Ghosts of the Clans

Chapter 6

"Faster! Lunge to the left! Dodge! Swipe at his eyes!" screeched Shredtail. He was watching Minnowtail battle with Breezepelt, a WindClan warrior.

Minnowtail skidded to a halt. "We never aim for the eyes!" she protested. Shredtail glared at her. "This is the Dark Forest, Minnowtail. Shape up."

She opened her mouth to argue, but Breezepelt cannoned into her side, unbalancing her. She struggled free and swiped at his nose, leaping clear of his paws. Snarling, the lean black tom twisted and sank his teeth deep into her hind leg.

Yowling in pain, Minnowtail ripped free and sank her claws into his shoulders, which Breezepelt responded by raking her belly and dislodging tufts of gray-and-white fur. Pummelling his spine, she hooked the younger cat's paws from under him swiftly, then jumped clear when he rolled over.

Breezepelt hurled himself at Minnowtail, claws out to swipe at her face. She ducked, but a claw caught her ear and ripped it. Whipping around, she slashed her claws across his flank, feeling a stab of satisfaction at the sight of scarlet blood flowing out.

"All right, that's enough," Shredtail stood between them. "We don't want too serious injuries," the ragged brown tabby tom smirked. "Nah, we'd survive," countered Breezepelt defiantly, his bloody pelt ruffled. Shredtail eyed him with a dubious look in his pale yellow eyes. "Really? Try to defeat me in your state right now."

When Breezepelt had fallen silent, his red blood-stained claws raking the ground, Shredtail continued, "Both of you did well, though Breezepelt, stop relying on your speed so much. Your accuracy sucks. Minnowtail, you should go for speed and strength. Now, both of you may go, and see you next time," he flicked his dark brown tabby tail and Minnowtail instinctively closed her eyes, feeling herself fade...

"Minnowtail! Blood on your nest, what were you doing?" Dawnflower's horrified shriek brought her groggily back to the present. Her body was burning with the agony of her wounds, and blood was running down her face. Pain ripped through every bone, and Minnowtail had to grit her teeth to stop herself from howling.

Voices mewed beside her, and she squinted, managing to make out a mottled gray pelt. Pebblefoot. Had her brother come to watch her dying moments? Beside him, a beautiful golden she-cat, Mothwing. Their voices were anxious, full of fear, and a pair of sky-blue eyes stared down at her. Even though she strained her ears, desperately trying to hear what Mothwing was meowing, but her voice was blurred, no more than a hum.

Minnowtail let out a soft whimper, her paw batting at something soft, which let out a yelp. That sounds like Pouncetail, she realised suspiciously. She tried to say "Go out!" but all that came out was a soft growl. Her vision cleared enough to see Mothwing bending over her and holding some black seeds in her paw, which she passed towards Minnowtail.

Knowing that it was poppy seeds, which would ease her pain, she licked them out with her hot tongue, pain racking her body once more. She could even taste the sweetish smell of infection from her bitten hind leg already.

She closed her eyes, and at once felt herself falling...