Warriors: Lost

Chapter 18

Why did I have to be in between them, again?

Nervousness and anxiety sparked inside of Shinepaw as him and the rest of DreamClan trekked on. He was assigned by Redpaw to be in between Cindertail and Luckypaw, and if Luckypaw decided to unsheathe his claws and pounce, Shinepaw would be his first prey.

So far, the dark, long haired black tom had kept claws sheathed, but Shinepaw suspected that was only because Hawkpaw kept looking over his shoulder every couple of heartbeats.

They had gotten to the highest point in the mountain by sunup, and they were all extremely tired. Just then, someone had slammed themselves into Shinepaw, nearly knocking him off the edge of the mountain.

"Intruders!"

As the attackers fought with claws unsheathed, Shinepaw unleashed his claws at a light tabby she-cat who had pinned him, belly first, onto the rocky terrain.

Shinepaw remembered what Brambletail had taught him, and went limp, while also sheathing his claws. The she-cat loosened its grip, but just as she took off her paw, Shinepaw battered the she-cat's hind legs.

"Dirty trick!" The she-cat spat, pouncing at Shinepaw. Shinepaw yowled as the she-cat tore off his fur bit-by-bit, scrap by scrap, until Shinepaw slashed at her ear.

She yowled in pain, but Shinepaw didn't let that deter him. He sprinted towards the she-cat, pinning her down flat on her back, grabbing her ear and pulling it. The she-cat yowled loudly, which went ignored.

She battered his belly with her hind paws, kicking him, and rushing off, possibly towards their medicine cat. Shinepaw searched for his...

His...

Well, he thought. I guess I should call them clanmates.

Shinepaw searched for his clanmates, finding Redpaw dangling for dear life from the edge of the mountain. Shinepaw dashed to rescue him, knowing that Redpaw can't fight, and swiftly gave the attacker a cuff around the ear.

The attacker spun around to face him. It was a tom, by the looks of it. Shinepaw was about to hurl his opponent off the mountain, but an older cat yowled out,

"Stop it!!"

The tom looked up at the older cat with wide eyes. Shinepaw quickly helped Redpaw before the white tom was sent to StarClan.

"Is it true?" The older cat stared at Cindertail. Shinepaw saw Luckypaw twitch his tail in annoyance. The SkyClan apprentice had pinned down a dark tabby she, and looked like he was about to tear her pelt off.

Was he going to enjoy that? Shinepaw thought with horror.

"Yes, it's true. We don't want to harm you." Cindertail glanced specifically at Luckypaw, her eyes glittering with annoyance. Then she spotted Shinepaw, helping Redpaw up. "Or your apprentices."

"Sorry for attacking," the cat murmured. "Ever since we became a Clan, things have been different...every cat is a warrior now..."

"Now!?" echoed Nightpaw. Her fur seemed bloodied.

"We were once the Tribe of Rushing Water," meowed the cat. "Now, we're RushingWaterClan."

"RushingWaterClan..." Sunpaw murmured. "Maybe I'll have to pick up a few clan names for Mudstar to enjoy..."

"Where are my manners?" asked the cat. "My name is Mountainstar."

"What made you become a clan?" asked Redpaw, recovering from his earlier shock.

"Realizations," Mountainstar answered, "The realization that we will not survive as the Tribe of Rushing Water. No more Teller of Pointed Stones. Now it's always 'star."