Shade

Chapter Forty Seven

Shadepool sprang at Brokenvine as he attacked, realising too late that with only three of RiverClan against six of ShadowClan, they had no chance of winning. She silently sent a prayer to StarClan that Minnowpaw would come back soon with Silverstar and hopefully some warriors.

Brokenvine easily bowled her over with his superior weight, and Shadepool struggled beneath him, claws unsheathed and lashing out blindly. She could hear the screeches of battle around her, and knew that she couldn't expect help from her Clanmates. She battered Brokenvine's soft belly with her hind legs, hoping her claws were digging deep enough to do some damage.

Brokenvine hissed and rolled away from her. In the heartbeat she had available, Shadepool saw Frogleg, Iceriver and - with a tinge of surprise - Crushclaw, each battling against one of the rogues. Scratchpelt and Badgerstripe stood a short way off, looking uncertainly at the fighting cats.

With a snarl, Brokenvine's paw flashed out and cuffed Shadepool hard on the head, his claws leaving a scratch above her eye that dropped with blood.

"Another one from me to add to your collection," Brokenvine taunted.

"I was hardly more than a kit that day," Shadepool growled.

"And you're more than that now?" Brokenvine's eyes were wide with feigned surprise. "Could have fooled me."

Shadepool lashed her tail, refusing to let his taunts get to her. Her claws sank into the peaty earth, now dotted with droplets of blood. She could feel the shadows of the trees stretching on either side of her, long and black in the intense sunhigh light. If she could only slip into one, she knew the perfect move to make Brokenvine surrender... but she knew she couldn't. Not with anyone watching, anyway.

Recognising that she should attack, Shadepool raced towards the ShadowClan warrior in a straight path, then at the last moment, she swerved and aimed for his side. Caught off guard, Brokenvine stumbled, and Shadepool used her brief advantage to pummel his sides with all four paws. Hissing, he lashed out at her with a forepaw, and she sprang backwards just in time to avoid another injury. Brokenvine dragged himself onto his paws, pelt scratched and bleeding.

"Not bad," he growled. "But if that's your best, you don't stand a chance."

"Hardly," Shadepool purred, slipping into a crouch. This was a move that she hadn't ever learned, strictly speaking, but she had taught it to Marshcloud over the course of a few days to give her apprentice a new and powerful move to use in battle that would be unique only to her. Sorry, Marshcloud, but I'll have to borrow that move, Shadepool thought. I hope I'm fast enough.

Shadepool sprang, but instead of charging right at Brokenvine, she ran around him in tight, rapid circles. She had to keep running as fast as she could, or Brokenvine would be able to catch her. She was brought back to Marshcloud's training sessions where her apprentice would work all day to perfect the move. As she circled her opponent, Shadepool kicked up dusty earth and thick clumps of mud into Brokenvine's face, making him splutter and shake his head to try and get it off. So far so good. Shadepool skidded around his side, coming to a halt behind him. Without missing a beat, she leapt up and dug her claws into his back and bit down hard on his ear.

Brokenvine screeched with the sudden, unexpected pain and tried to shake her off, but Shadepool clung on with every tooth and claw she had. The ShadowClan warrior was much bigger than her, so she had to stay in a place where she had any sort of advantage. Brokenvine tried to roll to get her off, just as Smoketail used to, but Shadepool was not an apprentice anymore. She held her ground even as Brokenvine tried to crush her beneath his superior weight. It was taxing, but Shadepool slashed and tore at his pelt with her hind legs, sending scraps of dark brown fur flying.