Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 25: Warpath

Chapter 25: Warpath

Scorch hissed as her shoulder went aflame with pain. She turned her gaze back toward the enemy; a cold faced black she-cat with silent hazel eyes. Scorch scowled and flattened her ears against the shrieks of battle around her. Her small legs trembled from exhaustion and her body ached more than it ever had before in her life, but she stood strong.

Nightwing's attack hadn't yet forced them to retreat, but the battle was taking its toll. She was glad that they were not terribly out-numbered and that Nightwing himself was not yet present. She just hoped this didn't mean he was waiting back with another patrol; that would definitely crush them.

But now she had to avoid being crushed as she continued her fight while avoiding getting stepped on by other battling cats. "I don't recognize you, you're not from NightClan," her opponent observed, her voice detached and wary.

Scorch let out a snarl and slid in for the she-cat, arching her claws and trying to put as much force as she could into the slice as she spun around the side of the cat. The black she-cat gave a grunt of pain as scarlet drops flew from her lower side.

"I'm not from any Clan," Scorch growled, panting under her defiance. She was terrified right now, she had already fought another cat and had barely managed to survive long enough until Boulderpaw helped her defeat him. Now she was against a cat alone again, but this cat was less aggressive in her attacks and was smaller.

"Why is a kit getting caught up in this?" the cat asked, twisting and managing to bite down on Scorch's back leg as she tried to dodge. Scorch tore herself free and winced as she put the now damaged leg back on the ground.

"Ask your leader," she retorted. Retaliating by pushing herself into a jump to scramble on the she-cat's back and started churning all four sets of claws along her spine. The cat beneath her hissed and gave a tremendous shake which made Scorch slip from her spot; but she managed to drag her claws down the cat's side before puncturing her back claws into her side while springing away.

"You're a nimble little maggot," her opponent spat, now a look of anger in her eyes. "And what do you mean, 'ask my leader?'" the cat lunged for her, but this time Scorch was aware of the technique and dodged in time.

"He was the one that started his reign by slaughtering kits, right? So why wouldn't I fight against him! I don't want to die!" she spat. Scorch let the black cat lunge again, jaws snapping, and flashed her claws at the tiny pink nose when it was close enough.

The she-cat reeled back in pain and brought a paw up to feel the now bleeding nose. "But you just said you weren't from the Clans! You weren't in danger from us until you decided to get involved, and its a mistake you will regret!" the black she-cat spat. Her hazel eyes were simmering with fury. She had been slowly getting angrier throughout the fight.

"Maybe I will, but there's no going back. And it'll be worth it if it makes some of you see dirt," Scorch hissed, dodging the flurry of paw-swipes the cat flew at her with. They were easy to avoid, very rhythmical and far too trained. After a minute, she knew the precise moment which paw would swing at her. When one came in, she bit the paw and clenched her jaws on it.

Then her eyes opened in fear as she felt herself lifted off the ground and shaken through the air until everything was just a dark, shadowed blur. "Let go!" she heard a grunt and jaws clamped on her neck. Panic tightened her as she opened her jaws, trying to gasp in air as her opponent held her by the neck.

Grunting, and not wasting time, she thrust both paws upward at the she-cat's chin. The grip was tightened, and then released. She was nowhere for a moment; then she hit the ground. Scorch groaned, and closed her eyes after the impact, only thinking about how cold and hard the ground was against her cheek.