Cloverstrike's size was much larger than his own, her legs were longer and she managed to trip him up. Falconpaw stumbled and landed on his side, his belly exposed to the AshClan warrior. Before she could move, Falconpaw saw a flash a color as Cherryleaf tackled Cloverstrike to the ground.
"Too scared to fight a warrior that you pick on an apprentice, Cloverstrike?" Cherryleaf spat as raked her claws along Cloverstrike's haunches. The AshClan she-cat let out a hiss of pain and lashed out at Cherryleaf.
"I'm a lot braver than you!" Cloverstrike lunged on top of Cherryleaf, knocking the tortishell to the ground. Falconpaw scurried to his paws then sprang on top of Cloverstrike's back, digging all of his claws into her spine. Cloverstrike arched her back and reared on her hind legs, letting out a screech. She fell backwards, on top of Falconpaw. He let out a huff of pain and then shoved her off. Cloverstrike struggled to stand up again, as he watched her, Falconpaw felt teeth in his scruff as he was thrown across the forest floor, rocks digging into his pelt. He looked up and saw that a large gray tom had joined in the fight, he was clawing at Cherryleaf who avoided his claws with nimble movements.
Falconpaw hurried back into the battle, bracing himself to impact with the large gray tom. He was about the size of Falconclaw, so he slipped under the warrior and caused him to lose his balance as he had done with Falconclaw the night before. The tom hit the ground hard, and let out a hiss as his paws lashed out at Falconpaw. Falconpaw stepped back, but tripped and stumbled into Cloverstrike who met him with her claws in his pelt. He felt his fur tear and he pulled away, striking at her with his own claws.
Cloverstrike avoided him, and attacked again. He once again felt her claws in his pelt, he hissed and battered at her with his hind legs, he sunk his teeth into her foreleg. Cloverstrike hissed and tore away from him. Falconpaw gave chase, the brown tabby had many scratches and her pelt was ruffled and bloody.
"Leave her, Falconpaw!" Cherryleaf called, and Falconpaw stopped and turned. Cherryleaf was wrestling with the gray tom once again, but there was a lot more going on. Snowtail's white pelt was stained with dirt and blood as she fought a gray tabby tom and a dark-gray she-cat at the same time. Cloudspots looked exhausted as he fended off two warriors himself. Rainears threw a ginger tabby she-cat to the ground, but she bled heavily from a wound on her shoulder. As she stepped back from the ginger tabby, she was tackled by a brown tom.
Falconpaw himself was feeling sore and battered, there were too many of them! He clawed the ground, he refused to give up! Falconpaw dashed forward, his claws ripping into the gray tom's pelt. He was instantly thrown off and struggled to regain his balance. He felt blood welling in a wound above his eye and his breathing was rough and heavy, despite all of this...Falconpaw had never felt more alive!
"SunClan! Attack!" Falconpaw spun around and saw more SunClan warriors swarming through the forest led by Dawnstar and Cinderflame. Suddenly, the battle was much more in SunClan's favor! The gray tom was pulled off of Cherryleaf by Crowfur. Applespots and Redclaw crashed into two more AshClan warriors, and Falconpaw spotted his father fighting with the AshClan deputy, Ashblaze, but where was Riverstar?
Falconpaw shook away the thoughts, it was not a time to think. It was a time to fight! Falconpaw broke into the battle now that Cherryleaf was safe, he needed a new cat to fight. He spotted Earthpaw wrestling with a familiar cat, it was the first AshClan apprentice he had met! Baring his teeth and claws, Falconpaw tackled the black apprentice. They rolled over each other in a tangle of claws.
When they broke apart the she-cat faced him with bared teeth. "It's you! The stupid kit!" She sneered.
"I'm not a kit anymore," Falconpaw growled. If he could make a full grown warrior run off, he could fight a stupid apprentice! He tackled the she-cat, digging his claws into her black pelt and raking across her flesh. She hissed and returned his attack, he felt her claws in his pelt and suffered through the pain. He sank his teeth into her shoulder as hard as he could, her blood welling around his muzzle. His vision turned red and clawed harder into her pelt. Falconpaw's red haze was stopped when he was thrown violently off the apprentice. He tumbled away and stood up, his entire body shaking.
The apprentice was bleeding heavily and a brown tom was helping her to her paws. "Nightpaw are you okay?" He questioned. "You should go back to your brother, he'll help you back to camp."
The apprentice, Nightpaw, nodded and limped away from the battle. Victory flooded through his body, he couldn't even feel his wounds! Falconpaw had gotten his revenge, but there was much more to fight! He looked around, and spotted his mother. They met gazes and she seemed to be staring at him shock. She must have been amazed at how he was fighting.
"Falconpaw, are you okay? You...you're covered in blood." Dawnstar questioned, she only had a few bleeding wounds on her body. Was he? Falconpaw nodded.
"I'm fine, I'm perfect to keep fighting!" Falconpaw assured his mother. Dawnstar gave a slow, uncertain nod.
"Just, be safe... " She turned and ran back into the battle. Falconpaw needed to do that himself, he dug his claws into the ground and looked for another fight! The next scene he saw a light brown tom pinning down Bramblepelt. Blood was pouring from a wound in Bramblepelt's side, he didn't look good. Falconpaw ran forward, throwing himself against the AshClan warrior, knocking him away from Bramblepelt. The tabby SunClan warrior, slowly stood up, he was incredibly unsteady.
Falconpaw clawed at the brown AshClan warrior so he couldn't go back towards Bramblepelt, he spotted Cinderflame shoving away a silver and white tabby she-cat. "Cinderflame! Bramblepelt's hurt bad!"
The deputy looked towards Falconpaw, Bramblepelt and the AshClan warrior. Cinderflame ran over to them, slashed her claws at AshClan's warrior's face, causing him to back off as blood trickled into his eyes.
