Chapter 9

Crazypaw followed Liontail, who was leading the tunnel-training session for today, through the forest. Morningpaw walked by her side, with Oakstream, Stormpool, Blackwing, and Antwhisker padding behind them. "It's not fair!" Stormpool hissed to his brother, Oakstream. "We're warriors, and we're still training with apprentices!"

The other warriors murmured agreement. Liontail paused, and shot a stern look over his shoulder. "All of the younger cats need to practice tunnel skills," the golden tom meowed. "It's the hardest part of battle training. Even the most highly-skilled warriors find it difficult to perform certain moves in the tunnels."

Most of the warriors had the good sense to hold their tongues and not complain any further, but Antwhisker spoke up. "I don't even get why we have to do tunnel-training at all!" the light brown tom hissed. "Cats don't belong in there; it's unnatural. It's too dark to see where you're putting your paws, the soil feels cold, wet, and weird, and it's too easy to bang your head on the roof or your paws against the walls..."

"We should train in the tunnels because...well, what if we didn't train? WindClan could come through the tunnels and attack our camp in the middle of the night if we didn't patrol the tunnels and train for tunnel-battles!" Liontail interrupted, tail twitching with impatience.

No cat said another word until they reached the tunnels. Crazypaw sniffed the air and stiffened. She recognized that scent from when Liontail showed her the territory two sunrises ago. WindClan!

"WindClan are here!" she hissed to Liontail.

"I'd noticed," Liontail meowed dryly.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Crazypaw demanded.

"Nothing, as long as they're just training, not trying to invade, and they don't show any signs of aggression," Liontail replied.

With that, he lifted his tail and charged down into the tunnels.

Crazypaw followed by scent only. She could feel herself beginning to panic. I can't see anything! It's so dark and cold and weird and...

Suddenly, she felt her mentor's tail on her shoulder. "Calm down," Liontail whispered. "We'll arrive at the cave in a few moments."

She had no idea what Liontail meant, but she forced herself to calm down. Liontail won't lead us into danger. Still...I can't wait to be back in ThunderClan territory, with the grass and leaves under my paws.

Finally, Crazypaw could see a faint gray light in the distance. Liontail gave the signal to stop and Crazypaw looked forward. WindClan cats were training in a large cave. Liontail pointed with his tail towards a black tom who was giving orders. "That's Smokewhisker," he meowed quietly. "The WindClan deputy."

Crazypaw looked around the cave. A triangular opening in the stone roof of the cave allowed light to flood into it. The sound of rushing water filled her ears, and she stared in disbelief. A river? Underground?

Suddenly, Smokewhisker stopped and sniffed the air. "ThunderClan," he muttered. Then, louder, he meowed, "Show yourselves!"

"We're right over here, obviously," Blackwing growled. "Any cat who's not blind or stupid could see it and-"

Liontail slapped his tail over the young warrior's mouth and glared at him for a moment, before stepping out into the cave. "Greetings, Smokewhisker," Liontail meowed calmly.

"Liontail," Smokewhisker meowed coldly. "What are you doing here? I assume you want to train, and you'll expect WindClan to leave."

If Crazypaw had been Liontail, she would have torn Smokewhisker to shreds for his arrogance by then, but Liontail remained calm. "No, Smokewhisker," he replied. "We'll leave the cave to WindClan for now. We only wish to pass through the cave, so that we can train in that narrow tunnel over there. As you know, combat in tight spaces is just as important as fighting in large spaces like this when it comes to tunnel-battles."

"And who says we have to let you through?" Smokewhisker hissed.

Liontail's patience disappeared. "If you won't let us through, then you'll have to fight us to stop us, you arrogant mouse-brain," Crazypaw's mentor meowed.

"So be it," Smokewhisker growled.

Screeching with fury, Liontail flung himself at Smokewhisker. Morningpaw rushed towards a young WindClan she-cat. A WindClan warrior flew over Crazypaw's head and landed on Blackwing, pulling the young warrior to the ground. Antwhisker darted forwards and pulled a WindClan tom off of Oakstream. Oakstream nodded his thanks before rushing off to help his brother, Stormpool, fight off a large, muscular WindClan tom.

