CHAPTER 6 The patrol padded forward. Goldpaw felt her paws tingling with excitment and fear. Her first look at a Shadowclan cat and possibly her first battle! But, then again she didnt want it to be battle. She saw cats up ahead and Brambleclaw padded forward. "Ah, Russetfur, what are you doing setting you marks PAST our border?" "Shadowclan is taking it for their own. We need it more than you do." she spat. "Russetfur, this is our land, we'll discuss the rest of this at the next gathering. For now, get off!" Graystripe spat. Rowanclaw padded forward. "Or what?" he spat. Brambleclaw unsheathed his claws. Russetfur jumped at him. "Goldpaw! Run back to camp and get help!" she heard Graystripe meow. Quickly Goldpaw raced through the undergrowth. She reached camp and yowled. "We're being attacked! Firestar! Shadowclan is attacking our patrol!" Firestar heard the call and jumped up. "Squirrelflight, Sandstorm, Brackenfur, Cloudtail, and Lionpaw! Come on! Goldpaw lead the way." They raced towards the battle and saw they were desperatly in need of help. Goldpaw pounced on the first cat she saw. A strong warrior. She sank her claws into his back and held on. But he shook her off. She fell to the ground and the warrior was above her before he bit down she saw Lionpaw barrel into him. "Thanks!" she called and quickly leaped onto the next cat, a young apprentice. She jumped off her and they stared into each others eyes. "You're a worthless cat aren't you? Can't even fight your own battles, you stop and stare." the cat growled. "You stop and talk!" she spat and leaped onto the apprentice. The two engaged in a bloody battle. She felt claws rake her side, and before she knew what she was doing, Goldheart sank her teeth into the back of the she-cats neck. She tasted blood and jumped off. The cat stumbled and fell to the ground. Goldpaw stared in astonishment. "Ivypaw!" Rowanclaw called and raced to the cat. The battle stopped. Goldpaw backed into Firestar, "Did I kill her?" She asked. Firestar stepped forward and looked at the cat and shook his head, "She's just injured badly thats all." Rowanclaw snapped his head towards Goldpaw, "You will pay for this!" she hissed. Goldpaw backed up. She felt Graystripes tail rest on her shoulder. "This battle is over! We'll discuss borders at the next gathering." With that the Shadowclan cats left. Goldpaw just stared after them. "I...I didn't mean to, she just, made me mad." "It's ok, you didnt do anything wrong." Lionpaw said. Goldpaw looked around at the cats no one was hurt to severly, she was the only one who made a mark to last on a cat. "Come on." Cloudtail mewed, "Let's go back to camp."
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After Goldpaw got the cobwebs on her scratches she padded over to Firestars den, he had wanted to talk to her. "Come in Goldpaw." Goldpaw padded over to her leader and dipped her head respectivly. "I wanted to tell you that you fought bravely today. Especially for your first battle, there is nothing to be ashamed of." Goldpaw nodded. Her and Firestar talked a little more about training and such, and when they were done she padded out of camp. She was going hunting on her own. She needed time to think. She thought about how she couldnt remember where she was from and about Lionpaw and Ivypaw and everything. She was so lost in thought she didnt even notice the Shadowclan scent lurking around her. She wasnt even in Shadowclans terroritory. She stopped and sat down. She sat there thinking and then she heard pawsteps behind her. She turned to see one of her clan mates but instead saw Rowanclaw. She gasped and tried to run but, he pounced on her. "If you cry out, I will kill you right now." Goldpaw stared into his eyes, they were filled with such hatred. "Follow me," he spat. Goldpaw could do nothing but follow.