Guys, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in like 479317034 days…my excuse is pretty much the same as anyone's: I've been busy, lots of stuff to do, didn't have time to write, blah, blah, blah...but I did start school and I'm a senior in high school now. Being a senior is not easy, let me tell you.
This update is, unfortunately, not going to be one of many. This may be the last chapter I write before summer break. This may be the last chapter I ever write, period. But I haven't forgotten about this fanfic. I've tried so many times to pick it back up, but I just couldn't. I didn't know how and I couldn't remember all the details and other things that I needed to continue writing it. Please don't get your hopes up and think that I'm gonna be updating every day again like I used to, because I can't do that anymore. Also, PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE TOP OF MY PROFILE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. Anyways…
Cookies and Cream1234567: Thanks! :D I'm glad you like it. Also, thanks for following and favorite-ing this fic! It means a ton. c:
Nayeli Kigaliss: I know, aren't they so cute? :3 Well, I tried…
Ifsmith: Thanks :D And thanks for favorite-ing this fic!
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Blue1272000: I'm sorry…but thank you for checking back. It means a lot to me. (:
xxx
CHAPTER FIVE
"All right, you're doing great!"
Streampaw watched as Pebblefur helped Stormpaw stand up in his nest. His right forepaw, still swathed in cobwebs, was dangling up by his belly. Stormpaw stepped out of the moss and gently placed his injured paw on the ground, wincing. "It hurts a bit."
Pebblefur nodded. "It's going to for the first half-moon or so, until it fully heals. For now, though, no running, training, hunting, or fighting. Understand?"
Stormpaw sighed and flopped back into his nest. "Yes. But when can I start doing all that stuff again?"
"Whenever it shows signs of improvement." Pebblefur shrugged.
The dark gray apprentice groaned; he was a bit grumpy because he'd wanted Nightpaw to be there, but Pebblefur was too impatient that morning to wait for her to wake up.
As if on cue, Nightpaw padded into the medicine den, eyes dull with sleepiness. "Morning, everyone."
"Good morning," Streampaw greeted as Pebblefur headed into the clearing to get something to eat.
"Nightpaw, guess what?" Stormpaw grinned. "Pebblefur let me stand up and put pressure on my paw."
Nightpaw widened her eyes. "Oh, no. I'm sorry I missed it! How did it feel?"
Stormpaw didn't reply; instead, his nose was twitching as though he was sniffing the air. He stretched out his neck towards Nightpaw and furrowed his eyebrows. "Nightpaw, do you have a wound somewhere?"
"What do you mean?" Nightpaw tilted her head.
Streampaw glanced at her sister and stiffened when she saw a nick in her ear, dried blood caked around it. "Your ear has a nick in it! What happened?"
Nightpaw tensed. "Oh, some cat must've scratched me in my sleep last night. It's no big deal."
Streampaw eyed her; it was apparent that she was lying. Still, she decided to play along until she could get a moment alone with her. "Here, let me put some goldenrod on it so it doesn't get infected."
As she applied some poultice to her sister's ear, Streampaw noticed a long gash across her flank and gasped. It was closed only by the encrusted blood that had dried thickly around it. Without speaking, Streampaw grabbed some more goldenrod and began to clean the wound.
When she was finished, Streampaw rose to her paws. "Why don't we go fetch Stormpaw something to eat?"
"I'm not that hungry, really," Stormpaw mewed, "but some water would be nice."
Nightpaw nodded. "Okay."
Streampaw led her sister out of the medicine den and stepped behind it, backing up towards the stone wall of the camp. "Nightpaw, what's going on? How did you get those wounds?"
Nightpaw sighed. "I…I trained with Hawkpaw last night in my dreams."
"What?" Streampaw couldn't believe it. She thought her sister knew better! "How could you be so mousebrained as to train in the Dark Forest?"
Nightpaw shook her head. "I was wrong about that; it's not the Dark Forest. This cat—Chief is his name—has been watching me. He thinks I have a lot of potential and that I could be an amazing warrior, or even the leader of ThunderClan!"
"Who is this 'Chief' cat, and why has he been watching you?" Streampaw was still unconvinced.
Nightpaw shrugged. "Since he's started training Hawkpaw, he watched us to see if we were as strong as he is. Since you're a medicine cat, he won't train you. He lives in a place kind of like StarClan. He used to be the leader of a group of cats far away, and now he trains cats in the Clans to make them stronger. He says that every cat he's trained either became leader or the greatest warrior in the Clan!"
"I don't believe this." Streampaw rose to her paws, struggling to keep her anger under control, and tried to force her way out past her sister.
"No, listen!" Nightpaw stepped in front of her. "I'm not saying I fully trust him. I'm mainly doing it to watch out for Hawkpaw. I don't know what they're doing every night, and I feel like I need to find out. What if they're plotting against the Clans?"
"Hawkpaw can take care of himself," Streampaw scowled. "You should be more focused on figuring out the prophecy and receiving warnings from StarClan. It's apparent that the reason Hawkpaw hasn't gotten any is because he trains there. Obviously, whoever he is, Chief isn't affiliated with StarClan, meaning he can only be up to no good."
Nightpaw sighed in frustration. "Think logically, Streampaw. What if this is the prophecy? What if "the sharpest claws" are Chief?"
