Thorns
The blazing orange of the sunset made it hard to tell what puddles were infused with blood and what puddles were reflecting the glow of the sky. Winds shook the bushes planted around the camp, and the sky rumbled ominously, with thunder crashing so fiercely that it seemed to shake the ground beneath them. It was as if StarClan themselves were shaking in anger, the earth shaking in its path.
“You have no place in this forest!” The she-cat hissed, the noises dissipating in the strong winds. Blood slowly trickled out of her deep wounds as she was pinned down on her side, struggling to get back up.
“WillowClan is weak,” A large gray tom growled in Wisteriastar’s face. He was so close, his eyes wild with hunger. His long fur was matted and uneven and his scent was sickly like one who hadn’t eaten a proper meal in days. “We’ll take this land for ourselves, starting with your precious camp!” He hissed, his large black claws slicing through the she-cat's neck. The deep red streamed into the sandy ground beneath her, the rogue leader smirking at the dead body that lay still in front of him. The smirk didn’t last long when another gray cat suddenly tackled him off Wisteriastar. He fell against the campground as the broad-shouldered gray tom pinned him with fury.
“You might think you’re stronger Ice, but I’ve seen others underestimate their enemies. It never ends well. " Smokehaze hissed as he glared at the other cat. The rogue leader wasn’t intimidated by his piercing yellow gaze.
“You think you scare me?” Ice spoke again, kicking at his stomach with his hind legs. Smokehaze reeled back with a hiss but as he was about to slash at him he saw Littlepaw pounce on Ice from behind, tearing the tip of his ear off with his sharp claws. The large cat lashed around, trying to swing Littlepaw off. He was small for his size but his long legs made him agile. “Get off of me you mangy bird-brain!” Ice hissed, shaking the small apprentice into the bushes beside him.
As SmokeHaze was about to attack the large tom again, a black she-cat tackled him to the ground.
“Don’t you touch him!” She hissed, raking at his shoulder as he slid against the wet sand.
Smokehaze curled his lip and kicked the she-cat off of him. The she-cat was already pretty bruised and battered from another cat, so it was easy to land another slash on her side. The she-cat winced at the deep cut, but Smokehaze pinned her to the sandy ground before she could attack back. An easy win against a pathetic she-cat.
“Your kind doesn't belong here.” He bared his sharp teeth in the dark cat's face, his hatred for the rogue easily noticeable as the saliva from his mouth dripped onto the cat's dark fur and the blood from his claws seeped into her skin.
“Let me- help me! Help-” She cried out as she lashed around. The skinny she-cat stood no chance as SmokeHaze leaned down and mutilated her throat, tearing a small clump of fur and skin with him. He spat out the clump of flesh and watched her as blood rushed out of her throat and the life slowly drained from her eyes. He quickly shot his gaze over to Wisteriastar when he saw her movement out of the corner of his eyes.
Wisteriastar slowly heaved herself up, one of her lives was lost but she had plenty to spare. “Stay sharp Willowclan!” She yowled, digging her claws into the ground before sprinting off to Littlepaw and Brightpaw to help them both fend off a tortoiseshell who was bigger than them both combined. Brightpaw sprang at a rogue, aiming for his throat, but the rogue was faster, swiping his claws across her chest. She staggered back, pain flaring in her muscles.
“Brightpaw get back!” shouted Wisteriastar as she barreled into the rogue's side, knocking him off balance. Brightpaw hissed in pain but recovered quickly, her eyes full of determination. She jumped in to help Wisteriastar slash at the rogue.
Meanwhile, Nimblecloud faced off against two rogues at once—a scrawny gray tom and a larger, muscular she-cat. He wasn’t as strong as she used to be due to his old age, but she had moons of experience. The scrawny gray tom attempted to tackle him but Nimblesky easily darted to the side, avoiding his attack, then lashed out with his back legs. He sent the gray tom tumbling, but the she-cat came at him with a ferocity that made the older warrior’s fur stand on end.
"You’ll regret challenging us!" the rogue hissed, her claws raking down Nimblesky’s flank. He growled in pain but swiped back, aiming for her eyes.
“I don’t have regrets, Red.” He hissed at the she-cat.
The she-cat yelped and leaped away, shaking her head to clear her vision. Brokenshade, another fierce elder jumped in when the large she-cat was distracted and tackled her to the ground, biting into her neck.
"Do you think they'll notice if we sneak out?" Cinderkit whispered her gray bristling with excitement.
Darkkit's amber eyes gleamed with anticipation. "No one will notice! We’re just watching, that’s all. We’ll be back before anyone sees us."
The two kits watched as both elders fought off the large, muscular she with fur that still blazed despite the murky weather. This was going to be their first fight. They were both two moons away from becoming apprentices, which in their heads wasn't that young.
With a quiet flick of her tail, Cinderkit agreed. She could hear the clash of claws and yowls in the distance. It was the perfect time to sneak out and witness a real battle. The two kits slid out from the safety of the nursery, creeping low to the ground, their small bodies barely disturbing the short, trampled grass as they made their way to the edge of the camp. They stopped just outside the barrier of brambles at the bottom of the trail that led to the nursery and peeked through a gap.
They watched as the Willowclan warriors were engaged in a fierce fight with a group of rogues. Cinderkit's heart raced with excitement as she watched the warriors' skilled movements, their claws flashing in the dim sunlight. She wanted to see it all—just a little bit more but she couldn’t bring her paws to move, whereas Darkkit was already edging closer, tail flicking in eagerness.
