Splashflight's Mistake (book one)

Chapter 8

A/N: map above is the whole territory! We are DewClan. The rouges that attacked live in the neutral territory. Splashpaw is attacked at the Hostile Twoleg clearing.

Splashpaw saw Venomrain and Cameltail fighting beside Redstrike and Aquastar. Snowtip and Treevice were there too, and Splashpaw saw two pairs of glowing eyes in the bushes, side by side. His mother clawed the twoleg's hing calf, and it dropped Splashpaw with a raging screech, stomping around in anger. It grabbed its stick and began whacking the ground vigorously with the hay covered end in an effort to make contact with Splashpaw's clanmates. He watched as they scattered frantically to get out of the way.

Splashpaw lay in a painful bloody heap, his injured paw mangled and useless under him. He struggled to his paws and limped heavily to refuge in the bushes, panting. His paw hung in a bloody limp mess behind him as he dragged it along, inch by painful inch. It seemed as if the bush was seasons away, yet he reached it it only a few agonizing heartbeats. He reached the bushes and collapsed in a heap.

Dawnpaw raced over to him, her eyes wide. Her ears were flattened and her eyes were crumpled in concern for her adopted brother. Morningpaw's menacing eyes cut through the dimly lit bush to Splashpaw, but he hardly noticed. He was too busy being shocked at Dawnpaw's note of serious worry for his injury. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay, Splashpaw?!" Dawnpaw ran gentle paws over his injury. She suddenly froze, turning to look behind her where Morningpaw was giving her a glare. Dawnpaw glared back, standing up for herself this time before something could even form in Morningpaw's mind. "I don't care what you say this time, Morningpaw! He's our brother, and he's in pain for StarClan's sake! Show at least a bit of sympathy!" She retorted to her before her sister could even open her mouth and spit out some sort of insult.

Splashpaw watched Morningpaw's eyes widen in anger, but she held back her claws, her amber eyes blazing. She seethed at Dawnpaw, and Splashpaw waited for something to happen anxiously. Finally, she spoke, causing Splashpaw to flinch. "Ugh! You little mousebrains!" She spat in the dirt beside Splashpaw and glared at them before whipping around and stomping away.

Dawnpaw watched her leave, her eyes sparkling with sadness and a tad bit of relief before she turned back to Splashpaw. She lowered her eyes guiltily, shuffling her paws. Splashpaw gave her a little nod. "Look... I don't know where to start, but... I guess I should start with an apology, so-" she looked down. "I'm sorry... You know how close me and Morningpaw had to be because our real mother died. But I know now that the way she acts is not the way I want to. Can you ever forgive me?" Her eyes pleaded him, staring into Splashpaw's eyes sadly. Splashpaw smiled.

"Thank you, Dawnpaw. Thank you..." Was all Splashpaw could say as Dawnpaw gave a smile of relief. Her shoulders visibly relaxed and she sighed.

"Ok. Lets get you to camp. The warriors can handle themselves... I need Nightgaze to take a look at you... I'd ask Poppystem, but she's sick with a bad case of greencough right now. Can you believe it? It's not even leafbare! I hope she gets better..." She wriggled underneath his shoulder and hoisted him up as she rambled, and Splashpaw gave a grunt as he got to his paws once more.

He groaned as he limped along, leaning heavily on Dawnpaw's shoulder. It seemed like forever when he finally got to camp, and he gratefully sank into the nest, stretching out his injured paw for Nightgaze to examine before falling fast asleep.