Chapter 14: Attack!

Tigerpaw paced around at the camp entrance.

His punishment was finally over, and he was free! Free to go out! Free to hunt, to fight, to prove himself as a warrior! I won't make that mistake again. I won't ever get caught breaking the warrior code, so that way I can be a powerful warrior sooner...

"Well, today at least I don't have to drag you out of your nest."

Tigerpaw instantly recognized his mentor's voice. "Yeah yeah," he muttered. "Can we train for battle now?" Thistleclaw's white and grey tail flicked. "Of course. Now come on!"

• • •

Tigerpaw stretched. He felt much more active after his training session. He had vowed to train extra hard, since he missed so much practice with his punishment and all. The sun glowed warm on his pelt. He fought back a purr. He didn't want to seem off guard. He was going to be tough, he didn't need to purr and meow in the sun. Sighing, he drifted into a soft doze...

Tigerpaw blinked open his eyes. He looked around. The activity didn't look too much different. He probably only slept for a little less than a hundred heart beats. He wondered what woke him. A sound from the nursery? I'm laying kinda close to it... Then a scent drifted in. He stood up, alert. His clanmates didn't seem to notice anything. Is there something wrong with my nose?...

Sniffing again, he concentrated harder. Is... Is that.. I know that scent! In a flash, he remembered the gathering. Stale river and fish! That's RiverClan! He dashed towards the entrance of the camp, ignoring the bewildered and startled looks from the cats around him. Suddenly, eyes gleamed from a large clump of bracken. There was a ThunderClan smell to the bracken, but beneath it, was the fishy scent of RiverClan.

"INVASION!" He shrieked.

At once, every warrior in ThunderClan was on their paws. RiverClan came trampling into the camp, and in a flash, almost every cat was fighting. Tigerpaw was flung into battle. Raking his claws over the cat hiding in the bracken, Tigerpaw's opponent suddenly bowled him over. I'm not going to lose this fight! "What are you doing here?!" Tigerpaw spat. The white she-cat with tabby patches hissed at him. "We are here so you furball's can admit that Sunningrocks belong to RiverClan!" Tigerpaw hooked his claws into her pelt. He remembered Thistleclaw's move in his mind. Flipping his enemy over, his gorged his hind claws into her belly. She yowled in terror.

"Softpaw!" Another she-cat rushes over. "Let me help you!" Softpaw grunted a thanks, and her clanmate aimed a paw at Tigerpaw's nose. He doged, letting go of Softpaw's pelt as he did so. Mouse dung! Instinct taking over, he rushed at Softpaw, and kicked his back legs into her clanmate's belly. The two cats both fell. "Whitepaw!" Softpaw gasped.

Tigerpaw sank his teeth into the soft part of her scruff, tasting the salty tang of blood as he did so. Then pushing off, he leaped into the thickest of the fighting.

The next few moments, Tigerpaw was only aware of his claws swiping, jaws snapping, blood and fur flying as he fell on the RiverClan warriors with deadly accuracy. He was beginning to enjoy his enemy's fearful cries, shrieks of pain, their begs for mercy. This is just amazing! I never knew battle could be this.. This enjoyable! Tigerpaw thought.

Tigerpaw seemed to wipe out every RiverClan cat he met. His hard training, especially sharp claws and strength made it easy for him.

A howl sounded from the elders den. The elders den! Tigerpaw whirled around, and streaked across the clearing towards where he could hear Poppydawn, a ThunderClan elder's cry. Those fox hearts from RiverClan attack elders?! Hissing, Tigerpaw saw a enemy warrior, bristling and claws out glaring at Poppydawn, Mumblefoot, and Larksong. "You!" He spat at Mumblefoot. "Tell me where Sunstar is!"

Tigerpaw felt rage and a small hint of excitement burn under his fur. "Oh, so now do RiverClan mouse-brains attack elders for fun?" He growled. "Not if I can do anything to do about it!" He launched himself into the air, finding Shellheart, the RiverClan deputy under his claws. The deputy! I'm fighting the deputy! He landed a heavy blow across his cheek.

Shellheart gasped, and made a small croaking noise as if trying to speak, but Tigerpaw hit him repeatedly, paws faster than birds.

Suddenly, another RiverClan scent came in. "Shellheart!" I told you to ask the elders where Sunstar was, not attack an apprentice!" Hailstar, leader of RiverClan was standing behind Tigerpaw.

Tigerpaw let the deputy speak, taking a step back. "I-I didn't!" Shellheart gasped. "I was asking them and this furball just fell on me!"

Furball?... Tigerpaw snarled. "I'm not a furb-"

Sunstar stalked into the den. "If you're looking for me, I'm right here."

Sunstar whispered into Tigerpaw's ear. "Take the elders somewhere safe, now!" Tigerpaw nodded and gathered up the elders. I hope I can get back into the fight soon!

