Warriors: Falling Stars Book 1: Sunlight

Chapter 2

Spottedpaw yowled as she threw herself at a ginger tom, latching onto his back. He yowled in shock and quickly turned his head around, giving Spottedpaw the oppurtunity to slash his muzzle. He screeched in pain and rolled over, crushing Spottedpaw under his back. Dazed, she laid still as he leaped to his feet and slashed his claws over her belly. Spottedpaw shrieked and struggled to escape when the tom leaned down, his amber eyes slanted. "What, is StormClan sending kits out to fight now?" He hissed, mocking her small size.

Spottedpaw growled. "I'm an apprentice!" She squirmed under his weight, but the tom was too big for her to escape. He raised a paw, claws unsheathed, and Spottedpaw gasped. His paw was slightly twisted and covered in scars. He smirked, noticing her scared expression. "The thunderpath." He answered her question without her needing to ask. Raising the mangled foot, he was about to swipe when a gray tom flew into him, knocking him off the she-cat.

Spottedpaw gasped and staggered to her feet, her belly aching in pain from the scratches on it. She turned to see the red tom pinned down by a larger gray tom. "Riverheart!" Spottedpaw sighed in relief. Her father had the tom pinned down, slashing at his flank. The she-cat watched the two cats fight before turning around to charge back into battle.

Spottedpaw hissed at a blue-gray she-cat who was swiping at Silverstripe, a silver and black tabby warrior of StormClan. She approached the cat from behind and bit down on her tail, causing her to yowl in pain and pull her tail out of Spottedpaw's jaws. Spottedpaw snarled and slashed the she-cat's muzzle, who whimpered before turning to growl back at her.

Spottedpaw ducked out of the way of a paw swipe, but wasn't ready for the she-cat's leap. She bowled into Spottedpaw and they rolled over into RidgeClan territory. The she-cat had Spottedpaw pinned to a rock, slashing her muzzle and forepaws as Spottedpaw fought to protect her already injured belly. With a yelp of surprise, The she-cat was lifted off the apprentice and thrown back into StormClan territory. "Keep your dirty paws off of her!" Silverstripe hissed, before turning to Spottedpaw again. "You okay?" She asked, helping the calico cat back on her paws.

"Thanks," she murmured breathlessly, struggling to stay on her feet. I don't know if I can keep up much longer!

"RidgeClan, retreat!" A white she-cat yowled, her fur matted with blood. She turned to watch her cats, making sure they all made it over the border line.

"But Gorsetail!" The red tom protested. "We can keep going! I can still fight!"

"No, Scarfoot!" She snarled back. "There will be other battles to prove our worth. Too much blood has been spilled over this border fight."

The tom hissed at Riverheart and headed over to his deputy, head down.

"This isn't over," the blue she-cat spat at Silverstripe before heading after her clanmates.

The StormClan cats yowled in triumph as they watched the three RidgeClan cats disappear into their territory. Spottedpaw felt her heart swell with pride. My first battle! And we won!

"Spottedpaw!" Fernpaw called as he ran over to his sister. Licking her ear, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she replied. "We really showed those RidgeClan cats!"

The gray tom nodded enthusiastically, his green eyes shinning. "I got my first battle scar!" He smiled triumphantly, flicking his right ear that now had a nick in it.

Spottedpaw winced as the scar reminded her of her wounds. The scratches throbbed and she suddenly felt dizzy. She focused on the earth, taking deep breaths and shaking her head. Suddenly she felt something grab her scruff. She relaxed, recognizing the scent of her father.

"You fought well," Silverstripe purred, licking a scratch on her paw. Spottedpaw couldn't help but notice how worried she looked when she examined Spottedpaw's wounds. "You look pretty shaken up. Clearmist will take care of you." Spottedpaw smiled weakly. She felt embarrassed, having to be carried like a kit, but she wasn't sure if she could make it back to camp herself. She sighed and let Riverheart carry her.

Mudpaw limped over to Riverheart and sniffed Spottedpaw nervously. "Is she going to be okay?" He mewed, examining her wounds.

Spottedpaw felt Riverheart nod as they continued to camp. Mudpaw stared at Spottedpaw a little more before padding up beside Fernpaw to tell him about how he had attacked Gorsetail, the RidgeClan deputy. Spottedpaw smiled at how proud they looked, discussing their battle moves that had sent the cats running.

Slowly, the rocking of each step Riverheart took caused Spottedpaw's eyes to droop. She sighed softly and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her as she hung from the gray tom's jaws.

When Spottedpaw awoke, she was lying on a bed of moss. Every muscle ached; she tried to sit up, but merely groaned and laid back down.

"Spottedpaw, don't try to move!" A she-cat's voice caused Spottedpaw to shift her head. A light orange tabby padded quickly over to her and sniffed her wounds. "You moved your bandages a bit," she grumbled, shifting the cobwebs on her side and belly gently. Spottedpaw still winced. "Thanks, Lilypaw." she smiled grimly. "How are the others?"

"They'll manage, just like you." She replied as she crushed some herbs with a rock. "RidgeClan has attacked our border patrols far too often recently," Lilypaw commented to herself as she wrapped up the polituce she had been making in a large leaf. "I wonder if there really are StormClan warriors stealing their prey."

"Nonsense!" Silverstripe grumbled. Spottedpaw twitched her ears and realized that the she-cat was lying right behind her. "StormClan warriors are much more trustworthy and respectable than those dungeaters! What has Clearmist been telling you?"

"That I should be polite to senior warriors," she replied as she brought the polituce to the entrance of the den. "Speaking of Clearmist, she's waiting for me in the Elder's Den."

"The Elder's Den?" Silverstripe asked. "Why, are Quickleap's joints acting up again?"

Lilypaw shook her head. "Riverheart, Fernpaw and Mudpaw are in there since there isn't enough room for you all in here." She turned to look at the two she-cats. "You should get some rest. The sooner you heal, the sooner you can get back to warrior duties." And with that, the tabby she-cat picked up her bundle and left.

"Rest?" Silverstripe grumbled. "I'm not an elder yet..."

Spottedpaw listened to the senior warrior's incoherent grumbling as she closed her eyes. Guess I should listen to her. I want to go back to my warrior duties as soon as possible!

Spottedpaw slowly felt her wounds' throbbing drift away as she fell asleep, leaving her pain behind.