Tawnystar's Secret

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Tawnyflame woke up, exhausted. She could feel the cuts on her from training with Splashheart, and the nick he had cut in her ear.

Tawnyflame had trained all night with Splashheart. She had learned two new battle moves. One was where she would duck under her opponents belly, scratching her claws down their belly. When they twisted to see you come out the other way, you would back out the way you came. The next one was easy to learn. If a cat was charging at you, you would sidestep, and put your paw out. That way, your claws would scratch their chest. Then, you would hop onto their back, holding on with your front paws and raking your back claws down their back. She was relieved when Splashheart said it was time for her to wake up.

Reedstorms scent still lingered on his nest as she got up. She padded out of the warriors den to meet Willowpaw. She let out a big 'oof!' And dropped the the ground.

"Willowpaw?" Tawnyflame asked, bewildered.

"There you are! Reedstorms inviting you to come with his ShadowClan border patrol. I'm coming too!" Willowpaw quickly explained, bouncing around.

Tawnyflame purred with amusement. "Ok. I'm coming." She followed Willowpaw to where Reedstorm, Clearsky, Applefire and Hailheart waited. "Big patrol." She whispered to Reedstorm.

"Yeah, ShadowClan seems to be wandering out onto our borders a lot so we're going to drive them out." He explained quickly.

Tawnyflame's heart lurched. "What about Willowpaw?"

Reedstorm shrugged. "Clearsky insisted that if she went, Willowpaw went. She could also go back for more reinforcements if things get too tough." He decided to change subjects. "What happened to your ear?"

"My ear?" Tawnyflame asked bluntly.

"It's caked over with dried blood! Is there a thorn in my nest?" Reedstorm said.

"Hush! We don't need anyone to hear. I'll just say it happened in the fight." Tawnyflame comforted him. "It doesn't even hurt."

Reedstorm sighed before sitting down. Tawnyflame sat down beside him. "What are we doing?" Reedstorm whispered to Applefire.

Applefire didn't take his eyes off of the border. "We will wait for them to come to us." Fortunate for them, a ShadowClan patrol appeared out of the bushes. "Quick! Hide!" Applefire hissed to the cats in the patrol before leaping into a bush. Willowpaw and Clearsky scrabbled into another bush, while Hailheart pushed into Applefire's bush. Tawnyflame scrambled up a tree, Reedstorm clawing up the one next to her. The ShadowClan cats came closer, and Tawnyflame could hear them whispering.

"Why do we need their land anyways?"

"More prey for ShadowClan, less for RiverClan. Now come on, lets not waste time."

"Wait. I can smell fresh RiverClan!"

"Must've been a border patro-"

"RiverClan! Attack!"

Applefire, Hailheart, Clearsky and Willowpaw struck out from the bushes, while Tawnyflame and Reedstorm plummeted down from the trees. Tawnyflame was locked in a whirlwind of fur, and she couldn't see where the blows where coming from. She managed to rake her claws up the cats belly, sending it screeching. She then heard a terrified screech. Reedstorm, who had just sent a warrior plummeting into a tree, raced towards it. Tawnyflame came after him, and saw Willowpaw surrounded by two ShadowClan toms. Reedstorm bowled one over, while Tawnyflame reared up in front of the other. Her heart lurched as she recognized another Dark Forest warrior. "Get away. I won't hurt you if you do."

The ShadowClan Tom turned tail and bolted away. Reedstorm managed to send his warrior flying with a mighty heave of his back paws.

"ShadowClan, retreat!" The deputy, Flashclaw, yowled. He then met Applefire's gaze. "We will own this land sometime."

Applefire replied calmly. "I can't see why you would want to lose again. But if it's the feeling you get after losing you want, step by anytime."

Flashclaw growled before spinning around and bolting away. Willowpaw came up to where Tawnyflame was licking Reedstorms wounds. "You saved me!" She squeaked.

Reedstorm grunted. "That's what clan mates do."

Tawnyflame got up. "Come on, our patrols leaving."

Willowpaw raced up to Clearsky while Reedstorm walked with her, his tail intwined with hers. "I love you." He murmured.

"I bet I love you more." She whispered.