Sunrise seemed to come as soon as Mapledawn closed her eyes next to Bloompaw in the apprentice den. She stretched, nudging her sister awake.
"Are you excited?" she asked.
"Yes." Bloompaw purred. "Maybe I'll get my warrior name after this."
"I bet you will." She pressed her muzzle to Bloompaw's cheek. "You'll make a fantastic warrior."
The battle patrol was already lining up by the camp entrance. Cloudstep fed them bundles of strengthening herbs; Bloompaw trotted over happily and gulped hers down, wincing as she swallowed the bitter herbs.
Wrencatcher was saying goodbye to his sister. As Mapledawn watched, the gold-flecked she-cat fixed her with a withering glare. Mapledawn glared back, not caring what cat saw. You're stealing him from me, she thought, biting back a growl. Stealing him from me like you stole my Clan in a past life. But there was nothing she could do. The she-cat turned her back on Mapledawn, and Wrencatcher didn't look at her at all. I'll prove to you I'm a loyal warrior. Maybe this battle would change things between them. Maybe fighting side-by-side with Wrencatcher would prove to him that she could be trusted.
Mapledawn watched the battle patrol leave. Bloompaw raised her tail in goodbye and trotted happily after her mentor, Paletuft.
"Cloudstep." Mapledawn followed the medicine cat to his den. "I'm going to watch over you today."
"I don't need a guard," the medicine cat said. "I know how to fight."
"The Clan can't afford to lose you. You may not like it, but you'll just have to deal with it."
The medicine cat laughed. "Cheeky young warrior. Fine, fine. But stay out of the den. You'll wreck all my herbs."
Mapledawn paced in front of the medicine cat den as the battle patrol left. She paused now and then, straining her ears to listen for the sounds of battle, but the early morning was quiet and still. Wrencatcher and Birchnose stood by the elder den while Redpoppy and Dapplecreek guarded the nursery. Thrushflight crouched at the camp entrance, staring unblinking into the forest.
She was getting impatient. Her fur felt like it was full of ants. Mapledawn paced up and down, stealing the occasional glance at Wrencatcher while her paws took her neat circles around the medicine den entrance. He stood with his red tail around his pale ginger paws.
Mapledawn poked her head into the den. "Cloudstep, do you need any help sorting--"
A cat's yowl cut her off. Frecklefang! The flecked she-cat barrelled into camp, fur brushed out. "BlackClan sent a patrol this way!" she yowled. "I'll try to lead them back into the forest!"
But it was too late. BlackClan was already here.
A smoky gray apprentice leapt at Frecklefang's back. Wrencatcher ran to her side as more BlackClan warriors streamed past the tussling cats, straight into FireClan's camp.
StarClan, help us. They were already outnumbered. Mapledawn's paws itched to leap into the fray, but she had to stay by her post. I must keep Cloudstep safe! Deepshadow, a jet black tom, buried his teeth in Thrushflight's shoulder, making him yowl. Lynxpelt stood on her haunches as she traded blows with both Dapplecreek and Redpoppy.
"You again."
"Heavypaw." Mapledawn hissed and spat, arching her back. The young tom swiped at Mapledawn's ear; Mapledawn grabbed the paw in her jaws, quick as an adder, and bit down until Heavypaw screeched. He backed up, holding his mangled paw in front of him.
That's one down, she thought as the apprentice limped out of the clearing. Mapledawn braced for the next attack. A thick, solid red she-cat--Fatberry, I think--leapt onto her back. Mapledawn went limp and slithered out from under the she-cat's bulk. Fatberry bunched her haunches to leap again, and Mapledawn rolled neatly to the side and turned mid-roll to rake her claws down the warrior's side. Fatberry staggered from the blow, blood dripping down her shoulder, and Mapledawn shoved her to her side. Before Fatberry could struggle to her paws, Mapledawn dug her teeth deep in her scruff and pummeled Fatberry's spine with her hind claws.
"Go running home to your stinking pine trees!" Mapledawn yowled at the she-cat, who turned tail and ran, her russet fur spiked dark red with blood.
More cats came, and Mapledawn fought them off. Blood dripped from her flanks and her neck wound was bleeding slightly, torn open at some point in the fray. She could hear Cloudstep muttering angrily behind her, still safe in his den.
Lynxpelt, Deepshadow, One-ear, and a half dozen warriors she couldn't name still battled with the FireClan cats. Where's Paletuft's patrol? They should have come to their rescue by now. We can't hold on like this much longer.
"Mapledawn! Help Frecklefang!" Mapledawn turned at the sound of Wrencatcher's yowl. Deepshadow had Frecklefang pinned down while Wrencatcher struggled against One-ear.
But what about Cloudstep? Suddenly a black tabby tom streaked past her. Mapledawn flinched; she hadn't even seen him coming toward her because of Wrencatcher's yowl. The tom's dark amber eyes were fixed on the medicine den. Oh, no you don't, Mapledawn thought, and leapt at his tail with a battle yowl. She caught it in her teeth and yanked, pulling him away from Cloudstep's precious den.
