Topic 1-Round 1C--Spirit_Flight-

Write a short entry about an enemy clan attacking your clan camp, and how you play your role to help.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Webkit, Yarrowkit, and Silverkit, you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Train hard and fulfill your duties, but, most importantly, follow the warrior code, it is the key to a great warrior life. Webkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Webpaw and your mentor shall be Pounceleg. Please step forward."

Pounceleg's head jerked up in a mixture of surprise and excitement. He put one paw forward, and looked at Webpaw with a gleam of pride in his eyes.

"You have received excellent training from Spiderslash. And I hope you will pass on all you know onto this apprentice."

"Oh I will!" Pounceleg nodded rapidly. Then, stepping in front, he touched his muzzle to Webpaw's, who was forcing a purr down. Not far from him, stood Yarrowkit, whose purr was shacking the forest.

"Yarrowkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Yarrowpaw and your mentor shall be Flamepatch. Please step forward."

Flamepatch, who was a senior white and ginger warrior she cat, got up and nodded to Yarrowpaw, causing Yarrowpaw to purr even louder.

"Flamepatch, you have received excellent training from our deceased clanmate, Thrushpool. I hope you will pass on all your abilities to Yarrowpaw."

Flamepatch puffed out her fur to look twice her size as she advanced toward Yarrowpaw to touch muzzles.

"Finally, Silverkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Silverpaw and your mentor shall be Snowtail. Please step forward."

Snowtail got up in a flash. It felt as if his purring was even louder than Silverpaw's.

"Snowtail, you have received excellent training from Tuftyfur. I hope you will pass on all you know to Silverpaw here."

Snowtail touched muzzle with Silverpaw as the clan cats cheered for the three newly named apprentices.

Swiftstar was standing on the Pile of Rocks, cheering as well, feeling pride for her clan who now had more and more apprentices.

But it didn't last long.

Swiftstar heard a booming voice call. "NightClan attack!" And the clan turned from being joyful to being tense, and even afraid.

It felt as if the ground was shacking underneath Swiftstar paws. She tried to help her clanmates, but the wave of roars distracted her. And, before she could run to the elder's den, a crowd of cats leaped into the camp, their claws unsheathed and their tales wagging. The clan will have to fight without knowing for which purpose.

"Get out Swiftstar!" Bluefrost, a blue gray elder yelled. "Fight for your clan. We're old, but we know how to defend ourselves."

Swiftstar narrowed her eyes at the three elders. Tuftyfur was looking at Swiftstar with longing, Wirley was flexing her claws, and Bluefrost was clearly ready for battle. Then, she nodded with satisfaction and ran out of the elders' den, her claws sheathing and unsheathing.

She scanned the clearing for cats in need of help. When she saw Pounceleg swishing his claws blindly at two NightClan cats, Swiftstar launched herself at them, sending them off to the side. Hissing and spitting, she got ready to leap at them, when a senior NightClan warrior pinned her down, slashing a deep cut through her belly. Unsheathing his claws, he prepared himself to rake Swiftstar's belly another time, when Pounceleg shoved Swiftstar's opponent onto the side, slashing his muzzle.

Swiftstar joined him, and slashed the NightClan cat at its ear until he fled.

"Why are they attacking us?" Pounceleg yelled, but his voice was muffled by the noise of cats hissing and yelling in pain.

"I don't know." Swiftstar said regretfully. She watched Pounceleg run away as a ripple of pain washed over her, but she had no time to think about it since Shadowstar, a gray tom with green eyes, had leaped over her.

"You killed Acornfur!" He said, his eyes piercing Swiftstar's fur.

Swiftstar narrowed her eyes. "He killed my mother, and did not want to admit it!"

She threw herself at Shadowstar, launching for his neck. "Wouldn't it be easier if you just retreat?" She spat, snarling.

"NightClan! Retreat!" Shadowstar yelled as he got up and shook his fur. He ignored the murmurs of astonishment coming from all the cats, and Swiftstar's look of utter surprise in her eyes.

"Meet me at the border, by the waterfall, tonight. We have to discuss this." He whispered, not listening to Swiftstar's answer.

Swiftstar heard the sound of pawsteps as the NightClan cats retreated. She will meet another clan's leader tonight.

"What was that all about?" Dawnpetal-the deputy-said astonished.

"I don't know, but we won." Nightfurry muttered.

The medicine cat, Stripedpelt, was checking everyone as they returned to their usual clan life.

Dawnpetal ordered the patrols to wait some more to make sure that they wouldn't encounter NightClan.

"Earthfur, lead a patrol with Nightfurry, Whitepaw and-"

A gasp came from the nursery. "Oh no..." The mew sounded like Stripedpelt.

"What's that?" Dawnpetal said whilst approaching the nursery cautiously. Some cats followed her closely, but Swiftstar fought her way through.

"What happened Striped-" Swiftstar stopped talking abruptly.

Mistweb, a warrior who had recently been queen, was lying dead. Her three kits by her side, limp just like the mother. Swiftstar recognized them as the newly named apprentices-Webpaw, Yarrowpaw and Silverpaw. They hadn't lived to their first day of training.

Swiftstar remembered her mother, lying dead as them, her brown fur matted with blood. There had been Acornfur by her side that day, his blue eyes narrowed.

As revenge, Swiftstar had killed Acornfur.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This counts 947 words exactly! Hope to pass onto the next round -Spirit_Flight-