The Badger

[Nightheart]

An independent kitten named Nightkit crept into the woods. She didn't like being cooped up in the camp, but leaving was against the rules, so she slunk out quietly. She was frolicking along, enjoying the summer breeze when suddenly, she stopped. There was a strange scent on the wind. It was a badger! She tried to run, but the foul smelling beast was blocking all possible ways of escape. She began to yowl for help, but there was no answer. There was no hope of escape...

[Froststar]

Froststar, taking a quiet walk through the serene woods decided to stop and sniff the air. Even in these peaceful Greenleaf times, prey was always something to look for. What she caught on the humid air was not anything she had smelled in a long time. Not mouse, not mole, no...not even a vole, but a BADGER! She was downwind of it, so it certainly had not detected her. She quickly decided to sprint back to camp and announce the presence of the horrid creature when she heard the shrieks of a kit. This must be Nightkit who had gone missing earlier! She had sent out patrols to find the adventurous kitten, but to no avail. Now she knew the peril in which it had found itself. She dashed to the rescue.
She pelted through the tall grasses and leaped out into a clearing. She saw the startled Nightkit flattened against a rock, every fur on end. She smelled the unmistakable scent of fear, and who could blame her? She, a meer kit, against a formidable sized, vicious animal of which she had probably only heard of in elder's tales.
Froststars thoughts were broken as the badger hailed her arrival and swung around to meet her. "Run!" she yowled at the frightened kit, who was now hidden from her view by the hulking badger. Only a strong army of well fit cats could overtake such a nightmarish beast, but she had to try. She readied herself, physically and mentally, and lunged...

[Pinestripe]

On a walk by the river, looking for that one kind of herb that she just had to have for her stores, Pinepaw heard a frightened shriek from across the river. It was followed by yowls, which she suddenly recognized as Nighkit's. What had that silly ThunderClan kit gotten herself into now?

[Pinestripe]

Froststar! Pinepaw gave no thought to the troubles that might occur if a RiverClan cat tried to cross into ThunderClan territory and jumped into the river. Even though Froststar was a leader and possesed the nine lives given to her by StarClan, Nightkit did not. And the Medicine Cat Apprentice had the feeling that if Nightkit was attacked by a badger, she might never recover...

[volekit]

Mousekit was closely following Pinestripe. She wanted be a Warrior soon even though it would take a lot of training. She stalked to a familiar scent..."Hi Pinesripe," she announced. At that moment she looked up.

"Holy StarClan!!!" she shrieked, her mouth agape.

[Nightheart]

When the badger turned Nightkit did the stupidest thing a kit could do.She sprang and bit the badger's foul tasting fur,and was triumphant when tasting blood ;but didn't get to gloat long in her pride.For the badger started to shake her off!Nightkit remembered her fights with Snowkit, and held on tight .

[Nightheart]

Though her mouth gagged with fur Nightkit screamed with rage at the badger .On the back ,of the badger Nightkit prayed to her warrior ancestors to give her strength the of all of StarClan to defeat the badger .

[♫Amberstar♥]

Amberstar was walking along the river's edge. Bird's sang the river songs (as Amberstar called them) as the fish danced to the tune. The calico Leader watched as leaves fell in the river, leaving ripples in the glass of the stream. She smelled somthing... Badger! But it was on ThunderClan's territory. She rejoiced that it was not on RiverClan territory, but still hoped it would not hurt anyone. Wait, she thought, There's ThunderClan scent, too! Amberstar rushed over the Clan border to see Nightkit on the back of the badgers back, Frostar yowling "Run", Pinestripe trying to do something useful, and Mousepaw as stupid as ever wide mouthed at the thought of seeing a real live badger. I have missed a lot, Amberstar thought. With that piece of information in mind, she bit into the badgers fur.....flesh...bone. The taste of blood lingered in her mouth as it dribbled to the ground. She pelted over to Froststar and casually said, "I think you need help..." Ironically, at that precise moment, the badger sprinted up and scraped her shoulder. The RiverClan Leader yowled in pain. The oozing fluid from her shoulder splattered to the ground. Blood for blood, thought Amberstar. A lone leaf fell beside the Leader. It may be the last leaf of this life, thought Amberstar...