I'm sorry, Wrencatcher, Mapledawn thought as she slashed at the tabby tom's flanks. I promised to protect Cloudstep. The medicine cat emerged from his den to help, and the two fought side-by-side, slashing and dodging until the tabby tom, panting with exhaustion and bleeding heavily, turned tail and ran out of the ravine.
Mapledawn's claws worked anxiously into the soil. She couldn't see Frecklefang in the fray; hopefully the she-cat was okay. I may not like her, but I don't want a Clanmate to die.
Suddenly a battle cry split the air: Yellowstar and her patrol! The Clan leader's fur was ripped and clotted with blood, but her amber eyes were bright with determined rage as she leapt into the fray. Acorntail burst in after her, blood staining his claws, and Paletuft's fur was stained pink with other cats' blood. Deepshadow and Lynxpelt took one look at the Clan leader, her teeth bared menacingly, and yowled a retreat.
Glancing into the medicine den to make sure Cloudstep was still safe, Mapledawn hurried into the clearing. Redpoppy and Thrushflight leaned against each other, both bleeding from scratches and bite marks, but otherwise okay--
"No!" Redpoppy's horrified yowl turned Mapledawn cold. Her eyes were fixed on the camp entrance, where Rabbitleap padded slowly into the camp. At first Mapledawn didn't understand what had made her mother so upset. Rabbitleap looked exhausted, but unhurt. Until she saw the lifeless lump of ginger fur draped across the she-cat's back like prey.
It was Bloompaw.
Mapledawn sprinted to Rabbitleap's side. "What's wrong with her?" Her voice quivered. "She's not moving." Rabbitleap didn't even look at Mapledawn as she slid Bloompaw gently from her back.
"No." StarClan, no. Redpoppy's pelt brushed against hers, and Thrushflight, too--but she pushed them away. Not Bloompaw. Not my sister.
"Maple." She turned, surprised, at Wrencatcher's mew. Where had he come from? What could he want? All she could see was Bloompaw, lying still, her eyes staring open at nothing, Redpoppy's face contorted in pain...
Wrencatcher hissed, his eyes narrowed with hate. At his feet was Frecklefang. The she-cat was breathing, but only barely. Blood poured from a wound in her belly. Cloudstep was already covering her in cobwebs.
"This is your fault," Wrencatcher snarled. "You could have helped her. Frecklefang was right about you." Suddenly Wrencatcher leapt, barrelling into her side. The other cats seemed too stunned to even react as Wrencatcher's claws sank into Mapledawn's flesh.
She hardly felt it. She didn't even panic. She just lay in the dirt, too shocked and empty to move, as Wrencatcher attacked her. His foreclaws snagged in the soft flesh above her eye. The ripping flesh made an awful tearing sound.
"That's enough!" Thrushflight dragged Wrencatcher from Mapledawn's side. Blood dripped in Mapledawn's eye, half-blinding her. "Can't you see she just lost her sister?"
"I don't care." Wrencatcher struggled out of Thrushflight's grip. "Because of her, I might lose mine."
"Go to the warrior's den." Yellowstar's mew was dangerously low. "I'll deal with you later, Wrencatcher." When the red-tailed warrior didn't move, she bared her teeth, and Wrencatcher stomped off into the warrior's den.
Yellowstar shouldered gently by Mapledawn to stand in front of Bloompaw's still form. "I have a ceremony to perform." She gazed up at Silverpelt. "StarClan, look down on this apprentice. She has learned the warrior code and given up her life for her Clan. Let the Ageless Ones receive her as a warrior. She shall be called Bloomspirit."
"Bloomspirit," murmured Redpoppy.
"Bloomspirit," Thrushflight croaked.
Mapledawn opened her jaws to shout her sister's new name, but all that came out was a moan of pain. StarClan, please, let this be a dream.
"She hunts with StarClan now," Paletuft whispered. The bloodstained she-cat buried her nose in Bloomspirit's pelt. "I couldn't have asked for a better apprentice. She fought like a sharptooth, Redpoppy."
"Who--who did this?" Mapledawn whispered. "Who?"
Paletuft shook her head. "I didn't see."
Mapledawn crouched down beside her mother and lapped gently at Bloomspirit's fur. When Cloudstep came to check her wounds, she ignored him completely, hoping he'd go away. I won't leave Bloomspirit's side. I don't care if my wounds kill me. But soon she felt the medicine cat's paws working up and down her flank, covering the worst cuts in cobweb, and smearing on stinging poultices. She didn't have the energy to growl at him to leave her alone.
Cats pressed against her. Redpoppy, Thrushflight, Paletuft. Dapplecreek. Acorntail. Even Yellowstar sat vigil for Bloomspirit that night. Mapledawn supposed she should be proud of her sister, finally a warrior, dying to protect her Clan, but all Mapledawn felt was cold, an aching, gaping cold.