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

Chapter twenty-one

 Waking up, Softcloud found herself in StarClan's lush forest. I have to find Shinepaw, those Dark Forest cats better not lay a claw on him! She glanced around, looking for her littermate.

Softcloud spotted Shinepaw's pelt moving through undergrowth a tree-length away. She made her way towards him, but the closest StarClan cat, a blue and white she-cat Softcloud didn't recognize, stepped in front of her. "Hey," she meowed to the starry warrior. "Why can't I talk to him? I need to, I miss him so much, I-"

The she-cat shook her head. "I'm sorry, but you must move on."

What's the point of sharing with StarClan if I can't talk to any cat I actually know? The thought flashed through her mind, but she did not speak it aloud. She swallowed her pain, and meowed, "Okay."

She turned to walk away, but stopped. "I have to know who's training him to fight back if-" The StarClan warrior covered Softcloud's mouth with her blue tail. "I'm training him, don't worry, we're making sure no StarClan- or living- cat is dragged into the Dark Forest." She meowed.

Waking up, Softcloud headed out of the Warriors' den to be assigned to a patrol.

"And I will lead a hunting patrol with Speckleheart, Softcloud, and Grasswhisker." Bluemist made her way to the camp entrance and waited for the rest of the patrol to follow.

Another large patrol. Is Bluemist worried about something? Softcloud finished her conversation with Strikestone and padded towards the rest of them. No, it's probably a coincidence.

Softcloud lept and the squirrel turned around and ran straight into Spekleheart's paws. Her former mentor killed it and smiled at her. "We still make a great team!" she remarked.

Softcloud nodded in agreement. "Definitely!"

Burying the squirrel, Softcloud turned around to see if she could scent any more prey. She picked up a scent, but it wasn't prey.

"Badgers!" She heard Grasswhisker yowl. She whipped around and saw two badgers lumbering towards her and the rest of the patrol. She quickly unsheathed her claws.

She was about to leap at the closer badger, when Bluemist hissed, "Form a line!" The patrol formed a line and almost at once leapt at the badgers.

Softcloud was locked fighting one of them alongside Speckleheart, while Grasswhisker and Bluemist were fighting the other, when she saw the deputy soar through the air. A badger had thrown her.

Softcloud couldn't let Foxtail fight alone, so she had to keep fighting their badger. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Bluemist stand up in the corner of her eye. Thank StarClan.

Softcloud and Speckleheart had managed to fight off their badger, but the second one was quicker, bigger, and stronger. The two warriors leapt towards the badger, to help Grasswhisker and Bluemist. Suddenly, the badger lunged at Softcloud, in a way she would never be able to block, and too quick to dodge. She closed her eyes, waiting to feel teeth meet in her throat, but nothing happened. A heartbeat passed, then another. Softcloud slowly opened one eye.

The badger was shaking the limp body of Bluemist.