Ghosts of the Clans (COMPLETED)

Chapter 14

"Greetings, Redwillow. Just to let you know, a battle is about to begin. Today, Firestar visited, didn't he? Tommorrow, there will be a massive battle against ThunderClan. So train well to protect your Clanmates." Snowtuft informed Redwillow the moment he arrived.

His curiosity piqued, he questioned the skinny white tom, "What were they talking about? I only know that Blackstar was furious." "Firestar wants the land which he gave to ShadowClan back," explained Snowtuft, his tail lashing.

Redwillow's jaw dropped in outrage and disbelief. "How dare he? What kind of a warrior takes back what they gave? That fox-heart!" he hissed, fur spiking up. "Well, Redwillow, that just proves that Firestar is no warrior, is he? He's a kittypet, after all." A new voice joined the conversation, and Tigerstar stepped out, his pelt smooth and amber eyes glittering.

Redwillow clawed the soil in front of him, leaving deep gourges. "I'll kill him!" he snarled, baring his teeth. Tugerstar let out a deep growl of satisfaction. "Of course you'll try, won't you? Remember that we'll be with you, young warrior, whether you kill that ginger weakling or not. I trust that you will stay loyal to the Dark Forest?"

"Always!" Redwillow promised, his muzzle curling.

"Good, and now let's train. Whiskerpaw is ready tonight, and Thornclaw too. You're practicing two-on-one tonight."

A light brown tom and golden brown tabby tom padded out of the rotting bracken, their tails rippling at the challenge. Scenting ThunderClan, Redwillow narrowed his eyes at Thornclaw. Did he know of the attack? But again, he would never harm his Dark Forest Clanmates in battle- they were his allies.

"Begin." Snowtuft retreated, his yellow eyes gleaming with concentration. Whiskerpaw started weaving from side to side, a tactic that Redwillow knew all too well from fighting with Harespring many times. When the light brown apprentice finally attacked, he rolled over, thrusting his hind legs into the air and flinging him off.

But that move had made him vulnerable, too. Thornclaw thumped her paws on his spine, slashing a long wound across his back. Rearing up, Redwillow easily threw him off and bore down on her, paws swiping at his muzzle.

But again, he was too used to fighting one-on-one. Teeth gripped his tail and he was yanked backward by Whiskerpaw, who aimed his claws toward his eye. Reacting quickly, he blocked the blow and launched one of his own, waiting for both to charge at him from opposite directions. At the very last heartbeat, he jumped into the air, causing his opponents to crash into each other.

Twisting deftly, he landed on Whiskerpaw's back and knocked the WindClan cat's paws from underneath him. Rolling him over, Redwillow managed to rake his belly before Thornclaw fastened his claws into his shoulders and dragged him off, grunting with effort.

A very bad idea, for he was just exhausting himself. With a strong kick, he knocked him away and sank his fangs into his front leg, making him shriek. Anticipating the remaining cat's next movement, he tucked in his legs and rolled- just in time. Whiskerpaw's paws thumped the ground where he had been only a few heartbeats ago. Redwillow advanced from the back, reared, and brought down both paws onto the light brown WindClan apprentice's head, causing his amber eyes to widen as he staggered to the side.

Snowtuft appeared and helped Whiskerpaw to his paws, dragging him to the side. "Defeated." he meowed with a disgusted look. Now, it was Redwillow and Thornclaw left. Thornclaw shot a glance at Whiskerpaw, who had just recovered and was blinking rapidly, then turned to Redwillow.

He stalked around her, and he dug his claws hard into the earth. Then, he leaped, just like the way Ivypool had taught him. So he was disconcerted when Thornclaw ducked and rolled to the side, slicing her claws down his side. Hissing, Redwillow crouched down, tail flicking from side to side, until he leaped, high into the air.

He waited while he descended, then jumped and while he was recovering from the momentum, leaped onto his shoulders. The ThunderClan tom snarled and wrestled him to the ground, claws wrapping around his throat. Growling, Redwillow and Thornclaw tussled for a while, but even though his claws scattered tufts of the golden brown tabby tom's fur, he couldn't shake him off.

"Alright. Thornclaw, you win." Snowtuft glared at Redwillow, who bowed his head, shamefaced. He had let his Dark Forest mentor down.

But there was tomorrow, after all...

He was ready.