The blades of the sun

Chapter 15

Oakpaw swiped his claws at a cats cheek. They yowled and twisted to meet his gaze, Oakpaw gulped as he realized he had made a big mistake. He had just attacked Crowmask, the deputy of Badgerclan, there was no way he could win a battle against him! He had to try anyway, perhaps one of his clanmates would see him fighting and race to help him. Crowmask lunged at him and Oakpaw ducked to dodge him, he quickly raked his claws against the deputies side, blood dripped from his claws and he felt a surge of satisfaction. The deputy tried to hit him again but Oakpaw rolled away, he was about to deal his next blow when he suddenly stopped. He gave out an agonized yowl as he felt Crowmask's teeth strongly dig into his hind leg.  He felt blood gush out of his leg and begged for someone to help him, he couldn't get Crowmask off! Panic rose inside him but he felt relief as a fox looking she-cat slammed Crowmask off of him. He went to go help her with her fight but he fell to the ground. I've lost to much blood! I need to help my clan! I need to keep-

Oakpaw woke up, the memory of his dream still burning in his mind. Two sunrises had passed since Badgerclan attacked camp while Rippleclan was at the gathering and he couldn't stop dreaming about his battle with Crowmask. He had spent the past nights in the medicine cat den as his leg wound was quite serious, every time he went to sleep he kept reliving his battle with Crowmask. Honeypaw and Yellowstripe were extremely worried about his wound but Oakpaw felt proud knowing he would have a scar on his leg to prove he fought in the battle. But what had satisfied him the most was that Solstice had come to check on him and showed that he cared, even if he hadn't made eye contact with him, he still came.

" You need to go to sleep Oakpaw after tonight you can go back to your apprentice duties." Webfoot meowed. Oakpaw felt a surge of annoyance and happiness, going back to training would be good but every time he went to sleep he dreamed of the battle. He sighed and tried to sleep one last time.

Oakpaw stared around his dream, there were dark trees and he couldn't see the sun. Mist echoed around the bushes and Oakpaw looked around, where was he? He twitched his ears as he heard paw steps behind him and a familiar scent hit his nose.

" Greetings Oakpaw, it is nice to see you in my territory for once." Brakenclaw meowed behind Oakpaw. Oakpaw spun around to meet Brakenclaw's gaze, should he tell him about the battle?

" Badgerclan attack our camp while we were at the gathering a few nights ago," Oakpaw announced. Brakenclaw flicked his ears as if he had been there and Oakpaw carried on. " I attacked Crowmask without realizing it was him, I lost the battle of course." Oakpaw meowed and glanced at his injured hind leg.

" Did you expect to win? No one else would have, I saw you at the battle and you did pretty good against Crowmask. The side wound you gave him got slightly infected!" Brakenclaw praised him. Oakpaw felt joy pulse through him, his hard work had actually paid off! 

" Will the infection kill him?" Oakpaw meowed an edge of worry to his voice. He knew Badgerclan and Ravenclan were fox-hearts but in the end did any cat deserve to die? 

" Only Starclan knows. I have someone for you to meet today." Brakenclaw announced. Oakpaw tilted his head, who else was getting trained at nigh by Brakenclaw? He felt his fur rise as a ginger-colored apprentice emerged from the mist, he remembered him from the battle!

" You! I remember you from the invasion!" Oakpaw hissed. The apprentice flinched as if he had been expecting a more welcome greeting from Oakpaw. Oakpaw tried to remember the apprentice's name, but it wouldn't click into his mind.

" Chill out Oakpaw, here we have no enemies. This is Tawnypaw, from now on he will be training with you." Brakenclaw mumbled. Oakpaw narrowed his eyes but then stopped, perhaps it was okay to be friends with an enemy in a dream. Changing his mind about being hostile to Tawnypaw, Oakpaw gave him a friendly nod.

" Today we shall-" Brakenclaw began to meow but Oakpaw felt himself waking up into reality. He woke up to a yowl and a stampede of paw steps. Great Starclan, what is it now?!