Whitekit: Poor Cinderpaw. :(
Small: I know. It's sad for Cinderpaw, but don't worry! Her story is going to get gooood.
Whitekit: Really? That's good! I want my sister to be happy!
Small: Ha. Don't worry about that. My story will have a happy ending.
Whitekit: *excited* Really?
Small: I didn't mean it because really… well, I can't tell you.
Whitekit: Ugh…
Small: Just let me write chapter 2!
Whitekit: Okay! Chapter 2, here it comes!
Chapter 2 – Runaway
Cinderpaw leaped into the air, kicking, trying to pin down her mentor, but instead found herself on the sandy ground of the training follow. She let out a hiss of annoyance.
"Wrong!" snapped a voice.
Cinderpaw turned to see Cloudstar giving her a look of disapproval, his eyes etched with anger.
"You're never going to become a warrior like that!" Cloudstar's anger shook Cinderpaw and she crouched down, embarrassed. He never praised her for anything.
"Cloudstar, stop!" Mossheart jumped forward as Cloudstar attempted to leap up and join them. "Cinderpaw is learning. She'll get it. It's a new move."
"She's been an apprentice for long enough. I mastered that move my first try. She should've gotten it by now." Cloudstar turned to Cinderpaw. "You'll never be a true warrior with skills those skills."
He then turned and stalked off. Cinderpaw bent her head, her eyes glazed with anger. She looked up at Mossheart, who gently ran her tail along Cinderpaw's spine.
"It's not your fault," Mossheart mewed gently. "Cloudstar is still grieving over Squirreltail, Whitekit, and Tawnykit."
"Yeah, but why does he think it's all my fault?" mumbled Cinderpaw. "It may be, a little, but it can't be all my fault!"
"I don't believe it is," Mossheart mewed. "And many other cats don't. It's just hard for Cloudstar to understand what's happened, and a way for him to forget the grief is for him to have you take the blame."
Cinderpaw looked away, out into the trees. She wanted to believe what Mossheart said, but for some reason, it seemed so unrealistic.
She'd been an apprentice for a quarter moon and so far, Cloudstar had only mocked, made fun of, and insulted everything she'd done. He'd told her that the squirrel she'd brought back was too scrawny, her fighting skills too weak, and she overslept too often. It wasn't even like she was his daughter anymore.
"Let's go back to camp," suggested Mossheart. "Maybe hunting on the way will make you feel better."
Cinderpaw nodded. "Okay," she agreed. It was better that she try doing something good for the Clan, even if Cloudstar thought her hunting skills were pathetic.
On the way back, she caught a mouse and a shrew. Looking at them, she knew that neither of them would be good enough for Cloudstar if he saw them, and reminded herself to take them both straight to the elder's den.
"Good job today," Mossheart mewed as they entered camp, but Cinderpaw knew her mentor didn't really mean it.
Cinderpaw slipped off, not bothering to respond. She was a failure, and she knew that Mossheart wasn't pleased at having her as an apprentice. Cinderpaw dropped off the mouse and shrew. She quickly hurried to exit the den, before being stopped by the ever-inquisitive elders.
"Cinderpaw!" Duskclaw gave Cinderpaw an uncertain glance, his tail twitching with curiosity as he watched her go. "Why in such a hurry?"
Cinderpaw hesitated. She didn't want to lie to the elder, but she also didn't want to tell him about her problems.
"It's nothing, Duskclaw." She peeked out into camp and saw Smokepaw by the fresh-kill pile. "I just told Smokepaw that I'd share a piece of fresh-kill with him."
"Young ones," sighed Duskclaw. "Going off and falling in love way too quickly these days."
"He's not my mate!" Cinderpaw argued, trying to hold her temper. Duskclaw was always jumping to conclusions and giving her lectures on how she shouldn't waste her young days with love.
Duskclaw let out a purr of amusement. "I never said he was."
"Give her a break," Raggedstone mewed, his gaze sympathetic. "She's going through a hard time."
Cinderpaw wasn't going to point out that she wasn't going through a hard time; her father just didn't love her because of what happened.
"All right," Duskclaw sighed, and he and Raggestone their conversation. Cinderpaw kicked the ground before stomping out of the elder's den. She scampered away from the den, wanting to get as far away as possible, and quickly joined Smokepaw beside the apprentice's clearing, where he'd chosen a magpie for himself.
"Could I share that?" Cinderpaw asked.
"Sure," Smokepaw mewed, shifting over to give Cinderpaw space before lowering his voice. "How's Cloudstar?"
