The Warrior
Chapter 10 ~ Poppypaw
What did Bluestar say? She said that I could see Living cats and StarClan cats alike.
I turned to look at the roots of the tree, they had little dens and tunnels within the base So... what if I try to find Poppypaw with my ability? I took in a deep breath and moved the muscles near my ears to make my ears slightly face forward But how do I start up the blue sensation? Suddenly, I heard a voice whisper in my ear and a sweet smell fill my nostrils.
"Close your eyes... Think of StarClan... and breathe" I jerked my head and turned but no one was there
Think of StarClan you say... I closed my eyes and faced the tree, I thought of the blue sensation, how it seemed like candle light, and about when I met Bluestar, how her fur sparkled like the stars, I took in a deep breath again then exhaled, I shot my eyes wide open, I could somehow feel my eyes adjusting, as the colours of nature turned a slight tint of blue, I jumped back slightly I've done it!
"Well done... I'll see you soon" I turned again, I saw a pretty she-cat, her fur had star like glitter in it, she was white, dark brown and orange, she was slender and well groomed
"O-oh!" I was shocked to see her
"Pleasure meeting you" she smiled as she turned and padded away into the undergrowth
I just stood there staring at where the she-cat disappeared I can see them now, she was a StarClan cat! I turned around to see Berrypaw arguing with Hollypaw Now let's find Poppypaw I looked back to the Sky Oak Maybe in the branches? I lifted my chin towards the tree top, nothing was within the tangle of branches, only a mass of leaves I'm surprised I can see anything with this bundle of leaves! At that moment I saw a bird flying into the tree at the very top Wha-? I can see THROUGH stuff now? I shut my eyes tight for a few moments and lowered my head down towards the floor What was that? I lifted my right eye open for a few seconds to see if I was still in a 'Blue' sensation Yep, still blue I open my other eye and looked at the tangled roots of the tree, I saw little hollows and dens in the roots Hey, tunnels! I looked back at the arguing couple Ugh! Will they be quiet? I walked into one of the dens and sat down I could feel my eyelids dropping slowly Oh I'm so tired I yawned and lay down in a front position, my head dropped slightly, my face facing the ground
"Hmm..." my eyes dropped even more, I saw the dirt, the little pieces of grass randomly sticking out of the ground, the three spiders walking under my paw... The three little...spiders... under my PAW! I jumped up hitting my head on the roof of the den
"Ow!" I looked back down at the ground, the spiders ran off the second I had jumped "Stupid spiders!" I snorted turning around in the den, my head facing inside the den, it was dark in the den, but my eyes were still 'blue' so the darkness was more of a navy blue
"Now try to sleep..." I mumbled to myself, I looked at the darkness before I went to sleep but something caught my eye, like a little ball of pale blue lower than this floor of the den, it twitched and shivered violently
"Hello?" I stood up, my hello had echoed throughout the den, I took a couple of steps forward, still looking at the blue ball, I suddenly heard whimpering and mewing, like a just born kitten
"Hellooo?" I echoed again, I took one more step forward and felt nothing under my paw, I fell down for a moment, down a small hole within the den, before I could react I had landed on the blue ball, It hissed and leaped back for a moment, the blue ball had a long tail, four legs and two pointy ears A Cat!
"w-who a-are y-you?" it spat, the cat turned out to be a she-cat, her voice trembled, I couldn't tell if it was out of fear or she was just shivering?
"I'm Bloodpaw, who are you?" I retorted spitting back
"B-Bloodpaw? Oh I'm so happy to see you!" The she-cat suddenly ran into me, pressing her fur into my fur, she was slightly crying "I-I've been h-here for ages! It's freezing d-down here!" she was shaking so much
"It's alright" I tried to comfort her, I stroked my tail on her side "I take it your Poppypaw?"
"Y-yes!" she looked up at me in surprise
"All of us have been looking for you" I explained "How did you get down here?"
"Same way you d-did, I fell" she looked upwards towards a small glimmer of light from a round hole
"Oh, that hole..." I followed her gaze upwards, Poppypaw was shaking very violently "We need to get out, you're freezing!"
