Scratch

Prologue


In the dead of night, a silent warrior prowled. The entrance to the camp was heavily gaurded, with three trained warriors on the look out for trouble. Tonight was a very special night, the night the clan leader gave birth.

There was a sharp yowl as the first kit was born. She was a firey ginger, and a fighter from the start. She pushed heavily into the Medicine Cat's stomach, screaming her tiny lungs out. "Shh..." whispered Horsefur. He was a light brown cat, with darker brown stripes and eyes the color of a newly born sky. "Shh, you're fine." he repeated. He turned to his forbidden mate. "A she-cat." he announced.

"How many, how many more?" Panted Blazingstar, her tongue lolling in exhaustion and her chest heaving. Just one kit, and she was tired beyond belief. For the first time, Blazingstar felt a rich sympathy and admiriation for the queens of WindClan. They were stronger even than thier own clan leader.

"I'm not sure, but I'm guessing three." Horsefur said, licking his mate's ear. "You'll make it through. You are the strongest cat I know."

Blazingstar felt a deep compassion well up in her chest, but she compressed a purr. If she got out of focus now, it could be  life and death situation. She suddenly let out another blood curdling yowl. This was worse than battle! A new kind of pain! Horsefur flinched at the loud scream, trying not to let his panicking instincts kick in. He shoved a branch into his mate's mouth.

"Clamp down on this!" he said tersely. Blazingstar obeyed, and the stick splintered into a dozen peices, littering the den.

As she did so, another tiny she-cat rolled into life. This one was a light brown she-cat, identical to her father in all ways but one. She had no stripes. She sputtered and coughed weakly. Horsefur ducked down, licking the small kit's fur the wrong way in order to keep in the warmth.

"Another she-cat!" he declared, watching as Blazingstar's eyes filled up once more with a newly found motherly love. "She is beautiful, isn't she?" Horsefur nodded, gazing down lovingly at his new tiny daughter. She looked just like him...

Which was a problem. If the clan found out that thier own leader had broken the Warrior code, both Horsefur and Blazingstar could be kicked out of the clan. He didn't mention anything to Blazingstar. She was worried enough as it was.

Horsefur's thoughts were interrupted by a shout from outside. "What was that?" Blazingstar asked, frightened. "That sounded like Hawkface."

"Don't worry about it, your deputy has got this all under control."

"Are you sure?"

No. "Of course, why would I lie to you?"

Blazingstar was about to protest when she felt another sharp stomach pain. Yowling, she heaved. A third kit, a dark brown tom with black stripes, tumbled into the den. He was stronger even than the first kit, and battered his father with pointy little claws. Horsefur winced, smiling at his mate through the pain. This was going to be a fighter, that was for sure.

"A tom!" Horsefur said, but his words were drowned out by screeches from outside, where Hawkface, Featherpelt, and Freetail fought valiantly against intruding warriors. "Stay here." Horsefur growled, bolting outside.

"Wait, Horsefur!" Blazingstar yelled, attempting to climb to her paws. "You can't leave me here alone!" It was too late. Horsefur was gone. Blazingstar grunted, barely managing to get to her paws before a final spasm overcame her body. Another kit was coming!


Outside, Horsefur watched grimly as WindClan's three best warriors fought against the RiverClan patrol. Hawkface, WindClan's deputy, pummeled Forestfur's spine with a rapid succession of scratches. Blood leaked from the warrior's various wounds, and Horsefur rushed over, a small stock of herbs in his mouth.

"Hawkface, you can't fight any longer, you will die of blood loss."

"I will die protecting my clan, leader, and the new kits." Hawkface insisted, wincing as sharpened claws plunged into his shoulder. Forestfur cackled, leaving Hawkface sprawled on the ground.

"Enough." Horsefur hissed, standing in front of his fallen clanmate. "Warriors do not kill."

"Warriors do not take mercy!" Forestfur laughed, shoving Horsefur aside. He raised one claw, shining in the moonlight above Hawkface's neck.


Blazingstar gasped in pain. It was so difficult with Horsefur there beside, but by herself it was even worse. She took a deep breath, let it out, another breath, let it out. She glanced around, hoping for one of those convient branches, but there was no sign of anything but splinters and the three abandoned kits, wriggling uncertainly. Where was thier father, who licked them so kindly and welcomed them into this world?


