A New Beginning

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Good Die First

          Fireheart woke up in the warrior's den feeling energized and ready for action. The clan had been doing well over the past few moons. It had been fairly uneventful too, everyone just going about their business. Copperbee's kits had been born and were due to be apprenticed soon. Unfortunately, she had given birth to another evil reborn. Thistleclaw. But Fireherat tried to put that aside for now, there was nothing he could do about his presence in camp. 

          On the topic of kits, Sandstorm's were due any time now. Fireheart couldn't wait for Sandstorm to give birth, every part of him prickled with excitement. 

          Fireheart padded out of the den. At the same time, Sandstorm was padding out of the nursery. Her belly was now swollen with kits, her was being tailed by Bluestream. 

          "Mom, stop fussing. I'm not a kit!" Sandstorm whined. Bluestream had been practically stuck to Sandstorm's side since she found out her daughter was expecting. It was sweet, but also annoying Sandstorm to no end. 

          Fireheart walked over to Sandstorm and nuzzled her,

          "Morning," he purred, "Are you hungry?" Need any food?" He tilted his head in a questioning fashion. Sandstorm snorted, 

          "Not you too! Everyone is being insuferable, I need I a walk!" she sighed, clearing frustrated. Fireheart laughed, 

          "Sorry, I'll join you." He wanted to keep an eye on her. Sandstorm rolled her eyes but smiled at him anyway. They padded to the entrance together. As they neared the tunnel Jumpclaw called,

          "Fireheart! Hunting patrol!" Fireheart winced and licked Sandstorm lovingly. 

          "Sorry, maybe later." He bounded to his patrol with Squirrelmist, Pineclaw, Mapleclaw, and Hawkrunner. As they were about to leave, Jumpclaw raced up to them. 

          "I'm coming to join you," he meowed. It was a large hunting patrol, but Fireheart didn't mind. 

********************************

          They crept through the forest silently, tasting the air for prey. Fireheart picked up a scent, but not one of prey. Something else, and he knew exactly what is was. 

          He let out a sharp yowl to catch the attention of the others. "I think I smell badger," he meowed cautiously. The other cats of the patrol sniffed around the air. 

         "Definitely badger," Jumpclaw muttered. His face was grim. Fireheart looked through the trees in the direction of the scent trail. 

          "We should follow it," Mapleclaw meowes, "There are enough of us here to take on one badger." Jumpclaw hesitated, he looked at each of us in turn. He seemed to be calculating the risks, plus our individuale strengths and weaknesses.

           "And if there's more than one?" Pineclaw asked. Fireheart sniffed the air once more, 

          "We would be able to smell it, I'm sure there's only one," he insisted. 

          "Let's go," Jumpclaw agreed. He started following the trail, ears pricked and cautious. After a while it seemed they weren't going to find anything. But then they saw it: A huge lumbering badger, an adult male most likely. The badger sniffed the air, his head turning to whre the cat were hidden. 

          "Squirrelmist take the right, Hawkrunner the left, Pineclaw head around back, I'll head around front. Fireheart, cover us," Jumpclaw ordered. The bager started towards them and the cats dispersed. Fireheart already knew actually what he wanted to do. He slunk off to the side, readying himself in a crouch. He was still watching the other if they needed help, like Jumpclaw instructed, but he also had another plan. He was never very good at following orders. 

          The cats attacked the badger from all sides. Jumpclaw was weaving around the Badger's jaws, trying to paw at any weak spots. The other cats were doing the same, landing blows here and there while trying to avoid the giant limbs of the animal. The badger spun in confusion, not knowing which cat to target and swiping wildly anywhere he could. 

          Finally, Fireheart had his moment. A split second in which he bunched up his muscles and lept, high into the air. He grasped onto the badger, hauling himself onto it's back. The badger roared, rearing up and trying to dislodge him. But Fireheart clung on, digging his claws into the badger's flesh. Fireheart pulled himself upward, closer to the badger's neck. The badger continued to rear upwards, the ground shaking beneath it's strong paws. 

          Fireheart felt like his eye were buzzing in his skull, he couldn't open his jaw for fear of getting hurt when the badger made impact with the ground once more. BUt then finally, the other warrior distracted the badger and Fireheart had enough time to clamp his jaws around it's neck. He held on tight, blood flowing into his mouth, as the badger roared and reared up once more. This time, when the badger landed, Fireheart heard a sickening crunch. He heard Squirrelmist's whimper and his fear distracted him. His grip loosened .The badger have a shake and sent Fireheart flying across the clearing. The hit a tree with a sickening thud and fell to the forest floor. 

********************************

          "No," Pineclaw whispered, "It can't be." Fireheart lifted his head, his vision slightly blurry. The bagder was leaving, staggering off with blood pouring from it's neck. It was leaving to find a peaceful place to die, Fireheart could respect that. 

          His gaze turned to the limp body on the ground, gray fur splayed out. The large crunch played through his mind from the fight and things pieced together. Fireheart hauled himself up, ignoring the severe pain in his hind leg, and limped to the deputy's motionless body. 

          Pineclaw already had his muzzle buried in Jumpclaw's fur, they were littermates. As Fireheart came up beside him he heard the large warrior whisper, voice filled with grief, 

          "So long brother, may starclan light your way." Fireheart felt guilty, he knew things like this happened but he felt responsible. If he hadn't jumped on that badger it woulnd't have happened. His own grief weighed him down, heavy and cold. 

          Mapleclaw and Hawkrunner joined the toms. His sadness refected in their eyes. 

         "He was a great warrior," Hawkrunner whispered, pressing her muzzle into Pineclaw's shoulder. Fireheart noticed one other warrior was missing. He glanced up to where Squirrelmist was crouched with a distant look of horror on her soft face.

         "Squirrelmist, are you alright?" He approached the warrior cautiously. Squirrelmist seemed to finally notice Fireheart and she whimpered. 

          "I was under the badger, I tried to get at it's stomach. The badger reared and I didn't know what to do, Jumpclaw pushed me out of the way. I killed him," she muttered. 

          "You didn't kill him. Jumpclaw gave his life to save you, it was brave thing to do," Fireheart explained, "We should bring his body back to camp." The other cats agreed. Mapleclaw grabbed Jumpclaw's scruff while Hawkrunner went to support the shocked Squirrelmist. Pineclaw came to Fireheart's side. 

         "Lean on me," he said to the younger warrior. Fireheart flashed him a grateful smile and the group limped back to camp. Injured, but alive, mostly.