ChongoDoesTheCongo- The Chapter is up! :) THX! :D
Guest- thank you! I smiled so big at your review!
Amberflame805- heh heh two cliffhangers in a row XD
Eaglestar of Ionia- Thanks!
LakeStream- One of those guesses is correct!
Ocean of My Existence- thank you! :) Here is the update!
ScipioPB- oh no! *turns into a cat* We must fight off the intruders! XD
ZM- LightningClan and the scorching sun are not related, but you will eventually find out what the scorching sun means. Go Rainpaw too!
You guys get cookies and plushies!
BWA HA HA HA HA HA TWO CHAPTERS IN LESS THAN A DAY! I'm done blabbering now.
Chapter 6
Sunpaw's POV
"ThunderClan, we're under attack!"
Sunpaw awoke with a start to the sound of Rainpaw's terrified voice. She struggled to get to her paws and open her eyes, seeing the other apprentices do the same. "Help!" Came a muffled meow. Sunpaw spun around, trying to find her sister.
"Rainpaw!" She yowled. "Where are you?!" Suddenly claws slashed across her flank. Sunpaw gasped in agony, feeling blood begin to leak down her side. The claws lashed forwards again, but this time Sunpaw managed to avoid them. She narrowed her eyes, beginning to get used to the dark. A large group of cats- rogues or loners by the smell of them- had pinned Rainpaw to the ground. Rainpaw struggled underneath them, but the rogues held her still.
"Get away from my sister!" Sunpaw shrieked, slowly unsheathing her claws. She felt someone nudge her in the side, and quickly glanced around to find her denmates had formed a battle line beside her.
Sagepaw stepped forwards. She hissed at the intruders, eyes narrowed. "Get out of here, or you're dead." She spat. The rogues snickered among themselves.
"And what will a little cat like you do about it?" A large black tom sneered.
Sagepaw exchanged one, long look with her denmates, then looked back at the cats. "This." She yowled, and cannoned herself straight into the tom. He was clearly taken by surprise. The other apprentices dashed after her, leaping on different cats.
Sunpaw locked eyes with a small tabby tom about her age. She bared her teeth, and leaped onto his back. They fell into a writhing, screeching tussle, fighting with claws unsheathed and teeth ripping. This was no training session. They were fighting for victory.
The screeching must have brought the other cats out of their dens, because Mossflame attacked the tom Sunpaw was fighting, sending him flying away with a single swipe. Sunpaw inwardly seethed with annoyance. I could have defeated him on my own! She pushed the thought down and mewed a quick thanks, and turned back to the battle.
Rainpaw's POV
Rainpaw scored her claws across the flank of a brown tabby, eyes narrowed in anger. The tabby flinched and rounded on her, teeth bared. "You'll never win!" She hissed, and Rainpaw snarled.
She leaped onto the tabby's back, slicing her extended claws into her fur. She yowled in agony, preparing to roll over in an attempt to throw Rainpaw off. Rainpaw unhooked her claws, watching the tabby fall over with the unexpected weight change. She then launched herself onto the cat's unprotected underbelly, ready to claw her fur off. The cat was prepared, though, and flung Rainpaw off with one strong kick of her hind legs. Rainpaw sailed through the air with nothing to brace her paws on, and landed next to the nettle patch.
She lay, dazed, and watched the tabby stalk up to her. Her expression was close to a sneer, eyes narrowed in hatred. She pinned Rainpaw to the ground, eyes fixated on Rainpaw's throat. She lowered her head to deliver the killing bite, when suddenly she sprang back with a yowl of fury. Lionpaw had latched himself onto the she-cat's tail, chomping down hard with gleaming teeth.
Rainpaw watched in shock as he swiped her over the ears and clawed at her face. The cat shot him a terrified glance and raced out of the clearing, followed by a few of her fellow rogues. She slowly sat up and stared at Lionpaw. "What... Why..." She stopped speaking and gaped at him, too lost for words.
Lionpaw growled. "I would do that for any of my Clanmates." He turned around and stalked away, leaving Rainpaw to look after him. Why did he do that for me?
Thrushpaw's POV
Thrushpaw looked around the remains of camp. The thorn tunnel had been absolutely trampled. Blood and fur were everywhere, and cats lay panting and licking their wounds. Littlelight hurried from cat to cat, paw wrapped in cobwebs. Quailkit was hurrying behind her, grasping herbs in his tiny jaws.
