Warriors: The Gates of StarClan

Chapter 15

The five cats charged out from behind the rock and away from the cave.  Ivysplash's legs ached, but she did not stop for fear the badger had given chase.  When they were several dozen fox-lengths away, Fernpaw's eyes shone with new terror.  "When we were running away from that badger, I heard a voice from the cave saying something I could understand but there were lots of shrieks and growls--"

Tigerpelt cut her off.  "That means there was a cat in there!"

"We have to go help whoever's in there," Fernpaw squeaked anxiously.

Ivysplash nodded to her apprentice.  "Is every cat fit to fight?" she meowed.  "We should try to get that cat out of there."

The five cats crept silently toward the cave where the screeches echoed off the rocks.  Fernpaw darted forward, glanced into the shadowy opening, and then scurried back to the warriors.  "There's no cat in there," she mewed.  "Only lots and lots of badgers."

Lionstorm froze.  Ivysplash tipped her head to one side."What is it?

"Midnight."

"The Midnight?" Ravenfrost asked in astonishment.

"The Midnight.  The other badgers must be angry with her."

"We have to help her!" Fernpaw kneaded the ground with her front paws.  "I've heard of her.  She helped the Clans find the territories by the lake!"

"And later," Lionstorm continued, "she warned us right before the other badgers attacked ThunderClan."

"Ivysplash, we have to help!" Fernpaw repeated, her icy blue gaze turned pleadingly on her mentor.

Ivysplash twitched her whiskers in agreement.  "Let's go."

Ivysplash, Lionstorm, Tigerpelt, Ravenfrost, and Fernpaw padded out from behind the rock to find the badger had returned to the cave.  The cats crept up to the mouth of the cave and peered in.  Inside, there were five or six badgers circling a large heap of black and white fur.  A badger in the circle lunged at the heap, sending it squealing across the cave floor.  Suddenly, a black striped head lifted from the fur.  "I only help friends.  Bring no harm to kin."

One of the other badgers growled something in reply, and Midnight said, "No, I never mean hurt kin, but I not stop help cats."

A large badger standing over her reared up to dig his teeth into her neck but Fernpaw yowled in anger and thrust herself into the air, ignoring startled shouts from the warriors.  She landed on top of the large badger and clung on while the badger tried vigorously to dislodge her.  The other four cats rushed forward into the sparking battle.

The lead badger that had been growling at Midnight was snapping at Fernpaw's tail, and the black apprentice dug her claws into the badger's neck. Ivysplash caught a glimpse of Midnight surrounded by badgers, all of whom together seemed to be no match for the large she-badger's flailing paws.

Ivysplash leaped at a large female badger.  The badger roared and twisted around to sink her teeth into Ivysplash's throat, but Lionstorm knocked into the badger from the side, flattening her.  Ivysplash rolled out of the way to avoid being squashed and sank her teeth into the badger's neck.  The badger went limp, stunned.

"Good work." Lionstorm gave Ivysplash a curt nod before springing back into the fight.  When Ivysplash turned around, a huge badger faced her, hunger gleaming in its beady eyes.  She realized this must be the lead badger.  Kill him and Midnight would be free.  It rushed toward her, bloody claws outstretched.  A pool of icy calm settled in Ivysplash's belly.  She thought back to her battle training with Dawnpetal and remembered one of the techniques she had used.  Would it work on a badger?  She shook her head to clear it.  I have to try for Midnight's sake.

She stood her ground before the fuming badger and crouched down, judging her opponent.  Suddenly the badger was upon her.  She rushed forward under the badger's belly and pushed up with all her might.  The badger's stink filled her nostrils and she knew the badger would crush her.  Instead, it wavered and collapsed to the ground.  Ivysplash was upon it at once, attacking its belly as it fought to regain its footing.  The badger moaned and swiped a huge paw at the light brown she-cat.  Ivysplash tried to duck, but the paw caught her on the side of the head and sent her sprawling back against the wall of the cave.

When Ivysplash rose, she blinked back the blood that clouded her vision as she charged at the badger.  It was caught by surprise and Ivysplash barreled into it, knocking it back into the wall of the cave.  Ivysplash stopped as the badger lay still on the floor of the cave.  The age-old words of the warrior code echoed through her head.  A warrior does not need to kill in order to win battles.

However, when badger tried to get up, a pile of rocks loosened from the cave ceiling.  They tumbled down and hit the badger's head and back.  There was a loud snap, and the badger's flank went still.  The rocks must have snapped the badger's neck, Ivysplash realized.

Around her, silence fell.  The other badgers were aware that their leader was dead.  Ravenfrost let out a yowl of victory, and Lionstorm and Tigerpelt followed.  Only Fernpaw remained silent as the rest of the badgers fled out the cave opening.  Ivysplash watched them go and turned her attention to where she had last seen Fernpaw.

The black apprentice was lying on the floor of the cave with her legs splayed awkwardly in front of her.  Blood pooled out of a wound in her neck and her eyes were glazed.  The heat of battle still burned in them, dark and reckless.  A sudden vision of her mother flashed through Ivysplash's mind, but she pushed it away.

Tigerpelt buried her face in Ravenfrost's shoulder.  Ivysplash's grief welled up inside her like a pit of boiling water.  Then an icy chill crept into her belly.  She had failed.