaw took another bite into his meal and stared out the camp entrance he sighed heavily and waited for Leafpaw and Ashpaw to return from training.
Mainly Leafpaw.
As Brightpaw prepared to take another bite the thudding of paws make his ears perk and he picked up a fear-scent. Alarmed, Brightpaw stood up as he recognized which cat was racing towards the camp.
Leafpaw!
"Brackenstar! SunClan is attacking!" she yowled. Brackenstar appeared from his den, quickly followed his deputy Lionclaw. Brackenstar thought fast and named the cats coming with him.
"Nightflare, Rainstorm, Thrushfang, Redflower, Lionclaw, Goldensong, Patchedpelt and Brightpaw, get ready for battle! The rest of you stay here and protect the camp in case they split up and head here." Brackenstar yowled, leaning in to speak with Leafpaw for the details. Brightpaw held back from cheering that Leafpaw wasn't coming.
"And Leafpaw!" Brackenstar mewed as Leafpaw nodded.
No!
Not her!
Oh, StarClan not her!!!
But Brackenstar and the named cats were flooding through the camp and starting to leave. Brightpaw was NOT going to let Leafpaw go alone.
Leafpaw led the counter-attack patrol to the river and the amount of cats plunging into the cold and wet water created huge waves, thrusting Brightpaw back and forth as he followed closely behind his mentor. It wasn't much longer when Brightpaw spotted Ashpaw and Oatwhisker ahead. Brightpaw stood on his toes to see them over the tall cats.
"Good work Leafpaw, you really are fast." Ashpaw purred, touching her flank with his tail Leafpaw gave Ashpaw's ear a lick.
Fury surged through Brightpaw as he witnessed Leafpaw and Ashpaw.
At terrible feeling, it felt like he was hurt and infuriated at the same time.
Jealousy.
"I spotted them this way!" Ashpaw told Brackenstar, leading them toward the SunClan border. Brightpaw wanted to run up and smack Ashpaw in the head for acting like he was leader. A low growl rose in his throat. Ashpaw stopped and Brightpaw saw him perk his ears and Brackenstar listened, all the cats were silent as they listened. Pretty soon, Brightpaw heard unfamiliar mews and it wasn't long after he spotted the SunClan cats.
"Graystar, I smell RainClan." As she-cat mewed.
"Good nose, Sparrowpaw." Brackenstar growled, stepping up in front of the no longer hidden cats.
Graystar hissed at Brackenstar then suddenly yowled
"Change of plans! SunClan, attack!" Graystar aimed his attack for Brackenstar. It wasn't long before the entire clearing was filled with hissing and screeching cats.
Brightpaw raced after the apprentice who first scented the ambush, Sparrowpaw.
"Can you smell me now?" Brightpaw hissed as he pounced onto her back, clawing fiercely.
For Leafpaw.
I will protect her.
Sparrowpaw squeaked and tried to shake off her attacker but soon fell under his weight, crying for help. Brightpaw felt the breath be knocked out of him as another pair of paws pummeled into him. A white she-cat with gray tabby stripes pinned him down.
"Leave" she hissed, nipping his ear.
"My" she said, nipping his paw
"SISTER ALONE!" she yowled, swiping her claws across Brightpaw's throat.
Brightpaw let out a gurgled cry of pain as he felt fresh warm blood pour from his neck wound. The white she-cat got off him and nipped his tail.
"Stop!" Brightpaw coughed, spluttering. The she-cat hissed again and clawed at Brightpaw's underbelly.
"Please!" Brightpaw begged thinking of Leafpaw and closing his eyes. The suddenly the claws stopped digging at his fur. Brightpaw opened his eyes and saw Ashpaw pinning the she-cat down, his eyes were clouded with pity. Brightpaw stumbled to his paws and limped after his brother.
"I'm sorry" Ashpaw whispered. The white tabby she-cat's eyes were filled with grief.
"I wanted to know you." She whispered. Ashpaw suddenly got furious and clawed her belly.
"WE CAN NEVER BE FRIENDS!" he yowled as blood gushed from her underbelly.
"Stop!" Brightpaw choked to his brother.
Ashpaw spun around to face his blood-covered brother and the she-cat leapt from the ground and clawed across Ashpaw's face. Brightpaw winced as he saw her claws nick his eye. Brightpaw tried to defend his brother by clawing at her face but his senses were fading. He had just noticed the pool of blood gathering below him and he fell down to the forest floor, and closed his eyes.
Ashpaw's eyes stung but he could still see Brightpaw fall down at his paws. Ashpaw's emotions could no longer be tamed and he spun around, his rage wanted revenge. Silentpaw shook her head, backing away.
"Please, I didn't know he was your brother!" she cried.
"It doesn't matter if he is my brother, what matters is you killed him!" Ashpaw yowled, lunging for her neck. Silentpaw dodged and Ashpaw landed on the grass.
"Stop running!" he hissed. Silentpaw mewed something Ashpaw couldn't hear and watched a she-cat pounce her.
"Leafpaw?" Ashpaw yowled to her.
"Aren't you glad you helped me battle train today?" she hissed while dodging every single one of Silentpaw's attacks. Ashpaw wanted Silentpaw to himself!
Then he realized, he wasn't raged because Silentpaw wanted to be more than friends, he was raged because he couldn't accept the fact she liked him. Ashpaw sat down, dazed as he realized how pretty she was and how good she smelled. Her eyes, they were a beautiful blue and she liked him back. Ashpaw suddenly felt mousebrained for acting the way he did and he wanted a second chance.
He wanted her.
"Stop! Leafpaw!" he yowled, Leafpaw looked at him confused.
"We do not need to kill warriors to in a battle." Ashpaw echoed Oatwhisker's earlier words. Ashpaw so Silentpaw give Ashpaw a grateful glance and she dashed from the battle.
"BRIGHTPAW!!!!" Leafpaw yowled as she spotted the body beside Ashpaw. Ashpaw spun around and sighed as he saw Brightpaw's flank rise from breathing, but not for long. Leafpaw yowled
"FERNLEAF!!!!"
