Chapter 5: Bad-Blood (*Wink* if you get the reference. ;D)
It was nearly moon-high when TidalFace dashed into the camp screaming that MarshClan had entered the territory. SwanPaw hobbled out from the medicine den, her wound almost healed entirely. BeaverStar and her deputy LongStroke were barking orders. "All apprentices guard the nursery and the elders' den! PebbleNose go to the elders' den! 5 warriors along the camp edge! The rest go meet them in the territory so we can drive them back!" They almost yowled in unison. This whole fight was a normal practice, which is why LakeClan usually never lost any battles. Injured cats were to hide with PebbleNose in the elders' den, making SwanPaw entirely useless. Within moments, grey,white, and mixed cats were in the camp, TroutPaw and HeronPaw defended the nursery boldly. Swiping left and right breaking jaws, and sending wounds like never before. They were almost fully-mature toms. SwanPaw smiled softly at HeronPaw, who had been there when her wound was first given to her.
Out of nowhere, she was hauled out of the elders' den by the scruff, she stared at the paws' of her attacker noticing a marbled grey-and-white pattern. "I didn't think you were so weak, you had to hide!" MarbledPaw spat above her. "Let me go!" She yowled in anger but also in pain, as if it felt like someone were raking claws down her wound again. Suddenly, the weight was lifted off of her and HeronPaw tackled MarbledPaw, the two toms in a writhing ball of fur. SiltPaw noticed TroutPaw struggling, so he dashed from the elders' den to the nursery, evening out the odds. SwanPaw noticed MarbledPaw was going to give HeronPaw a killing blow. 'What?! That's something Dark Forest cats know!' She thought in horror. Then it all clicked. "Oh no.." She breathed. Quick as lightning, she pushed past the pain in her shoulder, leaping to knock MarbledPaw over. "NO!" She yowled pinning down the tom. Her eyes were filled with anger and hatred. She unsheathed her claws at his throat, HeronPaw getting up to help her pin him down. She took one of her unsheathed paws blinding his left eye entirely. He hissed in agony, writhing around till one of them lost their grip, which he easily shook them off, bounding to the border. His blood left a trail, the only evidence he was there.
Suddenly, the sun rose showing dawns' light. LakeClan had successfully managed to drive MarshClan back. HeronPaw was wrapped around SwanPaw, CoalNose had been gravely injured, and OwlWing was killed by the MarshClan deputy. FoxPaw had disappeared at the first sound of the caterwauling cats. SwanPaw sobbed into HeronPaws' fur, his sweet scent lingering. "Sh.. you're ok.. you're ok.." He murmured licking her head continuously. Her heart froze, as she stared up at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Out of nowhere she blurted out "I love you.." She had never said that before. Not even to MarbledPaw. HeronPaw blushed, his ears turning red. "I love you too," He purred rubbing against her comfortingly. Even though she was almost full-grown, she was a lot smaller than HeronPaw, her silvery-white pelt shone in the sunlight. They laid there side by side, murmuring comforting things in each others' ears. Once they had calmed down, they fell asleep with HeronPaws' head protectively overtop of SwanPaws'.
When the two of them awoke, BeaverStar was padding from cat to cat checking up on them. PebbleNose followed slowly behind, treating large wounds first. BeaverStar padded up to two apprentices. "PebbleNose told me you fought bravely against your previous attacker SwanPaw, saving HeronPaws' life." She beamed. "I knew I should've been resting, but.. I couldn't let him be killed. Even if I didn't love him," She blushed nudging his shoulder. He purred twining tails with her. "Congratulations," BeaverStar purred. After she had finished checking up on her Clan, she hopped on top of her den. "All LakeClan cats gather for a meeting!" She yowled. HeronPaw helped SwanPaw to her paws, she winced gingerly at her wound that was slowly re-opening. SwanPaw leaned on him as they slowly hobbled to the den where their leader sat. Once they were happy with the view, they sat down together, SwanPaw leaning lightly on him. "I want to thank every cat for how brave they were in battle today you all did a magnificent job!" She purred smiling. The cats cheered below her. Sorrow filled the leaders' gaze. "We have lost OwlWing, CoralStep, and WaveHeart to MarshClan..let us take a moment of silence to remember them." The Clan remained silent, some hanging their heads, others sobbing softly. After a few heartbeats' BeaverStar spoke again."I also want to thank two cats in particular, but not with words. With a ceremony." She smiled down at HeronPaw and SwanPaw. SwanPaws' heart soared at the idea. HeronPaw tried helping her atop of the den, but she didn't want this to be recognized by her needing help, she leaped up, pretending it didn't hurt when in reality it did. She stood by her leader shifting her weight. HeronPaw leaped up beside her awaiting the Clan below.
"HeronPaw and SwanPaw, you have shown great courage these past few moons, especially when neither of you would refuse to leave a ClanMate behind." BeaverStars' words almost echoed throughout the camp. "Do you two promise to uphold the warrior code to its' fullest capacity, fight for your Clan as bravely as you did today, and cherish your ClanMates forever even at the cost of your life?" BeaverStar mewed. "I do," HeronPaw mewed. "I do," SwanPaw mewed directly afterwards. "Then by the power of StarClan, I name you HeronSwoop and SwanFlight." She purred. As the Clan chanted below, HeronSwoop looked over to SwanFlight. "Will you do the honour of becoming my mate?" He mewed. "I would be most honoured." She purred chuckling. They touched noses atop of the den, making the Clan chant louder. She laughed softly. Both of them leaped off the rock, and padded over to the warriors' den. "I'd best go tell CoalNose." SwanFlight mewed padding to the medicine den to find her father. "PebbleNose where's CoalNose?" SwanFlight mewed. "Oh he went to go make some dirt, he should be back soon," PebbleNose mewed. "Oh ok," SwanFlight sat down waiting for her dad to return. "Congrats, by the way SwanFlight." PebbleNose purred. "Oh thanks!" SwanFlight smiled warmly. "Looks like your wound re-opened.." PebbleNose inspected it carefully. SwanFlight stared guiltily. "Nothing a cobweb or two won't fix," The she reassured her kindly. SwanFlight's smile returned, a warm purr rumbling in her throat. A few heartbeats later, CoalNose appeared.
SwanFlight turned to stare at her father, almost every inch of him was covered in cobwebs and he reeked of dock leaves and marigold. "I can't believe you're a warrior.." Her father rasped smiling weakly. The sight of him like this brought tears to her eyes, she brushed against him lovingly. "If only FoxPaw could've been there.." He rasped. "Yeah.." She murmured. "You should go to rest CoalNose.." PebbleNose offered softly. The tom nodded dipping his head in farewell to SwanFlight. She padded out, noticing HeronSwoop talking to his brother and sister. Both apprentices were made warriors as soon as they returned from a hunting patrol. TroutLeap and SilverCloud dipped their head in farewell, HeronSwoops' eyes lighting up when he saw SwanFlight. They rubbed heads, and sat down beside each other. "So how's your shoulder?" He mewed. "It's getting better, it should heal within the next couple of days," She smiled warmly. "Thanks for saving me, I owe you my life." He purred licking under her jawline. She blushed softly, but a yawn interrupted. "Come on, we should get some sleep," He purred warmly. They found two unclaimed nests side by side, as they curled up inside HeronSwoop softly groomed SwanFlights' pelt, until she was lulled to sleep. She purred softly, standing up, and then curling back down again in the nook of HeronSwoops' belly. She rested her head on his flank, he doing the same at the other end. They twined their tails happily around them both letting their dreams take flight.