Nettlestar's Atonement {BEING UPDATED}

Chaper Eleven

Nettlepaw padded into camp with a wad of moss filling his mouth and almost completely covering his face. This is humiliating, he thought grumpily.

He walked into the elder's den, laying down the moss. Wolfpelt and Flowerstream were asleep, but Brightpetal was wide awake and greeted him warmly.

"Such a great apprentice. Thank you for the bedding, Nettlepaw."

He nodded his head, smiling at his kin. The white she-cat helped him arrange nests for herself and her sleeping denmates. "See you soon!"

Silently thanking Applebreeze for teaching him how to gather moss, he padded out into camp. The sun was setting. Had he been out all day gathering moss and prey and bringing it back to the elders as his punishment? It feels good to do work for my Clan, but I just want to sleep now!

Nettlepaw expected to fall asleep the moment he curled up in his nest, but he lay there awake for a while before realizing he wasn't getting anywhere. But to his surprise, when he opened his eyes he was in the same gloomy marsh he had seen in his dreams a few sunrises ago.

"There you are, Nettlepaw." A shadow of a cat approached him. "I've been trying to get to you, but you've been so busy! What a good little warrior, helping your Clan."

"Who are you?" Nettlepaw spat. "Stop speaking nonsense!"

The she-cat purred. "I would like to tell you, but I have more important news to get right now. They're here, Nettlepaw. They want revenge."

"Who? Who wants revenge?" Nettlepaw asked, then cursed himself. Don't listen to her! She's just trying to get in your head.

"Don't lie to yourself, Nettlepaw. You know who I'm talking about. And you should probably wake up; wouldn't want to miss such an important turning point of your path, would you?" She said with a laugh. Nettlepaw was about to fire more questions when he woke abruptly.

At first, nothing seemed wrong. The camp was sleeping peacefully, the crickets hummed above and the rustle of the grass on the hillside floated in the air like an eerie melody. But the rustling grew louder until he was sure it wasn't just from the wind in the grass. Nettlepaw rose to his paws, squinting to look over the edge of the camp wall.

Then the grass exploded.

Gleaming claws and eyes burst into the camp, and Nettlepaw recognized their scent with a start. The cat on watch, Echofrost, let out a yowl of alarm echoing Nettlepaw's thoughts.

"AutumnClan! AutumnClan's attacking!"

The cats around Nettlepaw stirred. He saw a few cats stir in the warrior's den, and around him Leopardpaw and Goldenpaw were wide awake, Windpaw was now rising to her paws as well, and Thornpaw and Finchpaw had both awakened.

"SummerClan! Attack!" Liontooth's yowl startled Nettlepaw, but as the apprentices around him began to race out the den he saw a tortoiseshell figure attack Echofrost. This really is a battle, Nettlepaw realized. They've ambushed our camp.

Anger flooded through him. First they steal our prey; now they're attacking us when we're defenseless?

Featherstar leapt into battle alongside her deputy, and most of the warriors had joined her. Leopardpaw turned around to face his denmates.

"Well?" He spat. "What are we waiting for? Let's drive those filthy AutumnClan flea-pelts out of our camp!"

Suddenly filled with energy, Nettlepaw leaped into battle. He felt his Clanmates at his side, and was filled with confidence. AutumnClan doesn't stand a chance!

He noticed a light gray AutumnClan apprentice about his age who met him in battle. She was fierce and quick, and immediately went for his throat.

Nettlepaw dodged the blow but it landed on his shoulder, drawing blood. He grimaced as pain shot through the new wound, but got back on his paws quickly.

He noticed a scar on her leg. Maybe it's weak enough if I go for it then she will fall, he thought.

Darting forward, he bit hard onto the apprentice's hind leg. She let out a yowl and tried to fight back, but lost balance and tripped.

Nettlepaw took advantage of her fall and leapt on her back, and they tussled across the camp. They both landed heavily and Nettlepaw found himself being pinned down by the apprentice.

But she'd forgotten how doing that would also expose her belly. Nettlepaw kicked out his hind paws, claws unsheathed. She tumbled backwards with a hiss of pain, then turned tail and ran out of camp, leaving a trail of blood.

Nettlepaw stood taller in triumph, hardly noticing the blood dripping from his shoulder wound. I defeated her!

But a warrior bowled him over from the side. He found himself locked in battle once more, and fought to see who his opponent was.

The gray tom from the border fight looked him in the eye. "You!" Nettlepaw snarled.

"Me." The tom said with a sneer. He shoved Nettlepaw to the ground with his weight, holding him there with his claws digging in. Nettlepaw winced as the tom thrust a blow to his face, reopening the torn ear that had only just started to heal up.

Nettlepaw twisted underneath the tom and snapped at his paw, causing him to hiss. He slipped free while he was distracted, leaping onto his back and clawing at his shoulders and head.

The tom hissed, and Nettlepaw took Applebreeze's advice and predicted what he would do. When the tom rolled to his back to try and crush him, Nettlepaw leaped out of the way and went for his belly, but the tom rolled back over and pinned Nettlepaw down.

"Scrawny apprentice! You've annoyed me long enough. I think I'll take care of you." He said with a snarl. Nettlepaw felt fear rush through him. Would the tom kill him? It was against the Code, but so was trespassing and hunting on another Clan's territory.

Suddenly the weight was taken off of Nettlepaw. He looked up to see Sedgefang, fighting with the strength of a whole Clan. "You don't touch him!" He heard her snarl as she sent a hard blow to his jaw.

Strangely, when Nettlepaw glanced around camp to check on his Clanmates, he couldn't spot Featherstar. Weird.

When the tom fled, she turned to face Nettlepaw. "Are you alright?" She asked, giving his ear a lick where it was bleeding. Nettlepaw nodded. "I-" he began, but was interrupted.

"Stop fighting!" Some cat called. "Stop!"