Warrior Cats: Into the Unknown.(1/3)

Chapter 16

Oakpaw launched himself at Swiftpaw, teeth bared. The white and black apprentice neatly swerved sideways and hooked Oakpaw's paws out from under him. Oakpaw let out a grunt as he landed with a thump. "Oakpaw, not like that! Aim where you think he's going to be, not where he is!" Hollytuft mewed. Then she sighed. "Oakpaw, you have to remember this if you're ever going to be a warrior." She turned her head around when Snowbush touched her shoulder with the tip of his tail. "Don't go too hard on him." He murmured in her ear. Oakpaw glared at him. They had been training all day, and his body was bruised and battered, and he felt as if his paws were made of stone. Berrynose and Flamingheart were tussling at the edge of the training hollow, while Dappledwillow and Ambermoon were practicing their fighting moves. Oakpaw watched in surprise when Fernpaw scooted under Ivypool's belly and kicked out with her hind legs at her mother's white paws and her mother collapsed on top of her. Fernpaw then grasped her shoulders and haunches and rolled over. Ivypool scrambled to her legs as Fernpaw slithered off her. "Great move, Fernpaw." Their mother purred, giving her a lick between the ears. Oakpaw flattened his ears in shame. Fernpaw and Timberpaw were both better than him in fighting. Oakpaw whipped around when Bramblestar exploded into the clearing. Muscles bunched underneath his tabby pelt, and his amber eyes blazed. "Carry on." He nodded to Ambermoon and Dappledwillow when the she-cats unlocked themselves from each other. Oakpaw's breath got caught in his throat when he saw Bramblestar pad toward him. "I'll take care of it for now." He purred to Hollytuft. The black she-cat dipped her head and beckoned Swiftpaw toward her. Oakpaw rose to his paws. "I've been watching you for quite a while now, and I want to see if I can help you." Bramblestar mewed to him. Oakpaw pricked his ears, heart thudding in his chest. He nodded uncertainly. "Okay, you stand here." Bramblestar nudged him a tail-length away before bounding a couple of fox-lengths away. Then the Thunderclan leader crouched. "Watch every move I make." He murmured. Oakpaw watched Bramblestar's eyes flicked toward his head a moment before he sprang from the ground. Instinctively, Oakpaw leaped away and whirled around to face Bramblestar again, but suddenly heavy weight slammed into him from the side. He let out a yelp of surprise as he flew across the clearing. He scrambled to his paws to see Bramblestar shaking his pelt a few fox-lengths away. "You made the right move first, but never take your eyes off your opponent. If you do, then you have already lost." Bramblestar mewed as he padded toward him. "Try it on me. And remember, I will be watching your every move, so don't let your eyes betray you." He added and bounded away. Oakpaw dropped into an attack crouch before slowly crawling toward his leader. His gaze raked over his leader's body. His broad shoulders looked terrifying to Oakpaw, and Bramblestar's large bulky body could crush Cinderheart's kits. Oakpaw stared at his leader's massive paws for a moment before flicking toward his ears and back to his paws again. He tried his best to confuse his leader before he let out a yowl and charged forward, eyes fixed on his ears. Just as Bramblestar ducked, Oakpaw scooted for his paws. He crashed into his leader's muzzle, and Bramblestar let out a yowl of surprise and sprang to his paws. Oakpaw rolled over and scrambled to his paws as Bramblestar was still shaking his head briefly. Oakpaw launched himself into his leader's flank, but the great tabby only staggered. "Take him down, Oakpaw!" Fernpaw cheered him. Bramblestar reared up onto his hind legs as Oakpaw wrapped his paws around his flanks. If he had his claws unsheathed he would have dug them into Bramblestar's shoulders. "Go, Fernpaw!" Ambermoon yowled at her apprentice. A blur of grey movement flashed before Oakpaw's vision as Fernpaw let out a screech and crashed into Bramblestar's belly. Oakpaw let go and slithered away from him before Bramblestar hit the ground. "Quick, pin him!" Fernpaw yowled as she flung herself over her leader's haunches and fastened her claws into the ground so Bramblestar couldn't get up. Oakpaw planted his paws on his leader's shoulder and let out a triumphant yowl. Ivypool, Snowbush and Hollytuft let out yowls of congratulations. They had defeated Bramblestar. "You can get off now!" Ambermoon mewed, her whiskers twitching in amusement. Fernpaw scrambled off her leader and Oakpaw stepped off his great shoulders. Bramblestar stumbled to his paws and shook dust out of his pelt. He dipped his head to Oakpaw and Fernpaw. "See, Oakpaw? Everything