Fireblooded
a poem for this contest
You want to hear the story of the fight between LionClan and BloodClan? You're quite brave to ask about it, young one. It's a violent story, one you couldn't handle. I mean, you're just a kitten, yes? You could never handle something like this. Ever. Not in a million seasons.
...Alright, alright! But don't tell Silverstream I told you about it.
_______
There he was, the fire-pelted one,
his claws unsheathed and a glint of determination in his eyes.
He was the one to save the Clans.
He is the Fire.
There was one, though, the one with fur like the night and claws like thorns.
He was pinning a white-furred cat to the ground, slashing his claws into its flanks.
The fire-pelted one yowled, "Face me, and we'll settle this!"
The one he challenged turns and narrowed his eyes.
He is the Blood.
"You're the leader of this ramshackle lot?" he mewed icily.
Then he leapt, claws slashing at the fire-pelted leader.
The flame-colored tom leapt to the side, barely dodging the scratch that killed the mighty Tiger.
But he couldn't dodge a blow to the side of his head.
He staggered, and he could barely hear shouts of his name as he faded into black.
He woke up here, in the starry place under my paws.
He gasped, "No! I can't be dead...!"
I had been sitting and staring at him. "You aren't." I said.
I had flicked my tail toward his very pale copy. "This is your first life."
He had shaken his head in frustration. "No! Just let me go back to fight!"
I had meowed, "You must rest or you will not fight."
His gaze, instead of resting on me, swept over the other cats that gave him his lives.
Then he slowly nodded. "All right." After a moment's hesitation, he had asked, "May I go back now?"
I had nodded and watched as he closed his eyes and faded into nothing.
A voice behind me asked, "Can he really do this?"
I had turned and narrowed my eyes at the tortoiseshell. I understood her worry, but I only replied,
"Of course. He is the Fire."
_______
...I see you shivering in your pelt, young one. Now you want to know how the battle ended? Such a curious kit.
...And you're sure this time? Okay. The Fire forced the Blood to run, and the Blood's spirit drifted to somewhere unknown. LionClan won the battle, at the cost of a few lives.
Try figuring all of this out on your own.
As for me? I was in the battle, fighting alongside the Fire the whole way.