Hey everyone, Rainy here. Not much to say, as the reviews didn't have many questions. I want to make this very clear though: Cedarpelt from StarClan is not the Cedarpelt who mentored Crookedstar - this Cedarpelt is a female she-cat originally from WindClan who died many seasons ago, long enough for her granddaughter to become leader of WindClan. Not the same cat. I just went "Cedarpelt sounds like a good name" and then realized that there was a Cedarpelt in RiverClan as well. However, they are not the same cat. At all.
That is all. Read on, enjoy the chapter, hopefully I'll have chapter 10 out soon.
"RiverClan attacked us!"
Blazepaw's ginger flanks heaved as she faced the ThunderClan warriors in the camp. Her blue eyes were huge and terrified.
Breezestar leaped to his paws in a flash, staring down at her. "Where? Was it at Sunningrocks? How many cats were there?"
She backed up, shaking like a leaf. "There – I – there were –"
The black tom snorted crossly and turned to Emberfoot. "I'll go. You stay here, understood?"
"Yes, Breezestar," Emberfoot meowed shortly. He turned to look at the camp. "Who will be in the battle patrol?"
Breezestar hesitated, eyes flicking from cat to cat. Maplepaw's breathing quickened when they rested on her for a heartbeat longer than the others. He's going to choose me! He's got to!
"Finchfur, Ravenwing, Rushflame, Copperfur, Daisythorn, Shredtail, and Maplepaw," the leader said at last. "We head out now."
Excitement fizzed in Maplepaw, making her paws light. "Shredtail!" she exclaimed, rushing to stand beside her friend. "We get to battle together!"
He nodded, face grim.
She tipped her head to one side. "What's wrong?"
Shredtail looked at her, and Maplepaw was relieved to see that his eyes were eager. "I just don't want to lose Sunningrocks. That's where we get the most prey, and besides it's on our side of the river. What if RiverClan try to take more territory?"
"That's stupid," she pointed out. "Most of those fish-breaths haven't even tasted mouse before. They'd be completely useless in the forest."
Shredtail shrugged. "I'm just thinking ahead. But you're right, I guess. Anyway, we've got to get those mouse-brains off of our territory."
"Let's go," Breezestar called, and the patrol streamed out of camp and into the forest.
Energy gave Maplepaw's feet wings, and she flew along with the rest of the patrol as swiftly as any warrior. My first battle, she thought eagerly. I can't wait! I wish Willowpaw were here! She hesitated at that thought. No… no I don't, not really. She's not very strong.
Then she began to hear the yowls of cats up ahead. Steeling herself for whatever she would see, Maplepaw surged ahead with the group as they broke into the clearing at Sunningrocks.
The first thing she saw was blood.
Everywhere she looked, blood was spilling. Tufts of fur drifted in the air, landing in splatters of red. Claws and teeth were stained crimson.
Her fur automatically began to stand on end, and she bristled at the sight. Breezestar charged ahead, yowling, "ThunderClan, attack!" as he slammed into a massive ginger tom. Beside her, Shredtail let out a screech and pounced on the back of a blue-silver she-cat who was pummeling Salmontail around the ears.
Then sharp claws spiked Maplepaw's pelt, and she turned with a hiss to see a silver tabby form. For an instant, she couldn't breathe. Pebblestep!
But in another moment, she saw emerald eyes and recognized Smoothpelt, the RiverClan deputy. He bared his teeth, spitting with rage, and swiped at her.
Maplepaw ducked the blow and leaped forward to ram her head into his broad chest, forcing him backwards. He managed to slash at her pelt, but she countered by rearing up and crisscrossing her claws over his muzzle. Satisfaction swelled in her as he shook his muzzle vigorously to flick away beads of blood.
"Fox-heart," he growled, lunging forward again. She could see that he was trying to overturn her. Can I get out of the way in time? Or can I take the hit? Breezestar would tell me not to count on my strength… But, without a conscious decision, Maplepaw braced herself for Smoothpelt's attack.
His face loomed nearer, smirking – he was sure he had the upper hand. StarClan protect me! Maplepaw prayed, forcing herself not to flinch.
Smoothpelt slammed hard into her shoulder, making her stumble back a few steps, but Maplepaw saw with relief that the deputy had been hit even harder. He was staggering, looking dizzy. She lashed out, raking her claws over his muzzle, and he growled in pain. "You dare call me a fox-heart when you're stealing territory?" Maplepaw hissed, ducking under his snapping jaws to sink her teeth into his shoulder.
Then, before she could react, a heavy weight dropped onto her back just as Smoothpelt clawed at her ear. Maplepaw let out a screech as her ear suddenly burned with pain.
The cat pinning her down was too heavy to throw off, and Maplepaw felt a jolt of panic. Breezestar didn't teach me how to fight two cats alone! Someone help me!
"You get off her!"
Shredtail! Maplepaw wanted to yowl in relief upon hearing her friend's snarl of outrage. The weight on her back vanished, and she looked back to see none other than Pebblestep.
He gaped at her, backing up rapidly, with his face twisted in shock. Shredtail lunged at him and scored his claws down Pebblestep's side, spitting.
The RiverClan warrior seemed to shake off his daze and grappled with Shredtail until they were locked in a tight ball of fur, spitting and slashing at each other. Maplepaw flicked her ear as she heard the scrape of paws on dirt – Smoothpelt was attacking her again. In one fluid motion, she turned and hooked her claws into his fur to drag him down. He was overturned, belly exposed, and Maplepaw took the opportunity to claw at his belly. Tufts of silver and black fur drifted in the air, and at last Smoothpelt managed to drag himself away from her and dash, snarling, into another ThunderClan warrior.
She stood, panting, in triumph. I got the RiverClan deputy to run away from me!
"Who can't fight with half a tail, huh, mange-pelt?"
Shredtail's enraged yowl from behind her made Maplepaw spin. The dark tabby tom had pinned down Pebblestep and had one paw at his throat, snarling. Pebblestep's blue eyes were lit with cold terror.
"Shredtail, let him go," Maplepaw snapped.
Her friend turned to her, eyes disbelieving and angry. "He attacked you!"
"And you stopped him. He's not going to fight anymore, Shredtail, you defeated him. Now let him go."
For a heartbeat, she was sure that Shredtail would refuse and instead apply pressure on Pebblestep's throat, choking him. His eyes shone with malice and hatred. She locked eyes with him, willing him silently to let the RiverClan warrior go.
Finally, Shredtail retracted his claws and lifted his paw, growling deep in his throat. Pebblestep, finally free, shot to his paws and tore away past Sunningrocks to swim across the river and vanish into the reeds. Maplepaw stared at the place he'd disappeared, watching the stalks quiver.
"Are you okay?" Shredtail mewed, voice gentler now. He was at her side, sniffing at her carefully.
Her ear was stinging, but Maplepaw shook her head. "We need to drive out the rest of these snake-hearts before we can check injuries." She blinked at him. "Battle together?"
A purr rose in his throat – an absurd thing, given the situation, but to Maplepaw it seemed right. Side-by-side, the two cats leaped back into the fray, claws outstretched to shred any opponent who had the misfortune to get in their way.