Before they could move any farther, a shadow that was darker than the sky fell over them.
The two kits froze as the scrawny gray tom that Nimblesky fought off emerged from the underbrush, his body filled with adrenaline. Blood seeped out of his long fur that the elder had given to him before, and it was obvious he was still sore from the easy loss. He hissed as he saw the two kits as an easy target, and without warning, lunged at them.
"Run!" Darkkit yelped, his small body darting to the side.
But Cinderkit was too startled to move, her eyes wide with fear as the rogue’s claws scraped the ground toward her. He was fast—too fast.
As the rogue’s claws reached for her, Cinderkit’s instincts kicked in. With a yowl of defiance, she swung her tiny paw, slashing across the rogue's muzzle.
The rogue hissed in pain, losing his focus, and missed when he went to slash at the kit, but his yellow eyes burned with fury.
"Little kit!" he growled, blood dripping from the gash Cinderkit had left. "I’ll show you what happens when you get in my way."
The rogue crouched, ready to attack again, his claws unsheathed. Cinderkit’s heart raced, her claws trembling as she braced herself. But just as the rogue lunged, a warrior’s voice rang out.
"Get away from my kits!"
Cinderkit’s mother, Ashfur, flew into the clearing, her gray fur roaring like the ongoing storm. With a snarl, she slammed into the rogue with all her weight, knocking him to the ground.
"How dare you!" Ashfur spat, her claws flashing as she pinned the rogue beneath her.
The rogue scrambled beneath her, his claws swiping at the air, but Ashfur’s strength held him in place. "You’ve made a mistake coming here Willie," she hissed. "You and your clan!" With a powerful blow of her claws that was enhanced by her rage, not only at the cat attempting to murder her kits but also at the fact they came here to destroy her home, and have been for a while. Willie reeled backward at the powerful blow to his eye, blood seeped out of the scratch in his face and he realized he couldn’t see in that eye anymore. His one good eye widened in disbelief, and he staggered to gain his balance, preparing to flee. Before he could, Ashfur lunged again, her claws tearing through the air as she landed a slash to his throat.
Cinderkit’s heart pounded in her chest as her mother stood over the small tom who fell against the ground, eyes wide with concern.
"Are you alright?" Ashfur asked, her voice softer now, though still filled with authority.
Cinderkit nodded, her chest heaving with adrenaline. "I... I’m okay, Mama."
Darkkit, who had been frozen in place, now hurried to Cinderkit’s side. "That was amazing!" he mewed, his voice filled with awe. "You fought him off!"
Ashfur’s eyes softened as she glanced between her kits. "You two should never leave the nursery like that," she scolded. "It’s dangerous out there. Now quickly get back inside!” She urged.
Cinderkit lowered her head, feeling a bit ashamed, but she couldn’t suppress the thrill in her chest. "I just wanted to see the battle," she confessed. Her heart still raced, but now, it wasn’t from excitement. She had seen the true cost of a fight—and she had a new understanding of the warriors who protected their clan.
Ashfur let out a long sigh. "Battles are not something to watch for fun. They are serious, and they can hurt you. Promise me you’ll stay in the nursery from now on?"
The kits nodded, knowing they had learned a hard lesson as Ashfur ushered them back toward the nursery before they got into any more trouble.
On the other side of the camp, Tundrastream–the loyal Willowclan deputy, faced Ice who wore deep cuts in his flank from previous battles. The two cats circled each other, muscles rippling beneath their pelts. Tundrastream’s claws dug into the earth, her gaze locked on her opponent’s every move.
"You think you can stop me?" the rogue leader sneered, his voice low and mocking.
"We will never surrender our land," Tundrastream growled. With a sudden burst of speed, she leaped into the air, aiming to sink her claws into his scruff. But Ice was fast, spinning to the side and sinking his claws into Tundrastreams shoulder. She yowled in pain but twisted her body, throwing him off. Adrenaline raced through their bodies, keeping them warm from the cold rain that pelted down on them and the cold winds that made their soaked fur stick up on end.
"You fight well," he hissed, shaking the blood from his paws. "But you will fall, just like the others before you." His claws glistened as he raced at the deputy. As Tundrastream dodged out of the way, the rogue sliced down the side of her pelt. She staggered back, trying to regain her balance but the rogue leader had sharp claws that took a toll on her.
Tundrastream’s eyes flared with fury. “Not today.” She launched herself at him again, this time catching him off guard. Her claws raked across his flank, and the rogue staggered, clearly stunned. Smokehaze jumped in, helping Tundrastream fight off the large gray tom. He slashed at his cheek as Tundrastream dived at him, pinning him to the ground and biting at his chest. The large tom wriggled free from her grasp and staggered back to his feet, a chunk of fur now missing from his torso. He glanced around the large camp. His rogue clan was losing, he clearly underestimated the strength of the cats. He thought they were weak as his clan won many fights against a few of their patrols.
“You’ve lost,” Tundrastream hissed. “Leave now with your dignity before we plunge our claws into your throat.”
The rogue leader’s eyes filled with rage, but he knew the fight was over. “Don’t think you’ve won. This is one fight of many!” He snarled, jumping down back into the clearing of the camp. “Thorn Tribe retreat!” The rogue leader yowled, his voice shaking the atmosphere just as much as the thunderstorm.
As the rogues began to retreat, their numbers thinned and their morale broken, the WillowClan warriors gave chase to the outside of their camp, ensuring none of them would come back to threaten their territory.