Warriors

Chapter 8

My eyes just followed Kite as she darted from the ferns and then out into the open until finally she was right behind Talon beneath some brambles. Her gray eyes gleamed with fright, yet shimmered with determination as she crept slowly out from the ferns. While Nightpaw and Mosspaw were stumbling away from Talon, it was then that Kite made her move. She leaped nimbly from beneath the bushes and landed squarely on Talon's shoulders and started clawing his back and his shoulders fiercely. He screeched in fury and rolled onto the ground, but Kite jumped off just in the nick of time and jumped over him, scraping her claws along his belly as she did so. He leaped to his paws facing her as blood dripped from his muzzle and they began to stalk around each other, but then with a screech from Kite they both tangled together, screeching and clawing each other.

"Mother," Eiffel and Calluse appeared on either side of me, their eyes wide in fear. Their fur was bristling and they were about to leap at Talon as well, but I blocked there way and they looked confused and narrowed their eyes at me.

"Listen, this is a battle that Kite has needed to fight for a long time, if she needs our help she'll tell us," I said and Eiffel and Calluse still looked anxious, but they made no more attempts at joining the battle. The battle itself was pretty brutal, blood was glistening on both cats, but neither seemed to want to give up and I was really surprised at how well Kite could fight.

"Come on mom," Calluse called encouragingly.

"Can all of you fight like that?" I asked and Eiffel and Calluse nodded.

"We train each other, Kite and a few other toms taught us, and it's required since a few dogs find their way into the town once and a while," Eiffel replied and I made a mental note of it. We all just watched as Kite and Talon battled it out, clawing and snarling at each other and I had to say that I've never seen anything like it.

"Twigpaw, listen we can't watch this any longer we've got to help her," Calluse finally broke and I looked at him and Eiffel. There eyes were filled with concern and I knew that I would want to do the same if it was one of my family or friends.

"We'll do it together," I whispered and hope sparked like a blaze in both of their eyes. I signaled to Eiffel and Calluse to jump in at different times at different angles. They explained to Mosspaw and Nightpaw out plan and Mosspaw darted over to where Smokepaw was still laying. Nightpaw hung back and he flashed me a glance and he flicked his tail and I nodded. I watched him intently and flashed of the battle and then Talon was on top of Kite pinning her down, his flanks heaving with exhaustion. Nightpaw's tail dipped low towards the ground then shot up and I bared my teeth.

"Now," I howled and leaped at Talon barreling him over successfully. Kite scrambled to her paws and glared at Calluse and Eiffel as they joined me in surrounding Talon. We all took turns jumping, snarling, or slashing him in some way, but eventually Talon looked bored and he was dodging our attacks and countering them. When Eiffel swiped his claws at his shoulder, Talon jumped and twisted in the air landing on Eiffel's shoulders and shoved him down hard. Eiffel collapsed onto the ground and Calluse jumped to help his brother, but I just stood there as I knew what Talon would do. He balanced on Eiffel's shoulders on his front paws and kicked Calluse backwards with his hindlegs. Calluse was sent sprawling and while Talon was slowly shifting his weight I leaped and tangled myself under his paws and darted around and nipped his tail.

"You bloody clan cat," Talon snarled angrily and lashed out at me, but I ducked just in time and darted forward. I connected with fur and I gripped it tightly with my claws and bit any area I could get my teeth on. Talon was rolling, but I was determined to stay on and not let go.

"Twigpaw move," Nightpaw's voice split the air and I obediently unhooked myself from Talon and jumped backwards. Talon who was still rolling screeched as he rolled right off the edge leading down to a hidden ravine. I smiled in triumph, but then air met my paws and I yowled loudly as I clawed desperately to grab a hold of something, but nothing met my claws. I felt myself sliding over the edge and yelped helplessly and the last thing I saw was Nightpaw and Mosspaw racing frantically over towards me. I finally slid over the edge and I yowled as I plummeted to my death into the ravine below.

She was gone. Just like that. She had been there seconds earlier and had been helping Talon and then she just disappeared like Talon. I just gaped at the edge where she had gone and nothing could snap me out of it, but somehow Mosspaw managed.

"Nightpaw she's gone," Mosspaw and I looked at her. Her eyes were glistening with anger and surprise and she looked on the verge of crying. "She's gone," Mosspaw added and I just looked at my paws unable to answer her.

"Oh no," Calluse whispered. Eiffel and Calluse had immediately gone to kite's side and she was lying on her side resting while Eiffel was gently grooming her fur.

