Warriors #4: Darkness Awakens

Chapter 28

Lilypetal's POV

Immediately after Blackstar's words, his ShadowClan warriors leaped at us, and the battle had begun.

There wasn't time for me to be scared at all. The adrenaline was rushing through me, and I knew I had to jump into the battle and fight for my Clan, no matter how worried I was that my battle moves may be rusty, or my strength might not be up to par.

At least I knew I was far beyond my days of actually fainting after a battle, like I had shamefully done in the eclipse battle many moons ago.

Some cats in ThunderClan still hadn't let me live that down, unfortunately.

Like I said, now was not the time to let things like that get to me. I pursued the first cat I saw that had a ShadowClan scent. After giving them a single swipe across the muzzle, I then proceeded to pin them down.

I then met the green eyes of who I knew to be Tawnypelt; Brambleclaw's sister who had left ThunderClan seasons ago to be with her father. She had gone on the sun-drown place journey and was known to be one of ShadowClan's toughest fighters and most dedicated warriors.

I certainly didn't let that get to me, though. I sunk one of my claws into the tortoiseshell she-cat's shoulder, and used my other paw to give her a few rakes to the belly. Before Tawnypelt could even attempt to kick me off of her, I confused her a little bit by rolling to my side, making sure I picked myself up immediately.

I tried to swipe at Tawnypelt again, but she ducked her head down and then leaped into my flank. I fell over with her push, and she was able to rake her claws deeply into my flank. I couldn't suppress a yowl of pain, and for a moment I felt helpless to fight back.

Then, suddenly, I watched as another cat jumped into my sight and managed to bowl over Tawnypelt, and I felt her claws disappear and become detached from my side. I lifted my head up to see that Swiftpaw had saved me from a potentially serious injury. He had Tawnypelt pinned down once again and was raking at her side. Although she was down on the ground, I could tell that it wouldn't be for long.

Swiftpaw can't fight Tawnypelt all by himself! I realized before running up to help him.

Side by side, Swiftpaw and I swiped at Tawnypelt several times, our movements matching more and more with each swipe.

Eventually, as Tawnypelt was weakening, she let out a long hiss, turned around and then limped away. Swiftpaw and I exchanged a triumphant glance before he almost immediately leaped back into the battle.

I shook my head slowly in amazement. You'd think Swiftpaw had been fighting in battles for seasons! I thought. He's going to be one of ThunderClan's fiercest fighters, I can see it now.

As I was about to run back into the battle, I paused as realized how deeply past the border, the border we were fighting over, that ThunderClan was. The battle was practically happening in ThunderClan territory.

This is the opposite of what is supposed to happen!

I moved my head quickly around the clearing, seeing if there was any chance that ThunderClan had already begun to make any advances, and to my luck, I noticed Brambleclaw talking to Thornclaw and Brackenfur a little ways from the fighting.

Desperate to see if a solution was being created, I ran as quickly as I could over to them, making sure no ShadowClan cat's claws met my fur in the meantime.

Once I arrived over to them, Brambleclaw had disappeared, and Brackenfur and Thornclaw were speaking to Toadstep, Foxleap, Swiftpaw, Ivypaw and Dovepaw.