• • •

Moments later, the elders were safe behind a thick bramble thicket, and Tigerpaw ran as if he had wings on his paws. A scream suddenly sounded from the elders den. What?! Did one of the elders stay behind? Twisting, he turned to the direction of the sound. When he burst through the entrance, he saw Sunstar, pinned down by Hailstar. Shellheart wasn't there. He must've ran off. Sunstar was struggling beneath the RiverClan leader's claws. "L-let go of me!" Sunstar rasped. Hailstar snarled at him. "Not until you agree Sunningrocks are ours!" Sunstar glared at him. The claws dug even deeper into his fur. Sunstar seemed to be on the edge of begging. "Ne...Never..." Sunstar's voice was weakening fast. "I can't hear you!" Hailstar spat. Sunstar trembled slightly. "I said..." He growled. "Never!"

Hailstar narrowed his eyes. "Very well." He lunged at the Thunderclan leader's throat. Instinctively, Tigerpaw sprang like lightning onto Sunstar's attacker. "You are never getting Sunningrocks and you are not about to kill Sunstar!" He screeched. Hailstar gasped and Sunstar thudded on the ground. Tigerpaw slashed at his enemy face, then his shoulder, and then he clamped his teeth firmly into his neck.

Hailstar howled in pain. Tigerpaw raked his hind claws over Hailstar's belly. Blood, warm and sticky washed over the apprentice's paws. With one last blow to Hailstar's head, he let go. Hailstar slumped to the ground, not moving. Sunstar didn't move either. Uh... What do I do after I.. Um... Severely injure a enemy and my leader and my enemy aren't getting up?... Tigerpaw paced uncertainly around the two leaders.

Shellheart barged into the elders den. "Hailstar!" He yowled. Tigerpaw gasped as more RiverClan cats came in. "Petaldust... Is he dead?" Asked a his clanmate. Murmurs began to become louder.

"Oh Beetlenose... I don't know..."
"Is the neck wound bad? and where's Voleclaw? Hailstar's our father...He should be here!"
"Oh father..Oh Hailstar..."

"We need to get back to camp, now if we want to tend to his wounds." Shellheart's voice was heard above the noise. Tigerpaw turned to him. "Then Sunningrocks is still ours!" Shellheart hissed at him. "Our leader may still live, but we will have our revenge!"

• • •

With one last triumphant yowl, Tigerpaw drove put the last of the intruders with the ThunderClan patrol close behind him. "Sunningrocks are ThunderClan's and always will be!" Tigerpaw ran with his tail streaming out. When the last of the RiverClan cats crossed the border, he and the patrol returned back to camp.

When they got back, Featherwhisker rushed to his side. "I need to get your wounds checked immediately!" He said, fussing over him. "Huh... " he mumbled. "I heard you were very badly injured, since you were in the thickest of the fighting... But the only serious wound is that scratch on your back." Running back his medicine den, he called back, "I'll get some marigold, horsetail, and cobwebs for that and you stay right there and lick it clean!"

Tigerpaw rolled his eyes. Seriously? I just fought a great, awesome battle, for what? To get stinky herb juice on my back. Just great. Twisting his head around, he began to groom the scratch on his shoulder. He was already used to the smell and taste of blood, so he was done his small task quite quickly.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Highr-" Sunstar's call was cut off abruptly as he coughed, gasping for breath. In a flash, Featherwhisker was scrambling up the rock and nudging a few leaves toward his leader. Sunstar shook his head, and went on. "Let all cats old enough to catch-" he coughed again, and Featherwhisker whispered something into his ear. Sunstar bowed his head and went into his den.

Tawnyspots, the Thunderclan deputy was called and he went into Sunstar's den. After a while, Tawnyspots leaps onto the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Sunstar staggered up to the rock as the clan gathers. "This battle was a brutal one, being attacked in our own camp." Sunstar began. "But we are strong, and we have prevailed." He paused. "There was a certain apprentice who saved my life with his incredible battle skills." Turning to Tigerpaw, he smiled. "Tigerpaw has proven he has he capability as a true clan cat, and as earned his warrior name."

Thistleclaw narrowed his eyes and gave a smile that showed his sharp teeth. Tigerpaw puffed out his chest. Thistleclaw was finally proud of him! I made it! I becoming a warrior and I didn't run off to be a kittypet! Padding forward with his head held high, he looked up at Sunstar expectantly.

Sunstar began the ceremony. "I, Sunstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Tigerpaw replied, "I do." Sunstar looked up to the sky. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Tigerpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Tigerclaw, for your fighting skill and in honour of your mentor. StarClan honours your loyalty to defending your clan, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Sunstar leaped shakily down, and touched noses we the new warrior. Tigerclaw licked his shoulder, wincing as he tasted a mixture of herbs.

Cheers erupted from the clearing.

"Tigerclaw!"
"Tigerclaw!"
"Tigerclaw!"

Tigerclaw's pelt seemed to spark with pride and happiness. I'm finally a warrior! A strong, powerful warrior, not a weak, lane kittypet like Pinestar!

I'm a warrior, and no cat can tell me what to do!

Well, my cough has gotten better... And then I just had to play in he snow and now it got slightly worse. BOOOO! I never should've made that many snow angels... Hehe... :/