"Mosspaw, Nightpaw?" Smokepaw stumbled to their side. "Where's Twigpaw?" Smokepaw asked and his gaze flickered over both Mosspaw and I and I sighed and nodded towards the ravine. "She didn't fall over the edge…" Smokepaw trailed away when Mosspaw mewed in an answer.

"She was helping to fight Talon, he went over the edge and then Twigpaw lost her footing and fell over," I explained quietly and Smokepaw walked carefully towards the edge and then he crouched down and crawled the rest of the way and peered over.

"Guys I see her," Smokepaw said and both Mosspaw and I hurried to his side and peered over the edge. Down a few tail lengths was a small ledge and perched on that ledge was Twigpaw, but she wasn't moving.

"She's not moving," Mosspaw cried.

"She's probably unconscious, we can't tell if she's breathing or not from up here, but if we go down then we can see," I explained and before any said anything I was sliding over the edge and started to somehow climb down.

"Move to your left, there are some rocks jutting out that you can use," Smokepaw called down and I looked over my shoulder and saw what he was talking about. Alongside the ravine were some smooth rocks that jutted out of the side and luckily it led all the way down to the ledge. Ever so slowly I made my way down the rocks until I could touch the ledge with my hindleg. I nimbly jumped down and regained my balance before I darted to Twigpaw's side. She was indeed breathing, but it was shallower than normal. Otherwise she seemed fine, besides the wounds she had earned during the battle and I crouched beside and nudged her shoulder gently with my nose.

"Twigpaw wake up," I whispered, but she didn't wake or make a sound. "Come on Twigpaw," I added quietly, but still nothing. I was getting really worried now, but at least she was breathing so that had to count as something.

"Nightpaw how is she?" Mosspaw's voice came to me, but I looked up and didn't see her. I was about to call something back when I heard a rustle and looked over to see Twigpaw stirring.

"Twigpaw," I said and raced to her side. Her eyes flickered open and they rested on my briefly before she lifted her head frantically.

"Where's Talon?" Twigpaw asked and I purred in amusement.

"He fell over the ravine, there's no sign of him, but luckily this ledge caught you," I explained quietly and Twigpaw nodded and rested her head on her front leg.

"I feel so tired," Twigpaw whispered and I licked her shoulder.

"You can rest all you want when we get back to camp, but we've got to get back to the top of the ravine," I said and tried to get Twigpaw on her feet, but she just groaned.

"I don't think I can, I'm too weak," She muttered and I sighed.

"Come on Twigpaw, I promise you, you can rest for 5 moons if you want, but we have to get back to the others," I whispered and Twigpaw looked at me worriedly.

"I don't want to fall," Twigpaw said and I realized that she probably was really tired and weak, heck we all were, but that she was afraid.

"I won't let you fall, I got down here didn't I?" I asked and Twigpaw nodded. "Twigpaw you've got to trust me," I said and I went up close to her so that our noses were almost touching. "Twigpaw you're my best friend in the whole clan including our ancestors, I swear I won't let anything happen to you no matter what," I whispered and Twigpaw looked surprised and something else entered her eyes, the feeling I felt came to me all to often when I was around her…love.

"Okay," Twigpaw whispered and I nodded and I helped stand up and then I pointing out the smooth rocks and showed her out to use her claws to grip them or the ravine if needed. I helped her climb up to the first rock and waited until she was pretty high up before I started to climb myself. I could hear Twigpaw muttering to herself, but I didn't inquire about any of it. Twigpaw didn't seem to frightened about climbing up at all, but heck I had basically admitted my love for her, so wouldn't anyone feel confident? I shrugged and continued on and then I froze when I saw that Twigpaw had reached the top. At first she stayed there and it looked like she was catching her breath and then I saw Mosspaw and Smokepaw grab her and help her get over the edge to safety.

"Come on Nightpaw we don't have forever," Smokepaw teased as I snorted. I try to make sure my one love is okay and Smokepaw teases me about it, but oh well. When I reached the top Mosspaw and Smokepaw were waiting and they helped me over the edge and I saw Twigpaw huddled with Eiffel and Calluse who were both fussing over Kite who was snapping back angrily.

"Guys we need to get back to camp," I said and I glanced up at the sky and sighed. It was a little past sunhigh and Puddlestar would be expecting us pretty soon if not already.

"We have to get back to our camp," Eiffel said, but Twigpaw objected.

