Darkeye's Fury

Chapter Four

Darkkit looked around the moonlit nursery, and for the first time, she felt very small. She crouched, and crept out of the den. She stopped by a puddle, and took a drink. Something bashed into her side, and Darkkit whipped around, facing Mudpaw. She snarled, and he leapt at her claws unsheathed. Darkkit lashed out at him desperately, and howled when he caught her above her eye. Blood gushed into her eye, as he struck at her other eye. Darkkit snarled, and ran under his stomach. She went to bite I to one of his hind legs, but he was faster. He whipped around, and picked her up by her scruff. He shook her like prey, and threw her into the center of the clearing. Darkkit struggled to her paws, only to be pushed down again by Mudpaw. "What did I ever do to you!" Darkkit snapped. Mudpaw's eyes blazed with fur as he planted a claw on her neck. "You stole my family from me. Ever since Stormkit got stuck, everyone thought you were a hero! That should be me!" He dug his claws into her throat, continuing. "I worked so hard for my family to love me more then anything! Then you came around..." Darkkit stared at Mudpaw. "I didn't try to." She murmured. Mudpaw bit into her neck, and threw her back into the shade of the camp wall. "Don't try and talk your way out of this! Fight me!" Darkkit snarled as she slowly rose to her paws. Mudpaw ran towards her, then leapt. She slammed her to the ground, and she yowled in pain. Bramblewhisker sleepily poked his head out of the warriors den, then gasped and raced over to Mudpaw, as he bit into Darkkit's neck. She yowled, and Bramblewhisker threw Mudpaw off of her. "What were you thinking?!" He gasped in astonishment. Mudpaw growled, then bolted out of camp. Bramblewhisker tore after him, and Darkkit laid down, lapping at her wounds. Tuliptail looked outside of the nursery, and gasped when she saw Darkkit. She raced over to her, examined her, then ran to the medicine cats den. Mapleleaf bounded out of the medicine cats den, as cats began to gather. Mapleleaf pushed them away, and tended to Darkkit's wounds. When she had finished, Bramblewhisker padded into camp, covered in scratches, dragging Mudpaw. When Bramblewhisker let him go, he pinned him down and planted a paw on his neck. Duskstar padded out of his den, and looked down at his clan. "What-" his gaze rested on Mudpaw, then Darkkit. "Mudpaw. Get up here." He growled. Bramblewhisker let him up, and pushed him towards the gathering stream. Mudpaw hissed, then climbed up the rocks. He stopped infront of Duskstar, and Darkkit saw a blurry vision of Mudpaw arguing with Duskstar, then she blacked out.

When she awoke, she blinked her eyes opened sleepily, then looked at her surroundings. Mudpaw was getting moss, and shen Mapleleaf gave him it, he turned and his gaze locked with Darkkit's. He glared at her, fury blazing in his eyes, then moved on when Mapleleaf snapped at him. Darkkit turned to Mapleleaf, and saw warmth glowing in her eyes. "I'm glad you awake. You've been asleep for three days. Moonpaw brought you something to eat this morning. She pushed a plump rabbit towards her, and Darkkit nodded gratefully. She took a bite of the rabbit, and her stomach instantly groaned. She fulped down the rabbit in a few quick gulps, then licked her lips. She looked up at Mapleleaf, a d the tortishell shecat meowed, "Go walk outside. Everyone misses you." Darkkit knew that wasnt true, but she didn't argue. She scrambled to her paws, and flinched at the sunlight of Leaf-fall. It took a little for her eyes to adjust, then Whitecloud and Whirlwind padded up and welcomed her back. Darkkit nodded, and looked for Tuliptail. Bramblewhisker padded into camp, with Ravenpaw, Appleshadow, Shadepaw, and Cinderfrost following him. Cinderfrost and Appleshadow nodded welcome to her and padded to the warriors den, while Shadepaw and Ravenpaw started asking questions about the fight. Bramblewhisker shooed them away, and wrapped his tail arpund Darkkit. She walked beside him, and he led her to Tuliptail, who was basking in the sunlight with Duskstar. Tuliptail immediately jumped to her paws, and greeted her kit. Darkkit purred, as her mother covered her in warmth and welcome. Darkkit looked up at her mother and asked, "Where's Stormkit?" Her mother looked towards the fresh kill pile, and Darkkit followed her gaze. Cloverpaw was changing the form of Stormkit's position, as he copied a move that Moonpaw explained to him. Darkkit crouched, and slowly crept towards them. Moonpaw saw her and she chuckled. Stormkit looked around, confused, along with Cloverpaw. Moonpaw destracted them with a butterfly, and Darkkit leapt at them, pinning Cloverpaw and Stormkit down. "Your back!" Cloverpaw exclaimed. Stormkit barreled into her and purred loudly. Moonpaw bounded over and purred, "Welcome back! Did you eat anything?" Darkkit nodded, and Moonpaw nodded back. Darkkit batted at Cloverpaw's ears, and frowned when Whitecloud and Appleblossom called their apprentice for a border patrol. Darkkit sighed, then sauealed when Stormkit knocked her over. She barreled into her brother thinking, this is how life should be. Not filled with pain and anger. She looked across the clearing, as Mudpaw dragged old moss out of camp. "I'm so sorry Mudpaw." She murmured, and continied her play fight with Stormkit.

The next morning, Darkkit woke up late, and stretched. She was aloud to sleep in the nursery, and she bounded out of the nursery. Stormkit wasn't in sight, so she ran to a clump of tall grass in camp, and pulled a bunch off. She raced towards the nursery, and started poking the long grass into the wall. Stormkit needs to work on his pouncing. She thought. She padded out of the den, and looked around for Stormkit. He wad lying by the fresh kill pile, with Cloverpaw, while Moonpaw leapt into the air, spun, and lashed at a leaf with her claws. Mudpaw sat at the edge of camp glaring at Darkkit, pure hatrid burning in his eyes. We can work this out. She thought. She padded towards him, and he stalked off towards Duskstar's den. Darkkit sighed and thought to herself, when will you ever forgive me?