The Blood Valley - (The Blazing Fires Book 1)

Chapter 16

    A half-moon has passed. Brightkit and Skykit tumbled out of the nursery, playfully pawing at each other. "Give up, intruder!" Skykit mewed, pawing at her brother's shoulder.

"Never!" Brightkit swiped at the cream kit's flank, causing Skykit to tumble backward. She quickly sprang back to her feet and pinned her littermate's shoulders to the dusty floor of the clearing. Blueheart glanced at the two kits from the warrior's den. He then turned his gaze towards the nursery and purred. In about a moon, his kits would be born. The tom took one last look at the nursery, then trotted towards the fern entrance to join the sun-high patrol. Morningpaw, Loudspark, and Snakepetal followed the tom outside of camp. 

Morningpaw felt her ears perk up as the shrubs ruffled in the distance, yet she knew what it was. Morningpaw had ordered Rowanbird to lead an attack today. Blueheart's tail stood tall in the air. "Do you hear that?" He hissed to his patrol.

Loudspark lifted his nose. "It smells like rouges." The young warrior growled. The patrol unsheathed their claws, leaning back to back. A yowl pierced their ears as a band of rouges jumped out at them through the shrubs surrounding them. "I'll get help!" Loudspark called, before dashing back towards camp.

Morningpaw turned towards the nearest rouge, and slashed at his cheek, tearing it. The rouge shouldered the young apprentice and snapped at her ear. Morningpaw narrowly avoided the bite, as jaws clamped the air above her ear. The she-cat then tore into the rouge's side, slashing blow after blow. The rouge lost his balance and tumbled backward. He then shot back to his feet and grabbed Morningpaw's neck. He swung the apprentice, as she trashed around.

Then, a familiar yowl came from behind. Loudspark was back with a second patrol. Lilystomp, Sparrowleap, Dewfur, Shallowpool, Feathercloud, Nightchaser, and Palepaw rushed into battle. Palepaw instantly went for the rouge holding Morningpaw. The pale apprentice sunk his claws into the back of the tom's neck and raked his claws down the rouge's back. The rouge howled, then fled back into the shrubs. "Are you okay?" Palepaw scanned his littermate for injuries.

"I'm fine, now go fight before you get yourself torn apart!" Morningpaw growled, before turning away and latching onto another rouge.

Blueheart was struggling with two huge rouges. A silver she-cat nipped at the warrior's paws, while a black tom clawed at his face and shoulders. The silver rouge then chomped down on Blueheart's tail. A howl escaped his muzzle, as the black rouge sliced his chest.

"Get off of my kin!" A voice snarled. A ginger pelt jumped onto the silver rouge and clawed at her face. The black rouge froze in shock. Blueheart took this opportunity to hook his claws into the dark rouge's neck. Blood poured onto his paw, which caused his stomach to turn. The tom retracted his paw as the rouge scurried away. The silver rouge then fled, as the ginger pelt stood. It was Lilystomp who saved him.

"I would have been crow-food if you didn't help me!" Blueheart thanked.

"You're one of the only kin I have left. It would break my heart to see you dead." The senior warrior dipped her head, before returning to battle.

Feathercloud was struggling to fight off a white rouge with dark grey speckles. The rouge's claws tore into his shoulder and knocked him off balance. The rouge then scooped up Feathercloud by the throat, and swung him violently in the air. Then, in a heartbeat, a black she-cat leaped onto the rouge and scrapped her claws down his back. The rouge let go of Feathercloud and spun around to face the black she-cat.

Feathercloud recognized the black she-cat, Nightchaser. Nightchaser sunk her teeth into the rouge's scruff then raked her claws down his leg. The rouge yowled, then escaped from the young warrior's grasp, and fled.

"Are you alright?" Nightchaser turned towards Feathercloud. Her tone sounded like she was actually concerned for once.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay. Thanks." Feathercloud responded. Both warriors' pelts heated up, as they turned back toward the battle.

A loud thud was heard in the distance. Sparrowleap was thrown across the battlefield, and into a rock. A crack echoed in the forest. Sparrowleap let out a shriek, before going limp. "No!" Shallowpool wailed. The tortoiseshell tried to go see her father, yet a rouge blocked her path. Palepaw starred in horror at the dead body of Sparrowleap. Then, he felt a tail brush on his spine.

"That'll be you next, filthy StarClan follower," Morningpaw unsheathed her claws and rammed into her littermate. Palepaw stumbled backward, away from the battlefield. The pale apprentice was then pinned against a tree. Morningpaw placed her claws on her brother's chest.

"W-wait!" Palepaw gasped. "Please! Don't kill me!" The pale apprentice flattened his ears. "I'll do anything! Please don't kill me!" He'd whimper. Morningpaw thought for a moment, before letting go of her brother.

"Fine. You are to kill any cat I tell you to!" The orange she-cat growled.

"Why?" Palepaw breathed.

"Because I want every stupid StarClan follower in this forest dead!" Morningpaw growled. "They're all fox-hearts, every single one of them,"

"Retreat!" A red-brown spotted tom howled. All the rouges then scrambled away, their pelts stained with blood.

"And don't ever come back!" Blueheart spat.

"Sparrowleap!" Shallowpool rushed towards Sparrowleap, with Dewfur and Feathercloud lagging behind. The tortoiseshell buried her muzzle into the warrior's soft fur and sobbed. Loudspark padded up to his mate and put a comforting tail on her shoulder. Dewfur put a paw on her sister's back. Feathercloud pressed his face into his father's pelt, breathing in his scent before he broke down in whimpers.