A New Horizon Book 2: The Dying Forest {COMPLETE}

Chapter 18

"I'm going to teach a new fighting move today." Wheatwhisker mewed, standing across from Nightpaw. I'm ready. She thought eagerly, she was always to learn new things. "This move is called the upright lock." Wheatwhisker began. "You use on weakened opponents. First, you stand up on your hind legs and bring your weight down on them. If they do the same thing, you wrestle so you've got them pinned. While you're on your hind legs, however, your belly is exposed so you have to be fast and strong to do this move."

Nightpaw nodded, imagining the move in her mind. "Okay." She mewed, determined to perfect this move today.

"Pretend I'm a weakened opponent." Wheatwhisker mewed. "I will be trying to get your belly so be careful." Nightpaw nodded and moved to attack as soon as he stopped speaking. She reared up on her hind legs, but nearly stumbled. Wheatwhisker moved forward quicker than she could, dragging his paw across her belly.

Nightpaw stumbled back, landing back on her front paws. "Not quick enough," Wheatwhisker pointed out. "And you're unbalanced on your back paws. If you move quick enough then you won't have to worry about that. Try again."

Nightpaw did it again, she didn't stumble this time, but Wheatwhisker still got her belly. Gritting her teeth, she tried it once more. She tried it a few more times, getting quicker each time. She finally got an attempt where she managed to bring herself down on Wheatwhisker as hard as she possibly could, knocking him to the ground. She felt pride surge through her and let her mentor up.

"Good." Wheatwhisker nodded proudly. "Now I'm going to fight back, wrestle me to the ground so you come out on top." Nightpaw attacked again, but Wheatwhisker did the same. The two cats collided and locked each other together. Nightpaw wrestled against Wheatwhisker, but he was stronger and bigger than she was. Refusing to give up, Nightpaw fought as hard as she could against him.

She jabbed her hind paw into Wheatwhisker's ribcage and the brown tom allowed Nightpaw to pin him, she looked down triumphantly at her mentor. "I win." She boasted. Wheatwhisker chuckled and Nightpaw let him up.

"Good job." He purred. "You're a quick learner." Wheatwhisker looked up at the sky, it was just before sunhigh. "We should head back to camp, we're supposed to go on a patrol at sunhigh." Nightpaw held her head high with excitement, battle training and a patrol in the same day? She had to be the luckiest apprentice.

Nightpaw followed Wheatwhisker back to camp with a skip in her step. It had been several days since Nightpaw had ran into Echoheart and she had cheered up quite a bit. Echoheart wasn't a threat to AshClan, and if she ever tried something then their warriors would send her running.

I'm going to protect my Clan from every threat. Even if the threat is my mother, she gave up being my mother a long time ago. Nightpaw thought confidently. The two cats reached camp just as the patrol was starting to gather.

It was lead by Ashblaze and had Lilyclaw, Harewhisker, Stormheart and Rabbitpaw. Nightpaw wasn't too thrilled to be patrolling with Rabbitpaw, she would complain at the slightest injury whether it be a thorn in her paw or a branch poking in her in the side. Hopefully we don't run into any issues.

"Are we ready go go?" Ashblaze questioned, looking over Wheatwhisker and Nightpaw, his eyes resting on Nightpaw for a heartbeat longer. Still the same, I see. Nightpaw thought, Ashblaze had always looked at her and Blackpaw like that. Someday he'll see the truth. I'm not Echoheart.

"I believe so." Wheatwhisker replied with a nod and the patrol set out towards the LichenClan border. There wasn't much talk as they moved through the forest. Wheatwhisker was having a quiet conversation with Lilyclaw but the rest of the patrol was quiet. Nightpaw looked at Rabbitpaw, the she-cat had her head ducked and looked around the forest with fear in her eyes. How can she be so scared of everything? Nightpaw wondered. She couldn't imagine living in fear of her own territory.

