A/N: This is soon, correct? :P
Swirlspot: Yas, thanks to the Star Dwellers... hehe, I need ta tie these threads up! And the Clans won't move. Scourge isn't behind the rouges, and the Star Dwellers don't get involved with anything really. :)
~*O*~-ineedtogetadifferentlinebreak~*O*~-~*O*~
Dawnfeather inhaled deeply, instantly noticing the sharp, unpleasant scent of BloodClan. She hissed a warning to the rest of their patrol, crouching a bit lower on the forest floor.
So soon? StarClan, why?!
She spotted a dark shape sliding through the tangled weeds. Yowling, she flung herself onto the intruder, slashing madly at its pelt. The BloodClanner hissed, thrashing under her until it heaved up and threw her off.
She landed with a grunt, rolling away from the BloodClanner's slashing paws, regaining her breathe and leaping once more at the dark brown cat.
Dawnfeather was dimly aware of the rest of her patrol battling with other BloodClanners, but she focused on her opponent.
Crouching low, she leaned sideways, feigning leaping that way. She used her claws to dig deep into the forest floor, catapulting herself over the cat and landing behind him, slicing his left leg's tendon.
It sagged weakly, unusable. The cat snarled, spit spraying in her face. She hissed back, circling the heavily wounded enemy.
A heavy weight smacked into her from behind, bowling her into the BloodClanner. She yowled in suprise, struggling underneath the weight of the brown cat.
He chuckled darkly, slicing anything he could reach with his claws. Dawnfeather managed to push him off, glancing back to see who had pushed her. The large grey rouge slipped through the underbrush, glancing back at her to give her a wink. A light grey cat with a blue collar in the throes of death lay behind him as well.
Who is this cat?! Dawnfeather wondered, slipping back into the fight. The BloodClanner seemed astonished as well, and only half-heartedly jabbed at her. She snagged his ratty collar with her claws, yanking his head down and exposing the back of his neck for a killing bite.
A squeal caught her attention. Thornpaw was attempting to defend herself against two larger cats. Blood was running from numerous wounds, and her mentor Spiderleg was trying to reach her, but was occupied by a huge black cat.
"Thornpaw!" Dawnfeather called, aiming for the tendons once more. She cut two, one on each cat. They whirled on her, allowing Thornpaw to head for camp for backup.
"Just leave us alone!" She hissed, eyeing the two cats circling her. One chuckled. "I don't think so!" She leaped at Dawnfeather, managing to cut her foreleg, despite having a useless leg.
I need to get rid of at least one of these! Dawnfeather thought, slashing one across the eye. Distracted by the first, the second slammed into her side, holding her down while the other clawed for her throat.
StarClan... I can't leave my kits, Mudpelt! They need me! As if answering her prayer, Spiderleg knocked over the cat clawing at her, swiftly dispatching it. He leaped at the cat holding Dawnfeather down, but he retreated as best he could.
"Thanks." Dawnfeather said softly, licking the worst of her wounds. "Don't mention it." Spiderleg said briefly. "Those were some unique fighting moves. BloodClan?"
Dawnfeather nodded in acknowledgement.
"Any losses?" Spiderleg called, stepping over her tail. "No!" Came the reply. "But Cloudtail's bleeding pretty bad!"
Dawnfeather sighed. Will this ever end? She joined the weary patrol, running instantly into the backup cats. "Looks like we missed it." Sunpaw squeaked, twitching his whiskers. No duh. Dawnfeather thought irritably, before breathing another sigh.
"We'll take over the rest of the patrol, you go back to camp to get fixed up." Greystripe said, looking at each wounded cat.
They nodded, starting for camp. Dawnfeather fell behind slightly, steps heavy with exhaustion.
~*O*~-~*O*~-~*O*~
Icestrike watched the camp. It was busy, with the new patrol coming in all battered and bloody. He had, of course, checked on Dawnfeather, and she was currently receiving Birdpaw and Cinderpelt's good care.
His eyes journeyed across camp, following Firestar as he headed for High Rock. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather at High Rock!" He yowled, tail curling up behind him.
Icestrike joined the crowd of cats, clouded blue eyes looking at his leader expectantly. "This night it's Gathering, and I expect BloodClan to make another appearance. But they might also attack our camps. So I shall leave some of my best warriors here to guard. "
Icestrike sighed. He would be left here. Of course. He was 'blind' now, so he wouldn't go to the Gathering, would he?
"-Sunpaw, Cloudtail, and Icestrike shall go with me to the Gathering." Firestar finished.
Icestrike gaped in astonishment. "M-Me?"
"Of course." Firestar nodded, waving his tail to dismiss the gathered cats.
Icestrike wove his way through the crowd, meeting Firestar at the foot of the High Rock. "Firestar, why did you ask me? I'm basically blind!"
The ginger leader blinked at him. "Are you?" He walked away, leaving Icestrike to wonder about him. Surely, he doesn't know? How would he know?!
