Flame

Chapter Eight

Many moons passed as her training progressed. Soon, she thought, I will become a warrior! The days grew long when she mastered her battle moves, especially the badger attack move she had dragged from Emberfoot. Her hunting was very good, and Emberfoot said she could practically melt into the shadows when she wished. Today I might become a warrior! She was thinking during her battle training. “OK, Dovepaw, I think you’ve become a little overconfident at the badger attack,” he continued, “I’ll be the badger and you attack me,” He reared on his hind legs and snarled, slinging his sheathed claws at her. She darted under his legs and came up behind. Pouncing before he turned, she landed squarely on his shoulders and plummeted his back with padded blows. Falling dramatically, he turned and threw her off. “I take it back!” He laughed. She gingerly picked herself up in mock-indignity, saying, “I should hope so!” Emberfoot became serious, “What was that?” “What?” a low rumble was coming from the pine forest. Opening her mouth a stench invaded her senses, she choked back vomit. “What, what is that?” Then they heard a screech, “That was a cat!” exclaimed Emberfoot. They took off toward the camp, puffing all the way. “You remember all those battle moves I taught you?” said Emberfoot casually. “Yes,” came her puffing answer. They reached Pineclan camp, huge black creatures with white stripes were everywhere. They stopped, stunned. Badgers were all over the camp. Emberfoot leaned over and said, “I’m proud of you,” Then, screeching, he threw himself at them. Dovewing stood, paralyzed with fear. She saw Bramblehare, Leafpaw, Blackroot and many other warriors and apprentices throwing themselves at the beasts. Their yelps of pain shook her from her fear. Unaware of what she was doing, she hurdled herself at a huge badger that was winning a fight with Tornear. Every move she made was mechanical. the berry-sized black, menacing eyes of the badger enraged her. It’s bulk maddened her. “For Pineclan!” she howled. Ducking under it’s legs, she jumped heavily onto the black back. It shook  her off easily, she had forgotten to unsheathe her claws! Tornear distracted it from her winded body. Slashing wildly, it hit him. Dovepaw was on it in an instant. Going on the battle moves she knew, it beat her back against Brightstar’s den. She dove inside. It was the first time she had ever been inside. Lichen was everywhere, no wonder she had never had to take Brightstar any moss for her nest. But she never got to enjoy it, for the badger had finally made it inside the small den. Dovepaw went wild. Tearing out tufts of black fur, she made up on the spot some of her own battle moves. At last, she got it’s guard down where there was a gap big enough to where she could lunge at it’s neck. She pounced at the compact stump. It gasped and shook violently. Finally, it fell. She leaped off the still body, and shrank outside. Chaos met her outside. Many cats she knew were lying on the ground, the limp body of Brightstar leapt up before her eyes. She’s on her last life! she thought desperately. She ran to her aid, puffing and caked with blood. Together they took on a big badger, timing their slashes perfectly. The beady eyes were hypnotic, scary with concentrated hate. The badger swung her huge paw at the flailing cats, upsetting Dovepaw. The badger had her chance, it swooped up Brightstar with one fluid moment, and threw her into a mass of brambles. Dovepaw flung herself at the badger, killing it as fast as she could. She raced toward what was left of the brambles where her leader lay. “Brightstar!” she wailed, “You can’t leave! Pineclan needs you now more than ever!” The feeble lips moved silently, and as Dovepaw put her ear to them she could hear what they were saying, “Dovepaw, you have shown great skill…and promise… our warrior ancestors in Starclan…prophesied to your importance…” “Shh,” “No, let your leader speak… Dovepaw your name shall be known from now on as Dovewing, let your works praise Starclan forever…” Brightstar’s lips stopped working and a thin trickle of blood came through. “No! Brightstar! No,” she whispered her love to her leader through trembling lips. “Dovepaw, I need your help. Evacuate every cat out into the pines,” Dovewing turned around, there stood Berrylimb, the medicine cat, and in the back ground the fight still raged. “Dovewing,” She said. Berrylimb nodded, “Get a my apprentice, Poppypaw to help you get the needed supplies out of my den and bring as much as you can into the pines. Then get every wounded cat out of the camp,” Dovewing nodded solemnly, she knew they could never return to their devastated camp.