Streampaw thought; that could actually be very true. She had been very sure that the rogues were the claws, but what if this was really it? Nightpaw had to have been dragged into the dreams for a reason. She nodded. "I understand, Nightpaw. I trust you and your judgment. But just…be careful. And hurry. It's your turn to get a foretelling dream next, and if you're busy training with some stranger who might be destroying the Clans, you'll miss it."
"Maybe you'll start getting all the dreams," Nightpaw pointed out. "Remember when you went to the Moonpool and received the warning meant for Hawkpaw because his dreams were being blocked?"
Streampaw nodded. "Maybe. Just be careful and use your common sense, okay? I won't tell any cat."
Nightpaw licked her sister's ear. "Thanks, Streampaw."
xxx
Streampaw tossed and turned in her sleep that night. She dreamed of sprinting through the forest, something (or someone) hard on her heels, jaws snapping so close to her tail that she could feel its hot breath on her hind paws. As she neared the edge of the trees, she could just see Nightpaw and Hawkpaw standing in the shadows, flanked by dark cats with narrowed yellow eyes, their newly-formed muscles rippling under glossy coats.
"Help me!" Streampaw cried out, her chaser's teeth just barely nipping the tip of her tail. "Nightpaw, Hawkpaw, please help me!"
The two cats exchanged glances and then turned, padding slowly into the darkness with their shadowy friends, leaving Streampaw to fend for herself.
She jolted awake, gasping, and glanced at her tail. Not a clump of fur was missing, but it still stung a tad. Streampaw could tell that dawn hadn't yet settled over the forest, for it was still dim outside of the den. Glancing around, she noticed that Blazepaw was gone; probably outside getting ready for the dawn patrol.
Beside her, Hawkpaw rolled in his sleep, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Streampaw's pelt prickled; what was he doing in his dreams that night? Learning to kill? On Streampaw's other side, Nightpaw twitched her forepaws.
Shaking her head to clear it, Streampaw pushed her way out of the apprentices' den and stepped into the clearing. The iciness of the morning made her gasp, and she bundled up her gray fur to block the wind. At the fresh-kill pile, Graystream, Flamefeather, Rainpool, and Blazepaw were eating, preparing to leave for the dawn patrol.
Suddenly, a flicker of movement to her right caught her eye, and Streampaw watched as Smokestar emerged from his den and bounded across the clearing to Pebblefur's. Widening her eyes, she wondered what had alarmed the Clan leader. Had he received a dream?
Curiously, Streampaw glanced around. The dawn patrol was heading over to the thorn tunnel to leave. Other than them, no cats were out of their dens yet. Treading lightly, Streampaw made her way slowly over to the medicine den and crouched beside it, peering in through gaps between the woven gorse walls.
"I think our best bet is to figure out what they want," Smokestar's voice murmured from inside. She could tell by the vibrations of his pawsteps that he was pacing back and forth. "They wouldn't keep attacking us if they didn't want something."
Pebblefur's voice piped up. "But how are we going to do that safely? They don't really seem like the talking-it-out type."
"I'm not sure," Smokestar admitted, "but I'm starting to think that two certain apprentices are crucial pieces in this situation."
Streampaw could see Pebblefur nodding. "I know who you mean. But they're just apprentices, one being a medicine cat apprentice! How are they going to solve this?"
She immediately knew that they were regarding Nightpaw and herself. Shivering, Streampaw strained her ears to hear Smokestar's response.
"I don't know, Pebblefur." He sounded frustrated, but desperate. "We need another sign from StarClan. When is the next half-moon?"
Pebblefur thought a moment. "In a little over a quarter-moon."
"All right. Hopefully you or Streampaw will receive a dream from StarClan regarding these rogues." Smokestar sighed. "Otherwise, I'm not sure what else to do."
Streampaw backed away and scampered back into the apprentices' den. Smokestar thinks that Nightpaw and I are special in some way! She suddenly felt guilty for going off to see Riddle so often. The Clans are in serious trouble! I need to focus on my Clan, not on a loner. She glanced over at Nightpaw again, who was still twitching in her sleep, her face in a snarl as though she were locked in battle. And Nightpaw trains in a Dark Forest-type place. It's obviously not affiliated with StarClan, which means it can't be any good.
She stepped out into the cold clearing again, gazing up at the sky. The stars were just fading as the sun slowly climbed through the trees. How many of those stars, Streampaw wondered, were cats who had died because of the rogues? Well, there was Fogpaw, Owlkit, Oakfoot, Mistysong, Sharpclaw...too many to name. How many more would join Silverpelt as the rogues got stronger, attacked more frequently, invaded territories and camps?
Fury surged through Streampaw's veins; she wouldn't allow any more. If she, along with Nightpaw, could stop these rogues, then she would. No more cats would suffer because of them. She was going to be strong for her Clan, for all the Clans.
And she swore on StarClan that she would do whatever it took to do so.
xxx
I know this chapter was super short and boring (again), but now Streampaw finally realizes that she plays a part in this rogue stuff. Go Streampaw! I hope this isn't the last chapter I ever write, guys, because I do have big plans for this fanfic. Huge plot twists and lots of evilness and betrayal, but also lots of love and friendship :D
Anyways, hope you enjoyed and have an awesome day! I love you guys so much!