It is most likely that he merely observed you joining the cats at the foot of High Rock, and when you walked to meet him, that you did not bump into anyone. He is a wise leader.
Of course! How could I have thought Firestar to be so dim?
He purred to himself, noting the weird look a passing apprentice gave him. "Hi Lightpaw." He said, grinning at her startled expression. "How did you know it was me?" She asked, eyeing him quizzically.
"Maybe I'm not as blind as you think." He winked at her. She gasped and hurried away, fur fluffed with unease.
Behind you.
Icestrike jumped at the sudden voice, but looked behind him in time to spot Frogspot smack full-tilt into him. "Ow! Sor-Oh. Watch where you're going, BloodClanner!" He snarled, shaking sand out of his yellow coat.
Icestrike shrugged. "I'm blind, remember?"
Frogspot's face collapsed into apology. "Oh! Then, uh, don't sit in the middle of the camp then!"
The yellow warrior hurried away, not knowing Icestrike knew he didn't mean it. Is your whole Clan like this?
No. But a lot are. It's hard.
But you have us.
Many voices rang out in agreement inside his head, and he winced. Not so many, guys. It hurts.
Our apologies.
Once again, they all spoke at once, causing Icestrike to wince again.
~*O*~-~*O*~-~*O*~
Dawnfeather yawned, kneading the soft grass and moss of her nest with her slim black paws. The day had been long, filled with hunting, and now she was ready for a good long sleep. The sun had sunk below the treetops a long time ago, but it was only now falling completely dark.
Crickets sang noisily, and a few cats where still talking in the camp.
She curled up in a loose ball, mindful of her injuries. The cats had already left for the Gathering, so she slept in a relatively empty den that night.
Her light blue eyes closed, and she slipped into a dream.
Scourge stood over her, grinning evilly. He had grown many times his normal, small height, and now he held her down easily with one paw.
"Dawn... my little nightmare..." He said, his voice echoed by a female cat's voice. "Won't you join me once more? Back to the safety of a large, POWERFUL Clan? No more insults, no more glares, no more critizing for your background."
He let her up, and she tried to run, but there was no place to go. Scourge was everywhere. His eyes filled the sky, and his voice made the grass tremble. "And if you bring our kits back to me, I'll let the past be in the past!"
"Y-you killed my daughter!" She choked out, covering her head with her paws. "Minor details!" Giant Scourge laughed, sharp teeth glinting menacingly. "Just come back, Dawn, COME BACK!"
"Never!" She yowled, wincing as his eyes glowed red. "Then you shall perish, along with the Clans, and your kits!"
His large paw swiped at her, and she felt his claws rip into her fur.
With a scream, she leaped up, fur fluffed in all directions. The warriors that were left in the den hissed irritably at her, turning around and quickly falling back asleep.
Tears falling silently, Dawnfeather raced for the dirtplace. She leaped over the low wall, ignoring the pricking brambles in her coat.
She only stopped when her paws splashed into the river. She sobbed, tears mingling with the clear water. "StarClan! I can't go through with this! I can't stay! I have to take my kits and leave!"
The clouds over the moon slowly drifted back, letting the silver rays brush her coat gently. A starry, light grey and black cat materilized over the water, walking on air as she approached Dawnfeather.
"Don't cry." The soft voice spoke gently into her black ear, effectively silencing Dawnfeather's sobs. "Life may be hard, but it can only get better."
"Really? Can it? My kits could die, Mudpelt could die, I could be crippled, unable to help my Clan!" Dawnfeather hissed bitterly, looking at her reflection.
"Dawn." The starry cat's firm voice made Dawnfeather look up into her green eyes. "Don't. Try your hardest, be your best!"
"My life has hardly ever had a good moment!" Dawnfeather said, returning her gaze to the water. "Now I'm being plagued by Scourge, both in my awake life and my sleeping!"
"Your life started good, even though I had to take you from your real home."
"How would you know it started goo-wait, YOU had to take me? What real home?!" Dawnfeather stood, tail lashing anxiously.
"I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you this. I am your mother (1) and you came from the Clans originally. And, you will make it through to see the end of the battle."
"But, you're my MOTHER!" Dawnfeather said, eyes darting frantically over her mother's face. "How can that be!? What Clan am I from?"
"Dawn... I love you, I never meant for it to be this way." The starry cat began to fade, and Dawnfeather yowled frantically. "What's your name at least? And why did you leave me?!"
"Dawn... remember..."
The cat completely disappeared, and Dawnfeather began to cry again. No! Get ahold of yourself, Dawn! Stop crying! That's for kits!
She wiped her tears away, roughly licking her fur into place. She turned and headed back for camp, returning in the way she went out.
Mental note to Firestar; dirtplace wall needs heightening.
~*O*~-~*O*~-~*O*~
A/N: Lol.
(1): LUKE. I AM YOUR FATHER! (Dun dun duh!...)
May StarClan light your path!