Chapter Seven

"Whitepaw, Sunpaw, get up!" Called a loud stern voice. Sunpaw woke with a start and jumped up when she saw Brownroot standing to the entrance of the apprentice den. Twigkit and Seedkit jumped up too, fears returning at Brownroots sharp tone of voice. Sunpaw was used to his coldhearted attitude, but his tone even scared her, though she wasn't sure why.

"What is it Brownroot?" Whitepaw asked. Cherrypaw hadn't gotten up, but she was looking over at Brownroot with her attention, though she was a little distracted comforting the kits with gentle licks. Twigkit crawled over to her sister.

"Dapplestar has ordered a patrol go secure the Shadowclan boarder. We go with Sandnose, Sparrowfeather, and Pebblefur to make sure Shadowclan understands whats ours." Brownroot said. "So get ready- quickly!" He said, turning to leave.

Whitepaw turned to Sunpaw. "But you can't fight!" He said.

"No, I've gotten some practice in." Sunpaw said. She was scared though, but would go with her clan. They needed her! Twigkit went over to Sunpaw.

"Come back...?" She asked, looking up at Sunpaw. Sunpaw realized how much she liked Twigkit, who was becoming like a sister to her. She had to go to defend Thunderclan, and this special kit.

"I will, don't worry, we'll get Shadowclan!" Sunpaw said determinedly. She looked to Whitepaw for agreement, but he only swallowed nervously.

"Are you sure Sunpaw?" Seedkit asked. Cherrypaw seemed to want to know the answer too.

"Of course, I'll see you later." Sunpaw said, leaving the den with Whitepaw on her tail. She was eating a quick breakfast with Whitepaw when Raindrop came over.

"Thank you for watching Seedkit and Twigkit last night." She told the apprentices.

"Welcome, it was fun for them I think, ignoring what happened... Hows Firestreak?" Sunpaw asked, wondering if the kits had lost their father overnight.

"Much better according to Blossomtail, she says it'll be awhile before he returns to duty, but he'll live." Raindrop said.

"Oh thank Starclan!" Sunpaw said happily. She'd lost her own father during kithood, never would she wish the same on Twigkit and Seedkit.

Raindrop smiled and dipped her head. "Thank you."

"Sunpaw, Whitepaw, come on!" Sandnose called, standing at the entrance with Pebblefur, Brownroot, and Sparrowfeather. The two apprentices ran over, but Sunpaw was confronted by her mother. Dawksky looked at Sunpaw for a long time.

"Come back safe, promise me?" She said quietly. Sunpaw surprised herself by placing a comforting tail on her mothers shoulder.

"I will, don't worry, we'll get those Shadowclanners!" Sunpaw said bravely. She'd always hated when her mother fussed, but after thinking about her father, she could suddenly understand why.

Dawnsky nodded. To Sunpaws surprise, Dapplestar limped out to give her warriors hopeful farewells. She had a few wounds, but she looked well.

"Sunpaw, Whitepaw, I want you to stay together, protect one another and watch each others backs." Dapplestar told them.

"We will!" The apprentices chorused.

"Sandnose, retreat if necessary before lives are lost. We cannot afford to loose more lives." Dapplestar ordered. Sunpaw wondered if Dapplestar had lost her mind. Retreat? Because of Shadowclanners? No way!

"Yes Dapplestar, Thunderclanners, lets go!" Sandnose ordered, leading the cats out of camp and into the forest beyond.


The thunderpath was calm, as was the entire forest. It was as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for the explosion of battle to echo through the forest. Sunpaw walked nervously behind Sparrowfeather with Whitepaw beside her. They were walking in pairs, one behind the other. Sandnose and Brownroot were up in front.

Suddenly, Shadowclan cats appeared on all sides. Some came onto the thunderpath, and others from behind Sunpaw and Whitepaw. The apprentices turned to face their opponets. They were matched very evenly. Six Shadowclanners, and two of them Whitepaw seemed to recognize.

"Frogpaw and Wetpaw, both about my age, and very fierce." He whispered to Sunpaw. Sunpaw guessed they met at one of the gatherings Whitepaw had attended. "Their mentors then, I believe, Dirtnose and Swamppelt. I think the two in front of us are Foxheart, the deputy, and Cloudpelt.

"Good guesses." Pebblefur said. The Thunderclanners had formed a ring to face the Shadowclanners.

"What are you doing here Sandnose, don't you know this is Shadowclan territory?" Foxheart asked.

"You've been eating too much crowfood, Foxheart, this is Thunderclan territory." Sandnose spat.

