SandClan's Destiny Book 1: A Flame is Lit

Chapter 6: Rescues and Bloodshed

Rockpaw lashed his tail and sniffed the bracken. He wondered where Fawnleap, Hawkfeather, Shadowpool, and that medicine cat had gone. He was a mouse-brain for thinking their scent would still linger as his nose prodded the leaves in desperation for a scent.

"Hey, Slashingclaw?" Brackenshade sighed boredly.

"What?" 

"Do you think there's going to be a battle?"

"Pro--" He leaped back as a grey strike appeared panting in front of them.

"B-Battle! G-Go, NOW!" As he was saying this, cats were already pelting past him and heading towards the camp. Rockpaw did the same, and passed Stormpaw who was running to the border.

Rockpaw's paws thrummed the ground. The rest of the cats pulled back to meet him.

"In which direction is the camp?" They would ask.

"Right." He would answer. He felt horrible that he knew exactly the map of Oakclan territory. He felt like a double clanner. His answers would be spoken in mutters, and often cats would just trust his instinct as he ran and they trailed after him. 

He pelted past some brambles, already gaining cuts, before bursting from the back of the Oakclan Warrior's Den. Cats yowled and leaped back as they ran through.

Rockpaw panted and studied the camp as he stopped, halting in the moss of the now empty den. Everyone was already in heated battle, and Rockpaw caught the flashing red pelt of Firepaw through the midst of all the action. She was battling Skyfeather. Rockpaw looked to his clanmates who each found an opponent, and finally to his leader who was battling Birchstar. Rockpaw smirked. That old fur-ball deserved a scar down his eye... unfortunately he wouldn't get one. This battle is going to be short. Rockpaw smirked again.

Something crashed into Rockpaw's side and sent him tumbling over into the ground. He looked up to see laughing green eyes and ginger and white fur. Maplepaw. That old mouse-brain!

He kicked her off and jabbed claws into her side and bit her scruff. She yowled and scrabbled at his pelt until she leaped off and joined Shrewpaw.

"Look! It's the spy!" Shrewpaw exclaimed.

Rockpaw was startled. He wondered if that was the first time he had ever heard the runt speak.

More yowls erupted as the border patrol entered the camp, and the fighting truly began. Stormpaw trotted besides Rockpaw in noticing he was facing two cats. "Need some help?"

"No." He answered gruffly, and truthfully.

Shrewpaw and Maplepaw sneered. Maplepaw curled back her lips, "Yea you will, me and Shrewpaw are gonna shred ya up!"

"Shrewpaw?" Stormpaw flicked his long tail at the apprentice. "You mean this runt? I ain't scared of him!" He leaped at the small brown cat, jaws grasping around his scruff and shaking him before flinging him to the side. He leaped on him and pinned him down, claws latching into his thin pelt. His eyes were bright with triumph and he looked up from his attack to Maplepaw, grinning at her as if in taunt.

Shrewpaw screeched and Maplepaw ran over to help, ignoring Stormpaw's playful gaze. Soon Stormpaw was battling two cats at once with ease, but that was not a surprise considering Shrewpaw was one fourth of a cat.

Rockpaw smirked. Shows them! Suddenly jaws grabbed his scruff, and a voice spoke through his fur. "Well well well, you return!" He flew to the side and landed with a thump. 

Redcloud. Rockpaw stood up with shaky legs. He realized this was his first true battle. His eyes glanced over at the she-cat. She was standing tall, a grimace on her face as her plume-tail lashed back and forth like a pendulum. Her pelt was bristled along her neck and a snarl soon replaced her emotions.