This was torture. Webbedstar knew well enough that I wasn't good in battle. I felt horrible for even roughhousing, let alone killing other cats! Yet he still sent me on the lead patrol, to be compared with some of the best fighters in the Clan.

As I got lost in my thoughts, I absentmindedly stopped placing my paws lightly, instead crunching the dry leaves beneath me. I snapped out of my daze as Jaggedpine got my attention. "Willowbrook, have you forgot what we're here for?" He muttered irritably to me, and I quickly regained my piece of mind.

I sighed, and a cat behind me groaned, "Listen, you don't like to fight, oh well. You have to at least try to defend your clan, because that's what comes first. It's in the code, what we've been learning since we were kits," I recognized Kestralstrike's hushed voice.

The smell of cats flooded my nostrils, the strong scent of garlic and the burning of rushing air following closely. Here we go, I thought to myself as I looked up at the cats ahead.

  Without warning, chaos struck. Immediately I was pinned down be a large, cream she-cat. I shoved her off of me with sheathed claws and got myself up, running forward then turning to face her. "Willowbrook, you mouse-brain!" Jaggedpine shouted at me as he clawed the NeedleClan warrior.

I knew just how horrible a warrior I was for this. I couldn't even defend my own Clanmates.

Suddenly I let out a cry of pain as claws dug into my neck. Against the Redwood Pines that cast a shadow over the battle, I recognized the figure of Jackalstar in an instant. I barely realized I'd fallen to the ground in the midst of my shock. As I attempted to stagger up, I fall again. I was losing blood so fast that my vision had already become blurred. I saw a faint smirk across Jackalstar's face as he raised his unsheathed claws, aimed at my throat. I flinched as he shot down his paw and-

  Kestralstrike leaped into the blow that would have just ended my life.

  The NeedleClan leader's claws struck Kestralstrike in the leg instead. As Amberblaze saw this, she shouted, "SlateClan, retreat!"

  And just like that, the battling subsided. All in one instant. I looked over to see Kestralstrike struggling to stand. He got himself up but his balance failed as he put weight on his leg. A heavily injured Jaggedpine began to walk over, but that's all that I saw as my vision faded.

A/N~ Finally back and decided to use some new characters I've been working on. If I have time the next part should be up today.

-Written by Mew-