Thrushpaw looked around for his siblings. Sunpaw was boasting, as usual, to Lionpaw about how she defeated a tom twice her size. Rainpaw was crouching in a corner, looking utterly shocked.
He padded up to his sister and prodded her with a claw. "Hey Rainpaw. Are you all right?" Rainpaw slowly shifted her gaze to him, a distant look in her eyes.
"I'm fine... I just-" Suddenly she swayed on her paws and collapsed to the ground, eyes closed. Thrushpaw felt anxiety and fear rise in his throat.
"Littlelight! Come over here! Rainpaw's hurt!"
The medicine cat spat out a wad of leaves and pressed them into a wound on Boulderfur's shoulder. "Can't you see we all are?" She grunted crossly, then started over.
Her eyes widened as she saw Rainpaw. "Quick! Get me horsetail and more cobwebs!" Unsure who she was talking to, Thrushpaw looked around, then spotted Quailkit racing into the medicine den.
He focused his attention on his sister. Her breathing was low and shallow, and blood was slowly pooling around her. Suddenly he heard a gasp.
"My kit!" Flowerstem rushed over to Rainpaw's side, urgently covering her face in licks. "Wake up, Rainpaw!" She wailed, and nosed Rainpaw's flank. The she-cat made no reply.
Littlelight nosed the anxious queen out of the way. "I'm working here!" She hissed, then began to chew herbs. Once she had them in a pulp, she spat them out and pressed them into a wound on Rainpaw's side. "She's in shock." Littlelight added more quietly. "I need her to chew up these thyme leaves." She propped Rainpaw up against the edge of the stone hollow, and shoved pulped thyme leaves in her mouth. She began to massage Rainpaw's throat, making sure the leaves were swallowed.
Suddenly Rainpaw spluttered and opened her eyes. She stared into the eyes of her anxious mother. "I'm alright, Flowerstem." She rasped, though she was clearly in pain.
Littlelight nudged Quailkit, who had just returned. "See to her until I'm done." She whispered. More loudly she added, "Rainpaw, go inside my den and stay there for two sunrises. You need to rest."
For once, Rainpaw didn't argue, just slowly padded into the den. Her tail drooped, and her eyes were half-closed in exhaustion. Thrushpaw watched his sister go, anxiety fading. It was clear she was just over-tired. And from what, I wonder?
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Thrushpaw dashed to the Highledge as the familiar summons rang out.
Featherstar was seated on the top, a long scratch still leaking blood. Most cats had already gathered, and Thrushpaw sat next to Sagepaw and Copperpaw.
"We have just won a battle," Featherstar began. I think we know that, Thrushpaw thought to himself. "And many cats are wounded. However, we must prove to the other Clans that we are strong!" Meows of agreement came from the crowd, but Thrushpaw was confused. Surely they cannot already know we were attacked? It has barely been a few heartbeats! "We will attend the Gathering tomorrow, and bring our least injured cats with us. Boulderfur," He addressed his deputy, "Later, organize the Gathering patrol. For now, I can turn my heart to a lighter duty." The Clan whispered among themselves, wondering what would happen.
"Sagepaw, please step forwards."
Sagepaw gasped. "Me?" She mewed, obviously surprised. Thrushpaw nudged her.
"Go on." He whispered. Sagepaw uncertainly glanced around, then padded to the foot of the rock where Featherstar was waiting.
"This cat fought bravely in the battle. Sagepaw led her denmates when they were in trouble, bringing them to fight together. She deserves her warrior name."
Sagepaw scuffled the ground. "This apprentice has trained hard in the ways of a warrior, and I name her Sageflight." The newly named Sageflight respectfully licked her leader's shoulder, while he rested his muzzle on her head. Then Sageflight jumped back.
"Sageflight! Sageflight! Sageflight!" The cats cheered enthusiastically. Thrushpaw knew Sageflight had joined ThunderClan as a rogue, but she had earned her place within the Clan.
Sageflight leaped down from the rock and was surrounded by her Clanmates, receiving words of congratulations. "You have to guard the camp tonight." Hawktalon reminded her gruffly, with a hint of humor in his voice. Sageflight flicked him with her tail.
"I know, mouse-brain." She teased. Thrushpaw felt excited for his friend, but a nagging thought that had been on his mind for days pestered his brain. Where has Rainpaw really been sneaking off to?