"Cinderwing will take care of Kite as well as all of us," Twigpaw explained and Calluse agreed to the proposition and just as Kite was starting to get up a yowl sounded close by. For a second I was frightened that it was actually Talon and that he had climbed up the ravine without our noticing, but when I saw gray fur I realized it was Puddlestar. Sunstreak, Willowtail, Oakfur, Pebblefoot, and Cinderwing appeared at his side instantly. With a flick of Puddlestar's tail they all raced forward until they were upon us and they didn't look angry, but relieved.

"We heard yowling, but we were held up by some rogues of our own," Puddlestar said and then I noticed his shoulder had a cobweb sticking to it and he smelled of dock.

"What happened to you?" Sunstreak said as his gaze flickered over me. "Well, you must have fought well," Sunstreak muttered. "All of you probably did since none of you have any real wounds," He added and I had to smile.

"Cinderwing can you check out Kite, we'll be fine, but she needs you more," Twigpaw whispered and Cinderwing looked at his friend and hurried to her side. Kite insisted on him checking all of us first, but well all said she deserved his time right now more.

"The rogues we encountered were working for someone called Talon," Puddlestar explained to me and I shuddered.

"We met him and he fell over the ravine when he was fighting Kite, she jumped out of the way just in time though," I explained and I saw Twigpaw look at me, but I could both tell we knew not to tell about our own little experience, and I guess Smokepaw and Mosspaw understood as well, because they didn't say anything.

"You all look so exhausted," Willowtail said padding over to Twigpaw and checking over her fur like a worrisome mother.

"I'm fine, just some cuts and yes we all are very tired," Twigpaw whispered to her, but then Pebblefoot cleared his throat.

"Did you say that Kite was fighting?" Pebblefoot asked and I nodded.

"We all can," Calluse piped up. He was listening to our conversation while Eiffel talked to Cinderwing with kite interjecting angrily. "Our clan of rogues so to speak, has requirements because dogs find their way into our camp sometimes," Calluse explained.

"Rogues who can fight, that's something you don't hear everyday," Oakfur said and we all purred.

"You all can come back to camp and stay until Kite is better, and I will not take no for an answer," Puddlestar ordered and he glanced over at Cinderwing who was helping Kite get to her paws, but she shook him off instantly.

"It would be greatly appreciated," Kite said and dipped her head low to Puddlestar.

"Come on," Puddlestar said and he led the way back to camp. Cinderwing, Calluse, and Eiffel kept closer to the middle of the group while Puddlestar, Willowtail, and Sunstreak kept the lead. Mosspaw, Smokepaw, Twigpaw, and I kept towards the back with Oakfur and Pebblefoot padding along beside us.

"As soon as we get back to camp you all are getting checked by Cinderwing and then you are resting," Pebblefoot said and Mosspaw nodded and yawned.

"No objections to that order," Mosspaw said and Pebblefoot nudged her playfully.

"That's a first," Pebblefoot said and we all laughed. As we arrived into the camp, bunches of murmurs and calls broke out, either because the rogues were still with us, the fact that we were all battle-worn, or just because my clan is a gossip, but I think the second choice fits into the story better.

"You four follow me," Cinderwing ordered and we padded after him and into his den which sheltered all of the millions of questions everyone was asking, soon we heard Puddlestar explaining what had happened, though I probably still had to tell him our part of the story. "Nightpaw you're next," Cinderwing said as he delicately searched Twigpaw who was probably the worst of us all, but it was just scratches and on wound on her flank that Cinderwing had to put marigold on, but other then that she seemed fine. As I was searched carefully I watched as Twigpaw waited calmly by the entrance and when I was done and it was Mosspaw's turn I walked over to her and sat down. She was watching Puddlestar talking to the clan and most of them, maybe all, looked really surprised.

"We should get some rest," I murmured as Mosspaw and Smokepaw talked quietly to Cinderwing behind us.

"Of course," Twigpaw said and she glanced at me and I saw her eyes searching me looking for any sign that I still might show her emotion. I stood up as Mosspaw and Smokepaw approached.

"We'll talk later," I whispered in her ear and then she stood up and all four of us left Cinderwing's den and veered past the others who shot us glances of surprise and definite impression. I was the first to enter the apprentice den and luckily the sun had warmed our nests slightly so when I lay down in my nest I purred with pleasure.

"This is so comfortable especially after fighting for who knows how long," Smokepaw said as he curled up beside Mosspaw who was already fast asleep. Twigpaw was trying to find her a perfect position and when she did she nudged me gently.

"About talking later," Twigpaw said and I looked at her. "I'd really like that," She added and then she pressed her nose against my cheek. "Have a good sleep," She whispered and then she turned her head slightly and soon she was asleep. I licked her cheek and then lay down my head and soon I myself fell asleep.