Torn: Prologue

Coaldust and his apprentice, Blackpaw, were out in the forest, hunting. They were alone. What Coaldust didn't know, was that Blackpaw loved him.

Blackpaw crouched, watching a clueless mouse scurry to Coaldust. Coaldust swiped his paw and missed; but that was the plan. The mouse went straight to Blackpaw. She pounced on it and sank her claws into its neck. The mouse went limp.

Thank you for the mouse, StarClan, she said in her mind.

"Well do--" Coaldust began to praise, but was interrupted by a growl.

Blackpaw stood frozen. She opened her jaws and tasted badger scent. "Badger!" she whispered in horror. She looked around, but she couldn't see it.

Coaldust flicked his tail in Blackpaw's direction with fear. The apprentice whipped around, then saw the creature in front of her. She backed away slowly.

The badger padded closer to the warrior and apprentice. The cats unsheathed their claws, ready to fight. They were far from camp, so there was no chance to go get help from camp.

Coaldust leaped onto the badger's back and dug his claws into its neck. The badger yowled and began to trot toward Blackpaw. But the apprentice leaped out of the way and ambushed it from behind, biting its leg.

In rage, the badger shook Coaldust and ran after Blackpaw, scratching her leg and bit her neck.

Blackpaw yowled in pain, but the badger didn't let go. It tightened the grip with his teeth in her neck and began to shake her. After blood gushed out of her neck, it threw her against a tree.

The apprentice's vision blurred, and the last thing she saw was the badger landing with a thud, Coaldust on top of it.

~

"Thunderheart."

A gray warrior turned his head to an approaching she-cat when he heard his name.

"I'm leaving soon," the white she-cat murmured.

"But Skywing-"

"I cannot stay here," Skywing meowed softly to her mate.

Skywing padded to the clearing. "I am leaving now."

"May StarClan light your path!" Sweetstar called.

The white warrior bounded out of camp.

~

Blackstorm growled. "Have you not noticed the affection I have always shown for you?" she spat.

Coaldust ignored her, and licked Winterpelt's cheek.

The black warrior bounded away.