Warriors - A Small Spark

Chapter Six

As Fyre'Paw headed deeper into the forest the thoughts of his own clan not accepting him for who he was circled through his mind. He was so distracted in fact that he didn't notice the ground fell away, and as he walked forward the ground disappeared beneath his paws. Fyre'Paw felt a wave of fear run through him as he fell, though he didn't fall far, he landed on the ground below with a loud thud. Wincing as he looked around, his senses flooded with the smells and sights of danger, he had fallen into a fox hole that had collapsed under his weight. The Scent of fox was strong here, wearily Fyre'Paw rose to his paws as he took a step forward he winced in pain, it seemed he had twisted a paw during his fall "Mousedung.." he muttered. Fyre'Paw looked around again to try and find an easy way out, but it looked like he would have to climb, sighing he placed his injured paw on the ground, wincing but having to ignore the pain. He bunched his muscles and with a powerful leap he sprang up almost fully out of the hole, his claws sunk into the soft earth as he scrambled out of the hole, his hind legs kicking out and tearing massive clumps of dirt from the walls. Finally he made it out, flopping on the ground with a heavy sigh of relief, his paw was throbbing but he had no other option than to ignore it.As Fyre'Paw lay there he forgot entirely to make sure he was safe, he heard a low growl come from somewhere behind him. Springing to his paws he whipped around only to be faced with bared teeth, they were sharp and yellowed, Fyre'Paw recognized the familiar scent and look of a red fox, every fur on his pelt began to bristle. The fox barked at him, snarling as it began circling. Fyre'Paw returned the aggression, his hackles raised and his back arched as he fluffed himself out, a low growl coming from him followed by a hiss. "Get back you mangey flea-pelt!" he swiped at the fox with outstretched claws. The fox lunged at Fyre'Paw, its razor sharp teeth missed its mark just by a hair, Fyre'Paw jumped back, he couldn't run, if he turned his back on the fox it would surely get him. The fox continued to circle the young apprentice, lunging and snapping its jaws at him as it began closing the distance between them. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain course through him, his head whipped around to see the source, another fox, much smaller than the other one, it looked to be a kit. Fyre'Paw shook himself trying to shake the fox kit off him but its teeth were fastened into his ginger pelt. His ears suddenly pricked and he turned to see the first fox running at him, its teeth bared and it prepared to lunge. Fyre'Paw knew he didn't have enough time to get away, and he accepted that he would be killed, but he wouldn't go down without a fight, he shut his eyes tightly and reared up, slashing out at the fox with outstretched claws, he connected with the fox, his claws raking its cheek. The fox kit shook its head back and forth, tearing Fyre'Paw's flesh, he yowled in pain shaking himself even more violently and this time the fox kit could not hold on, it tumbled into a tree and lay motionless for a heartbeat. Fyre'Paw was distracted for a heartbeat too long and the first fox lunged again, its teeth meeting in his fur, although it hurt his neck fluff protected him from a fatal blow. The fox snarled and shook Fyre'Paw like a piece of prey. 'This is it- I'm going to die by this fox' waves of fear and panic washed over him as he accepted his fate.

A furious yowl came from the bushes nearby, and a cat leaped out of the bush, bowling the fox over with the force of its impact "Get off my apprentice!" it was Half'Star, the gray she-cat charged the fox, leaping onto its back with fury. Her claws tore into its pelt, the fox yipped and turned its head, biting at Half'Star's tail.

Fyre'Paw scrambled to his paws, blood welling from the bite wounds on both his neck and flank. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the fox kit leaping at him, its teeth bared, and its beady eyes full of nothing but the intent to kill. Fyre'Paw reacted fast, jumping backwards and slashing a paw full of claws towards the fox kit. It yelped as his claws sliced its face, raking from its right ear and down to its left cheek. Snarling Fyre'Paw pounced on the fox, his claws sinking into its flesh.

Half'Star had been flung off the fox as the fox kit yelped, she quickly got to her paws, realizing the fox was running at Fyre'Paw. Without thinking she charged forward "Fyre'Paw! Look out!" she yowled desperately, putting on a burst of speed, just as Fyre'Paw looked over Half'Star sunk her claws into the young apprentice's shoulder, accidentally tearing some fur and flesh. Fyre'Paw was thrown backwards, he tumbled for a moment slightly stunned, his shoulder stinging as blood began seeping from the claw wound. He looked to Half'Star urgently, the She-cat was standing with her hackles raised, and even though she swiped at the fox it was of no use. The fox found an opening through brute force, and its teeth met in Half'Star's throat, it shook her like a piece of prey, tearing the flesh away before finally dropping her body to the ground.