People! I have an important announcement! In between writing the last chapter and this chapter, I took a shower. (That's NOT the announcement.) I thought of something while I was showering, and I decided to make this story into a series. The Bloodstained Tears series. I want to finish this story soon, because I plan on releasing book two on March fifth, and because I want to update my other stories, as well. That is all.

Spottednose24: Thanks, I like the idea, too. I know it's not an original, but I still enjoy writing it.

Stonetail's Loyalty: It's not Blackclaw and Mothwing's faults. Actually, Blackclaw is willing to do just about anything for his leader, but Mothwing is too sweet and caring to be ambitious. She did not want to send Whitepaw down the hole, but she had to.

Raynefallen: Thanks! I hope FF lets you read the other chapters soon. I want to know what you think!

summerstream13: I highly doubt that I'd be able to let Whitepaw die, since this is going to be a series. But maybe she'll die later. -evilgrin-

Chapter 7: Beechpaw

"Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure. It was pretty cold last night, and that she-cat who rescued him claimed that he had no nest to sleep in."

"She rescued him? I find that very hard to believe. She's from a different Clan. She could have been trying to kill Beechpaw!"
"Didn't you see the despair in her eyes when he was dragged into the den? It's obvious she has feelings for him."

"Oh, I'm sure it was all an act!"

I cracked my eyes open, careful not to move, for fear that if I made a sound, the conversing cats would be alerted and their attention would go to me. I didn't want them to know I was listening in on their conversation.

Mothwing stood about a mouse length away from me. Cedarheart sat in front of her, his ears flattened and his eyes narrowed. Mothwing's face showed no emotion.

"No cat would fake feelings for another," Mothwing replied. "I know that I wouldn't." She purred and rubbed her muzzle against Cedarheart's. It was all I could do to keep from gasping right then and there.

"I know you wouldn't," Cedarheart purred back. "But that cat was just an apprentice. She doesn't know what she really feels."

"I still don't think we should have sent her into the pit of death."

"Let's not argue anymore," Cedarheart suggested, licking Motwhing's ear. "It's just past moonhigh. You need to get some sleep."

Together, the two cats padded to the back of the medicine den.

Pit of death? They had sent Whitepaw into the pit of death? I had to go get her! I rose stiffly to my paws and scrambled out of the medicine cat's den. Luckily, the clearing was silent and empty. I bounded over the the hole in the rock where I had been told prisoners were sent.

"Whitepaw?" I called softly into the hole. "Whitepaw, are you there?"

There was no answer. What if she had already...died? I had to find her quickly, before Mothwing realized I was gone. Flattening myself to the ground, I squirmed into the hole. Five dark tunnels awaited me. I sniffed the damp air, trying to pick up her sweet, soft scent. I eventually found it in the third tunnel from the left. It was slightly stale, so she musn't have been in there for too long.

"Whitepaw, I'm coming!" I called into the hole as I pushed my way into it.

"B...B...Beechpaw?" A weak mew sounded from far, far down the tunnel.

"Whitepaw, I'm here!" I called. "I've come to rescue you!"

"Please," Whitepaw begged. "Please, please don't! You'll get stuck too, and..."

"Beechpaw?" A familiar voice sounded from behind me.

"Willowpaw?" I guessed, unable to turn and see who it was.

"Beechpaw, why are you in there?" Willowpaw asked.

"I need to save Whitepaw!"

"Why in StarClan's name would you want to save the very cat who tried to kill you?"

"Kill me?" I snarled. "Whitepaw would never do that to me! Please, Willowpaw, please help me out, just this once!"
"Alright then," Willowpaw agreed after a brief moment of silence. "Can you wriggle backwars?"

I tried. It was much easier than I had thought it would have been, and in a moment, I was back in the frozen, snowy camp with Willowpaw by my side.

"Great," Willowpaw mewed. "Now, Mothwing told me a story that had been passed on to her by her mentor, and their mentor had it passed onto them by their mentor. You see, each tunnel leads into the cave, but each tunnel is a different length. The first two are very short, and the three after that take more than a moon to get through, if you're quick enough."

"How long is the shortest one?" I asked.

"One dawn, two dawns tops," Willowpaw replied. "I'm small enough to fit inside, so I'll go down. You'll just have to stall for me while I'm gone."

"That should be easy," I meowed. "Since you've been out collecting herbs for the past two days, I could just tell Mothwing that you extended your journey in case there were any good herbs left."

"You're an excellent liar," Willowpaw purred. "You know that?"

"Yep," I purred, flicking my ear. "Now, get in there. I'll try to convince Hawkstar to make me the one who brings prey to the hole every morning, and since I won't be able to train for a while, I'll just spend my free time near the hole."

"Good plan," Willowpaw agreed. In a flash, she was gone.

"Whitepaw," I called down the tunnel.

"Yeah?" Whitepaw called back.

"Willowpaw's going to come get you out of there. You should be out of there soon, I promise."

"Okay, Beechpaw. I trust you."

Sadly, I turned and padded back to the medicine den, trying not to glance over my shoulder as I left two of my friends, not sure if I'd ever see them again.