And The Second Falls

Ebonypaw smiled, though her heart ached. Today she would become a warrior! She wondered what her name would be. Maybe Ebonyfall, or Ebonybreeze. She shook with excitement as she padded into the forest. She wanted to hunt one last time as an apprentice.

She sniffed the air, thinking about Ivorypaw. She should have been here to become a warrior too, but there had still been no sign of Ivorypaw since Lightenedcall had attacked her. After they confronted the cold she-cat, Lightenedcall had minded her own business, staying out of the way. It bothered Ebonypaw and her parents, but they could do nothing about it. She heard a thump beside her, and flicked her ears, turning her head. She purred.

"Finnick."

She almost breathed his name, not daring to say it louder. The tom smiled.

"So today you're becoming a warrior?"

Ebonypaw ducked her head shyly.

"Yes. It's taken me longer because I'm blind. But finally, I can be a warrior."

Finnick smiled.

"I'm happy for you."

Ebonypaw smiled mischievously.

"Not for us? I can come out of the camp freely when I'm a warrior."

She butted him lightly with her head, and he purred. She rolled her eyes.

"Come on! I want to hunt. Stay out of sight, in case anyone comes."

He nodded, and leaped back into the trees. Ebonypaw sniffed the air again, though she was slightly distracted by Finnick's scent. She finally smelled a robin by river. She crouched down low, weaving herself among the trees and underbrush carefully, using her other heightened senses to guide her. She pounced, and there was a cut of chirp as she quickly killed the robin. She smiled, and padded to the side of the river to wash the scent off her mouth. She felt someone grab her scruff harshly. She gasped as she was yanked backwards, her air cut off. She was thrown across the pebbly surface, scraping her skin. She struggled to her feet when she heard a hiss. Claws raked across her face, and Lightenedcall's damp scent hit her. She must have been hiding in the river! Ebonypaw struggled to regain her senses, but Lightenedcall kept clubbing her ears, making her dizzy. Ebonypaw backed up, disoriented. She could almost hear Lightenedcall's gloating sneer.

"Now you'll die, like your sister and brothers."

Ebonypaw shook her head, and tried to run, but Lightenedcall was too fast. The she-cat grabbed Ebonypaw's scruff and threw her. Ebonypaw was small for her age, thus easier to lift. Ebonypaw yowled soundlessly as something clamped onto her back leg. She thrashed, scratching at the trap. The trap tightened every time she moved, and she couldn't feel her leg. Lightenedcall growled, and slashed at Ebonypaw again. She white she-cat put her paw over Ebonypaw's throat, pinning her down. The apprentice gasped for air, her sightless eyes wide in terror. Lightenedcall smirked, wanting it to be a slow, painful death.

Before she knew what was happening, she felt a weight hit her side. As Lightenedcall was thrown off, Ebonypaw gasped for her to fill her strangled lungs. She flashed between consciousness and unconsciousness. But she heard the deep hisses of another cat. Finnick.

Finnick lashed out at Lightenedcall. She was stunned for a moment as the unknown cat attacked her. His green eyes were dark with fury, and he attacked savagely. Lightenedcall quickly regained herself and leaped at Finnick's throat. he sidestepped, scraping his claws across her side. He was trained in the arts of battle. His group had studied the clans, learning their moves. They then learned how to avoid those moves and use them as their own. They were trained to kill. To kill the clan cats. Finnick snarled, his voice unknown to Ebonypaw.

"How dare you lay a claw on her! I should kill you! But no. It would be more painful for me to haunt you for the rest of your life. I'd watch your back when you're alone."

Finnick snarled, biting deep into Lightenedcall's shoulder. She slashed back, scoring deep scars onto his neck. But she knew she wouldn't win this battle today, so she ran. Finnick breathed heavily, his eyes clearing up again. He looked at Ebonypaw, she was very still. He ran to her, looking at her face. Her eyes opened and closed every few seconds. The trap was deeply embedded into her leg, but he knew how to get out of traps. He looked around, then quickly dug up the stake that held her. He heard her breathe a small sigh of relief as the pressure left her leg. She was still in deep pain though, from the trap and the wounds Lightenedcall inflicted on her. he buried his head into her neck.

"Don't worry. Just... don't die. I'll get you help."

He shook as panic started to overcome him. She had lost a great deal of blood, and he needed to get her back to her clan as soon as possible. He grabbed her gently by the scruff, and tried to drag her as carefully as possible to the camp. He laid her down outside the entrance, hesitating. Should he show himself? No. He couldn't let them know who he was. He licked Ebonypaw's cheek, then yowled. Finnick then quickly ran up a nearby tree. he climbed as high as he could, but with still being able to see what was happening, without being seen himself.

Finnick saw the leader, Fellstar run out of the camp. The scent of blood and his yowl would have alarmed them. Fellstar stopped dead. He knew that scent that was mixed with the blood.

"Ebonypaw!"

He nuzzled his daughter, who was breathing ever so slightly. He grabbed her scruff and hurried into the camp. Wandernight stood nearby, her eyes overcome with sorrow. She couldn't move. Her only daughter had been taken straight to the medicine cat den. Why didn't she go in? Wandernight would never know why. She saw Fellstar walk out, though he couldn't see their daughter's wounds, he knew just as much as everyone else that they were bad. He padded to Wandernight, using her fear scent to guide him. He nuzzled her.

"They'll do everything they can to save her. It's her leg that they are worried about the most..."

Wandernight shook her head, and finally the sorrow hit her. She wept mournfully. Did her life have to be filled with so much pain?

"W-what happened?"

Fellstar shook his head.

"It looks like she was caught in a trap, though there are claw marks on her..."

Wandernight shuddered, and one name entered her mind. Lightenedcall.

Finnick watched and waited. He left the tree only to eat and drink, other then that he sat guard over the camp. He watched as the clan mourned together, but still continued with life. Fellstar and Wandernight sat in a shadowed spot together, waiting. A little while later, he saw Lightenedcall pad into the camp, her mouth full with prey. She had cleverly washed the blood off her, and parted her fur delicately over the claw marks. He bared his teeth. This cat had to be killed, or punished severely... He shook his head, and continued to watch. I'll fight for you Ebonypaw. I will.