[Froststar]

"NO!!!" The white Leader shrieked in agony as she saw her life long friend hit the ground. She looked down at Amberstar and saw that the calico's beautiful caramel-colored eyes were growing dim and glazed with pain. Although she knew that nine lives were still owned by the wise Leader, Froststar could still not help the grief that clogged her throat and gnashed at her very soul. Her friend was dying. There was no doubt. Unless there was some miraculous feat from StarClan, Amberstar was doomed to one less life.
At that moment, time began to speed up again. She could hear the screams of Nightkit as she grappled onto the demonic beast that seemed to come from the Gates of the Dark Forest themselves (I know I probably shouldn't do this, especially since I'm the "moderator of this site", but the Gates of the Dark Forest are in the Redwall books and it's where the bad animals go...you know.) She knew what she must do. With one last glance, though she knew that the wound might be so bad that it could wipe out all of her kit-hood friend's lives if it was terrible enough, Froststar left the amber warrior's side to free Nightkit from the clutches of the badger...

[Pinestripe]

Pinepaw watched in horror. Amberstar was down, with a bad wound. Nightkit- stupid thing!- was trying to fight the badger. Well, first things first. "Mousepaw! Go get me some cobwebs and moss from my den!" she yowled over the din. Maybe the wound was bad, but if nothing was done about it, it could only get worse. Now to get Amberstar away from the fighting. She could get hurt even more if someone stepped on her, she thought. Gently, Pinestripe dragged Amberstar away from the badger by the scruff of her neck. Now, all we have to do is wait for Mousepaw, she thought.

[volekit]

((You put Pinepaw))
"Yes Pinestripe," Yowled Mousepaw. Mousepaw looked at the wounded leader on the ground. It's kinda up to me, she thought, staring at everything around her. Her life was turning in different paths. She ran in long strides to the medicine cat's den. But along the way she found plenty of spiderwebs which she wrapped around her paw. She hurried back to Pinestripe announcing breathlessly, "Here are the spiderwebs."

[Pinestripe]

"Thank you," yowled Pinestripe, a bit exasperated with the apprentice, although she knew that Mousepaw was trying. "Now will you please get me some dried moss and poppy seeds?" Amberstar's shoulder was bleeding all over the place, so Pinestripe took the cobwebs and wrapped them around the wound tightly. "There. That should help stop the blood flow."

[Nightheart]

When Nightkit saw Amberstar fall she got distracted and was flung into a pricker bush and yelped for help.But it was to late Nightkit's eyes closed and went unconsciouses from her fly into the pricker bush and her head that hit a stump.All she heard was the battle cries .Then nothing ,nothing at all.

[Nightheart]

After awhile ,Nightpaw woke up and found the badger still there.Oh crud!Look what I got the other clans into .Then she remembered everything!Amberstar! She raced over to the fallen leader and started licking the wounds .She stopped and turned to the badger.She would not let this wound happen to any other cat.Hoping no one would see her Nightpaw sprinted into the woods to find any prey .There she the scuffling of a mouse .She crouched and sprang and killed it .Nightpaw grabbed it up and ran back toward the battle .Nightpaw saw the badger just a few tails away and flung the mouse toward it hoping he would take the bait .The badger stopped fighting and sniffed the air . He turned toward the mouse and started eating.Nightpaw crouched and lunged at the badger bit and scratched and ripped his flesh in his moment of hesitance .The badger screamed with rage and started fighting again.But this time he was losing.

