The Beginning Prophecy: Firestarter

Chapter Nine

Spottedleaf bore witness as Firepaw retraced his pawsteps toward the stream. The faint smell of a stranger danced on the breeze, and her muscles tensed. She opened her mouth to draw in more of the scent, learning many things: the new smell belonged to an old, sick she-cat who wasn't of ThunderClan. The stranger's smell could not easily be identified as one of the Clans.

Firepaw dropped low and moved forward, then paused.

The she-cat burst from the bushes behind Firepaw and, snarling, knocked him sideways, fast as lightning. He screeched in shock while paws gripped his shoulders and jaws closed on the back of his neck.

Firepaw grunted, went limp, and let out a howl of alarm.

Spottedleaf prepared to join the fight, pinpointing the location of the intruder as she let out a yowl of triumph. "A puny apprentice is easy prey for Yellowfang!"

Yellowfang! Of course ShadowClan would be the ones to trespass so boldly.

Yellowfang was on top of Firepaw, two fox-lengths from the tree where Spottedleaf hid. She had a broad, flattened face with amber eyes. Her fur was long, dark gray, and matted. It was clear she had seen several battles for her ears were torn, and her muzzle was marked with old scars.

Yellowfang bit down and Firepaw surged up. She was thrown back with a surprised snarl, tumbling into a bush of gorse.

Firepaw shook out his pelt. "I'm not such easy prey now, am I?"

Yellowfang tore herself free with a hiss. "You will have to do a lot better than that, young apprentice."

Firepaw puffed his chest out and stood his ground, glaring at the intruder. "You are in ThunderClan's territory. You better move on!"

"Oh, who is going to make Yellowfang leave?" Yellowfang challenged, exposing broken, yellow teeth as she drew her lips back. "Yellowfang will hunt, then she may leave. Or perhaps Yellowfang will stick around..."

"Enough!" Spat Firepaw.

Yellowfang's orange eyes warmed with a new respect for the younger cat. She stepped back, head lowered and eye contact broken. "Now, there is no need to be so hasty." Her purr was rusty.

Spottedleaf dropped down between the pair, landing silently on her paws.

"Spottedleaf?" Firepaw gasped. "I thought you had returned to camp!"

"And leave you alone? Great StarClan, no! On your first solo task, you've encountered a fox, almost got hit by a monster, and now have fought a ShadowClan intruder. Seems like you just can't keep your tail out of trouble!" Spottedleaf growled, shooting him a look. "But I will congratulate you, Firepaw, on a well done counterattack. However, it seems Yellowfang has given up. There is no need to attack her further."

"Yellowfang will never give up!" Yellowfang bravely hissed back. But she was badly injured and one of her hindlegs gave way under her scrawny body. After slumping to the ground, she attempted to get up and failed. The fire in her eyes dulled as she hissed up at Spottedleaf. "If Yellowfang was not so tired and hungry, she would have shredded your apprentice into mousedust." The old cat's mouth twisted in pain. "Finish Yellowfang off. Yellowfang will not resist."