Foxheart laughed. "We will see..." He said. As if she'd said a code, the Shadowclan warriors lept forward at one. Wetpaw faced Sunpaw and she scratched his nose before he could blink.

"You'll pay for that!" He said, lunging. Sunpaw sidestepped, but Wetpaw came around to attack her side. Remembering Sebastions lessons, she faced him, allowing him to rear up onto her back. She bit his hindleg, then seemed to surrender before jumping up, hard.

Wetpaw fell onto his side, and Sunpaw lunged at him, giving the apprentice a sharp bite and scratch. Wetpaw was aided suddenly by Swamppelt. Sunpaw was unprepared for her quick attack, and felt claws rack her hindquarters.

Sunpaw spun and lunged at Swamppelts legs, trying to unbalance the warrior. She was suddenly on the ground herself, with Swamppelts fangs rushing towards her, when a white streak ran forward and pushed Swamppelt down. Whitepaw!

Suddenly, Wetpaw was back, and Sunpaw racked her claws down one of his wounds. Wetpaw yowled with pain and ran off, heading for home. Sunpaw gave chase. She didn't notice she was on the Thunderpath until she noticed one of the monsters comming right at her!

"Sunpaw!" Called a voice. Sunpaw couldn't move...

Until she was pushed away with such force she rolled onto Shadowclan territory. Sunpaw heard a strange noise, then all was silent. Wetpaw had stopped and was looking back at her like trying to decide whether to attack or not.

"Sunpaw!" Called Whitepaw. Sunpaw could see him running towards them. Wetpaw lost all courage then, and ran towards home.

"Whitepaw, what happened?" Sunpaw asked, dazed.

"Thank Starclan Brownroot pushed you out of the way!" Whitepaw explained, looking Sunpaw over.

"Whitepaw, Sunpaw!" Sandnose was calling them from the other side of the Thunderpath. Foxheart was standing beside him. It seemed the fight had stopped. Sunpaw and Whitepaw went over, and Sunpaw caught sight of Brownroot's bloody pelt on the Thunderpath.

"Brownroot!" Sunpaw yowled, running towards the mottled brown lump.

Whitepaw came over and tried to comfort Sunpaw. She had never expected to feel bad when Brownroot died, but he'd just sacrficed his life for her! Sunpaw sobbed into Brownroots fur, nuzzling him like a helpless kit.

"Brownroot get up!" She called.

"Hush Sunpaw, he's gone to Starclan." Sandnose told her. He'd joined the apprentices on the Thunderpath.

"Sandnose, we're leaving." Foxheart whispered silently, before leading her clanmates away from Thunderclans territory and over the Thunderpath. They soon disappeared into the Shadowclan territory beyond.

Sunpaw was still sobbing, licking Brownroots pelt clean. "Sparrowfeather, Pebblefur, lets get him home, Whitepaw, walk with Sunpaw." Sandnose ordered.

Whitepaw nodded. "Sunpaw, lets finish this at camp." He told her, leading her with his tail away from Brownroots limp form. Sunpaw didn't remember much about the walk home, only how quiet it was, except for her sobs.

When they got back, Sunpaw threw herself on the ground beside Brownroot, crying for what seemed like ages. She thought some cats had tried to comfort her, but could remember little. Suddenly, she felt a stinging sensation on her hindquarters. She looked back, her fur on her face soaked with tears, to see Mintpaw tending the wound Swamppelt had given her.

"Blossomtail told me I should." Mintpaw said apologetically.

Sunpaw didn't reply. Suddenly, she felt a tail on her shoulder. A firmilar scent enveloped her.

"Sunpaw, I thought you hated Brownroot..." Came a voice Sunpaw recognized. She looked up in surprise to see Milkyeyes, his sightless eyes looking down towards her.

"He saved my life!" Sunpaw sobbed.

"Yes, so I heard, very brave of him wasn't it? I knew my son would die bravely, but not before me." Milkyeyes said.

Sunpaw didn't know what to say, but suddenly, a yowled echoed around the clearing.

"Let all cats old enough to gather their own prey meet beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Called Dapplestar.

Sunpaw hardly felt like attending, but Milkyeyes guided her over to Cloudwhisker, and Sunpaw sat beside the elders. Twigkit and Seedkit creeped over, nuzzling her comfortingly. Sunpaw smiled through her tears at them. Whitepaw also came over with Cherrypaw and Dawsky. It seemed like the whole Clan was their to comfort Sunpaw, and she gave a laugh that made her cry again. This time though, she did it softly, and soon the tears stopped rolling down her cheeks.

