Blazing Darkness

Chapter 14

Gingerspot and a few other cats were staring at the kit in shock. Moonkit was play fighting with Cloudkit when she suddenly did a move a full warrior is taught only in apprenticeship.

Moonkit suddenly darted into the nursery. Gingerspot felt sorry for the kit but she still couldn't get over how well her fighting skills were. Briarwing padded up to her with wide excited eyes.

"Did you see Moonkit? She fought like a warrior," Briarwing meowed. Gingerspot nodded, "Yeah, and I can't believe she wants to be a medicine cat."

The two she-cats nodded in agreement. Then Briarwing jumped up excitedly, "Did you hear? Lionpaw and Berrypaw are having there warrior assessment today." Gingerspot purred, "Its about time you and Lionpaw became mates."

The brown and white she-cat ducked her head, embarrassed. Gingerspot laughed. Stormcloud approached Gingerspot while she laughed with Briarwing. "Hey, Gingerspot can you watch Berrypaw in her assessment today?" the deputy meowed.

"Why isn't Branchstar doing it?" she asked curiously. "He said he scented dogs close to our border so he is taking a special patrol to scout it out," Stormcloud meowed calmly.

Gingerspot looked at Briarwing and the she-cat gave her an encouraging nod. Gingerspot nodded, "Ok when do I need to start?" "Now."

Gingerspot rushed out of camp to go find Berrypaw. She found the small light brown tabby apprentice in the grass meadow in the middle of the territory.

Berrypaw suddenly dropped into a crouch. Gingerspot watched as she crept forward silently. Berrypaw sprung forward and disappeared into the long grass. A moment later the young she-cat popped up with a fat mouse in her jaws.

Gingerspot was surprised with the plump piece of prey in leaf-fall. Berrypaw buried the mouse and walked away to go find something else.

Gingerspot followed her quietly. Berrypaw suddenly pricked her ears. Gingerspot pricked her ears too, wondering what the she-cat heard. Then, suddenly she felt the ground rumble underneath her.

Out of no where two huge dogs crashed into the meadow. As they layed eyes on Berrypaw they licked their lips excitedly. Gingerspot rushed over to Berrypaw's side to face the dogs.

The apprentice gave her a shocked look but didn't complain. The biggest dog, which was all brown, lunged at Gingerspot. The ginger and white long furred warrior slashed her claws across its muzzle.

The dog howled in pain but didn't back down. Berrypaw and Gingerspot were back to back hissing and growling at the dogs. "We need to get on there backs," Gingerspot hissed. Berrypaw nodded and snarled at the smaller dog which was creeping closer.

"On the count of three we are both going to leap at the biggest dog," Gingerspot yowled. Berrypaw nodded. "Ok. One, two, three!"

Berrypaw and Gingerspot sprung onto the bigger dog. Gingerspot bit down on its front leg while Berrypaw clawed her way up to its back. But just as the apprentice bit down onto its ear the smaller dog latched its sharp teeth into her side.

Gingerspot gasped as she saw Berrypaw be torn away from the big dog and be shaken like a toy in the smaller dogs jaws. Gingerspot tryed to rush over to help her clanmate when the big dog push her to the ground with a huge paw.

The dog snarled in her face before raising its huge head to get ready to bite down into her neck. Is this how I will die? She thought fearfully. Gingerspot closed her eyes waiting for Starclan to come get her when she felt the paw that was on her chest lift.

She sprang to her paws to see Branchstar, Stormcloud, and Mistyberry attacking both of the dogs. Gingerspot ran over to help Stormcloud who was taking on the small dog all by himself.

He looked at her in relief as she joined him. As Stormcloud sliced at the dogs muzzle she quickly ran her claws through its flank. The dog whimpered with pain.

It turned to snap at Gingerspot but she was too fast. She darted over to its tail and bit down hard. The dog howled. Stormcloud ran under the dogs belly and put his sharp claws right through its soft belly.

That sent the dog running while whining and howling in pain. Stormcloud and Gingerspot raced over to help Branchstar and Mistyberry. Gingerspot suddenly stopped in horror as she saw the big dog bite into her leaders back and throw him against a nearby tree.

She felt a new strength within her as she charged at the brown dog. She leaped onto its back and sunk her teeth into the back of its neck. Dark red blood quickly flowed out of the wound she made.

The brown dog turned to try and get her of its back but it whimpered painfully as the wound stretched open wider.

Gingerspot jumped off the huge dogs as it limped away into the forest towards the twolegplace. She then ran over to where Branchstar was weakly getting to his feet.

The wound where the dog had bit him on the back was now gone. Branchstar looked at her with weak eyes. "Is every cat ok?" he murmured weakly.

She looked around and saw Mistyberry and Stormcloud padding over to them. But she didn't see Berrypaw. "Where's Berrypaw?" Branchstar asked, saying her thoughts.

Gingerspot suddenly remembered that the smaller dog had tossed the she-cat around like a toy. She then saw a trail of blood.

Gingerspot nervously followed it. She desperately hoped that the brown she-cat was ok. As she neared the tree where the blood trail came to a stop her heart seemed to drop into her stomach.

A brown mound of fur lay next to the tree. That lifeless form made Gingerspot back away in shock and horror. There was never a safe moment in life. Never ever.