The Blind Warrior - The Brightest Prophecy, Part 1

Chapter 20: The Badger Attack

"Aaahhh!" Pikepaw shrieked. Suddenly, Moonpaw smelled that awful, bitter, bloodied scent. Except, this time it was very close. Far too close. Far too close for safety.

The badger let out a snarl and Moonpaw felt Primrosepaw leap after it, her pawsteps sending vibrations through the ground. "No! Let's get Stormpelt, he might not be all the way to camp yet!" Moonpaw heard herself yowling desperately, but it was no use.

Primrosepaw was the best fighter in the apprentices' den. But, it didn't matter. No apprentice could ever have a hope of besting a fully grown badger by themselves.

"Stop, you can't fight that alone!" Pikepaw yowled and leapt after his littermate. Moonpaw felt rooted to the spot. She heard the yowls of her friends, the growls of the beast. It was like time stood still. Moonpaw got up, trying to stop herself from shaking. 

Moonpaw ran towards the noise and at the same time she heard a long and low wail of pain. "P-primrosepaw!" Pikepaw yowled to the sky, voice filled with grief and shock. The badger growled at the loud noise. Moonpaw launched herself forward. 

"Be careful, Pikepaw!" Moonpaw heard herself mewing as she stepped up beside him, their pelts' touching. The she-cat unsheathed her claws, ready for the badger to unleash another attack.

"She's... gone..." Pikepaw whimpered. Moonpaw gave the apprentice a soothing lick on the ear. Suddenly, Moonpaw heard two warriors walk up, behind them. Moonpaw opened her mouth to scent the air. Stormpelt & Whitecloud.

Stormpelt must have heard the apprentices' yowls on his way back to camp and been wise enough to bring another warrior. "My apprentice!" mewed Stormpelt, aghast.

"A badger! Get away from it, apprentices! Leave this to us!" Whitecloud meowed. The short warrior was quickly at Moonpaw's side.

"But... my littermate..." Pikepaw mewed, weakly, to no one in particular. Moonpaw lifted up her front paw to figure out where the apprentice was, to comfort him. Moonpaw opened her mouth to speak, when she suddenly felt sharp claws digging into her raised front paw.

Moonpaw was batted onto her side by the powerful creature and it slashed at her front paw pad, making Moonpaw wince. Moonpaw thrust with her back legs, forcing the badger backwards with a snarl.

Moonpaw's back paws were still healing from the previous day's battle training and they stung as she stood up, shakily. Moonpaw straightened her ears as she heard Stormpelt and Whitecloud distracting the badger with powerful swipes and hisses. Suddenly, Moonpaw felt pawsteps thunder through the damp ground.

The beast had broken free and was back on the rampage. Moonpaw braced herself for a crash. She unsheathed her claws and crouched into a fighting position.

Moonpaw heard an almighty crash and a hiss of pain. Pikepaw! Moonpaw straightened up in alarm. The other apprentice must have gone in between Moonpaw and the badger.

"No!" Moonpaw heard Stormpelt run forwards. The badger hissed in pain as Whitecloud and Stormpelt yowled at the beast as they battled with it, driving the badger back.

Moonpaw bent down, determined to find Pikepaw. Moonpaw let her front paw drift out, side to side, until she found the other apprentice. Moonpaw bent low and picked Pikepaw up by his scruff.

The other apprentice was heavy and she could smell the blood on his fur. But, listening closely, Moonpaw could hear Pikepaw's slow, deep breaths. Pikepaw would need urgent attention by the medicine cats. Moonpaw wasn't sure if Primrosepaw would even be able to do that, and she felt a horrible pang of sorrow.

She had known Primrosepaw since the days they were in the nursery together. The other she-cat had been bossy, annoying and had nearly beaten Moonpaw in battle training only the previous day. But, it still felt awful knowing that Primrosepaw was so badly injured.

Moonpaw sniffed, trying to stop herself from breaking down on the spot. She lifted up Pikepaw and began trying to drag him back in the direction of camp. Her front paw was aching like fire and whenever Moonpaw tried to put weight on it, the paw stung even worse.

Moonpaw made very slow progress and soon the warriors had finished battling the badger. Stormpelt sniffed. "I will take Primrosepaw back to camp... Moonpaw, did you bury any fresh-kill that you need to pick up?" Moonpaw's father mewed. She thought about the pigeon and the two fish they had caught. Moonpaw nodded weakly, not letting go of Pikepaw.

"Moonpaw, you're injured. Let me carry Pikepaw to camp," Whitecloud meowed kindly. Moonpaw didn't want to let go of the other apprentice, he had stepped between her and a badger. But, Pikepaw was heavy and Moonpaw was tired and injured herself. Moonpaw gave a feeble nod and carefully laid Pikepaw, who let out a groan, on the ground.

Moonpaw walked back to where the apprentices had left the fresh-prey, her pawsteps dull and laboured. She picked up the bits of fresh-kill and slowly made her way back to camp. 

As soon as Moonpaw was back in camp she put the fresh-kill onto its pile and headed in the direction of the medicine cat den, dread nearly overcoming her. Once inside, Moonpaw heard Mudfur speaking to Whitecloud. 

"...Kestrelflight is kitting as well, I hope Silverpaw will be able to help her alone. I need to make sure Pikepaw's wounds don't get infected," meowed Mudfur, worry in their voice. "Yes, it's a bad slash on his leg," Whitecloud replied.

Moonpaw walked a bit further into the medicine den. "Oh, Moonpaw. Let me see that paw," Mudfur mewed and guided her to a mossy nest. Moonpaw laid down, exhausted. "This wasn't exactly what I meant when I said your wounds were healing well enough for you to go on patrol," Mudfur joked and Moonpaw forced a mrrow of laughter.

Moonpaw winced as Mudfur picked up her injured front paw. "Oh..." Mudfur murmured. "What is it?" mewed Moonpaw, anxiously.

"Where the badger struck your paw, the wound is shaped like a star." Mudfur's meow was barely audible. The medicine cat placed a poultice over Moonpaw's wound and wrapped cobwebs around the paw.

Mudfur pressed some poppyseeds against Moonpaw's muzzle. "Here, you need some rest," Mudfur mewed gently. Moonpaw lapped up the seeds, obediently. She heard the start of Leopardstar's call from outside.

Moonpaw straightened to stand but her limbs felt like stone. "Just rest, I'll wake you up a bit later," Mudfur meowed and Moonpaw heard him pad out of the den.

Moonpaw flicked her ears and caught snatches of the clan meeting. "Stormpelt... badgers... three apprentices... Whitecloud... just in time." Moonpaw stretched out in the dry nest and flexed her claws.

"Primrosepaw... vigil at sundown." Moonpaw felt a pang of sorrow for her fellow apprentice. But, before she could think too much about it, Moonpaw's eyes drooped and she fell into a deep sleep.

Images flashed through Moonpaw's mind. A dying golden queen. Three tiny kits. Three separate paths. The last thing Moonpaw heard before waking from her slumber was a wolf's howl.