Chapter 20, the battle of the she-cats

Shadowpaw stepped back from Nightpaw's body. Skypaw and Rockpaw followed her, with Seapaw behind them. Leafpaw had appeared into the clearing, and was watching with scared eyes.

Seapaw silently picked up Nightpaw's body and padded behind them.

They walked in a straight line, not even caring where they went. They were all silent, until Rockpaw mumbled something about seeing the ravine and they padded down it.

Shadowpaw glanced up and saw Shalepaw bounding toward Rockpaw with a squeal of delight, covering him with licks and stroking his shoulder with her tail. Rockpaw looked at the ground.

The rest of the Clan was completely still, mouths open, eyes unblinking.

Finally a small voice broke the silence.

"Nightpaw?"

Hunterpaw had approached on his belly, sliding towards them.

"She…" Shadowpaw rasped, put her throat caught in her throat, and tears spilled out of her eyes. Ravenstar, who sat by the fresh-kill pile was shocked. Suddenly, six apprentices appear in the front of camp, covered in blood and dirt, and in Shadowpaw's case, grime.

"What happened?" Ravenstar asked, and all the Clan started nodding.

The apprentices looked at Shadowpaw, who opened her mouth, but no words came out. "We…" was all she managed. Then she felt dizzy, and the world was spinning in front of her. She felt her legs crumple under her.

"She's lost a lot of blood," Skypaw mewed. Shadowpaw panted for a moment then sat up.

"Where is Mudpaw?" Ravenstar asked, "Did she die in the battle? Did whoever that was fighting you kill her?"

Leafpaw opened her mouth but Shadowpaw answered before her. "No," She snarled, "She attacked us. I had to fight her. Alone. And I took off her skin…and the head…" It all flooded back to her, fighting to save her life, and Seapaw's life. She remembered her own pure desperation when there was the zapping, and how she kept trying to kill her, and she couldn't, and how she bit the tubes…

Then she remembered her eye, and that it was blind, because of the muddy water that had gotten in it.

Ravenstar looked confused. She walked foreword and sat down in front of Shadowpaw.

"Shadowflight," she said, addressing Shadowpaw with a new name, "You did well. Soon you will tell me your story."

"Skyfeather," she murmured, touching Skypaw's shoulder with her tail-tip. "Leafcloud." She looked at Rockpaw. "Rockpool."

Then she looked down at Nightpaw's motionless form.

"And Nightwind."

Then Ravenstar mewed, "Shadowflight, tell us your story."

Shadowpaw took a deep breath and began, slowly at first, then rushing through it, describing Mudpaw without any skin and the fake trees. She described how Mudpaw had threatened the cats with Seapaw's life. And then she told her about how she had bitten the tubes, and Mudpaw had died, her whole body flung all around, and that she was still in the clearing, her head still staring sightlessly at the sky. And-of course- she didn't even need to add fake scary bits.

"You all did well," Ravenstar murmured. Shalepaw was busy nuzzling Rockpaw's face. "There will be a small celebration for the life of Nightwind. And, let us shout out the welcome of five new warriors!"

The cats howled a little bit, but none of the new warriors grinned. Skyfeather was staring blankly at Seapaw, and Rockpool was ignoring Shalepaw as she pressed her side to his.

Shadowflight lowered her belly onto the ground. She looked up at Shalepaw, who was still trying to get a response out of Rockpool.

"He doesn't want you to do that," Shadowflight growled, surprising even herself. All the Clan stopped to listen. Shalepaw glared at her.

Rockpool looked up, surprised. Shalepaw stepped foreword to Shadowflight, growling.

Shadowflight crouched on the ground and Shalepaw copied her position. The whole Clan held their breath.

Shalepaw leaped first, and Shadowflight deflected her with her paws, slashing them through the air. Gashes appeared on Shalepaw's clean chest, and the grey and white apprentice shrieked.

Shadowflight jumped, and slammed down onto Shalepaw, who squirmed under her. Rockpool, who had backed away, didn't join the battle.

Shalepaw jolted upward, and Shadowflight fell onto the ground. They both jumped at each other, and became a snarling ball of fur, their teeth grabbing out great lumps of fur.

When Shalepaw scratched Shadowflight, the black warrior hardly felt it. Shalepaw's claws were like prickly little thorns compared to Mudpaw's huge metal ones. She slashed and bit with all the strength she had used on the robot.

Shalepaw threw Shadowflight backward, but the black warrior popped up, and clamped her teeth onto Shalepaw's scruff. She tilted back her head and shoved it foreword, releasing Shalepaw. The grey and white apprentice slammed into a tree and then leaped foreword for more.

Both were a snarling ball again. The snarling grew louder and louder, turning to a deafening roar, and then it stopped.

All the cats craned their necks to see who had won. Shadowflight had a paw pinned on Shalepaw's throat. Shalepaw was hissing a little and her ears were flat, but her eyes said, you won.

Shadowflight stepped off her and Shalepaw stood up.

Rockpool didn't move. Shalepaw looked over at him, her yellow eyes huge, and gave him a tiny lick. Then she walked over to the apprentices den and vanished inside.

The Clan slipped away. At moonrise they would have Nightwind's celebration.

As soon as the whole Clan had gone, Rockpool padded over to Shadowflight. He put his muzzle against hers.

"Shadowflight?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Let's go to sleep."

They turned toward the warriors den, and they both lay down, curled next to each other, and Shadowflight was reminded of the first time she and Rockpool had lain together. It seemed so distant now…

"I…" Rockpool tried to get his courage.

"Yeah?

"Never mind."

He almost told her! One more chapter! Wow, this is the longest story I've ever written. 21 chapters…

Review…and yes, it is 12: 00 AM…