"Bramblepelt!" She shouted. "Can you stand up?" Bramblepelt nodded slowly and stood up, his legs shaking and threatening to give out on him. "I'm going to take you back to camp, Falconpaw, be safe!" Bramblepelt put his weight on Cinderflame's body and they limped away to safety. As he turned back to the battle he saw Dawnstar towering over Ashblaze.
"Your leader was too much of a coward to show her face here! Leave, AshClan, leave and leave knowing you cannot take from SunClan! Tell Riverstar that she's a coward and you better stay out of SunClan territory!"
"This isn't over, Dawnstar..." Ashblaze stood up. "AshClan, retreat!" The AshClan warriors turned and ran into the forest, back to their own territory. What had once been an area filled with screeches and yowling was now eerily quiet.
"SunClan, you've all fought well. Time to return to camp and care for our wounded, those who are hurt the most go see the medicine cats immediately, myself and a few others will see to it that AshClan have left."
"I want to go!" Falconpaw stepped forward, but Cherryleaf stopped him.
"You've done enough, Falconpaw. I'm so proud of you, let's go back to camp. Your fight is over for now." Falconpaw felt like arguing, but Cherryleaf's praise meant a lot to him. He nodded and followed his Clan back to camp.
Once in camp, there was several cats visiting Pebblestep and Honeypaw. Falconpaw felt his own wounds begin to sting and sore, his muscles ached and his entire body felt bruised but he knew his wounds weren't dire. Falconpaw sat down and began to clean the blood from his fur and his wounds.
He heard pawsteps and saw Lionclaw approaching him, his father's pelt was only slightly stained and he had a few scratches across his flank but his gaze was bright. "I saw your fighting, Falconpaw." Lionclaw's eyes glowed. "I'm so proud of you, you fought like a true warrior. You're incredibly brave."
Falconpaw held his head high, his father's praise warming his heart. "Thank you, it felt right--fighting for my Clan."
Lionclaw dipped his head. "You'll be a strong warrior someday, I know it." He licked his son's shoulder. "Take care of your wounds, and help your Clanmates if they need." Lionclaw turned away to talk to Cinderflame who had returned, Falconpaw's heart dropped as he saw the large blood stain on her pelt, where Bramblepelt had been. Was he okay? Was Bramblepelt alive?
Falconpaw stood up and approached the medicine cat den, inside Honeypaw was working frantically on patching a bleeding wound on Redclaw's chest and Pebblestep seemed to be completely focused on Bramblepelt. Even Snakewhisker was helping with herbs and the not as severe wounds. Falconpaw sighed and turned away, he couldn't help but feel an inkling of fear for Bramblepelt. He was a strong warrior, he shouldn't die!
Falconpaw walked away from the medicine cat den, Dawnstar and her small patrol had returned from seeing that AshClan had left. Dawnstar touched noses with Lionclaw for a brief moment before taking her spot on the SunTree, there was no need to call the meeting, almost all of SunClan had gathered already.
"This battle has been incredibly rough," Dawnstar announced, her voice echoing throughout the hollow. "It hurts me to see my Clan is such a state, but we won this fight. AshClan knows that they can't take us so easily. Please see to your wounds, and get some rest. Tomorrow we will restore the border and go from there, I want you to know that I'm incredibly proud of each and every one of you." Dawnstar jumped down and Falconpaw could feel pride swelling inside him, he had fought for his Clan and he had fought hard. He wondered if Falconclaw was proud of him.
SunClan stuck together, cleaning each other's wounds. He noticed in particular that Heatherflight, Flamepetal, Brackenpelt and Fawnheart were staying close together. He remembered that Bramblepelt was their father, and that their mother had died in the battle against Thornstar. They were all scared, Falconpaw couldn't imagine what losing one of his parents would feel like. He dug his claws into the ground I'll never let that happen, I'll defend my parents until the day I die. He took a deep breath. What about Honeypaw? A voice mewed in the back of his head, taking Falconpaw by surprise.
Honeypaw? She was a medicine cat, she didn't need protecting! She was always safe in the medicine cat den. Not always... Falconpaw shook his head, trying to get rid of the thought. He didn't want to think about it.
"Falconpaw." He looked up, glad to be pulled away from his thoughts. Cherryleaf approached him. "Great job, today. I've already told you this, but I'm very proud of you. You've proven to be incredibly brave and strong, you're on the path to becoming an incredible warrior. I want you to take a break from training for a little bit, not for long just enough to rest your wounds. You've fought well."
Falconpaw didn't like the thought of not training, but exhausting was weighing him down. His body hurt and he just wanted to sleep, but he wanted to make sure the Clan was okay first, he couldn't ever let his Clan down.
The moon was high and SunClan was silent, the wounded cats were sleeping off their wounds and their pain. The fight had been long, and Falconpaw was incredibly grateful to be sleeping in his nest once again. Without a thought, he fell asleep and instantly woke up in the forest. He really, really didn't want to train tonight, he dropped his head.
"Do not worry, Falconpaw." Falconclaw mewed. "We're not training," Relief flowed into Falconpaw's blood. "I wanted to congratulate you on your victory. You fought like a true warrior, I could see the fury in your eyes as you taught that apprentice a lesson. You've left a few scars tonight, my apprentice. AshClan won't be forgetting about you any time soon."
Falconpaw lifted his head high, Falconclaw's praise meant so much to him. "I'm going to let you rest your wounds for a while, but we will return to training soon. Just because you won this battle doesn't mean you've won the war. AshClan will return, and you will be ready."
Falconpaw nodded. "Thank you for training me."
Falconclaw's tail twitched and his amber eyes burned fiercely.. "It's my absolute pleasure."