Horsefur knocked into Forestfur's side before he could think. Horsefur's skinny WindClan frame wasn't nearly enough to match the bulky shape of RiverClan, but it did the job. Forestfur was knocked aside. Horsefur bared his teeth, and shot forward, his natural WindClan speed benefitting him. He nipped at Forestfur's haunches before he could dodge, and Forestfur snarled. "You want a peice of me, Medicine Cat?" he spat.


Horsefur had no time to react before Forestfur had knocked him to the ground. He lay, winded. "What do you want?" he asked weakly, his herbs sprawled to the side where he had dropped them before attacking the RiverClan tom. "Is this about last moon?"

"It is not acceptable for a Medicine Cat to cross borders." Forestfur held his paw firmly against Horsefur's stomach. Just a little more pressure, and Horsefur feared risk of being crushed on the inside. He breathed lightly despite the anger boiling up in his body.

"I'm a Medicine Cat for StarClan's sake! I have rightful permission to cross borders in order to recieve herbs from neighboring clans!"

Instead of responding, Forestfur gently pressed his claws into Horsefur's stomach, a reminder of the power he held. Horsefur grunted, but said no more. Forestfur smiled. "Now without further ado..." there was a yowl from the Medicine Cat den. Blazingstar.


The final kit struggled into life, crying weakly. This one was a small, light brown she cat. Her bright pink nose stuck in the air as she cried for food. Blazingstar gathered her four kits together, sighing in relief. She had made it. She had survived. But had her mate?

"NO!" Blazingstar started at the loud yell. Horsefur?

Blazingstar calledout for the Medicine cat, but there was no response. Her heart thumped heavily, like the steady beat of paws hitting the ground. She recognized the potent, fishy scent of RiverClan. What were they doing here? Imeadietly, Blazingstar's tail curled protectively around her kits.

Suddenly, a large head broke into the den. Blazingstar's face flashed with recognition. Forestfur, a warrior of RiverClan. "Have mercy." she whispered, but she could't do anything but watch as the evil warrior picked up two of the kits. Blazingstar barely had time to name them before they disapeared from the den. "Moorkit! Vixenkit!" she yowled.

"RiverClan RETREAT!"  Blazingstar heard Forestfur shout, voice muffled by the lumps of fur he carried. "We have our prize!"

The RiverClan warriors retreated, where thier ThunderClan back stood waiting. "Did you defeat them?" the leader demanded.

"Yes, Blizzardstar, thank you for the strategy and back up."

"What's that you have in your jaws?" Woodheart, the deputy of ThunderClan, asked curiously.

"Kits," Blizzardstar whispered. "We must have our fair share. Give us one of the kits."

"But--"

"Give us one!"

Forestfur didn't need a fight. ThunderClan was one of the stronger clans right now, and RiverClan had taken quite a beating at the previous battle. "Here," he said, giving him the she-cat. "I heard Blazingstar call this one 'Vixenkit'"

Blizzardstar dipped his head respectfully. "May StarClan light your path." he said.

"As for you." Forestfur replied, turning with Moorkit still hanging in his jaws.


***

"What shall we name the last kits?" Blazingstar whispered, glancin around, afraid someone would barge in despite Horsefur's harsh instructions.

"That one Sandykit." Horsefur nudged the first born kit who retaliated by snapping at the air with already powerful jaws. "And that last one Lightkit, for lighting up my world." he whispered.

"Those are good names." Blazingstar said approvingly, licking each kit in turn.

"You do know they will find the similarity between me and Lightkit."  sighed Horsefur.

Tears welled up in Blazingstar's eyes. "Yes I know," she managed to choke out.

"I'll take her to ShadowClan before dawn. If anyone asks, you only ever gave birth to three kits, and the other two got stolen by RiverClan."

"Of course."

Horsefur licked Blazingstar's cheek. "You are very brave."

"Good bye my daughter." Blazingstar whispered to Lightkit. "I wish you well."

Last edited by Waffle27 (2013-04-22 21:29:58)