Chapter 10- Deadly Runaways and Waterfalls
Thunder pounded the earth as Deadpaw's wide eye laid open in her slumber. She demanded Briarpaw to leave her in the den, she couldn't believe his betrayal. He was her first friend yet he only used her like all the ShadowClan cats wanted to.
The mornings in ShadowClan were freezing, the cowering evergreens fought any sunlight daring to heat the camp. Deadpaw covered herself under a palm leaf waiting for Whitehail's return. He never came.
Briarpaw leaped over the twoleg barrier with a sparrow in his mouth. "Good morning, how was your sleep?"
Deadpaw didn't answer, the tom she once trusted with her life was no longer her friend. His bright orange fur was dim now in the cloudy day.
"I'm sorry, I thought you wanted to come back home," He said dropping his head.
"Kidnapping me was wrong," She said, not meeting his gaze.
He dropped the sparrow at her paws, nudging it forward. "If you really hate it here... then perhaps I could help you escape."
Deadpaw's eyes lit up with joy. "You would?"
He nodded. "I said I'd rescue you no matter what."
She got up on all fours with misty eyes. "Thank you so much!"
Briarpaw smiled but his eyes were still hollow. She was his last hope for a friend and she fought any attempt to stay. He gestured toward the fresh-kill and this time Deadpaw accepted it. The first bite spread warmth to her, this flesh was tougher than the fish skin she was forced to eat at RiverClan.
"What will Shadestar say?" She asked, licking the blood of the bones.
"Father will be especially mad due to Whitehail's condition," Briarpaw answered.
Her eyes darted up at the mention of Whitehail. "His condition? What condition?"
"I don't know the full story but," Briarpaw looked to his right, trying to recall a memory, "Whitehail had a dream of bright hail engulfed by a blue power, he believes it means he will die."
A strong heartbeat pounded in Deadpaw's ears. "No, oh StarClan please no. Not Whitehail, not him!" Her head spun at the thought of Whitehail captured in the flames of her dreams. Every hair on his white coat would incinerate until his pink skin shed blood.
"Father wanted you to replace Whitehail if he does fall ill," Briarpaw explained.
"Th-that's why I'm here?" Deadpaw murmured in shock.
"Father needed a medicine cat, I suggested you," He said.
The apprentice was meant to be a replacement once the tom who raised her dies. The very thought pulled on Deadpaw's heart. This convinced her there was no reason to stay, this clan was far more dangerous than any other. All the cats did here was manipulate and fight.
"Please let's leave, I can't take this anymore," She pleaded weakly.
Briarpaw scanned for any nearby wanderers.
"We have to hurry."
He inhaled deeply to slender his body down and slid through the crack under the twoleg barrier. Deadpaw followed his movements out of the medicine cat den and into the clearing.
Once all the cats retreated into their dens, the two sprinted to the entrance of the camp. Briarpaw gnawed at the plank and removed it, but he was too nervous, it dropped recklessly onto the icy ground. A loud thud echoed throughout the clearing, unmistakably caused by the entrance being forcefully opened.
A paw reached out of the shadows to preclude Briarpaw's departure. They looked up with quivering paws.
"F-Father," Briarpaw murmured with fearful eyes. The orange apprentice whipped his head to Deadpaw and cried, "Run!"
She darted onto the main path with all the energy in her body. Shadestar prepared to lung after her but was pulled back by Briarpaw. He shook the apprentice off with all his might.
"What do you think you're doing?" Shadestar snarled.
"Father, please let her go!" He begged desperately.
Shadestar swung at Briarpaw and he was propelled onto the cold ground. The last thing Deadpaw heard was the sound of Briarpaw's bones cracking.
Rain pounded on all the clans that day. Deadpaw ran blindly in fear and confusion. She had diverged off path and now she was trapped in the forest.
"Help!" She cried with all the breath in her lungs but the rain covered any attempt for sound.
Her wet fur anchored her body down along with her hope.
A giant splash scared Deadpaw off her paws. She recognized the sound from the RiverClan's waterfall, she ran as quickly as she could toward the rushing water.
"Is someone there?" Deadpaw called, "Please! Anyone!"
Three dark cats stood in front of the waterfall. Deadpaw jumped with relief, she was saved.
"Hey!" She attempted to catch their attention and assistance.
Deadpaw squinted at the three and realized she couldn't see two of them; they were shadows.
"M-Mother?" Deadpaw called.
A fire-red tom pushed a light cat into the waterfall and the waves gladly consumed it. Deadpaw's eyes widened with fear once she realized who the body belonged to.
"Whitehail!" She screamed.
The three finally noticed her presence over the heavy rain. The fire-red cat leaped over and sheltered her from the drips.
"You shouldn't be here."
Deadpaw's pushed his advance. "What have you done?" She asked, "Why Whitehail? Why him?"
"Ryestar demanded to get rid of Whitehail to avenge Mousepelt," He explained.
"No!" Deadpaw cried, "Whitehail was innocent, Whitehail was nothing like Mousepelt! He wasn't like any of you!"
A shadow touched Deadpaw in comfort and looked spoke to the red tom.
"Yes your daughter is upset over that ShadowClan rat," The fire-colored cat told the shadow.
Deadpaw shoved her mother's silhouette of a paw. "Why did you do this, mother? Why?"
"It's unhealthy to keep the secret from her, Bluefrost, the child has the right to know," The tom said to her mother.
The shadow nodded eventually and took Deadpaw, ignoring her attempts of fighting.
"Deadpaw, it's time you knew the truth about the shadows."