Mapleshade's Revenge

Chapter Fifteen

Maplepaw started to leap towards Applepaw, but his own clanmate reached him first. She detected a faint rise and fall of his flank.

At least he's alive, Maplepaw thought holding in her breath.

"Great Starclan! What's happening?" Lionpaw whispered beside her.

Maplepaw opened her mouth to reply, but an alarmed yowl sounded behind her. She whipped around to see three foxes circling Honeysplash, Snowspeck, and Echoflight.

She slid out her claws and charged towards her clanmates.

"Maplepaw!" Lionpaw called after her.

Maplepaw barreled into a russet furred fox and began to sink her fangs into its flank. Chaos erupted around her.

She glanced around her for a heartbeat before receiving a painful blow to the head. All around Maplepaw, cats from all clans were battling. Elders huddled under some thistles, their hackles raised.

She ducked under a second blow from the fox and slid under its belly, raking her claws. It let out a screech and snapped at Maplepaw, snatching her forepaw in its jaws.

Maplepaw screamed in pain. She thrashed around, trying to free her paw. The pain was getting unbearable. The fox crushed her under its weight. It was becoming more difficult to breathe.

Then, the weight was lifted. Maplepaw opened an eye to see a handsome young tom with blood trickling from his neck battling the fox.

"Applepaw?" Maplepaw breathed. I thought he was badly injured!

"Come on Maplepaw! Help me here!" Applepaw growled through blows.

Maplepaw hauled herself to her paws, gasping as pain shot through her forepaw, and threw herself back onto the fox. Applepaw dug his claws into its tail, while Maplepaw bit its ears.

The fox shook the two apprentices off and darted away from Fourtrees.

Maplepaw let out a snarl, "You better run you filthy creature!"

Applepaw growled in agreement. He turned to Maplepaw,"You fight pretty good," He added, "For a she-cat. "

Maplepaw let out a mocking yowl and nipped his ear. "Come on! We've got foxes to chase!"

Applepaw nodded. "Let's go."

Maplepaw pounded to where Lionpaw and Echoflight were holding off a fox twice their size.

"Where are all these foxes coming from? "Applepaw hissed.

"Starclan knows!" Maplepaw growled as she launched herself onto the fox's back, digging her claws deep.

Now ignoring Echoflight and Lionpaw, the fox focused on Maplepaw. Applepaw quickly joined the fight.

After landing countless blows and bites to the creature, the fox wildly ran away, leaving a scarlet trail of blood.

Echoflight purred, "Thanks Maplepaw. "

Maplepaw panted, rivulets of blood rolling from a gash in her forehead, "Anytime."

Lionpaw stood a few tail-lenths back, watching with a disappointed look in his eyes.

Maplepaw gazed around the clearing. There were only two foxes left. Three cats chased one out of the territory, while Tumblestar, Frostwhisker, and Thorntooth took down the other. At last the clearing fell silent.

"I wonder if anyone joined Starclan tonight." Maplepaw flinched at Applepaw's voice beside her, forgetting he was standing there.

She flicked her bloodied tail, "I hope not."