Rising Sun- A Warrior Cats Fanfiction ✔️

Chapter 8

"What are you gaping at me like you've just seen a flying mouse? I said you'll fight to the death!" Sunpaw shut his mouth quickly at Screech's comment, acknowledging his minor mistake by dipping his head in shame.

"He's not ready, Screech!" Nightshade mewed, eyes wide. "You didn't do this to Crumb- did you?"

The dark she-cat narrowed her eyes as her mother chuckled. "Oh, Nightshade, so juvenile. Her foolishness always brings me a smile."

Though it was a dark situation, Sunpaw couldn't help smirking ever so slightly at Screech's rhyme.

As usual, his mentor lashed her claws across his face. "You idiot, I'm not juvenile, or foolish. But you are foolish, Screech."

She turned to her. "But unfortunately, I must listen to you. Mother." She spat the word out as if it was an insult.

Sunpaw was now glaring guiltily at his paws. "Sorry, Nightshade." He muttered, shrugging. He glanced up and was incredibly relieved to find that she didn't appear angry, so returned to his usual posture.

"Snap out of whatever you're doing, fool!" Screech lashed her tail aggressively. "We have a battle to prepare you for." She grinned, showing sharp, glinting teeth.

Sunpaw suddenly dawned on what was happening. He, a measly apprentice, would be fighting a fully trained warrior of the Dark Forest.

Sunpaw had never seen Crumb, but the way that the two Dark Forest leaders spoke of him made his fur prickle uneasily. Every time his name was said, there was something in the tones that suggested that he should bow at the very mention of his name. It made him want to be invisible.

But instead, he just puffed out his chest. "I'll fight proudly, with honor." He mewed, and boldly turned his head to Nightshade in case she was about to say something else, glaring at her for the first time.

He looked into her eyes and found no doubt there, only- for some reason- a deep trust and... Wait, was that fear? He couldn't tell since Nightshade blinked quickly, and turned her head away. However, the image of glassy, yellow-green eyes staring back at him was not one he could forget; he blinked and shook his head, but the black she-cat's face reminded him of something...

"Come on, we should prepare the competitors." She mewed, her tone still sharp from Screech's insults. She flicked her ears, before climbing back out of Screech's den and down the tree. Sunpaw glanced over to Screech, who nodded, and then did the same, the elderly Dark Forest cat following close behind him.

Now, Sunpaw rarely cowered at the sight of cats, but when he got his first glimpse of Crumb, he became a mouse against a warrior - hopeless.

A brown tom-cat with darker flecks, Crumb was clearly stronger than him. His muscles were bulky and obviously evident, his pelt had a glossy sheen to it as if he'd been training in the Dark Forest forever, his fiery orange eyes glowed with a hunger that could only be soothed by blood and his gleaming white teeth sparkled with a deadliness that warned Sunpaw that he would die before the fight had even started.