Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Nine

"OakClan!" Yowled Applestar as they reached the GlacierClan camp. Nightpaw felt tense as she heard her leader and unsheathed her claws. "Attack!"

As they raced towards the front of the camp, Rosespring and Blueheart surged forward and tackled two cats that were guarding the camp.

As they dealt with the guards, Nightpaw was thrust into the unfamiliar Clan's camp and came nose to nose with a calico she-cat. She looked around Nightpaw's age, if not a bit younger.

The she-cat charged at Nightpaw with a snarl. Nightpaw narrowed her eyes and lashed out with a paw, slicing through fur and skin on the other cat's cheek.

Blood sprayed from the wound and Nightpaw felt something burst within her, new and exhilarating. With this new feeling in her belly, Nightpaw felt stronger and she let out a growl.

She leaped towards the she-cat, claws, and paws outstretched. The calico she-cat braced herself and Nightpaw crashed into her shoulder, throwing her off her paws and into the ground.

Pain seared through Nightpaw's left ear and she hissed, feeling her opponent's claws tear through the tip, leaving a nick. Hind paws hit her in the chest, sending her breath rushing from her lungs.

Nightpaw stumbled, feeling teeth sink into her shoulder with a shriek of pain. Desperate to get free from her attacker, Nightpaw reared on her hind legs and delivered the front paw blow on top of the she-cat's head.

She crumpled to the ground, groaning. In a heartbeat, she flew up at Nightpaw and pinned her to the ground, claws sinking into her chest where her paws held her down.

"Nice try, OakClan cat," spat the she-cat. "You're only an apprentice like me, aren't you?" Nightpaw didn't answer with words. She lifted her right front paw and kicked up with her hind legs.

The apprentice let out a grunt and screeched when Nightpaw slashed her face, surging up and tackling the she-cat. "Not so tough when I gain the upper paw, are you?" She taunted.

"Tawnypaw!" A yowl from her right made Nightpaw turn her head just in time to see a brown tabby tom racing towards her, eyes blazing. "Get off her!"

The tom crashing directly into Nightpaw's ribs, making her yelp with pain as she slammed into the ground, dazed. The other cat wasted no time in scoring his claws across her flanks.

Nightpaw ached all over, even from fighting Tawnypaw. She looked up at the tom, seeing anger blaze in his amber eyes. He's so protective over Tawnypaw, why?

Regaining her senses, Nightpaw bared her teeth and as the tom bent down to snap at her, she reached up and took his ear in her jaws and pulled hard.

"Argh!" Yowled the tom and he jerked his head away, letting Nightpaw scramble to his paws. Blood oozed from his ear where Nightpaw tore the tip and he trembled with pain and rage, clearly showing in his eyes.

"Hickorypaw!" Wailed Tawnypaw, catching both Nightpaw and the tom's attention. The she-cat was staring at the motionless body of a gray tom.

Hickorypaw lost all interest in Nightpaw and he scrambled over to his fallen Clanmate, eyes wide and watery. Nightpaw darted after him, eyes wide with horror. "Finchheart!" Wailed the tom, shoving his nose into the tom's fur.

Nightpaw scanned Finchheart's body, seeing blood gushing from a nasty wound on his neck. Who would do this? Nightpaw was horrified at the tom's dead corpse, looking at Tawnypaw and Hickorypaw, she knew they were as shocked as she was.

"I'm so sorry," she rasped, looking at the two apprentices with sympathy and grief. Tawnypaw lowered her head while Hickorypaw looked up at Nightpaw. "I never knew this would go this far."

Hickorypaw said nothing, only grasped the dead warrior's scruff in his jaws and dragged him away with Tawnypaw's help. Nightpaw sighed, sadness slicing through her heart as she saw Finchheart's head loll limply.

Pushing away for the enemy warrior, Nightpaw turned back to the sound of battle and saw Reedpaw tangled with a shadow. With a jolt, Nightpaw realized he was fighting a black she-cat, not a shadow.

She bounded towards her brother, letting out a hiss as she bowled the other cat over and slashed at her ears. "Leave my brother alone!" Nightpaw spat.

The she-cat didn't seem fazed as she flew at Nightpaw, rolling in a ball of snarling and claws. Nightpaw's claws tore her flesh and the other cat hissed in pain, eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, her chest exploded in immense pain and Nightpaw let out a gurgling screech of agony as claws slashed her exposed chest. Blood welled from the wound and some began to bubble at her lips.

After a moment, her opponent backed off and a far away yowl signaled to Nightpaw's Clanmates to retreat. However, Nightpaw could barely keep her eyes open as darkness tugged at the apprentice's body, dragging her into a dreamless sleep.