comes with practise." He purred, touching his shoulder with the tip of his tail. Oakpaw felt a surge of warmth from his leader's praise. "And that also teaches you that fighting together makes you twice as stronger." He mewed to the two apprentices before turning to the other cats that had surrounded them to watch. "And that's why we're going to practice partner fighting now." He mewed. "Berrynose, Hollytuft, you'll fight Ambermoon. Dappledwillow and Swiftpaw, you will fight Ivypool. Fernpaw and Oakpaw, you will fight Snowbush." He decided. Oakpaw led Fernpaw to the edge of the clearing and Snowbush bounded toward them and stood a couple fox-lengths away from them. Ivypool braced her shoulders as Swiftpaw and Dappledwillow crouched in front of her. Ambermoon lashed her tail back and forth as Berrynose and Hollytuft hissed challenges. "I'll be supervising and remember to use the element of surprise." Bramblestar added before flicking his tail, indicating the cats to begin. Oakpaw looked sideways at Fernpaw and saw her looking at Snowbush's ears. The white tom's yellow eyes flicked from the grey she-cat to Oakpaw and then back again. Oakpaw snapped his head around when Swiftpaw let out a screech and launched himself at Ivypool. Oakpaw felt a flash of admiration when Ivypool neatly dodged and whipped around and wrapped her paws around Dappledwillow and flipped her over. Ivypool planted her paws on her chest and lashed out with powerful back legs at Swiftpaw. The black and white tom scrambled to halt and his eyes widened with surprise. Berrynose was scrambling to his paws while Hollytuft was tussling with Ambermoon. Snowbush's eyes flicked toward Fernpaw once again, and Oakpaw used his chance and charged forward. He flashed past him and skidded to swerve and leaped from the ground. Just before he landed, Snowbush flipped onto his back and splayed his hind legs. Oakpaw felt him grab his haunches and shoulders before rolling over and pinning Oakpaw down. Fernpaw raced past them and ran in circles around them. Snowbush's gaze raked after her. Grabbing his chance while Snowbush was distraction, he pushed up with his hind legs. Snowbush let out a huff and stumbled backward. Fernpaw let out a yowl and charged into his flank, sending him crashing to the ground. But before Fernpaw could pin him, the snowy white tom rolled over and sprang to his paws. Oakpaw and Fernpaw exchanged glances. Fernpaw twitched her tail, and at that, they split up and confused Snowbush by attacking from either side. Snowbush let out a mew of distress as he spun around in circles. He then launched himself at Fernpaw as she reared. His paws met her chest and he slammed her to the ground. With a roar, Oakpaw sprang off the ground and landed squarely on Snowbush's shoulders. Wrapping his paws around him, Oakpaw leaned sideways and tugged Snowbush off his sister. As the white tom bucked underneath it, Oakpaw strained to hold on. Fernpaw stumbled to her paws and briefly shook her paws. "Fernpaw!" Oakpaw yowled as Snowbush reared up and was about to let himself fall backwards. But Fernpaw was still a bit stunned. An idea flashed in his head. And without thinking, Oakpaw nipped Snowbush's scruff and kicked out with his hind legs at the white tom's back. Snowbush flipped over and landed on four paws. He was panting. Fernpaw bolted toward them at lightning speed and crashed into Snowbush with such force that it sent the white tom flying backwards. Oakpaw leaped off him just before he hit the ground. Then he and Fernpaw raced toward him and pinned him down. Oakpaw let out a triumphant yowl. Looking sideways, he saw Ivypool being pinned down, but Ambermoon still tussled with Hollytuft. The two cats were standing on their hind legs. Then she cuffed the black she-cat around the ear before pushing at her chest with a ginger paw, which unbalanced the other warrior. At that moment, Berrynose scrambled to his paws and launched himself at Ambermoon. But the ginger she-cat was ready for him. She whirled around, faster than a leaf caught in a strong breeze, and grabbed his scruff between her teeth just as he flashed past. Berrynose let out a surprised yowl and twisted around to rake his creamy paws over her shoulder. Just at the same time, Hollytuft planted her paws on Ambermoon's hindquarters and dragged her down. Bramblestar was nodding happily and flicked his tail to signal the cats to let them up. "Great job, every one of you." He purred as the cats panted in front of him. "Now let's get back to camp." He murmured and looked up at the indigo sky. The sun was sinking behind the treetops. Oakpaw felt more exhausted than ever and he couldn't wait to get back to camp and sink into his nest to sleep.

