[Strelles] Strike the Match

Chapter 11: The Moon's Fang (Edited)

Cardinalpaw panted, the scratches littering his body stinging painfully as he disengaged from his enemy. A blinding white light shone from no-where, piercing his eyes as he shook his head furiously. He tripped over his own paws when what felt like another set of claws dug deep into his skin, sending him slamming into the ground with a yowl of terror. Blood filled his mouth as he bit his tongue, scrambling frantically back to his paws so he couldn't be ambushed. He whipped around in panic, watching in horror as more and more enemies clawed their way from the very shadows; no discernible features visible on their forms. They snarled angrily, lunging towards his factionmates menacingly. Cardinalpaw fought back with all that he had, yelping again when braising fangs sank into the scruff of his neck and tried to throw him.

He struggled to free himself, lashing out desperately; his claws sliding through the shadowy cats but never seeming to catch, never seeming to bother them.

It was only a piercing, grief stricken howl ringing through the air that seemed to bring the chaos to a halt.

Jackdawpaw? He recognized immediately.

The teeth holding him seemed to disappear on the spot and Cardinalpaw darted forward through the suddenly thick throng of cats. He shoved and slipped his way though the crowd, desperate to reach the front where he could hear his friend and see-

Nothing much in the dim light of the cadet's den as a sharp feeling prodded his back.

Cardinalpaw sprung to his paws immediately, muscles still tense for battle. His pinna were pulled flush against his face and he bared his teeth, snarling the best he could as he lashed out in the direction of the paw. He couldn't hear anything over the bounding of his heart, the surrounding area seemed blurry; he couldn't recognize anyone. He tensed again as a shadow approached him, hissing immediately in warning.

The silhouette froze, a leg in the air as if startled by his reaction.

Cardinalpaw growled again as his vision slowly began to clear up, the haze of sleep fading from his gaze. He blinked slowly, allowing the fog to fade more and more as the sounds of the den began to filter into his ears.

He blinked again the silhouette was now Tigerslash, standing wide-eyed with a paw outstretched as if about to poke him again. The large tom slowly lowered his paw to the ground, unsure how to proceed.

He turned his head to see his denmates all crowded together.

Jackdawpaw had moved away at some point, now sporting a notched ear a set of clawmarks on his muzzle that he immediately felt terrible for. He'd done that? Ravenpaw seemed unscathed thankfully, curled between his equally alarmed brother Wrenpaw and the wide-eyed Chaffinchpaw. He couldn't see Swallowtailpaw and Quietpaw at first, but then he spotted a flash of ginger fur behind Tigerslash and figured they were hiding from him.

Cardinalpaw swallowed his guilt and nerves, his pinna drooping a little and he walked towards his friends. To their credit, they didn't flinch despite clearly being alarmed by whatever he'd done in his sleep. He pressed his nose to Jackdawpaw's cheek guilty.

"... I'm sorry," he apologized quietly.

"It's okay," Jackdawpaw told him immediately before pausing. "...are you okay?"

Cardinalpaw looked towards his paws, "It was just a nightmare."

"Some nightmare," Chaffinchpaw said, visibly spooked. "It was like you were taming boars."

I wish, Cardinalpaw thought to himself. Taming boars at least wouldn't have been so intimidating.

"...come on," he said aloud, nudging Jackdawpaw again. "You need to see Spottedholly."