A Spark in the Night, part one: The Spark Ignites

Chapter eleven

Softpaw woke up to Featherpaw prodding at her. She resisted the urge to snap at her sister for waking her. Even though her discovery about her ability was about three moons ago, Softpaw was still excited. Besides, It wasn't every night she got to dream in StarClan. "What is it, Featherpaw?" she asked groggily.

"Today's the day!!" Featherpaw meowed, clearly wishing she could wake the whole Clan. Softpaw was confused for a heartbeat, but then remembered. Today's our warrior assessment! Softpaw bounced to her paws. "We're so lucky we get to take ours in greenleaf!" She meowed to Featherpaw, who nodded excitedly. The two apprentices bounded out of the den. Softpaw sighed. Shinepaw should be here, too. "Hey, Sparkflame!" Softpaw heard Featherpaw calling her mentor. "I'm going to catch twenty mice, and eighteen rabbits and-"

Spekleheart interrupted Featherpaw. "Let's go."

"I'll go hunt by the TideClan border!" mewed Softpaw, heading towards a prey-rich stretch of land.

Softpaw opened her mouth and immediately scented rabbit. She dropped into the hunter's crouch and stalked towards it. When she was close enough, she pounced, and killed it cleanly. She buried it, and a while later, spotted a vole near the roots of a tree. She stalked towards it, but before she was close enough to pounce, she stepped on a twig it scampered away. "Mouse-dung!" she spat, cursing her own stupidity.

She quickly turned around and saw a squirrel about a tree-length away. There's so much prey here! She reassured herself. It should be fine that I missed that vole. The squirrel was old and slow, so it was an easy catch.

Throughout her whole assessment, she'd caught two mice and a squirrel. She scented a thrush, and began to move towards it. She was about to pounce, when she heard a low growl behind her, and her prey escaped. She tasted the air, and could tell this was no Clan cat. She turned around and saw a rogue, looking thin and tired, but pretty strong, with a matted gray pelt, green eyes and a shaded ear. "This is MistClan territory. Leave now, or I'll have to chase you off." She hissed.

The rogue grinned. "You? You can't be any older than nine moons."

Softpaw glared at him. "Actually, I am."

He grinned, and turned toward the area where she'd buried her prey. "Don't touch that!" She growled. "That's supposed to feed my Clan!"

The rogue looked at her. "Oh really? If you want it back, you'll have to fight me."

Softpaw tensed for a moment, nervous. He was much bigger and stronger-looking than she was, but she held her ground. I can't seem weak.

"Okay," she meowed. "I'd love to fight you."

He suddenly leapt on top of her, knocking the air out of her lungs. Pulling away, she managed to knock him off. By the time she stood up, he was lunging at her again. She dodged to the side, and he crashed onto the ground. She felt fierce satisfaction sas he stood back up, revealing blood dripping down his face. He growled at her and raked his claws across her muzzle. She dodged a second blow and bit down on his back. She felt her teeth meet as he yowled in agony and reared over to crush her under his weight. She let herself go limp and, falling for it, he got off. "I guess the prey is mine."

As he was bending over to grab it, she leapt onto his back and began landing blows. He managed to knock her off by throwing himself on the ground, but she took advantage of his exposed belly. She leapt onto him, pinning him and putting her paws on his throat. "Leave, or I'll kill you." I hope I don't have to break the Code during my assessment!

She could tell the rogue was scared, tired, and embarrassed. "I can shake you off whenever I want."

Softpaw lets her claws slide out a little, feeling his flesh tearing, though it wasn't enough to cause fatal damage. "Wouldn't want to jerk me around, considering It'd pull at your throat."

"Just wait." the rouge hissed. "I'll come back stronger and then I'll win. I'll take this territory of yours and- what- your littermates?"

Softpaw slid her claws out more. Rouges make threats like that all the time. "We are a Clan. Me and my littermates- littermate," She corrected herself sadly. "are only part of MistClan. Leave."

The rogue glared at her. "Make me." Softpaw slid her claws out even more, but still not enough to be deadly. "Spekleheart. Come out."

Spekleheart stepped out from a nearby bush and meowed, "I'm not usually supposed to, but this doesn't usually happen."

Softpaw let the rogue run away.