Warriors: The Blood Moon Rises

Chapter Nine

It had been 3 moons since Umberpaw had been accepted into the clan for her act of heroism. She got off to a very late start. She had spent about a moon in the medicine den recovering from all the rat bites. Crowbeak, the medicine cat, had told her that she was lucky she hadn't been paralyzed. Crowbeak and Umberpaw got to know each other very well. Umberpaw was extremely harsh and sour toward the kind medicine cat at first, but her stubbornness disappeared. Umberpaw still had a limp in one of her back legs, but it didn't keep her from hunting and fighting normally.
Umberpaw stretched out under the afternoon sun. She was proud of herself after catching a fat thrush, and thought that she deserved a nice little rest. Umberpaw glanced at Shadowpaw picking through the fresh kill pile. Picky little furball, she thought, as Berrypaw approached Shadowpaw from behind. Berrypaw shoved her forward, snatching the prey she was about to grab.
"Hey! I worked hard to get that one!" Shadowpaw snatched the fat mouse by the tail and tugged it back. Berrypaw growled and pinned her to the floor.
"First come first serve, mouse," Berrypaw sneered, spitting in her face.
"But I was here first!" Shadowpaw retorted.
"Shut up!" Berrypaw snatched the mouse back and kicked her in the stomach and stalked away. Anger bubbled up inside Umberpaw for the fat brown cat.
"Not so fast, snake-heart," Umberpaw growled as she slid in front of Berrypaw. Berrypaw's eyes widened. Umberpaw gave him a hard push to the ground and snatched the mouse away.
"You better not look at her again," Umber hissed, throwing the mouse to a wide-eyed Shadowpaw. Berrypaw scowled and skittered away. Shadowpaw gratefully munched on the mouse. Berrypaw was such a jerk! And to think he would be becoming a warrior any day now.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the high rock!" Dipstar's yowl rung through the camp. Right on time! All of ShadowClan gathered around the leader, patiently listening for what she had to say.
"One of our apprentices has proved through their assessment and hard work that they are ready to become a warrior." Berrypaw had a smug look on his face.
"Bravepaw, please come up here." Berrynose's jaw dropped as Bravenose perked up. Her eyes sparkled as she trotted up to the high rock.
"Bravepaw, your battle skills and determination have led me to believe that you are ready to become a real warrior. Do you swear to follow the code with your life, even to death?" Dipstar solemnly questioned.
"Yes, Dipstar. I'm honored to become a ShadowClan warrior." Umberpaw could hear the excitement in Bravepaw's voice.
Dipstar nodded. "StarClan approves my choice. You shall now be called Bravenose!"
Bravenose's mouth spread into a huge grin.
"Bravenose! Bravenose!" Chants and cheers echoed off the calls of the camp. Berrypaw didn't cheer for his sister; he only kicked dust and trudged away. Umberpaw was a bit taken aback about how bitter Berrypaw was being. After the cheers died down, Umberpaw went to congratulate Bravepaw.
"Hey! Congrats!"
"Oh, thanks. Really it should have been you. No offense, but you're a bit too old to be an apprentice. Besides, you hunt better than even some warriors. What mouse-brains think you need training?" Bravenose gave a slight grin and flicked her tail.
"I don't take offense to that. Being put as an apprentice is understandable, considering I was rogue before. At least one cat would disagree if I was immediately made a warrior," Umberpaw pointed out.
Bravenose nodded thoughtfully.
"The only downside is having to hear Berrypaw mewing and snoring all night!" Umberpaw joked lightly.
"I know, right? And his drooling?" Bravenose made a vomiting face and snickered. Bravenose had turned out to be a nice cat after all the Carrionplace junk. Umberpaw had talked to her about it, and she genuinely didn't think they would actually go to the Carrionplace. By the time they were already there, Bravenose didn't want to seem like a wimp, so she went along with it. Though her brother was a big ugly thistle-tooth, Bravenose really tried to save him that day. The sun was setting now, barely peeking beyond the horizon. Umber wandered over to her den and curled up. The feather and moss nest was so much more comfortable than sleeping in a hollow tree or in a bush. Umberpaw sighed and shut her eyes. This was where she belonged.
~
Umberpaw had only been asleep for an hour before she heard a blood-curdling screech.
"Fox attack!"
Umberpaw scrambled to her feet and stumbled out of the den, blinking herself awake. She halted and her eyes bulged out as she saw the havoc taking place in camp. There were about six full grown foxes in the camp. There was already blood everywhere and panting warriors limping. There weren't any kits in the nursery to protect, so everyone was fighting with their lives. Everyone except Umberpaw, that was, whose heart was thumping as her feet stood frozen in place. Suddenly, she heard a familiar cry. It was Bravenose, limping to pull an unconscious Shadowpaw away from the foxes. Bravenose had a large gash on her leg, and Umberpaw could see the pain ebbing in her eyes as she dragged Shadowpaw away.
Umberpaw bolted down to Bravenose. Bravenose had already taken a few pretty impactful blows to the fox upon closer inspection. Umberpaw had never fought a fox before, so she just followed her gut.
They aren't that much bigger than us. I can take it! Umberpaw thought, pouncing onto the fox's back and digging her claws into its shoulder. The fox yipped in pain, bucking and thrashing wildly. Umberpaw struggled to hang on and sunk her teeth into the fox's neck. Umberpaw caught a glimpse of Bravenose, whose jaw was on the floor. The fox wheezed and dropped to the ground, sending Umberpaw flying off its orange body. The fox had two holes in its neck, blood dripping off as it scramble out of the camp, yipping in pain.
Umberpaw dusted herself off and went straight to Bravenose.
"Is she dead?"
"No. Not even bleeding. She's just been hit hard. Now how in StarClan did you fight off that fox?"
"I don't know. I've never fought a fox before and I just- AUGH!" Umberpaw screeched as she felt teeth sinking into her back. Another fox had pounced on her and was trying to rip her apart. Umberpaw scratched at its face, stunning at as she tried to scramble away. Umberpaw didn't get very far before the fox dragged her back. She tried to squirm out of the fox's clawed grip, but the more she moved, the deeper the claws drove into her. Umberpaw flung up her back legs, hitting the fox in the face. This only angered the creature even more. It picked her up and threw her. Time seemed to slow as Umberpaw shot through the air. Bravenose was watching in horror as she tried to drag a still unconscious Shadowpaw to safety. Umberpaw flew straight into the hard walls of the camp. Her head pounded and her ears rung unbearably loud. She only saw red and white. Umberpaw's eyelids fluttered, and she blacked out.