Crazypaw dashed into the center of the cave, looking for an opponent to fight. Her eyes locked with a WindClan apprentice's. The tom had dark gray fur and beautiful blue eyes. She tried to charge towards him, but her paws refused to move. She tried to look away, but she couldn't. The tom wasn't moving either. For some reason, Crazypaw knew she couldn't attack him. She was almost relieved when she felt a sharp pain in her tail and the spell was broken. She spun around and lashed out with her claws, catching the WindClan warrior who'd attacked her on the muzzle.

The warrior screeched and sank his teeth into her shoulder. Crazypaw twisted her head and clamped her teeth down on his left forepaw; shrieking, the tom pulled back. Crazypaw delivered blow after blow to the tom's face, driving him back towards the cave wall. It was easy, almost too easy it seemed. The tom made no moves to defend himself; he almost seemed to be allowing her to push him up against the cave wall. Crazypaw studied him closely and saw his hind legs pressed against the wall. He's going to try to jump over my head!

In the next instant, the tom leaped, pushing off of the cave wall with his hind legs. Crazypaw pushed herself backwards and he landed on the hard, stone ground, looking befuddled. Crazypaw took advantage of the moment's confusion. She swept his front legs out from under him with a forepaw, and he tumbled awkwardly onto the ground. She placed a forepaw on his chest and began raking her claws repeatedly across his belly. The tom screeched in agony and fell limp, as if he were giving up. Then, he slithered out of Crazypaw's grasp and aimed a blow for her muzzle. She ducked and hit him hard on the head with her paw. The tom staggered and collapsed on his side, panting. Crazypaw loomed over him. "Get up, and leave. NOW!" she snarled fiercely.

The tom rose unsteadily and limped away. Crazypaw surveyed the cave. She saw Liontail, still fighting Smokewhisker. Smokewhisker had Liontail pinned to the ground. The WindClan deputy lifted a forepaw and raked it across Liontail's nose. Liontail heaved himself upwards, sending Smokewhisker flying. Liontail rose to his feet and limped after Smokewhisker. Her mentor disappeared into the shadows, and soon, a loud yowl filled the cave. "WindClan, retreat!" Smokewhisker shrieked.

The WindClan cats stopped fighting and fled. Smokewhisker, blood dripping from a large wound on his shoulder and blood smeared across his face, was the last to leave. He paused and looked once over his shoulder, glaring at Liontail. "This isn't over, ThunderClan fools," Smokewhisker warned. "I'd watch your borders carefully if I were you."

With that, the WindClan deputy turned and marched out of the cave.

"What did he mean?" Crazypaw whispered nervously to Liontail.

"StarClan knows, but it certainly can't be anything good," Liontail replied.

Crazypaw stared at her mentor for a moment. Dried blood covered the right side of his muzzle. His right forepaw was still dripping with fresh blood. For the first time, she seemed to really notice the old battle scar on his left ear. And his right ear had been scratched in this battle. I'm proud of how well I fought. But I don't see why we must fight over this! I mean, I get fighting over territory. That's a matter of survival. Why should cats get injured over something as stupid as training?

"Liontail?" she asked. "Why must the Clans fight each other in battle so often?

Liontail paused for a moment. "Battle may cause bloodshed and pain, but it also makes us who we are and makes us stronger. Without battles, the Clans would be nothing but untrained rogues," Liontail replied.

Crazypaw sighed. "I guess I understand," she meowed. "I just wish cats didn't have to be injured because WindClan wouldn't let us train."

Liontail touched his blood-stained muzzle to her cheek. "We all do," he meowed. "But sometimes, the only way to solve a problem is to fight."

Sunlight appeared in the distance. Crazypaw lowered her head and followed Liontail out of the tunnels and back into ThunderClan territory. Suddenly, she remembered the dark gray WindClan apprentice, and her heart began to race. I suppose some things are worth fighting for.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed Crazypaw's first battle! And I bet you can guess what'll happen with the WindClan apprentice in the chapters to come :) Please comment, I love to hear what you think.