[volekit]

(I was lost in there for a while)
Mousepaw saw the badger screaming with rage. She couldn't wait for a moment. She sprinted to wards the badger and clamped down on the badger's leg. Blood oozed out of the open wound. Again, the grey apprentice backed up and ran into badger, crawling up its back, and slashed it above its eyes. Blinded, the badger slammed into a tree. I hope the others take advantage of that, Thought Mousepaw, staring at the dazed badger. She hurried back to the RiverClan territory to save her leader. She knew the best place to find moss. But it will be to soggy, she pondered, I have to go back to camp. She rushed her legs as fast as WindClan rabbits to the den.The camp was up ahead. She ran into the den right as she got to camp. She found a few wads of dry moss and a few poppy seeds. Why the leader the leader needs to sleep, I do not know, the young apprentice pondered, I will ask later when this is all over. She galloped to the scene as fast as she could to find every one in the same places. She brought the supplies and dropped them at Pinestripe's paws... Here they are, she announced, and backed away slowly.....

[Nightheart]

Grateful that Mousepaw came when she did .Nightpaw took advantage of the blinded badger and whispered something to the barbaroc beast. Even though Nightpaw knew the badger didn't speak the Cat Language it might turn the tides like the simple blow above the eyes from Mousepaw. Queer, it did have an affect for a half millisecond but it did give Nightpaw a chance to rip at his throat. Blood like the waters of the river rushed out . Nightpaw didn't get a second to be warned of the waterfall of grume except that it rushed into her throat like forced mouse bile. After that , Nightpaw ran to Amberstar then stopped short and vomited because of the hair and thick, red coagulated gore of the demonic creature that went down her throat .

[Pinestripe]

"Thank you" panted Pinestripe, a little breathless with all that had been happening. "All right. I'll put this moss and cobwebs on amberstar. Now you stay here with her, and when she wakes up, give her some of the poppy seeds. Nightkit?' Pinestripe turned her attention to the kit, who was vomiting all over the place. "nightkit?" she asked again. "Do you want some water to get the taste out?"

[Froststar]

Froststar was oblivious to all...Nightkit vomiting, Pinestripe offering assistance...all was lost. She had actually helped in felling the badger, whether others had witnessed or not. Regardless...this is what happened while Nightpaw went for its throat:
Froststar got up from beside the fallen leader. She knew what must be done. She leapt up onto the barbaric and demonic creature's large back and bit into the back of its neck. She knew this could do no good unless someone went for it while it was temporarily blinded and struggling with something on its back. She hoped the decoy worked. And it did. She watched in almost slow motion as Nightpaw jumped into the beast's throat. She dug into it, spilling out its last breath. Frosty almost felt bad for the thing. It had meant no harm. However, what had been done was done and the animal had fallen.
Now, the white leader was without air. She lay beside Amberstar, staring at her, trying to discern any signs of life in the body of her beloved friend...

[Nightheart]

Nightpaw knew they won a victory but something inside her was changing.She felt as strong as StarClan!Nightpaw couldn't stand it,and gave a howl then fled away from the cats.After ahile she stopped by creek surrounded by thorns,and thought ,What is happening to me!I can't go back!I not just an apprentice anymore, but something !Nightpaw didn't understand what was happening ,and she started out on a journey as far away as she could so no cat could get hurt by her new power .

[Froststar]

Froststar watched as the startled Nightpaw fled. She followed silently, yet briskly. NIghtpaw didn't know she was being stalked. This was all part of the white leader's plan.

[Pinestripe]

((Short posts... grrrrrrr... ))

[Froststar]

((My site...gggrrrr! No time...ggrrr! Besides, Nightkit rarely comes on, so I figured it wouldn't matter if it was a lot of short vs. a short amount of long.))