She didn't have the energy to talk, I walked over towards the side of the wall, closest to the hole entrance Too far to jump... maybe climb? I jumped towards the wall, digging my claws into the wall, the second I lifted my paw to grab a higher piece of the wall, I fell straight back down again
"Damn!" I spat, I felt my tail lash angrily "What about a boost?" I pressed my side against the wall, I twisted my head round to see how far the distance was from my back to the edge "A cat could make that..."
"What are y-you on about" Poppypaw had sat down shivering
"Poppypaw, stand on my back" I said to her
"You what?" she stood up
"Stand on my back, if you do you can jump and reach the edge of the entrance and get out" I explained "Now just do it!" I ordered
"But you can't get out!" she protested
"Just do it!" I snapped with annoyance Seriously! It's not a big deal
She nodded quickly, probably taken aback when I snapped but I didn't really bother at that moment, she leaped on to my back, my legs nearly gave way C'mon Bloodpaw! I stiffened my legs to keep Poppypaw's weight, that second she leaped again, my legs collapsed this time, I looked up quickly, I saw Poppypaw scrambling to stay on the edge
"Get up Poppypaw!" I shouted at her, her back legs kicked frantically, after a few heartbeats she got grip of the edge and pulled herself up, she collapsed on the edge with exhaustion, all I could see was her tail shaking and I could hear her panting and gasping for air
"Now get out of the hollow and go back to camp! You're ill!" I called up, after finally getting back to my feet
"But what about you?" she called back, I heard paws moving and saw her head leaning over the edge
"Poppypaw!" I simply replied, she stood there for a few moments, then nodded and she disappeared
Now I was left alone, I couldn't hear anything other than silence, my blue sensation had gone and now all I could see was the faint outline of everything Well... atleast Poppypaw isn't going to catch Hyperthermia now I sighed, No point sitting here doing nothing I stood up reluctantly, and walked over to the wall of the den, C'mon Danni try and jump this! I bent my back legs backwards, hunching my body as much as possible, I swayed my haunches, Ok, bend, then launch yourself off the ground, then grab anything solid I prepared for the last time, then leapt up, stretching out my legs quickly yet with power, I felt myself fly through the air, I got to the entrance of the hole within a heartbeat, my front paws caught the ground, that second I dug my claws into the dirt, clinging to the edge, Quick! I frantically kicked my back legs, trying to grip the wall, my paws kept scrabbling against the wall, the dirt falling each time I touched the wall, You're going to fall! I put all my strength into my front paws, I tried to haul myself up, but that made it worse and I felt the earth under my claws slip, I was falling I'm gonna break my neck! Within a heartbeat, I was dangling, teeth were clenched into my scruff
"Huh?" I looked up surprised and saw a strong cat leaning over me, he was holding me within his mouth, it was too dark to see which cat it was, I felt him hauling me upwards preventing me from falling, the second my paws felt the ground I dug my claws into them, the cat lay me on the ground.
"Caught you breath yet?" he asked slightly chuckling, I didn't realise it but I was breathing hard, I took in a few deep breathes to calm myself, and once my breathing was a normal pace again I looked up at the cat
"Yeah, thanks" I thanked him gratefully "You saved me from falling"
"Eh, no problem any cat would have done the same" he replied, I could see a faint smile on the cat and blue eyes, I did recognise his voice but I couldn't point out which cat he was,
"Still, Thank you" I returned the smile
"C'mon let's get you out of here" I stood up and he leaned against me, aiding me to walk, I could walk fine, but I think I was slightly shaking, as we walked out of the den, the harsh light shone, I shut my eyes tight, after my eyes had got used to the red light that shone through my eyelids, I opened them again, I saw some apprentices, Hollypaw, Cinderpaw, Jaypaw and Berrypaw staring at me, with relief and joy
"How?" I asked, surprised
"Poppypaw told us the second she got out, Berrypaw and Honeypaw took Poppypaw back to camp and Leafpool sent me here" Jaypaw explained
"And Poppypaw said I should come here straight away" I turned my head to see the cat who saved me.
*Gasp* Cliff Hanger! Guess who it is! X3