"We've lost a great warrior this day, Brownroot was a loyal and honest warrior, mentor to Firestreak and Sunpaw. Sunpaw, come forward please, I'd like to give you a new mentor." Dapplestar said, beckoning softly with her tail.

"I know Brownroot was a good mentor to you, and you miss him, but we must move on, your new mentor will be Sandnose." Dapplestar said. Sunpaw looked at the deputy in surprise. He came forward to touch noses with Sunpaw.

"You can have tomorrow off to do what you'd like, but maybe the day after that you'd like to train a bit?" Sandnose offered. Sunpaw nodded.

"Dapplestar?" Milkyeyes called.

"What is it Milkyeyes?" Dapplestar asked kindly.

"I would like to be there for the burial, but because I'm blind I may need help. Could Sunpaw accompany us?" He asked. Sunpaw looked at him in surprise.

"Sunpaw, what do you think?" Dapplestar asked. Sunpaw thought about it for a second, then spoke boldly.

"I would be honored." She said.

"Very well." Dapplestar said, nodding her head. "You can accompany them later this evening." It was already late afternoon. Patrols came and went, bringing in lots of prey, but Sunpaw wasn't hungry. She just lay in the clearing, staring at Brownroot. She helped lick him clean shortly before the elders and her took him out for burial. Cloudwhisker seemed to be unsure about where to bury him. He let Sunpaw in on the secret that warriors were usually buried someplace special.

"What about beneath the pine tree he taught me to climb?" Sunpaw said. Cloudwhisker looked at her solemnly.

"I like that idea, where is it?" Cloudwhisker said. Sunpaw led them to the pine, and they buried him quietly. It went slowly, but soon the last bit of earth was replaced. Sunpaw didn't go back with them, saying she wanted to linger for a moment.

In truth, she wanted to think by herself, without the noise of clan life to interrupt her. Sunpaw was thinking about Sebastion. How could she leave her clan now? She was given a high honor, being the deputies apprentice, and then there was Twigkit and Seedkit, who were like sisters to her. And of course, her real family. Could her mother and sister handle Sunpaw leaving? There was also Whitepaw, who was so loving. How could she leave? The clan was her life!

But then again, so was Sebastion, and Taylor, Paws, Tempest, and Maxzene.

So was the tent and the balls and the stars that faded.

But how could she leave her clan for that life! She was a warrior! Was she to be remembered as a frightened kit who ran away from her clan life to become a kittypet... preformer?

Sunpaw thought so hard that her head hurt, but no matter how she thought it through, it all came down to this: Brownroot had sacrificed his life for her, she couldn't abandon him or the clan he'd trained her to be a part of. No, she was staying. She had to.

She was still thinking about this when Whitepaw appeared.

"Hey, I was worried about you." He said, coming over. He looked at the dirt mound in front of Sunpaw. "Is this it then?" He asked. He wasn't supposed to know, but Sunpaw nodded, she was tired of lying.

"Did you see the lights last night?" She asked him.

"Yes, you?" Whitepaw asked.

Sunpaw almost laughed about the ironic statement. She'd seen them alright! She'd been close enough to see them rise up from the ground. Instead, she nodded.

"Its so quiet..." Sunpaw thought out loud.

"Not really, can't you hear the scuttling of the mouse nearby? The rush of wings from the birds overhead? The light breeze making the leaves whisper softly?" Whitepaw asked.

Sunpaw could indeed, but it wasn't twolegged laughter, music, or that noise they made with their paws. It wasn't Sebastions kind voice or Taylors patient explanations. It wasn't any of that. She nodded.

"Want to hunt? You don't have too." Whitepaw said.

"Why not." Sunpaw said.

They hunted until it started to get dark. Sunpaw had outdone herself with four pieces, while Whitepaw had caught three.

"Hey, no fair!" He said, upon seeing her catch.

"Tell the prey." Sunpaw joked. Whitepaw laughed softly.

The pair walked back towards camp in silence, but Sunpaws mind was racing. This would be her life from now on, she'd probably have Whitepaws kits later, maybe Twigkit and Seedkit would watch her kits as she had watched them. She wondered if she was getting ahead of herself though, maybe she would only ever be friends with Whitepaw...

Just like she would only ever be friends with Sebastion.

TBC

Please Review

Spirit


A/N: Wow, two updates in a row, you guys are just so lucky... lol, anyway, sorry about my lack of updates, schools been really stressful and I couldn't come up with how to organize the last chapter. This one made me cry! I think within two more chapters this story will be through, so within the next week I'll be done!