[Nightheart]

The wind blew and on it carried familiar scent "Froststar"! Nightpaw knew it was hopeless to run but she did.On through the branches and thorns to a little stream.Nightpaw jumped in to lose her scent and waded in to the deepest she could without swimming.As she looked in the water's ripples there was a face she didn't quite recognize.It seemed a little like hers but at the same time different and bigger.Suddenly shining faces appeared in the ripples .When she looked up there was nothing,but in the water the faces were still there.One stepped out and said,"Do not be frightened daughter of what you see in the water it is what has woken in side you.It is a panther.You, me,and you father come from the line of the panther.Do not be alarmed by that knowledge in the right time you will except it.But now go back to Froststar and do your duties to your clan."Suddenly another cat stepped forward in unison they said "We are proud of you daughter.And remember " at this their voices and bodies began to fade"We will always be with you.""Don't leave me!" screamed Nightpaw.She thought "When will I see you again?!?"At that she started her journey back to her clan.

[Froststar]

Great! thought Froststar. It'll take forever to catch up with her. Suddenly, she came face to face with a very revalationized Nightpaw.
"What happened? Why did you come back?" She looked into Nightpaw's eyes and saw her haunts. "Are you OK?"

[Nightheart]

Nightpaw looked into her leader's eyes with such power and strength like she had never before and hoped she didn't offend her.Nightpaw told her leader "If I may can we talk alone then I tell?"Nightpaw told Froststar to follow her to the stream were she found out her heritige."This will help you undersand."Nightpaw's voice came in a deep rumble and she sped off toward the creek without waiting to see if her leader was following................

[Froststar]

"What is it with the Apprentices of our time?" Froststar mumbled quietly to herself. "Everything is too slow for them...including me..." She thought over her age. Although she still had 7 of her lives, she was aging. This could not be denied her by StarClan. One day, she would be a part of them, just as everyone would. Until then, she would try to be with her Clan whenever possible and protect them in any way. This meant following this frisky, overexcited apprentice. Maybe it was something important. Perhaps. It could just be that she had found something like a dog carcass. Or maybe a colony of rabbits. Or a leak of oil had been spotted coming down a stream. Maybe. But it seemed strangely of imminent importance. Nightpaw had never once looked like this. The scent of change was in the air.

[♫Amberstar♥]

I'm knocked out. Bleah.

[Nightheart]

((I'm not excited or frisky right now))
Nightpaw stepped in the pool and a loud noise boomed and echoed in the forest;furthermore,all the clans heard the sound that traveled from the stream.Bright and dark lights began to form around Nightpaw.She stood in the middle of them looking toward the heavens when she let out a growl so deep and fierce that all the prey stopped in their tracks it seemed to her that life stopped.Nightpaw's eyes grew larger and paws grew wider everything about her grew then in the middle of her changing a voice came out and, told everything living close to the creek,"This cat's spirit has awaken in side her and has given her the power to change her looks to her ancestors' appearances." At that moment the voice a last roar then the forest was quiet and all that was left of the moment was Nightpaw in the middle of the pool of water.Nightpaw leaped out and shook herself and was back in her normal size.She headed back where Froststar was and looked in the eyes then padded back to the clan;not saying anything to anybody she passed.Once she got back to the clan she walked to Froststar's den and awaited till a voice called her to the Apprentice's den.There she saw a vision of her mother and father where she slept at night.She curled up by them and dozed off because she was weary from what all happened little while ago.

[Froststar]

Froststar watched Nightpaw go. Before she could see anything, Nightpaw had jumped in the middle of a stream. Mist shrouded her being. The ThunderClan Leader was about to jump in after her, when a blood-curdling roar broke the silence. It sounded like an ancestor. She heard meows speaking in different tongues, ones she could not decipher. Suddenly, a sleepy-eyed Nightpaw popped out of the mist and headed back to camp. When Froststar looked into the stream, she saw nothing out of the ordinary, but when she looked up, she noticed that the clouds had formed a ring around the area, letting the stars shine only on the exact spot. Froststar knew what had happened.

[♫Amberstar♥]

So I'm Dead? No fair. I wanted to live.