Thunder's Calling

Chapter 3

It was the day after her ceremony, and Thunderpaw had already learned the uses for poppy seed, yarrow, juniper berries and catmint. She enjoyed learning all of these new herbs and watched as she was shown how to apply cobweb to a cat, for when a battle would be. Her ear twitched as she heard the thumping of paws. "Uh, Ravenwing?" She said out loud as Nettlefur and Flowerstep entered the camp running.

"There is a RiverClan patrol coming! They say we have something that belongs to them, but I'm not sure what that means!" Nettlefur said in a hurry, looking for Beetail or Oakstar.

The RiverClan patrol was lead into the camp by, Bloomheart, Seedpelt and their apprentices, Larchpaw and Petalpaw. The RiverClan patrol consisted of  Appledusk, Spiketail, Rainfall and Milkfur. 

Oakstar exited his den, eyes narrowed towards the RiverClan patrol. "What do you need, Spiketail. Why are you in Thunderclan territory?" Oakstar asked the Riverclan deputy. 

"Well you see, it has come to our attention that one of your warriors has had kits with one of ours. Darkstar wants the kits to be returned to RiverClan to live with their father where they belong." Spiketail said, a sly smile on his face.

"Let me get this straight, you march into our camp, and demand our kits because you only have half the story?" Oakstar said coldly. "Did he tell you how or why one of our warriors has had his kits?"

"Well, no. But-"

"Well, let me tell you, he raped her. He made her bare his kits even when she didn't want to. My son found her and well lets just say he help her. He is their father as well. So, If you would please leave my camp-"

"What! I would never-" Appledusk growled.

"I never specified who the cat was who raped her. That tells me you did it. You aren't getting this kits, they are apprentices and they don't want you." Oakstar snarled.

"I suggest we fight for them. You chose someone to fight we will also. The winner gets the kits." Milkfur suggested. 

"Very well." Oakstar said, with a smile. He knew just the cat. "Thunderpaw, would you come here please." He called for his granddaughter. 

"Yes?" Thunderpaw said, walking over to where everyone was. "What do you need, Oakstar?"

"You are the cat I chose to fight." He said with a smirk. 

"Of course." She said, purring in amusement, this wouldn't be easy but she had the element of surprise. They didn't know she had warrior training before becoming a medicine cat apprentice. 

"An Apprentice! Why this should be easy!" Appledusk mused.

"I wouldn't sell her short, Appledusk. This is one of the kits your trying to take after all." Oakstar said. "And she is a medicine cat apprentice, so I would also avoid killing her if I were you."

Appledusk scoffed. "That makes it more easy, being as she was just apprenticed. She won't have any battle training, so lets do this and get it over with." He said, smirking. He was over-confident, good. She could use that to her advantage. 

They soon had the clan make a circle around the two cats. The ThunderClan cats, looking quite amused at what was about to happen, Mapleshade and Birchface where towards the front, smirking, and the RiverClan patrol looking fearful for the young apprentice. 

"Warriors, Fighting stances! Fight!" Oakstar called from High Rock.

Appledusk threw himself at the small she-cat, but Thunderpaw saw it coming. She had been studying her opponent, and saw his muscles bunch as she prepared to jump. She leapt up, similarly to what she did to Flowerstep on their last day of training, and landed on his back as he looked surprised that she wasn't there. She dug her claws deep into his shoulders as he screeched in pain. She then started to pummeled her hindlegs, their claws also unsheathed, and hopped off. She sat down as he got up, blood dripping from his shoulders. "I see you have gotten a little battle practice before we arrived. No matter! I'll still end this quickly!" He screeched as he ran at her. She merely jumped out of the way, but hadn't expected him to quickly turn and leap at her. He landed on her, biting into her shoulder. She yowled in pain as he bite deep. Releasing her shoulder. He pinned her, think fast though, she laid limp, making it seem like she gave up. He loosen his grip, and she exploded upward. He fell back, letting a yowl of surprise as she pinned him with her claws at his throat. He tried to get up, but he used up most of his energy at the beginning. "Give up." Thunderpaw hissed.

"That's enough!" Oakstar called from High Rock. "Thunderpaw has won. The kits stay here. Thunderpaw, you can let him up now." He said to the young apprentice.

Thunderpaw nodded, and let him up. She started to limp towards the medicine den when she felt a heavy weight land on her back. She screeched as Appledusk had began to claw deeply into her back. She landed hard on the ground, and Appledusk and his patrol were forced out of camp. She thought she heard voice, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Then everything went black.