The Blessed Warrior #1 - Fire Stream

Chapter 6

     After Swanpaw's first try at the leap-and-hold, she was determined to get it right. All afternoon, after every fall to the ground, she would leap back up again, teeth bared, ready to spring. The sun had started to sink below the horizon like a cat sinking into mud, bringing a cool breeze with it. At last Tangledbriar gathered all the apprentices together and called them up one by one to show her what they had learnt. Swanpaw shifted from paw to paw, her tail flicking across the pine needles and dried-up leaves that heavily coated the clearing. Starlingpaw did well against Darkpool, easily leaping on top of her mentor, and latching her sharp claws into his fur. Darkpool hardly fought back at all; Swanpaw noticed that her sister's mentor was moving stiffly - she guessed his old wound was playing him up again.

     Redpaw was even better, his slight, lithe form easily slipping through the air to land on the large, pale ginger tom. Swanpaw admired his amazing agility - he was a true forest-born cat, ready to leap over logs, around trees, and over streams and brooks. Redpaw's shiny dark ginger coat had lengthened the last moon or so; Swanpaw thought he looked good that way, ruggedly handsome. She was still staring in front of her, mouth open slightly when Tangledbriar gave a little cough. Startled and embarrassed at being caught staring at her denmate again, Swanpaw whipped her head around, then, her ears back and tail drooping in shame, she trudged to the front. All the other apprentices were staring back at her expectantly, their eyes shining, reflecting the pink sky.

     "Well, Swanpaw, demonstrate on me what you've learnt today." Tangledbriar prompted, her voice slowly growing in impatience. Her mentor gestured with a swiping flick of her long tail. Ears flat against her head, Swanpaw hurried over to stand in front of her mentor.
     "On three, Swanpaw, one, two - "
     Tangledbriar was cut off by a flurry of paws and claws as her apprentice launched herself over her mentor's head. Taken by surprise, Tangledbriar quickly rolled over, trying to get rid of the small she-cat, but Swanpaw had already leaped out of the way, and batted at her mentor's face and belly. The mottled warrior twisted on the ground, trying to get up again, but the small she-cat was relentless in her attack, pummeling again and again, until Tangledbriar, panting and exhausted, meowed,
     "Ok, stop, Swanpaw." Immediately, the grey tortoiseshell apprentice stepped back, worry shimmering and dancing in her pale blue eyes. Tangledbriar spotted her apprentice's expression and purred.
     "Don't look so scared, Swanpaw. I'm fine. You did very well, and listened to my advice - there's no stopping in battles."
     Swanpaw relaxed, then turned back to her denmates.
     The warriors led their apprentices back to camp in the growing dusk, shadows curling and twisting around every tree, greedily creeping swiftly through the forest, eating up everything in their path. Swanpaw was so tired by the time they arrived back at camp that she was surprised she didn't collapse on the spot. She and her denmates staggered back to their den, and soon the air was filled with the snores of sleeping apprentices.

     It was a little past moonhigh when Swanpaw was woken by the sound of soft paws sweeping across the dusty ground. Blearily she looked up; Moonpaw was padding towards the dirtplace tunnel, the frosty starlight flickering across her shiny silver pelt. Swanpaw felt an unexpected twang of jealousy at her friend's tidy fur - hers was forever sticking up in tufts all over the place. When she was a kit, everybody had always been commenting about her coat - as far as even the elders could tell, there had never been a light and dark grey tortoiseshell cat in BirchClan before. Then Swanpaw's jealous feelings towards Moonpaw vanished as she recalled how Moonpaw had been a subject of gossip as well, because none of her parents - Swiftstep and Tangledbriar - or grandparents for that matter, had a silver coat. Swiftstep was a pale ginger, and Tangledbriar a dark mottled colour.
     That long train of thought faded away into nothing as Swanpaw dozed off again, exhausted.

