Chapter 4- Return To Sender
Deadpaw tumbled over the last of the marigold. She closed her eyes in embarrassment. She had just ruined the paste she was preparing for the elders.
"Whitehail, you said she was trained," Shadestar growled.
"Please give her another chance," Whitehail begged, "I know she can do it."
The red leader shook his head. "She can't even see where she's heading."
"Deadpaw is just nervous," Whitehail insisted.
"No, this was a mistake," Shadestar said, "Her presence is just wasting fresh-kill. You know what to do, Whitehail."
Shadestar was reluctant to hear Whitehail's pleads. He escaped the den without another word. The medicine cat looked back at Deadpaw. Marigold leaves stuck to her gray fur. She was just as clumsily as when she started.
"I'm sorry father," Deadpaw apologized, "I tried this time, I did."
She expected him to comfort her, but he didn't. There was pain in his eyes, something Deadpaw had never seen in her father before. She nudged him, waiting for a response, but Whitehail was lost in his thoughts.
Deadpaw plucked the last of the leaves from her fur. She placed them before Whitehail neatly, hoping she could cheer him up. Nothing.
"Father, I didn't mean to make you sad," Deadpaw said.
"We need to talk, Deadpaw," Whitehail gestured to the back of the den, away from any nearby cats, "There's something I never told you about your mother."
"My mother?" The thought never came across her mind.
"Deadpaw, I believe your mother is Bluefrost, she is a she-cat of RiverClan," Whitehail explained.
"What are you saying father?" She grew confused.
"I'm saying..." He wished he rehearsed what he was about to explain, "I'm not your father. I believe Blackstorm is your father, Bluefrost is your mother, you are... RiverClan kin."
Deadpaw shook her head furiously. "Is this because I failed in front of Shadestar? Father I didn't mean it!"
"It's not about that, listen. When you were a kit, another medicine cat gave you to us. Shadestar didn't want you to return to RiverClan because we had to stunt their clan growth and you would only add more cats. So I kept you, and raised you as mine own under one condition, that you would be my medicine cat apprentice," Whitehail finished.
The apprentice stood frozen. Her eyes couldn't meet Whitehail's. All that came out of her mouth was, "You're not my father?"
"I'm sorry, Deadpaw," Whitehail said. Deadpaw crawled to Whitehail for comfort but he stepped away from her. "You cannot stay here anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"You belong in RiverClan, with your real family."
Deadpaw sniffed. "No! No!" She began to panic, her voice shook with fear. "You can't leave me there!"
"It'll be ok."
"Please hold me," She begged.
He didn't.
"Please," She said.
He stepped away.
Shadestar informed Whitehail long ago he must not fall in love with someone he could not keep. The medicine cat swore he could train the kit into an apprentice by himself but after several month he knew no effort in the world could make her anything near an apprentice. The leader said to distance himself from the kit and it would be easier to abandon it, and this time, Whitehail listened.
"I spoke to Ryestar in RiverClan," Whitehail said, "He is more than happy to take you back."
"I don't want to go, I'll try harder to be a better medicine cat this time."
Deadpaw tugged on Whitehail's fur but he yanked her away. "Don't be a burden."
With that, she stopped.
Rain poured down the gloomy skies. Whitehail's would usually cover Deadpaw with his own body to shelter her from the rain, but this time he didn't. The two were waiting for Ryestar's escorts along the RiverClan border in silence.
Deadpaw dreaded this day, she thought of running away but the thought of never seeing Whitehail's again scared her. If she were to become a RiverClan cat, then she could at least see Whitehail at gatherings, even one glimpse would be enough.
"They're here, stand tall, Deadpaw," Whitehail ordered.
A brown and a red tom approached them swiftly. They peered around suspiciously before speaking.
"Hello Ryestar, hello Mousepelt," Whitehail greeted politely.
Mousepelt dipped his head in respect to him. Ryestar examined Deadpaw, his glowing eyes met Deadpaw's. A warmth of remembrance swam over him, it was no doubt Bluefrost's kit.
"Return now, Whitehail, the rain will be heavier along your journey back," Ryestar informed.
"Yes, please take care of Deadpaw," Whitehail took one last look at her. He had raised her for six weeks on another mother's milk. He doubted the kit's chance of survival and yet she grown so big. For all he knew, this could be the last time he could ever see her.
"Bye father," Deadpaw said.
"Goodbye," Whitehail murmured.
Whitehail watched as the RiverClan cats took Deadpaw away. She did not once break her gaze from him.
Deadpaw shivered in the rain. Mousepelt recalled when he first saw her, he could not forget the day for it was the worst day of his life. Fawnheart, his mentor, had risked her health to save a burden. He didnt sleep that night, he stayed up to wait for his mentor, she never returned.
"I'm going to be your mentor, Deadpaw," Ryestar said, "Under my guidance you will catch up to the other apprentices."
Mousepelt stopped in her muddy tracks. "You can't be serious. She's half-blind."
"I don't see a problem with her ears or her nose, RiverClan needs all their warriors."
"Ryestar! We are at the break of war with ShadowClan, you can't possibly think Deadpaw will ever be able to fight them," Mousepelt exclaimed, "I didn't think you'd be this mouse-brained!"
Ryestar's ears lowered in irritation. "That is no way to speak to your leader. You are a medicine cat."
"I shouldn't be the medicine cat, Fawnheart should," Mousepelt growled, "But you chose a burden over Fawnheart's life."
"It was Fawnheart's flea-brained decision to kill herself," Ryestar retorted.
Mousepelt lunged onto Ryestar. The leader swiftly countered him and pinned Mousepelt to the ground. Ryestar spread his large paw across his neck menacingly.
"Fawnheart is my leader, not you," Mousepelt spat, struggled to breathe.
Mousepelt gasped for air once Ryestar released him. Ryestar nipped Deadpaw from the ground and muttered, "This clan has too many useless cats."
