Kion and Rani: Warriors

~Chapter 7~

The scream had come from the FangPride border. The four apprentices ran toward it. Kiarapaw and Baliyopaw noticed them running and joined them. They weren't with them for the game earlier, because of training.

"Where are we going?" Kiarapaw asked. "There was a scream by the FangPride border. We're looking at it," Kionpaw replied.

When they arrived at the border, they were shocked. Amberpaw was on her side, blood around her neck. There was some type of wire tightly wrapped around her neck, with a metal stick at the end that was stuck into the ground.

Kionpaw saw a male lion with dark tan fur and a black mane. "Who are you!" Eelpaw snarled.

"I'm Kovupaw. I was a rogue and the FangPride let me in. Now please! I need to find a way to get Amberpaw out of here before she dies!"

Kionpaw jumped over the river. He was now on FangPride territory, but he was saving a life so it didn't matter.

The other apprentices didn't dare cross, so they stayed on the RoarPride of the river.

Kionpaw inspected the wire quickly. It was a two-leg trap, called a snare. Two-legs usually use these to catch prey, but Amberpaw some how got stuck in it.

Kionpaw pulled the metal stick out of the ground then worked at the wire. He chewed at it with his teeth and it cut his tongue.

Kionpaw spit blood out and continued, this time using his claws. He could see Amberpaw's eyes glazing over. He wasn't going to let her die.

Kionpaw could feel Kovupaw's breath on his back as Kovupaw watched anxiously.

Kionpaw got the wire off Amberpaw's neck and she gasped for breath. Kionpaw sighed in relief. He licked her neck where the wire had been, getting rid of the blood, and cleaning from the disgusting two-leg germs.

After the wound was clean, Kionpaw sat down. Amberpaw got up and hugged him tightly, "Thank you! Thank you so much! I owe you my life. Please, if you ever need anything, just ask for me. I'm forever in you debt."

Kionpaw chuckled nervously, "Ah it was nothing." "Nothing! You saved my life!" Without even thinking, Amberpaw pulled him closer and kissed him.

Ranipaw was fuming with anger while everyone else was in utter shock. Amberpaw's eyes widened and she pulled away, "K-Kionpaw...I-I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Every lioness wants a piece of this," Kionpaw smirked and winked at her. Then he jumped over onto the other side.

Kovupaw and Amberpaw walked away. Ranipaw slammed Kionpaw into the ground, "What was that!"

"Um...a 'thank you'?" Kionpaw replied. "No! It looked like flirting to me! That's against the warrior code on so many levels! First, you trespassed on another prides territory, then you kissed a lioness from a different pride, and, you aren't allowed to do anything like that untill you're a warrior! You broke so many laws, Kionpaw!"

Kionpaw smirked, "I'm assuming someone's jealous?" Ranipaw growled, but a blush was barely visible.

Kionpaw gently pushed her off, "Ranipaw, that kiss, it was just a thank you. Amberpaw didn't even mean to do it herself. Besides, the only lioness I want as a mate when we're Warriors, is you."

Ranipaw smiled and they nuzzled.

The six apprentices walked back to the hollow.

When they arrived, Brookpaw exited Pytrostar's den. She was crying and she had deep cuts along her sides. She had one across her right eye. But this wasn't just a normal cut. The entire right side of her face had been ripped off. Even her eye was gone.

Eelpaw gasped and ran to her, "Brookpaw! Brookpaw please tell me what happened to you!"

The others quickly joined him, asking questions. There weren't any medicine lions anymore so they couldn't stop the blood.

Brookpaw looked over her shoulder at Pytrostar's den. He wasn't out. She continued crying and walked into the apprentice den.

The others followed her, "Brookpaw, please talk to us!" For once, Brookpaw actually spoke, "Don't look at me! I'm hideous!"

"No you aren't," Eelpaw protested, calmly. Brookpaw whipped around and growled at him, tears streaming out of her left eye.

"My face is torn in half!" She wailed. Eelpaw sat in front of her. He wiped away her tears down her left cheek with his paw. He lifted her chin up, "Brookpaw. You are beautiful inside, and out. You always will be. It doesn't matter how many scars you have. You'll always be the most beautiful lioness I've ever met."

Brookpaw stared at him, her only eye glistening with tears.

"Aww!" Honeypaw purred.

Brookpaw broke down and hugged Eelpaw, "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!"

"It's the true Brookpaw. It will always be," Eeloaw assured her. Brookpaw pulled away, "D...Do you guys want to know what's been happening?"

They all nodded. Brookpaw sighed.

"When I was first assigned as Pytrostar's apprentice, I was excited because he was the best warrior in the pride. But...after a while of training, it didn't seem right. First, Pytrostar would yell at me just for not getting two gazelles. Then he would hit me across the face with his paw. It hurt, but it was fine. Then, he...he started scratching me. He would scratch me, for any reason he wanted. I breathed to quiet, he scratched me, too loud, he scratched me. I talk too much, he'd scratch me then make me hang onto a branch by my jaws. I didn't feel safe."

Brookpaw continued, "Then, today he asked me into his den. I went because I didn't want him to be mad at me again. At first, we talked about my training. Then...then I said something I shouldn't have...and he attacked me." She started crying again. "H...He threw me against the stone walls of his den. He bit me, scratched me...then...then he...he dug his claws deep into my right eye. He slowly clawed up, ripping off my eye, fur, and skin. I...I didn't know what to do so I just took it!" Brookpaw broke down. Eelpaw held her close to him.

"We have to stop Pytrostar," Kionpaw growled. "He's too strong. I've felt the force, Kionpaw. And he has nine lives still. We'll be dead before he goes down to seven," Brookpaw explained, wiping the tears from her left eye away.

"We'll come up with something. 'Till then, we'll need to be safe. Brookpaw, we'll protect you from Pytrostar. And we'll also need to find someone who can be a medicine lion for a while untill we find Wishbounce and Dapplepaw. They have to be close by. They may he exiled, but they wouldn't travel far," Kionpaw explained.

They all nodded. Kionpaw put his paw in the center of the group, "We'll take Pytrostar down. He'll be begging at our paws for mercy. You guys with me?"

Everyone instantly out their paws in the center. "Let's get planning."