Starwritten

Chapter 12: Ambush

Today is pretty quite so far. Everyone is doing their job. Its warm. The wind sways the trees back and forth, making a soft whistle. Today is one of those easy days, and I don't want anything to ruin it.

"Sapphireeyes." Dropstar interrupts my nice, quite day. Great. "Yes, Dropstar what is it?" I meow, trying not to sound annoyed. "I need you to lead a patrol for me." He meows. "Me? Why me? Why can't you have Stonepelt do it?" I meow. I sit up and curl my tail over my paws nicely. "He had to help with training today. The other apprentices are behind, so that's why they haven't been made warriors yet." He meows. I slide up all fours. "OK, I will. When do you want us to go?" I meow. "Right now."

***

We start at Fourtrees and go on from there. I have Antstorm and Silverwing check the Nightclan border, then Leafclaw and I check Meadowclan's border. "We meet back here at dusk to tell what we saw." I meow. We all go in our separate directions just as they were told. I little while later, its time to head back to Fourtrees. "Hey Leafclaw, are you ready to go back to Fourtrees? Its starting to get dark." I meow, but there's no response. "Leafclaw." I turn around. There's no sign of the tortoiseshell she-cat anywhere. Suddenly, the whole forest goes quite. The wind stops blowing the trees, the bird stop chirping. Its like the whole forest has stopped.

I stand there for a few heartbeats. "Leafclaw? Where are you?" I yowl. My voice echos off the trees. Still no response. I suddenly feel I am not alone anymore. A battle cry sounds. Cats flood out of the trees, their claws ready to see me in pieces. I am pushed one way and another, claws scratching me all over. I yowl in terror. I try and fight back, but it's a whole clan against a new warrior.

***

"Alright everyone, I think she has had enough." Comes a growl from ahead a while later. I am laying on my side, heaving, gasping for air. My stomach is scratched up and bleeding. Blood is running out of my mouth. Thick, hot blood. Choking me.

The last thing I see is darkness.

I open my eyes sleepily, but i'm not in the forest. I stand up and stretch. I look all around. This place, looks so familiar. I look over at a window. Its just a window. Everything is black except for that window. I see a slick she-cat jump up to it. She looks out at something I can't see. Another cat joins her. Her pelt is more fluffier than the first. It looks like they are having a discussion. I can't hear anything except for my own heart beating. It comes to me. I finally realize what this place is. The she-cat jumps down from the window on the other side. It disappears.

***

I open my eyes. I am in a different place. It's leafy and calm. The forest. I look around. I am in Mudpelt's den. My memory is a bit fuzzy. I sit up and curl my tail over my paws. "Mudpelt, what happened?" She doesn't answer, but walks past me to my side. My whole body is stinging. I look down at my scratches. How did I get these? Looking up, I follow her with my eyes to see who she is going to. Its Leafclaw. Her pelt is all scratched up. Its not as bad mine though. She looks asleep still. Her paws twitch and she winces as if she's in pain. I look on past her. Antstorm, Silverwing. They lay motionless.

A shiver of horror passes through me, rippling my pelt. Then I see the rise and fall of their fur. Phew. I peek my head out of Mudpelt's den. Every inch of my body aches. Everyone looks worried and scared. I set my paw on the dry dusty dirt. A pain shoots through it. I yowl out in pain. "Sapphireeyes, come back in here. You need to heal some more!" I hear Mudpelt call. I limp back into the moss bed I woke up on. It was quiet for a while until I find the courage to ask. "Mudpelt, what happened? I can't remember a thing right now. My mind is as clear as a mouse's fur."