Secrets of the Stars

Chapter 9

It had been only a couple sunrises since Bloodpelt arrived to the clan. Most of the clan was wary of her, especially when she went near the Nursery. But she had made a few friends. Her and Silverpool were chatting while sharing a vole. Ravenpaw padded over to the Elders den with mouse bile.

Aspentail lifted her head, blinking  sleepily. Cloverheart grunted grumpily. The gray tom eyed the apprentice. "Stop standing there like a frozen mouse and get rid of my ticks"! He grumbled.

Aspentail nudged the old tom. Ravenpaw hurried over to Cloverheart. He dapped at the toms fur with the mouse bile. "How are you doing, dear"? Aspentail asked. "Great! But I don't like that Bloodpelt burst out two sunrises ago" He meowed back. "I wouldn't have had to do battle training yesterday. And listen to Cloverhearts grumbling voice" Aspentail broke out into a purr with amusement while Cloverheart glared at the two.

"Grumpy old badger" Ravenpaw said as he finished up getting the ticks. He padded out of the Elders den and came face to face with Bloodpelt. He jumped back in suprise before realizing who it was. "Oh...Hi Bloodpelt. Are you settling in well"? He asked.

Bloodpelt blinked. "Yes, indeed I am" Ravenpaw shivered under his pelt. Her green eyes seemed as if they were staring into his soul. "So uh...I gotta..Gotta get the Medicine den to get my wounds checked" Ravenpaw said. He hurried past her and Rollpaw padded up beside him. "You ok"? She asked.

Ravenpaw looked at her. "Oh, yeah...I'm fine" He answered. "Just...I mean....doesn't Bloodpelt seem a bit creepy"? Rollpaw tipped her head up thoughtfully. "I guess...but she hasn't come to talk to me really at all yet". Ravenpaw nodded.

Rollpaw's pelt bristled and she stopped, parting her jaws to taste the air. Ravenpaw nervously galnced at her. But she didn't have time to answer, cats sprung out of nowwhere. They attacked the clan viciously snarling. Roanstar was out of his den immedaitley. "Rogues"! He growled. He ran towards a gray tom with a black tail tip.

Ravenpaw was suddenly knocked over, and claws sunk into his flesh. He shreiked and rolled onto his back, attempting to crush his attacker. He heard muffled snarls and he felt claws hook into his back. He yowled and jumped away, hissing angrily. The she-cat got to her paws and growled. She was a black cat with bright blue eyes. She was barely an apprentice, just a couple moons younger than Ravenpaw. She jumped at him and sliced his muzzle with her sharp claws. Then she leaned down and locked her jaws around his throat.

Ravenpaw scratched at her belly with his hind legs. The young she-cat yowled and froze for a moment. He took advantage of this and lashed out with a front paw, his claws sliding through her fur amd hooked into her skin. She hissed and Ravenpaw kicked her off roughly. He sprang to his paws, watching as the she-cat was fleeing. He was soon met with an adult male cat. He was a battle-scarred black cat with hatred glowing in his eyes.

Ravenpaw leaped at him, only to be batted down. He fell to the earth, and the battle-scarred tom rested his paw on the apprentices chest, hooked his claws in, and dragged them down his belly. Ravenpaw shrieked in pain amd blood roared in his ears.  He blinked away blood as the tom batted at his face.

"Dear Starclan, help"! Ravenpaw thought. He lashed out blindly until he felt his claws hook into fur. He sliced his claws into the skin beneath the toms pelt. But the tom swung around and bit down on Ravenpaws leg. He felt dizzy with pain and his vision grew dull. "No! No no no! I'm not supposed to die in battle as an apprentice! I'm supposed to die in battle as a warrior"! He thought frantically.

Then, all he saw was darkness.