Super Edition - Lightstar's Wrath

Chapter 4

   The vigil for Thunderpelt felt long and cold, despite it being a warm new-leaf night. Apparently the spider that bit him at the ValleyClan border was venomous. The venom killed him in his sleep.
The sun was slowly rising, but Lightpaw didn't even notice. All his thoughts were on Thunderpelt's sudden death. No last words, no goodbyes, nothing.
  A tail tapped Lightpaw's back. The white tom turned around to see his mentor, Thistlesong. The grey and white tabby tom looked at him with sympathy. "If you want to stay in camp today, you can. I know Russetpaw is doing chores around camp if you want to help her."
Lightpaw thought for a moment. Past Thistlesong, He noticed Lakebranch organizing a patrol. He assumed it was the hunting patrol. "I would rather learn hunting. Thunderpelt told me about his first time hunting, and I wanna hunt too."
  "Alright," Thistlesong mewed. He glanced over at the nursery, where his three kits were left unattended. "Where did Squirreldust go?" He mewed to himself. "Lightpaw, you'll have to go on the patrol without me. I don't want my kits to be by themselves. Maybe Snowfeather and Thornmuzzle can teach you how to hunt."
The young apprentice rushed towards Thornmuzzle and Snowfeather, his excitement not nearly as much as it should be. He was finally going to learn how to hunt, how to provide for his clan! He only wished that he'd be able to catch something for Thunderpelt. But that could never happen. He could never care for his father like his father cared for him. At least he still had Russetpaw.
"Coming with us?" Thornmuzzle tilted his head.
"Yeah, Thistlesong said you guys can teach me how to hunt." Lightpaw explained.
"Alright," Snowfeather responded before the three of them left camp.
While on the moor, Thornmuzzle taught Lightpaw hunting skills. Though it took some missed catches and a few corrections, he managed to get his stance right. Now he was stalking a rabbit. It looked rather young, possibly just reaching the age to leave it's mother's company.
"Remember, prey isn't deaf, so keep quiet." Thornmuzzle reminded. The golden tom seemed so confident when hunting. It was just recently that Lightpaw noticed his muscular yet small-framed figure. The warrior would be able to catch prey with both strength and agility.
After a few quiet paw steps, Lightpaw leaped out at the rabbit. It darted for a nearby gorse bush, but it was too slow. Lightpaw caught it under his claws and killed it with a nip to the spine.
"I caught it!" The white tabby purred. "I actually did it-" A low growl interrupted his mew of glee. The apprentice turned around swiftly, his fur bristling with anxiety. He had to blink his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
"Lightpaw! You caught a rabb-" As Thornmuzzle trotted over, his gaze landed on the same thing Lightpaw was staring at. Was Lightpaw supposed to feel good or bad about this? What would his clan say if they saw? What would his father say? All he could do is stare.
In front of him, was Hailshade.
   She seemed to be arguing with a dark grey loner tom with dark green-hazel eyes. The tom seemed to be backing down, but Hailshade persisted to growl at him. Lightpaw and Thornmuzzle stayed hidden in the gorse bush and watched the scene unfold.
   "That was my vole, mouse-brain!" Hailshade hissed at the tom.
"I'm sorry, but I have a family to feed." The loner mewed, slowly backing away with the vole in his jaws.
As soon as the tom backed away, Hailshade leaped out at him. She tackled him to the ground, unsheathing her claws. The tom looks barely older than twelve moons, he stood no chance against an experienced warrior like Hailshade! Though he hunted on IcyClan territory, Lightpaw was more concerned about the scene unfolding.
"Okay! Fine! You can have the vole!" The tom shakily yowled. Hailshade then got off of him and snatched the vole away from him. Lightpaw noticed how much skinnier she was from the last time he saw her. Her ribs were showing and her muscles weren't as strong. She obviously hasn't been doing well since she was exiled.
Before the loner tom ran, Hailshade left a scratch on his flank. Despite looking younger, the tom looked much better fed. Maybe he was a kittypet? But he didn't have a collar like most kittypets do.
The grey tom ran off. "I'll make sure he's left our territory." Thornmuzzle mewed before following him.
Lightpaw was still quivering from the sight of his mother. Now that the moor was quiet, the rustling gorse could be heard clearly.
"Who's there?!" Hailshade snarled. She turned towards the gorse bush and Lightpaw felt his heart stop. The last memory he had of his mother is when she was exiled for murder. He obviously didn't know how to react.
"Show yourself before I make you!" The black she-cat narrowed her eyes, her fur bristling.
She wouldn't hurt her own kit, would she? Lightpaw thought. He then slipped out of the gorse bush, his muscles still tense. His ears folded back, bracing himself for whatever violence to come.
"Lightkit...?" The she-cat's voice broke. "Lightkit!" She mewed before dashing up to him and rubbing her cheek on his. At first Lightpaw was taken aback, but he then felt warm inside. He could barely remember the last time he felt the comfort of his mother. After the loss of his father the day before, this felt incredible.
"It's actually Lightpaw now." The apprentice corrected.
  "Right," Hailshade mewed. "But either way, I've missed you and Russetkit- er, I'm assuming it's Russetpaw now. But I've missed you two!"
  "I missed you too." Though that wasn't entirely true, Lightpaw felt obligated to say so.
  "You have?" Her ears perked up as she took a step back. "That's great! Let's go back to my den!" The she-cat began to walk.
  "Well, I should actually head back to camp. They might be looking for me." Lightpaw took a step back.
  "What? You want to go back?" The black rogue mewed. "Don't you miss me?"
  "Well, I can't leave Russetpaw, right?" The tabby tom took another step.
  "She can come too!" Hailshade said, the fur along her spine raising. "Both of you can be with me!" Her eyes betrayed worry.
  "I, er, don't really want to leave my clan. I like IcyClan." He shakily mewed.
"No! You have to come with me!" The she-cat grabbed her son by the tail, and began dragging him closer. Lightpaw fought to get away, but her grip was too strong. He fell, being dragged across the earth.
"Lightpaw!" A voice howled. The tom looked up shakily to see Snowfeather charging forth. She leaped out at Hailshade, her claws outstretched. She slashed at the former IcyClan cat's face.
Lightpaw scrambled back, still shaken from the encounter. His tail was bleeding, but it was only minor. Thornmuzzle and the other unfamiliar tom rushed out to attack as well.
Lightpaw couldn't watch the scene unfold. He squeezed his eyes shut, quivering. He heard a screech of fury and pain, before the moor went silent.
The young tom managed to open his eyes. Hailshade was lying motionless, her neck bleeding heavily. Snowfeather and Thornmuzzle stood over her while the other tom began to back away.
"Smoked-Herb, wait!" Thornmuzzle called. That must be the other tom's name. What an odd name, even for a loner. "Thank you for helping us out. Would you like to come back to the clan with us so our medicine cat can treat your wounds?"
"No thanks. We have herbs back at our den." Smoked-Herb mewed. "Thanks for the offer though!" He then trotted off.