Warriors on the Prowl: Tumbling Shadows

Chapter 3: Paranoid Leading-Light

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"Yeah I get it you're an outcast... Somehow I'm still here to explain, that the darkest hour never comes in the night... When you gonna wake up and fight?" -Shinedown

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    Needless to say, the red apprentice was in absolute shock. Had Gracekit known this the entire time, and used his naivety of the Clans to her advantage? Sanguinepaw's muscles tensed at the thought. "On your territory?"

    "Precisely." The massive tom, Arcticstar, bared his fangs tauntingly. The silver-eyed Leading Light was clearly enjoying his authority of the situation, which only made Sanguinepaw even more outraged. "If you simply apologize, I will allow you to go free without telling your superiors."

    "And if I don't?" Sanguinepaw's tone was acrimonious, biting even. His determination to protect his wounded pride was unyielding.

    However, Arcticstar was not impressed by his outburst. He chuckled, the kind of chuckle that sends shivers down the back of even the most boldest and fearless warriors, "You obviously do not understand what the penalty for trespassing is."

    "We stole none of your prey and we weren't plotting anything. I simply took her here because she wanted to see the Glowing Moss. What's to be penalized for doing something so harmless?" Sanguinepaw hissed, lashing his tail in outrage. He didn't stand a chance against the fearsome leader of TidalClan, an annoying realization, but he wasn't about to back down. That would damage his pride, and leave Gracekit at risk.

    "Please. You know not what young cats like you are capable of. Maybe I should just kill you now and save TidalClan the trouble later." Arcticstar drew forward. His claws were unsheathed and tore up clumps of the glowing moss as he approached Sanguinepaw. They were intimidatingly thick, and reflected the light of the cave with every movement he made.

    Sanguinepaw unsheathed his own claws -which looked like slivers of grass in comparison- and leaped at him with a war cry. Arcticstar dodged the scrawny tom and slammed a paw across his face. Sanguinepaw winced at the sharp blow to his cheek, and skidded uncontrollably across the cavern floor.

    Arcticstar took the moment of opportunity to round on Gracekit. "And you, young she-kit. You're just as much of a nuisance as your mother and aunt before you." Sanguinepaw dug his paws into the ground to stop himself and let out a threatening growl, "Leave her alone and fight me you coward!" The apprentice charged at the leader, and dragged his claws down Arcticstar's face. Arcticstar stumbled back in surprise, but quickly covered it up with a snarky grin.

    "Lucky hit. I underestimated you, but you won't catch me by surprise again so easily." The vicious tom reared up on his hind paws and lashed out again without abandon, tearing at the clumps of fur on Sanguinepaw's sides and sending blood splattering across the cavern floor.

    Sanguinepaw howled in agony at the feeling of Arcticstar's sharp claws tearing through his thin flesh, and fell to the floor. He didn't know how to fight against someone of Arcticstar's expertise, and knowing that made him freeze.

    "You're nothing but a mouse-brain. Picking on someone so much bigger than you!" Gracekit squeaked and clawed at Arcticstar's tail in desperation.

    The white tom pretended to not be fazed by her slashing, though she was ripping up clumps of his fur. "Bigger than me? Comparing my size to him is like comparing a rowan tree to an ivy bush."