Lurking Shadows - Specklepaw/ Pigeonfeather POV

Chapter 7

Specklepaw fizzed with excitement as she padded after Foxfern, Falconsoar, Jaguarpaw, Magpiewing and Blazepaw on a patrol. She pricked her ears as she saw a squirrel burying an acorn under a pile of leaves. However, her brother had spotted it first. He crept towards it stealthily and pounced on it, killing it quickly, before burying it. “Nice catch!” Blazepaw mewed.
“Thanks,” Jaguarpaw nodded. The three apprentices trotted after their mentors as they went into the forest.

“I smell a rabbit,” Specklepaw said excitedly, not noticing the fact that everybody seemed on edge. This is my chance to show Jaguarpaw my hunting skills! He'll be soooooo jealous. Specklepaw thought, dropping into a hunting crouch.
A noise sounded from the bushes and a black tom casually padded out. Specklepaw leaped to her paws as the stench of ShadowClan hit her nose.
“What are you doing here?” Specklepaw mewed indignantly, “You just scared o-” Specklepaw stopped speaking as her mentor slapped her tail across her mouth. Falconsoar padded up to to the intruding tom as a large brown she cat joined him.  "What are you doing on our territory?” Falconsoar snarled.
“What are you going to do about it? We can go wherever we want,” the tom retorted. Shocked, Specklepaw opened her mouth to reply, then stopped as Foxfern fixed her a stern glare. More ShadowClan warriors appeared. “Are you so mousebrained that you would fight a patrol bigger than your own?” the black cat's eyes sparkled with torment. Specklepaw shuffled her paws nervously; she didn't want to go into battle.

A ginger tortoiseshell she cat bunched her muscles and leaped at Specklepaw. Squealing in surprise, Specklepaw tried to roll the opposing she cat off her but she was too heavy. “Still a kit, are you?” the ShadowClan cat teased. Specklepaw wriggled hopelessly under the cat's grip as she felt her claws dig into her shoulders. The ginger cat bared her teeth, about to sink them into Specklepaw's neck. The weight was lifted of her as Magpiewing thrust the she cat into the brambles. “Thanks,” Specklepaw panted to her clanmate. Magpiewing disappeared into the crowd of fighting cats. Specklepaw looked around anxiously. She wanted to help her clan fight but she found battles so scary! However, the decision was already made for her. The bushes rustled and a dusky brown she cat leaped on top of her. Specklepaw thrust her hind legs up, flinging the light she cat off. Fluffing up her fur,  she ducked under her belly and swiped at her hind legs, toppling the ShadowClan cat over. She leaped on top of the dusky brown cat, swiping at her belly with thorn-sharp claws. A force pushed her off the she cat as she faced the ginger tortoiseshell from before. Baring her teeth, she advanced towards the she cat and pounced. The large tortoiseshell batted her away with a paw. “Is that all you've got, mousebrained apprentice?” she teased. “Oh I suppose I should introduce myself so you will know who will rip you to shreds. My name is Flamepatch.”
Bunching up her muscles, Specklepaw leaped with all her power towards Flamepatch. She twisted in mid-air, surprising the senior warrior, and dived under the flame-coloured cat's belly. She teared fur up from her soft belly but was stopped in her tracks as Flamepatch lay down. The opposing warrior calmly licked a paw whilst meowing, “You really thought I was surprised by that, did you? I always keep my promises.” Gasping for air, Specklepaw tried desperately to wriggle free but it was no use. She was trapped.

Specklepaw closed her eyes, waiting to be ripped to shreds by the advanced warrior. Suddenly, Sparrowflight flung herself at Flamepatch.
"Run!" She yowled to Specklepaw. Ignoring the stinging of her wounds, Specklepaw rushed into the battle to help her clanmates.

While she had been pinned down, Darksong, Bluefeather, Greypath, Stripedflower and Sparrowflight had came to help the patrol. She took in a few gulps of air, but spotted Jaguarpaw struggling against a large, dusky brown she cat. The she cat bent down to deliver a killing bite.
"Get off him!" Specklepaw yowled, charging towards the she cat and dragging her off Jaguarpaw. Snarling, the enemy warrior grappled with Specklepaw until a yowl rang out into the clearing.

“ShadowClan retreat!” At once, all the enemy warriors fled off into the pine forest. Specklepaw stretched her aching muscles. The clearing was covered in blood and clumps of fur. Despite the help, nobody left the clearing without scratches showing on their pelt.

Back at camp, the clan was milling around the patrol anxiously, before Whiteberry, Thistledawn and Maplepaw came to check out the injured cats. Exhaustion shone in Jaguarpaw's eyes and now he lent against Specklepaw, panting. After her wounds were checked, Specklepaw went straight to her nest and fell asleep.