In The Dark - Warriors.

Chapter Fourteen

You know, Lostpaw thought that one reason she would never be of use to anything was because everytime she tried to do something - for example, fight - Pinepaw stepped in, desperate to protect his sister which got quite annoying for Lostpaw after awhile, to be honest. She was surprised when Pinepaw "allowed" her to sneak outside of the camp with Pebblepaw, for instance. Though she knew that if she was alone whenever she did that he definitely would not have even allowed her one fox-length around the perimeter of MapleClan camp!

And, another example, would be right now. "Why did you ring the alarm?" Pinepaw demanded from the back of the fighting crowd of cats. "I could've did it instead! You could've gotten killed! Why did you step in anyways?"

Lostpaw hissed, her fur bristling straight upright. "I rung the alarm because if I hadn't Pebblepaw would have been dead right now!" No answer, so she continued. "No, you couldn't have done it instead because by the time I got to you Pebblepaw would've been dead! And the reason I stepped in was because if I hadn't Pebblepaw would be dead! Do you want her to be dead? Do you even care?" She challenged.

"No, I don't want her to be dead ... " Pinepaw began slowly. "Though I also think that you should be more careful ... " he mewed.

Lostpaw stared at him. "Pinepaw! Since when does it matter? I'm just a worthless she-cat, rememeber?!" She snarled.

"No, you're not useless ... and I also think that we should actually fight now." Pinepaw said.

"Wait a minute, we?" Lostpaw echoed the last word as if she didn't believe it.

"Yes, we." Pinepaw said. "But be careful." he mewed, then raced off into the crowd of fighting warriors.

Lostpaw looked to see that Pebblepaw was already fighting, and so was Webpaw, one of Froststar's mates. Though then she also managed to turn around and see that Breezepaw kept sheathing her claws and unsheathing them again, slowly ripping into the grass. She just watched, her gaze travelling over the fighting cats intently, and every once in awhile her eyes stopping on one of the four - now remaining intruders. "Well, what are you going to do?" Froststar growled from behind her. "Stand there looking pretty or fight with us?" He demanded, stealing the words right out of Lostpaw's mouth.

Even though she-cats were not taught how to fight or hunt, they were expected - actually, required - to fight in minor battles that happened within the perimeter of the camp, though not if it was outside of the camp and in the territory or even outside of the territory. The only she-cats who didn't fight were the Queens and the female kits, of course.

"Ah, yes ... " Breezepaw said. "I don't believe I can do that. Terribly sorry, sir," the apprentice said, then turned, racing off into the gloom. Which meant outside of the camp and most definitely outside of the territory, by the way.

"Traitor!" Froststar spat, anguished, as he stared after the "kittypet." He should've expected this. A kittypet - nonetheless a kittypet who was a she-cat - would've never been capable of fighting off pureblooded Clan warriors!

At those words Froststar had spit out of his mouth, the four warriors looked up, alarmed, and then towards the entrance of the den. They noticed that Breezepaw was gone, too, then lashed their tails, jumping over most of the MapleClan cats and disappearing outside of the camp, too. "Strange ... " Lostpaw murmured aloud.

Toadleap walked out of the medicine cat's den. "Anyone injured?!" He called out loud enough for everyone in the camp to hear him. Most of the cats had only a few minor injuries in places like their ears or their flanks, but there was one who had a gash on his side that looked identical to the wound that Seedkit had received ... the tom staggered over to the medicine cat, then collapsed in front of his den. Toadleap frowned, dragging the tom back into the medicine cat's den.

"Froststar! Lostpaw!" The medicine cat called perhaps ten minutes later. They both rushed into the medicine cat's den just in case something had happened. Lostpaw recognized the tom to be Woodlash, Seedkit's father and Sunflare's mate.

"Someone must really have a problem with that family," Lostpaw murmured as she noticed that Woodlash was a relative to Seedkit. She shook her head after awhile and stared at Toadleap expectantly.

"Froststar, Lostpaw," Toadleap mewed. "Look at this." he ordered, and they both looked at Woodlash's gash in his side. "It's identical to Seedkit's wound." He meowed. "Lostpaw, please go bring Sunflare in here."

Lostpaw nodded. "Alright Toadleap," she mewed, then walked out of the den and over to the nursery where Sunflare was currently resting. "Sunflare!" Lostpaw mewed, and the she-cat looked up. "Toadleap needs you. Woodlash is hurt." She said. Sunflare nodded and stood up.

Sunflare looked over at the nearest queen. "Rosestorm, please watch my kits for me while I'm gone." She offered. Rosestorm nodded.

"No problem." Rosestorm responded. Then, Sunflare exited the nursery along with Lostpaw and followed her to the medicine cat's den.

"What is it? How is Woodlash hurt?" Sunflare mewed in her usual gentle, soothing voice as she padded over to her mate. Toadleap flicked his tail over the wound and Sunflare let out a breath. "My, oh, my ... " she breathed in as she stared at the wound.

"It is identical to Seedkit's," Froststar explained calmly.

"Yes it is. That was the first thing I noticed." Sunflare sighed softly as she thought about both her kit and her mate being hurt like that.

"We do not know what this means, but we think it may mean war. With who, we do not know. Maybe MeadowClan, maybe a pack of rogues ... and why? That would be unknown as well." Toadleap explained. "Though obviously, one of the warriors in the invading group had to have been the one who caused that terrible wound unto Seedkit. We may just have to pick out who he, or possibly she, is, before they start to pick off the others." He said.

Sunflare nodded. "It is to my understanding that whatever cat it is may have a problem with me or Woodlash ... " she mewed.

"That's what I thought!" Lostpaw pointed out.

Sunflare looked over at Lostpaw, remembering that she was still there with her. "Lostpaw, I forgot to tell you this earlier - I didn't have the time with, well, kits, y'know - though I thank you for saving Seedkit's life, however way you did." She said.

"How did Lostpaw find Seedkit, anyways?" Froststar questioned, looking up. Toadleap glanced at Lostpaw, and so did Sunflare. Froststar was gazing at her with the most intently. Toadleap, however, was gazing at Lostpaw with a look that said, should I tell?

And so, taking a deep breath, she responded with,"you may."