Cinderpaw hesitated. Recently, she'd made more of an effort to be nicer to Smokepaw, and she could tell that he appreciated it. He stopped treading on her paws, and she stopped wanting to claw his ears off. It was as though he'd only wanted a friendship with her, and he'd stop following her around everywhere.
"He said I wasn't fighting properly."
"But you are!" Smokepaw objected.
Cinderpaw shrugged. "You've never seen me fight."
"But you can't be that bad!"
"According to Cloudstar, I'm as useless as a kittypet. Probably even more useless."
"No you're not," Smokepaw assured her. "He's just being picky."
Cinderpaw shrugged, devouring the last of the magpie with Smokepaw. "Thanks," she mewed when she'd finished.
Smokepaw shrugged. "No problem. I'm joining Dawnlight, Petalfall, Oakcloud, and Honeypaw on patrol, but I'll talk to you after." He scampered to his paws before going over to join his patrol near the lichen tunnel.
Cinderpaw sighed. Smokepaw was lucky. Cinderpaw was jealous of him even though she knew she shouldn't be. She cocked her head to the side, watching as the sun began to set amongst the trees.
No other cat knew it yet, but that night, she was planning on running away. She didn't belong in RainClan, and she knew that they'd be better off without her. Besides, it might even give her Clan a chance to appreciate her. She turned towards her den and ducked inside, wrapping her tail around her paws. Featherpaw was asleep in the corner of the den, and Cinderpaw could see the slow rise and fall of her chest. She'd miss the gray she-cat's spirit, but she knew that it was better to leave and start a life elsewhere than put up with Cloudstar and the rest of the Clan's penetrating stares any longer.
Cinderpaw then closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. When she woke, it was past moonhigh. She tried to remember her dream, but couldn't, and decided that it was safe to leave camp. No SkyClan warrior had entered her dreams and tried to stop her from leaving. Stormeyes was on guard outside of the camp, but Cinderpaw knew she could use the dirtplace exit to go out of camp without being spotted.
She rose out of her nest, turning to see the other apprentice's beside her, before slipping towards the entrance of the den. She checked to make sure that no cat was there, and when no cat was, she headed towards the dirtplace exit, and quickly slipped out without being noticed.
By now, she knew the territory well enough and knew where she had to go. The quickest way out of the forest would be to cross the SleetClan border and then head towards Twoleg place, making sure not to be caught by a SleetClan patrol either. She'd heard some of the other cats talking about how cats from Twoleg place often wandered into the SleetClan border. Cinderpaw knew there was a chance of her finding friends there, and she quickly headed towards the SleetClan border, first rolling herself in some mud to disguise her scent.
She made her way towards the border, tasting the air to make sure that no cats were around. She couldn't let herself get caught. That would make her relationship with Cloudstar already worse than it was when she eventually got dragged back to camp. She just needed to get out of the forest alive.
Trekking along, Cinderpaw listened to the sound of the leaves beneath her paws mixed in with the chirping of birds and pattering of prey on the forest floor. Cinderpaw was lost in thought as she approached the SleetClan border. To leave her home behind was what she had to do, but to some extent, she was going to miss it. She sighed, about to leap across when she heard a faint voice in the distance.
"Help! Help!"
Cinderpaw whipped her head around.
"I need help!"
Cinderpaw looked around, knowing that she had to help whoever was in danger. She couldn't figure out who it was. It couldn't be a RainClan cat. She raced towards the sound of the voice and realized it was coming from the Shallow Pond. She'd heard stories of cats who'd fallen into it, and most of them hadn't ended well. The water was freezing at night, especially during the early days of newleaf when the frost came.
"Help me!"
Cinderpaw turned to see a head bobbing in the water and two flailing paws. Mouse-brain! She thought. She was no genius, but at least she knew never to start flailing if you landed in water.
Cinderpaw hesitated, looking around. Any cat could die once they jumped in that water, and Cinderpaw knew she couldn't just let that cat die in front of her.
"Please help!" wailed the cat. His voice sounded choked with water.
Cinderpaw stared frozen. She knew that cats drowned all the time when they couldn't swim. She knew that this was common. She hesitated. Her life was important, but not more important than watching a cat die and knowing it was her responsibility.
And with that, Cinderpaw let out a growl before jumping into the water.
Whitekit: Cinderpaw! No! What's going to happen?
Small: You'll find out.
Whitekit: But she's my sister!
Small: So is Tawnykit, but you're never talking to her.
Whitekit: So? She's boring. Please tell us what happens! Please!
Small: Whitekit, I will. I'm going to update soon. I promise.
Whitekit: Good.
Small: So, until then! Please review!
xxx -Small