When they finally reached the camp, the first warriors of Starclan were beginning to appear. Oakpaw forced his paws to continue walking. He was so exhausted that he thought he could sleep for a moon! Dappledwillow sniffed the air. "I smell rain on the wind." She murmured to Berrynose who padded by her side. The cream tom nodded and fluffed out his pelt. "I hope it will be over soon though." He mewed as a large drop of rain splashed onto his nose. He angrily shook it off before bounding ahead of Bramblestar and hurried through the tunnel. When Oakpaw padded in, the camp was as active as a bees' nest. Timberpaw and Cloverpaw were dragging brambles toward the nursery while Willowpaw, Daisy, Rosepetal and Pigeonpaw patched leaves into the walls. "Can you feel any wind?" Pigeonpaw called through a gap in the thicket. A moment passed by before Cinderheart answered. "No, this is fine." She mewed as Rosepetal and Willowpaw heaved a large bramble onto the wall and thrust it into place. Thornclaw, Brackenfur and Brightheart were patching up the elders' den while Greystripe played with Badgerkit, Smokekit, Foxkit, Icekit, Toadkit and Hazelkit, who all squealed in delight. Icefeather was talking to Birchfall and Lionblaze underneath the highledge. Flamingheart, Acornfall, Stormcloud, Dewnose, Molewhisker and Leafheart were fidgeting beside the entrance tunnel. They were probably waiting for Cherryfall's patrol to return. Poppyfrost, Frogleap and Alderleaf were dragging large brambles up to the barrier. Worry and excitement pricked Oakpaw's pelt like thorns. Would there really be a battle? He padded to the apprentices' den but before he could enter, Bramblestar's yowl sounded from the highledge. Sighing, Oakpaw turned away from the den and padded back into the clearing. The clan was quick to settle down. Oakpaw was only half listening to Bramblestar as he told the cats about how proud he was of them, and what a good progress they were making. He was thinking about the battle. Cats could die. He glanced sideways. Fernpaw, Timberpaw and Cloverpaw were lined up beside him, gazing up and listening to their leader. Then when Bramblestar cleared his throat, Oakpaw got snapped back into reality. "I want to keep fresh warriors in reserve." He mewed and pointed with his tail into his den. "I want Briarlight and the queens and kits to stay in my den with Ivypool, Bumblestripe and Flamingheart to guard them. The three warriors dipped their heads in agreement. "But I want you in the battle on my yowl, understood?" He mewed. The three warriors nodded and glanced at each other. Badgerkit let out a squeal of excitement to be sleeping in the leader's den. "But where will you be sleeping?" Stormcloud asked his leader. "With you, Dewnose and Cherryfall in the nursery." Bramblestar mewed, his whiskers twitching. "We will take Shadowclan with a nasty surprise."