if Mapleshade's kits lived

Chapter 24

Mapleshade didn't back down. "why should I? this is my new clan!" Appledusk hissed. "don't say that ever again!" The tom yowled.

Appledusk unsheathed his claws. "I should kill you now!"

Mapleshade grinned. "you want to fight? let's fight!"

Patchstar blocked Mapleshade from hurting Appledusk, leaving a gash on his side.

"don't hurt him!"

Mapleshade growled and then grinned and pinned him down.

Patchstar aimed a paw-swipe at Mapleshade's neck, but Mapleshade bent his paw.

Patchstar yowled in pain.

He limped down, giving up.

Appledusk widened his eyes and leaped at Mapleshade.

Appledusk teared Mapleshade's pelt off.

Mapleshade snapped her jaws at his neck.

Patchstar widened his eyes and ripped Mapleshade off of him.

"stay away from my father!"

He slapped Mapleshade's cheek and pinned her down.

He shook in anger and clawed her eye and nose.

He jerked his claws across her pelt, raking them everywhere.

Patchstar sank his teeth into her ragged belly fur, but felt his paw ache.

So he fell to the ground, "I'm done, I give up!" he closed his eyes, and fell limp.

But pawsteps edged close to him. "no! I don't want to--" He looked up at Larch.

His brother sighed. "that's what a quitter says," he hissed. Patchstar sighed.

"it's true," Larch closed his eyes. "you can do this, Mapleshade is weak, a great target, go out there."

Patchstar struggled up and clenched his jaws.

He leaped at Mapleshade and raked his claws across her belly.

But Mapleshade slid out. "you fought me, I took care of you, nursed you!"

Patchstar winced. "that's all in the past, I'm here because of Appledusk, and my destiny is right here, fighting you!"

He leaped at Mapleshade, but Mapleshade kicked him off.

"now, I can't do it, I'm losing a life..." he closed his eyes.