I love you, Rapidwave. I wish I would have told you sooner... The words echoed in the gray tom's head.
He looked down at the blood-soaked apprentice. I'm sorry, Gingerpaw, I should have believed your prophecy... He apologized to himself.
Fallingpaw rushed over. "What happened?" She gasped with what sounded like a mixture of fear, grief, and surprise.
Rapidwave closed his eyes as everything came back to him. Every moment came flowing back to him, and he remembered being helpless to stop it.
The flashback seeped through his mind as he explained.
-FLASHBACK-
Gingerpaw excitedly ventured towards the twoleg fence. "Don't go too far!" He warned. She rolled her eyes.
She leapt on the fence. "Froststream told us to get catmint, so I have to get it!" She argued.
Rapidwave grunted. She sent me, and you followed. He added silently.
"Fine, since I would be spotted by two-legs, just gather the herb, and get out." He instructed her.
She scrambled down the fence. He suddenly heard barking. "Get out! Dog!" He yelled. "Climb over the fence! It's on your side!" She called over, worriedly. He looked back to see a dog clambering towards him.
A flash of worry struck him, but he quickly jumped over the fence. "See? You're safe," She mewed.
Suddenly a giant cob-web fell on them. "G-gah!" She yelped. He looked around in fear. A couple of two-legs approached them, three dogs lumbering after them.
They picked up the cob-web and dragged them away. Gingerpaw struggled and tried to claw the web. "Stop," He whispered. "If we appear weak, they may set us free,"
She nodded and pretend-collapsed. The two-legs looked at her and took her out. But instead of freeing her, they tied her to the ground, motioning for the dogs. "No! Gingerpaw!" He yelled.
He struggled through the web, and clawed his way free. The huge dogs were attacking her. A large flurry of black and white shot towards a dog, and a small gray tabby tom attacked a two-leg. The two-legs called for their dogs and hopped into a shiny monster, their black round paws carrying them away.
Rapidwave rushed over to Gingerpaw. The orange apprentice lay unmoving, battered in blood. "Gingerpaw?" He called softly. Hearing no response, he panicked. "Gingerpaw?!" Gingerpaw slowly looked over. "I love you Rapidwave..." She whispered. "I wish I would have told you sooner..." Her voice trailed off as her flanks heaved one more breath. "Gingerpaw!" He screamed. The two toms approached them. Their eyes darkened with grief. "I'm sorry," The small gray tabby mewed, but the large black and white tom gave him a warning glance.
Rapidwave shoved his muzzle into her cold flanks. A tear ran down his cheek. Rapidwave looked up at them. "Thank you..." The kitty-pets exchanged glances. "I'm Halo," The larger tom spoke and flicked his tail towards the small gray tom, "And this is Taz,"
Rapidwave nodded and picked up the apprentice's limp body. He started to walk towards the forest. I'm sorry, Gingerpaw. I have the wit of a mouse. It should have been me... He told himself.
-END FLASHBACK-
Fallingpaw hissed at the tom. "It's your fault she's dead!" Rapidwave's eyes widened. "What? No!" He argued. A grief-stricken Mossgaze approached them. "Mother! He killed her!" She yelled. Mossgaze's eyes darkened. "No, he didn't. She has the scent of two-legs, dog, and kittypet." She mewed dryly.
Lionstar leapt at them. "Silence!" It was only a moon ago since Nightstar had died, and Lionstar took her place. "A dog has took one of our appentices' lives!" His voice was lined with sorrow, since she was his daughter.
Fallingpaw gave a hard look at Rapidwave. "Traitor," She spat under her breath.
