Circle of Life: Book 1: Beginnings
A/N: Well, I guess I could solve that cliffie… Uh… Well, if I don't, I lose my reviewers. Anyway, here's the next chapter.
Chapter 8: Secrets, Secrets, Secrets
Tanglepaw leaped up and ran from the den, Smokepaw at his side. The faster he ran… Tanglepaw tried not to think about what would happen if he didn't get out. If he was cornered by a LightningClan warrior, claws unsheathed, teeth bared, snarling…
Put it out of your mind, he told himself. Don't think about the snarling LightningClan warriors waiting for you outside this den. Don't think about the fact that you've only been training for a day. Don't think about any of that stuff. Especially not the claws… or the teeth… And definitely not about the fact that they probably have apprentices of their own, and have way more experience.
Tanglepaw finally managed to get out. When he did, he almost wished he had stayed in the den. The camp clearing was full of writhing cats. It seemed that the whole of LightningClan had turned up for battle. Tanglepaw spotted Stripefur wrestling with four LightningClan warriors. Shadowleaf was side by side with Sunstripe, raking their claws down the sides of three more warriors.
Tanglepaw blinked, looking around. What could he do? Battles aren't for apprentices, he thought desperately. Then he saw her.
Silverpaw's silver pelt was flashing among the pelts of the LightningClan warriors. She flashed out a paw, raking it down the face of Volefang, one of the warriors who had been in the patrol to steal Stormstar and Dawnfire's kits. She swirled, pivoting on her back paw, and slashed down the face of a brown tabby she-cat.
Tanglepaw forced himself to look away from Silverpaw. He forced himself to look for another cat.
And there she was.
Her white and pale ginger coat was all too obvious among the crowds of cats. She flashed back and forth, weaving in between her Clanmates and the NorthClan cats. She appeared at the edge of the battle, and hurried out of the way, into a small corner where she wouldn't be spotted.
Tanglepaw hurried over, ignoring Smokepaw, who didn't seem to see him anyway. Tanglepaw crouched near her, waiting for the right moment.
"Wishpaw," he hissed.
Wishpaw looked up. "Tanglepaw!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think?" Tanglepaw asked, pushing himself into the cramped space next to her. "I live here, remember?"
Wishpaw blushed. "I know that," she said.
"Why aren't you in the battle?" Tanglepaw asked.
"Why aren't you?" Wishpaw shot back.
Tanglepaw stared at her seriously. "I've only been training for a day," he said. "Now, you tell me."
Wishpaw sighed. "I don't like fighting," she finally admitted. "This is useless bloodshed. LightningClan has nothing against NorthClan. This is just Fox-" She broke off, looking down at her paws.
"What is it?" Tanglepaw asked, concerned.
"I can't tell you," Wishpaw said quietly.
"Why not?" Tanglepaw asked. "Have you been sworn to secrecy?"
Wishpaw looked up, her blue eyes serious. "No," she said. "But I can't tell you. It's… If I did, I'd be breaking the warrior code."
"And it's never been broken before?" Tanglepaw said.
Wishpaw looked away, and then she looked back. "I can't tell you," she repeated. When Tanglepaw opened his mouth to reply, she added, "At least, not here." She looked around, trying to see if anyone was listening in. "Can you meet me at Four-place?" she asked quietly. "Anyone can go there. We can't get in trouble."
For a moment, Tanglepaw felt bad. How could he go behind his Clan's back and see Wishpaw like that? Then he pushed the feeling away. He wasn't doing anything bad. By SkyClan's law, any cat could go to Four-place. It wouldn't matter if he met her there. SkyClan would be protecting him… Right?
He pushed away all of his doubts and meowed, "I'll be there."
Silverpaw swirled around, raking her claws across Volefang's side.
"Good!" said a quiet voice. "Now jump on top of him!"
Silverpaw leaped onto Volefang, digging her unsheathed claws into his back. She didn't know where the voice had come from, but it helped. A lot.
Silverpaw leaned forward, pressing down on Volefang's head. The black and gray warrior tumbled head over heels forward. Silverpaw just managed to get out of the way before he landed on top of her. She raked her claws over his exposed belly.
Volefang cried out in pain, rolling over and standing up. All around them, LightningClan warriors were surrendering, pulling back to the camp wall.
