Sunrise

Chapter 6

Mudpaw let out a gasp, but it was nothing compared to the cacophony of voices shrill and loud roaring in anger, fear, encouragement. He couldn't tell. Up on the wetrock, Sunshatter was lashing his tail. "Silence!" He yowled, and slowly the clamor of the assembled cats came to a slow murmur. Sunshatter looked down at Houndleap with an unreadable expression on his face. When he opened his mouth to speak, Mudpaw could tell he was gritting his teeth. "Very well, if Houndleap here thinks he can beat me in a fight, he shall go ahead." The calico Tom hissed. His voice was slow, deliberate, dangerous. As though it was a silky blanket covering a time bomb about to explode. 

Sunshatter leaped down from his perch. "Clear the way for the fighting!" Stormwhisker yowled from somewhere, pushing his way through the crowd. Mudpaw wondered how he felt about watching his brother challenged. The Tom's face was as unreadable as his brother's former one, as Sunshatter's face was twisted in fury and grim determination. Stormwhisker shifted beside  him. Mudpaw couldn't tell what the grey Medicine cat was thinking. Was he worried about his brother? Shocked that Houndleap had challenged him? He looked... hopeful. Mudpaw shuddered. He couldn't imagine what that could mean. Would Stormwhisker really want his brother dead? Mudpaw shook himself off. There was no way that was happening under his watch. 

Mudpaw cleared back with the others as the two toms began to circle one another. Houndleap's face was crinkled, deep in thought and obviously thinking hard.  Sunshatter frowned, and without warning, he leapt. Houndleap's eyes widened as they both tumbled down the hill towards the camp entrance. The clan let out a collective gasp. Mudpaw braced himself to shoot forward to check his friend was alright, but he felt a strong tug jerk him back, and he spun furiously into the face of Stormwhisker, who hissed at him to stay quiet. The Tom yanked him into a gap in the bushes, towards the river. "Go!" He hissed. "While you still can!" Mudpaw wrinkled his nose. "Leave? Now?! No way! You- your a crazy old cat!" Stormwhisker recoiled, and Mudpaw darted past him. The two toms were hissing and spitting now, and by the looks of it, Houndleap had been first to recover, He frowned. Looking around for Stormwhisker, he spun his head around, but the grey tom was nowhere to be seen. 

Sunshatter yowled as a hefty black paw met his face, jerking Mudpaw from his thoughts. Sunshatter covered and narrowed his eyes, lashing out wildly. Houndleap flinched, and the slim Tom took this as an opportunity to take advantage. He plowed forward, clumps of black and brown fur sticking out from his claws as white met black. Sun met moon. Day met night. Good met... evil? He wasn't sure which was which at this point. Sunshatter had the high ground now, and before long, he had pinned the large warrior to the ground. "Say goodbye!" The furious leader growled, his eyes narrow red slits. Mudpaw wasn't sure why he felt scared. Sunshatter was winning, wasn't he? That was good... right? But before his mentor could deal the killing bite, a figure burst out of the bushes, straight in front of his brother's path. "Wait!" Stormwhisker yowled as Sunshatter's jaws began to close.