The Rising Moon

Chapter 1

Sunfern walked at a leisurely pace next to Moonfall and Springpaw as they patrolled the Sunclan border. "And what is the third rule of the warrior code?" Moonfall asked in a sweet, kind voice. "Uhm...sick, injured, and elders get fed first before the rest of the clan?" Springpaw answered, unsure. Moonfall glanced at Sunfern to correct Springpaw. "And queens, don't forget queens." Sunfern told Springpaw. "Oh right!" The ginger-and-white apprentice replied.

Moonfall froze. "Sunfern, do you smell that?" Moonfall asked, ears alert. Sunfern paused to taste the air, at first there was nothing but then it came. "Sunclan." He whispered. "What? What's going on!? I can't smell anything!" hissed Springpaw. "Sniff hard!" meowed Moonfall. Springpaw tilted her head up and sniffed the air. "Sunclan!" she yowled. Sunfern signaled for them all to be quiet.

A Sunclan patrol walked along the trees, keeping low. "What are they doing on our territory?" Springpaw asked her mentor. "Keep quiet." Moonfall hissed quietly. Sunfern smelled a faint, familiar scent on the breeze. Treepelt? "They seemed to have masked their scent in river water." Moonfall guessed. Sunfern tasted the air. Yes. That was Treepelt's scent! "Moonfall! I smell Treepelt with them!" he hissed. Moonfall looked alarmed. "They could have trapped her! Maybe she's their hostage or something!" she whisper-yowled. Sunfern wasn't sure. If Treepelt wanted to take over his role as deputy, she could well be part of another clan.

"Here's the plan! Sunfern and Springpaw, you two will attack from the front. Then, I will go and get Treepelt!" Moonfall said, her silver eyes gleaming with determination. Springpaw nodded. Sunfern signaled with his tail to sneak forward while Moonfall went in the opposite direction. Sunfern crept silently around to the front of the Sunclan cats, making sure he was down wind. He silently signaled Springpaw to attack.

He pounced on a Sunclan warrior, claws unsheathed, teeth bared. He sunk his teeth and claws into the cat's pelt, gripping on tightly. The Sunclan warrior tried to shake him off but he clung on. The warrior tipped over a bit to roll him over but Sunfern jumped off before he could be crushed by the bigger cat.

He heard Moonfall cry for help and he turned toward her cry. The Sunclan warrior jumped on him, seeing that the distraction gave him a chance. Sunfern gave a yelp of surprise. Teeth sank into his neck a heartbeat later and he hissed in pain. Sunfern quickly recovered from the momentary shock and kicked his hind leg and clawed the tom's belly, sending fur flying. The Sunclan warrior stumbled backward. Sunfern glimpsed between flying fur and saw Moonfall fighting Treepelt.

Again the Sunclan warrior landed on top of him and bit down on his neck. Predictable as always, Sunclan. He thought as he swept his hind legs under the warrior, making him stumble. Sunfern then bit the Sunclan warrior's neck but let go when he heard the cry of Springpaw. Springpaw was fighting two Sunclan warriors, clearly outmatched. He rushed up to one of the Sunclan warriors, knocking them over with a full forced headbutt. Sunfern shook his head and attacked the other warrior.

Springpaw bounced up, her eyes gleaming. " Watch ou-" Sunfern was cut off by a smack to the face. He went back into fighting mode and raked his claws along the side of the Sunclan warrior. The other warrior Sunfern had been fighting jumped on him. Sunfern was outnumbered! One warrior held him down while the other raked his pelt. Sunfern tried to get the other cat off him but he couldn't. He could just see Springpaw pinned through the legs of the Sunclan warriors.

We lost. Just as he was about to surrender, Scarfeather pounced on the warriors, his eyes blazing with hate and anger. Blood went flying, and Scarfeather was attacking the Sunclan warriors full force. Sunfern got up and raked his claws along the other Sunclan warriors pelt, just as his former apprentice did, blood and fur mingling together. He helped Springpaw up and together they chased the warrior back over to their side of the border.