"LightningClan, retreat!" a voice called from somewhere. Silverpaw looked around, and recognized Foxfur, the LightningClan deputy.
Across from her, Volefang hissed, and lashed out once more at Silverpaw. She leaped back, but the LightningClan tom managed to grab her leg. It was a small cut, but it stung. Volefang snarled, then raced off.
Silverpaw let out a relieved sigh, and sheathed her claws. She looked around, trying to find her siblings. Smokepaw stood at the edge of the battle, hurrying toward Sunstripe. Featherpaw scurried out of the medicine den, a bundle of herbs in her mouth. She hurried over to Lillypelt, and dropped the herbs at her mentor's feet. Tanglepaw was nowhere in sight.
Silverpaw hurried across the clearing toward her sister.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, looking over her white pelted sister.
Featherpaw rolled her eyes. "I'm fine," she said. "A better question would be, areyou okay?"
"Fine," Silverpaw said. "Why?"
"Because I saw you fighting," Featherpaw answered. "How'd you manage to do that? There's no way Stripefur taught you all of that in one day."
Silverpaw blushed, looking down at her paws. "Someone was telling me what to do," she admitted.
Featherpaw blinked, cocking her head to one side. "Who?"
Silverpaw shrugged. "I dunno," she said. "I didn't see them. I just heard their voice."
Featherpaw gasped. "Silverpaw!" she exclaimed. "It must have been a SkyClan warrior!"
"Are you sure?" Silverpaw said, blinking. "How do you know?"
"Who else could it have been?" Featherpaw asked. "Did you recognize the voice?"
"No," Silverpaw admitted. "But that doesn't mean-"
"Featherpaw!" Lillypelt snapped. "Don't you have anything better to do than gossip with your sister?" The medicine cat looked meaningfully at Jewelfoot, who had limped up. His ear was badly torn, and his leg was bleeding heavily.
"Sorry Lillypelt," Featherpaw said. She hurried over to Jewelfoot, grabbing a wad of leaves and chewing it quickly.
Silverpaw moved over to watch her sister. Featherpaw chewed thoroughly, and then spat out the wad of herbs, and pressed it to Jewelfoot's leg.
"Can I help?" Silverpaw asked.
Featherpaw looked up. "Yes actually," she said. "You can hold this marigold in place while I wrap it in cobwebs." She grabbed a wad of cobwebs and began to wrap it around Jewelfoot's leg. After his leg was fully wrapped, Featherpaw started to reach for the marigold, then hesitated. "Lillypelt?" she said. "Do I use marigold on torn ears?"
Lillypelt looked up from where she was treating Sunstripe, who had been clawed badly over one hind leg. He lay on his side, breathing heavily. Smokepaw sat beside him, watching his mentor anxiously.
"Yes," she said. "Use marigold." She looked back to Sunstripe, then up again. "Silverpaw," she said slowly. "Can you get me some coltsfoot?"
Silverpaw hesitated. "Um… What does it look like?" she asked.
Lillypelt described it to her, and Silverpaw nodded. She hurried toward the medicine den, but stopped when she heard Smokepaw call, "Wait up!"
Silverpaw waited for her dark gray brother, who hurried to catch up with her.
"What's up?" Silverpaw asked, walking alongside her brother.
"Nothing, it's just…" Smokepaw looked around. "What's with Tanglepaw?" he whispered.
Silverpaw stopped. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.
"Well…" Smokepaw hesitated. "Am I the only one who's noticed that he seems… weird? And where'd he run off to during the battle?" Smokepaw seemed to gain speed as he spoke. "He just seemed to… disappear! One minute he was right next to me, and the next minute he was gone! And who was he looking for at the Gathering? What-"
"Smokepaw!" Silverpaw cut in. "Calm down! I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he just needs some time. Give him some space. Okay?"
Smokepaw sighed. "Sorry," he said. "I just… I want to know what's wrong with him. Why is he always like this now? I'm sure we all remember what he used to be like."
Silverpaw giggled, remembering their days in the nursery. "Yeah," she said. "I remember. But I'm sure he just needs some time. Maybe if we give him some space he'll get back to normal. Just give him some time."
Smokepaw sighed again. "All right," he said. "You're probably right. He just needs some time."
But of course, time doesn't always improve things.
A/N: This be the end of the chapter. No need to say that twice. Anyway, don't forget to review!
Off to take over the world,
Crazy Girl