Book 2: City of Ice and Fire (a warriors cats and shadowhunters crossover)

Chapter 24: You Can't Save Everyone Arowheart (Malec)

****Sparkpaw's POV****

It was needless to say that Sparkpaw and Simon had been caught off guard when the badgers attacked. The small, flame-colored she-cat found herself quickly separated from her mentor and Patchfur as the battle began. Her only reassurance was that Simon was still by her side as they were pressed up against a dead tree stump withered with old age.

RAWWWRRR

A big black-white head snapped at her with gnashing yellow teeth. Sparkpaw barely avoided getting bit on the muzzle as she spun away. Her heart beat frantically in her chest as she avoided another lumbering blow from a second badger. This one had been trying to knock her legs out from under her. For the most part, it was unsuccessful in its attempt, though it had gotten the small apprentice a little off balance, nicking one of her sides in the process.

"Sparkpaw watch out!" Simon yowls.

Sparkpaw swivels her head just in time to see the first badger trying its second attempt to tear her apart one ferocious bite at a time. Snarling with rage, Simon slams into the massive creature with brute force. The tabby tom sinks his pristine white fangs into what had to have been stinking fur on the animal's shoulder. Blood spurts from the wound making a metallic scent fill the air. The badger screeches angrily, battering him with its powerful paws until Simon let go and rolled away from a retaliation bite.

"Thanks!" She calls out to him before taking her own swing at one of the other badgers. This one foamed after the mouth, it's big eyes beady and dark with anger. She uses a swift precision to rake her claws across its chest before sprinting away. Sparkpaw lands next to Simon, taking in long gulps of cold air.

"Don't mention it. Where are all these things coming from anyways?!" Simon growls at the badgers as they prowl closer yet again.

Crimson blood coated the snout of the one that had been bitten earlier. The other one had a chunk of fur torn of its shoulder, leaving it fleshy and spewing blood. Sparkpaw felt grim satisfaction at the pain they were in, her own sides heaving with strain from the scratches the badgers had nicked her with earlier.

"I have no idea. We just have to keep moving." She tells him.

"Sure. Do we have a plan?" Her friend asks. Simon's tabby fur was all fluffed up, his amber eyes searing into their opponents.

"We send these guys running and then find Arrowheart and Patchfur! They'll know what to do." Sparkpaw tells him. Arrowheart had to have some idea how to handle these monsters, and if he did not then surely Patchfur would.

"Sounds like a plan." Without waiting for anymore preamble, Simon leaps onto the burliest of the two badgers. The tabby vampire lands square on the things back, going to town with his claws on the black and white animal's scruff.

RRRRREEEEEEEEE

The badger lets out an outraged cry. The thing tries desperately to buck Simon off, but is unable to do so as the tom's claws sink deeper into its skin. Sparkpaw follows her friend's example with the other badger. She attacks the creature's face first, scoring her claws right across those beady eyes. The flame colored she-cat watches the badger stagger back before leaping onto its back, scratching at its back with furious swipes.

RRRRRAAAAAAAAA

It isn't long before the two badgers are running for the hills. Simon and Sparkpaw are panting for air by the time they finally slide off the massive creatures' backs. Her ginger fur felt sweat soaked from all the effort she had been putting in just moments before, her heart hammering away in her chest with the volatility of an rapidly pounding jackhammer on wooden planks. For each plank that was broken the thuds became louder and all the more painful.