Chapter 19

Suddenly awake, I charged into the mass of cats that had clashed together like an ocean. Head first, it was hard to see anything but the fur of my enemies. I kicked and lashed out with my claws, slashing random pelts and desperatley trying to breathe as I fought to get a grip. Heart pounding, I hissed as a tabby she cat sudddenly jumped out of the crowd and lunged for me.

I quickly sidestepped, and whacked the tendon on the backside of her hind leg. She colapsed with a yowl, leaving her back exposed. I shreddeded her spine with my back claws, and stopped as she begged for mercy. She shot out of my grip and fled, disapearing as fast as she had arrived.

I didn't have time to gloat as I felt claws grip my throat. I panicked an bit down on a tom's orange paw, and spit out oily fur when he recoiled. Quickly though, he recoverd and we stood to grip each others shoulders. I dug in my claws, tearing until I cringed at the stink of blood.

He howled and hissed, then shoved me away. I leapt onto his belly and shredded, but he overpowered me and threw me to the ground, returning the belly ripping move.

I desperatley searched for someone familiar, and hissed when the searing pain of his claws worsened.

StarClan help me!

Then suddenly, his weight was gone. I stood up to see Lilypaw, of all cats, slashing his muzzle. I joined in, and we matched swipes. We literally took turns, my swipe to her swipe.

He gave us one last growl, then turned tail and ran.

"Why'd you do that?" I hissed.

"You're my clanmate, I couldn't let you die to some pathetic scrap of crowfood. Is that how you wanted to go out?"

I didn't have time to reply as yet another BloodClan warrior stood opposing me. I was looking at a younger, apprentice-aged tom, whio seemed barely old enough to see. I hissed, expecting him to flee, but to my suprise, he flicked up a claw and caught my nose.

I gently swiped him over, and meowed, "I won't fight kits!" before he disapeared.

Just as it seemed this would never end, I scented a horribly familiar smell.

Scourge. I mean, who else?

I turned and hissed, "Scourge. What do you want?"

His eyes glinted and he meowed, "To take this forest, and kill every last Clan cat alive. But not you, if I can avoid it."

I started to reply, but before I could, he pushed past me, and called, "Peachstar!"

I saw my leader swipe away a scrawny tom, and narrow his eyes at Scourge. "You!"

Peachstar immediatley charged Scourge, and grabbed his shoulders. But, faster tahn a snake, Scourge slipped out of his grip and lashed out at his muzzle. They went back and forth with light, ineffective blows, each trying to know thier opponent.

I could see Scourge's frustration as he continued to block Peachstar's hits. Backed by rage, my leader had the advantage. I quickly realized his movements slowing down, though, he was tiring, and all for nothing.

Scourge, without a single scratch yet, suddenly dived beneath Peachstar's belly, and launched him off the ground. He flopped on his back, exposing his belly. Scourge yowled with triumph and ferociously kicked my leader. Blood sprayed and orange fur flew in the air. For a brief moment, I wondered if he was dead. But I didn't have time to do anything, when I felt claws in my back.

I ran to Peachstar, and winced when I heard Redwillow whisper, "He's losing a life."