Warriors: Finding Home

Chapter Nineteen

     Sootfur leaped into the air with joy. He was finally a warrior! Sootfur was just about to race out of camp when Marshfall and Flowerface tumbled into him, bowling the black tom sideways.

     "Oh, I nearly forgot. We have to sit vigil all night." Marshfall meowed solemnly.

     That fact didn't dilute Sootfur's pride. His thoughts once again wondered to his littermates. He hoped they were warriors now. Sootfur took his place at the entrance of the camp. Flowerface sat beside him and Marshfall sat on his sisters other side. Night had fallen, casting a shadow over the clans. the only light coming from small holes in the roof. There were no stars out tonight, as if StarClan were hiding. Sootfur forced his fur to lie flat, though what caused it was unknown. It looked as if his clan mates were experiencing the same chill.

     The light of the moon was cut off by shadows slipping through the roof into the camp like bodies swimming through the dark. Sootfur's world was turned black and Flowerface and Marshfall scurried from their places and hurried to warn their clan mates of the invasion. Sootfur could see the outline of Marshfall's fur against the black. He was near Ratstar's den. Flowerface was in the apprentices den. Sootfur raced towards the warriors den.

     Chestnutheart was nearest the entrance, and Sootfur nearly rammed into her. The tortoiseshell she-cat stirred in her sleep. Sootfur prodded her with a paw until her eyes flashed open.

     "Chestnutheart! Hurry! Wake the others. We are under attack!" Sootfur hissed.

     The senior warrior obeyed quickly and soon the clearing was full of wrestling cats. Each warrior took on oner or more of the tribe cats. It seemed as though every tribe cat had come to fight. Sootfur was tussling with a black tom.

     "Feel the wrath of Rock Cliff!" The tom growled.

     Sootfur felt his face grow hot and unsheathed his claws. Rock Cliff sliced through Sootfur's forehead and blood blinded him. Sootfur lashed out with claws, but didn't hit anything but air. Blood was dripping from the gash on his forehead, and blood was seeping into his eyes, making it hard to see. Still, he refused to be beaten. Honing his senses on Rock Cliff's breathing, Sootfur listened carefully to his surroundings. A slight scuffling alerted Sootfur to a paw closing in beneath him. Sootfur leaped in the air to avoid falling and just in time, too. He narrowly missed the attack.

     Still blind, Sootfur smelled SunClan joining him against the tribe cat. Flowerface's scent wafted up to Sootfur, mingled with fear and blood. Now Sootfur had a fighting chance. Letting Flowerface take on the tom alone, Sootfur took a moment to blink away the blood from his eyes. Once he regained his sight, he joined the fight. Flowerface and Sootfur managed to fend off the black cat and he ran away.

     Sootfur spotted Ratstar shuffling with Rock Teller. Nightpaw was fighting with a tortoiseshell, and Sootfur rushed over to help. The two cats clawed at the she-cat, until she ran away. SunClan managed to ram all the tribe cats out of the camp, but the battle rages on outside. A yowl split the air, and Sootfur saw Eggsplash pinned beneath a brown tabby. Sootfur tried to help, hi was rammed by a cat. Stars jumped around in his head, and he shook it to clear his thoughts. Eggsplash was breathing heavily, but she managed to throw off her attacker. Her cream fur was tainted red and she slumped over on her side.

     Finally giving up, the tribe cats retreated back to the mountains.