Warrior Cats Book 2: Cat and Mouse-Dusk of the Clans

Chapter 26

His pelt stung like fire from wounds, but when ShadowClan came to help, it sparked new hope in him. Foxflame fought hard, he fought for his clan, for his life, for the life of those around him, this was ThunderClan land, RiverClan and WindClan didn't belong her, and soon enough, they would know that. The rogues had come toward the end of the fight, fighting with ThunderClan, and he had a nagging feeling that maybe Shadowspirit was behind their rescue.
He didn't have time to think about it though, he was still belly-deep in the fight, helping his tortoiseshell apprentice fight. Lilypaw may be quiet outside of battle, but in battle she fought hard, yowling insults an threats to her opponents, if they weren't fighting for their lives it may have been amusing. "Oh no you don't you rotten worm!" He heard her spit as she held onto a RiverClan apprentice, sinking her claws into its hindquarters before the cat could run.
Foxflame turned to face another warrior, his teeth bared in a snarl as he rose to his hind legs, claws unsheathed as he slashed down at the russet warrior. He reared up to meet him, wrestling with the enemy warrior, gritting his teeth in pain as claws dug into his shoulders. The enemy warrior wrestled him to the ground with a triumphant growl, baring his teeth to strike as Foxflame landed blows to the cats chest, raking his stomach in an attempt to dislodge his enemy. Foxflame gasped as the cat was dragged off of him, leaping unsteadily to his paws to see Rotfrost, the huge tabby delivered a hefty blow to the side of the other cats muzzle, landing the next hard blow to the top of its head. The warrior yelped, pulling away from the brawny ShadowClan warrior, and disappeared into the fight once more. Rotfrost met his gaze, and they nodded, fighting side by side as allies, Foxflame darting in to deliver quick strikes, while Rotfrost plowed the enemy cats with hard blows.
Foxflame panted, his head spinning a bit from exhaustion, but the tide of enemy warriors was thinning slowly but surely. He let out a triumphant cry, feeling blood splatter on the ground as well as his muzzle when he tore a WindClan she-cat's delicate ear skin in is claws. The thin warrior yowled in pain, her eyes glittering with malice as she struck a stinging blow to his shoulder, leaping onto his back with a hiss, claws digging into his pelt.
Foxflame leaped up, landing and shaking instead of rolling to dislodge the enemy cat as he had been taught for some circumstances. He felt the she-cat's grip on his pelt loosen, and twisted his head, sinking his fangs into her scruff as she fell slightly off him. With a strong shove he reared up, slinging the enemy cat away from him with his jaws, the WindClan warrior yelping as she collided into a RiverClan tom.
Foxflame turned to see a Rotfrost wrestling with two RiverClan warriors, preparing to go to his aid, but the ShadowClan warrior didn't seem to need it as he took hold of a cats scruff, shaking it fiercely before pinning the cat down with his front paws, kicking out strongly with his hind legs to send the other reeling backwards. Foxflame felt relief settling over him, the battle clearly thinning out as ThunderClan and ShadowClan warriors ran after a few retreating enemies in pursuit, the battle becoming less hectic with the help of the rogues.
He turned, looking for another opponent, when he saw a black she-cat start to race up the slope, towards the ShadowClan border. Time froze as he stared at the cat, her black fur was smooth, and sleek muscle rippled beneath it, even before he saw the small she-cat's twisted front paw, he knew it was Shadowspirit. Her ears had more tears in them from past fights, and she had a few new scars on her pelt, along with fresh slash marks from the fight.
Foxflame raced up the slope before she could disappear over the rise, a yowl tearing from his throat, "Shadowspirit! I won't let you leave again!" She froze stiffly, and he stared up at her, his sides heaving from the fight, as well as running after her. She turned around slowly, her eyes full of fear and sadness as they focused down on her paws, there were so many things that flooded through his mind, so many things to say, but all he managed to whisper was, "Why?"
Her shoulders sagged, her eyes clenched shut, her claws digging into the ground until finally, "I-I had to, I wish I could tell you, but I just... I just can't..."
Foxflame opened his jaws to tell her he didn't care, to tell her that he loved her, and that he missed her, but before he got any words out he saw Batstar appear behind her, fur bristling, and eyes glowing in anger as he snarled at her, she whipped around, ears pinned with shock as he spat, "Order my warriors around, convince them to ignore their leaders word, huh? Rotten mangy rogue!"
Foxflame forced his frozen paws to move as the ShadowClan leader dove in to strike, his teeth bared, his eyes flashing in fury, fangs aiming for his mate's neck. His heart pounded in his ears as he lunged forward to knock her away from the leaders blow, a desperate yowl leaping from his throat, "Shadowspirit, move!"