A panicky and scared mew rang around the camp. Swanpaw jerked from her nest to find it was still moonhigh, probably only a few minutes after she had fallen asleep. All around her, startled cats were rising. She could already hear the curious and frightened murmurs of the other apprentices. Swanpaw jumped to her paws. Maybe the camp was being attacked by enemy warriors? But there weren't any footsteps ringing around the hollow. What was going on? Her denmates were pouring out from under the yew bush; Swanpaw picked up her pace and followed them into the clearing.
     Moonpaw and another scraggly looking warrior were surrounded by a pool of cats, Moonpaw looking flustered. The other cat was obviously the one who had yowled out; his eyes were wide and filled with terror.
    "Move aside, please." Swanpaw saw Autumnstar pushing his way through the crowd. Before he had even reached the newcomer, the tom cried,
     "BeechClan are attacking OakClan!"
     The night air was filled with gasps and hisses.
     The ginger tom stared at the OakClan warrior.
     "They came into our camp without warning.... the elders and the queens are defenceless, you've got to come and help!" The brown tom meowed.
     Autumnstar turned away - the tom looked alarmed, then relaxed as the BirchClan leader began giving orders to Bronzeleaf.
    "Take Tangledbriar, Swiftstep and Darkpool to the OakClan camp. I'll be along in a minute. Swallowsong, Clearstream, Lakepaw and Lightpaw will guard the camp."
Swanpaw's father nodded, and hurried off to find the warriors. Autumnstar then turned to the apprentices. Swanpaw felt a shock of excitement rippling through her. They had a mission!
     "You apprentices are going to go over the border to PineClan, and appeal to them to help. If they are already involved in the battle, either way, come and find the rest of us, and join the fight."
     Redpaw, Moonpaw, Starlingpaw and Swanpaw nodded. The apprentices looked at each other, then, as if with an agreed decision, turned and raced up the path that led out of the hollow. Wind whipped in between Swanpaw's ears as she ran, threatening to tear them off. She vaguely knew the way to PineClan territory, but let Redpaw lead the way. The four cats plunged through the undergrowth, not caring about how much noise they made. Already they could hear the yowls and screeches of fighting cats, from quite a distance away. Swanpaw's heart was racing faster than they were running, hopping and leaping like a skittish deer.
     Soon they could see the moon through the trees, and smelt a strong, fresh scent. A few tall pine trees loomed in front of them.
     "This must be it!" Starlingpaw panted next to her sister. The other apprentices nodded and flattened their ears against their heads grimly.
     Very soon the tall birch and oak trees vanished, making way for tall, gangly pine trees whose prickly needles cast dappled shadows on the forest floor.
     The cats slowed down as they got deeper into the forest, their tails brushing the ground and rustling through the leaves. Finally, they reached a uneven clearing surrounded with thorns and ferns. At one side there was a steep cliff coated with heather and bracken, and a stream ran from a cleft in the rocks.
     "I think we're here!" Redpaw whispered, his voice echoing around the empty camp. It was obviously deserted though; a few grass dens were scattered around, but their scent was stale. The hope of finding someone to help them flooded out of Swanpaw. Her tail drooped, then she remembered what else Autumnstar had told them to do. The young she-cat turned to her friends.
     "Come on, we've got to go and help!"
     Redpaw gave her a brief, but warm nod, then started off into the forest. One by one, Swanpaw, Moonpaw and Starlingpaw followed the red tabby, their paces matching. Eight paws drummed silently over the sharp pine needles, the night air quiet yet dangerous. The apprentices ran faster than they'd ever run before, their legs pumping to the same rhythm, their breath coming in short gasps. It was almost like they were one huge, strong, swift cat with many hearts beating as one.
     The small patrol of apprentices had nearly reached the PineClan border, when suddenly, looming against the star-pricked night sky, were three, tall, powerful warriors. Swanpaw recognised the PineClan scent of needles and fresh wood surrounding them like a protective bubble. Starlingpaw let out a panicked, trapped hiss, her dark grey ears pinned to her head, blue eyes flashing with fear and defiance. One of the warriors leaned out of the shadows; yellow eyes glinted from a dark, scar crossed face.
     "Well, well, well, what's this then?" He sneered.
     Swanpaw gulped.

Hello again! Sorry it's been a while since I last updated. I tried to make this chapter a bit more exciting to make up for it!
Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner than this one was.
~Maple