The patrol neared the LichenClan border and a rancid scent filled Nightpaw's nose. "What is that?" She questioned, the other cats had clearly scented it as well. "It smells horrible."

"It's a fox." Ashblaze replied. "And it's close by." Nightpaw's fur stood on end, a fox? She had never seen a fox before, but she had heard stories about them.

Behind Nightpaw she heard a sharp breath and a low growl. She turned around and saw the glint of eyes hiding in a large clump of brush, only mouselengths away from Rabbitpaw. "Move!" Nightpaw shouted and jumped forward, grabbing Rabbitpaw's scruff in her teeth and throwing the small apprentice away.

As Nightpaw moved the fox leapt out of the brush, landing just in front of Nightpaw. Nightpaw locked eyes with the fox, it's beady glare sending fear through her body. I have to move! Nightpaw realized and jumped out of the way just as the fox snapped, she could hear it's mouth snapping shut.

Ashblaze and Wheatwhisker ran past Nightpaw, hissing and lashing out, their claws raking into the fox's muzzle. Blood welled from the wounds that the two warriors had left. The fox snarled and bit at Ashblaze who jumped out of the way. Lilyclaw and Stormheart were moving in to attack as well. I have to fight too. Nightpaw ran around the back of the fox, sinking her teeth into it's hind leg.

The fox let out a yelp and kicked Nightpaw away. The fox's foot hit her hard in the shoulder, but not enough to hurt her badly. With her claws out, Nightpaw ran forward and raked her claws down the fox's haunches.

She heard a cry of pain from one of her warriors and saw Lilyclaw stumbling back, blood spilling out from a bite wound on her shoulder. She winced and panted heavily, Wheatwhisker let out an angered yowl and jumped onto the fox's face, his claws ripping into its ears and eyes. The fox howled in pain and shook its head violently, throwing Wheatwhisker off. He landed quite a distance away, but Wheatwhisker stood up, shaking pine needles from his pelt. The fox growled and turned to run away, leaving the cats behind. It ran towards LichenClan territory. I hope a patrol doesn't run into that. Nightpaw hoped.

"Good work, everyone." Ashblaze praised his patrol. "Are you the only injury?" He questioned, looking at Lilyclaw.

"I think so." Lilyclaw said through grit teeth. Wheatwhisker quickly padded up to her, looking at her wound.

"Are you alright?" Wheatwhisker questioned, voice filled with concern for his mate.

"Yeah," Lilyclaw replied. "I'll live, it just hurts."

"We should head back to camp," Ashblaze mewed. "I'll report this to Riverstar and the half-moon is tonight so Skyfeather can tell Roseheart about the fox so LichenClan can be on the lookout."

The patrol agreed and headed back to camp. Nightpaw looked at Rabbitpaw, the apprentice hadn't participated in the fight at all. She looked horrified and her pawsteps trembled as she walked through the forest. Nightpaw fell in beside the skittish she-cat. "You alright?" Nightpaw asked quietly.

Rabbitpaw nearly jumped at Nightpaw's questioned. "Oh," She replied, her voice nearly silent. "Yeah, I'm okay." She dropped her head. "Thanks for getting me to safety." She added even quieter.

"Of course," Nightpaw replied, trying to assure the she-cat. "You're my Clanmate, it's what we do for each other." Rabbitpaw nodded but said nothing further. Maybe I was too quick to judge. There has to be a reason that she's so scared, maybe I should talk to her about it sometime.

The patrol reached camp and immediately, Rabbitpaw left to go sit beside Leafpaw at the apprentice den. She ducked her head and avoided eye contact with everyone. Nightpaw felt sad watching the apprentice. There has to be something up with her, I want to help her. Nightpaw thought.

Ashblaze left to report the fox to Riverstar and Lilyclaw went to Skyfeather and Blackpaw for her wound to be treated. Nightpaw sighed, hoping she could find a way to help Rabbitpaw. She's my Clanmate. It's my job to protect my Clanmates, no matter what.