Warriors Escape From The Dark

Chapter 9

A slight drizzle had begun to fall on the forest but Wolfheart wasn't affected by it, his heart ached too deeply for his dead deputy. His clanmates had given up on the hunt and were taking Birchthorn's body back to camp. Wolfheart and Pip were the ones carrying Birchthorn's motionless corpse while Screechclaw stayed in front. Screechclaw was convinced that Birchthorn's death had been his fault so he had been the most shaken up but that didn't mean Wolfheart and Pip weren't shaken up as well. Pip hadn't said anything but every now and again his eyes would begin to water and tears would fall slowly out of them onto the damp ground. Wolfheart had been trying his best to block to out the horror of losing his deputy but every time he breathed he felt as if a waft of Birchthorn fell into his lungs and caused him to feel helpless.

"Come Swamppaw, it is beginning to rain, have you got what you need?" Wolfheart heard his mother's voice from further in front of them. She had been helping the apprentice with medicine cat duties while Splashheart was gone.

"I smell death," The apprentice shuddered. Screechclaw froze ahead of them; Pip and Wolfheart carefully put Birchthorn's body down and stepped forward to help the tom but before they could Swamppaw walked out from behind the low hanging branch that had stopped them in their tracks. The little apprentice's eyes filled with horror at the sight of Birchthorn's motionless body. Lightwhisker appeared out after him and immediately placed her paw over the young tom's eyes but he slid out of her grip and sprinted to Birchthorn's side.

"I'm sorry, there was nothing we could have done," Wolfheart explained to the apprentice. Pip and Screechclaw had their heads lowered and were sitting down next to the tree that Swamppaw and Lightwhisker had come out from behind of. The light drizzle of rain had become heavier and shortly after all the cat's pelts were soaked right to the muzzle.

"We must get him back to camp," Swamppaw ordered, obviously trying to hold back his grief. Wolfheart nodded at Pip who stood up and gently picked up Birchthorn's wet body. Wolfheart did the same, they quickly arrived back in camp where they were all greeted by the shocked gasps of cats. Brindlestar was the first to rush to his side; she was quickly followed by Coalface, Shredflame and Appleskip.

"What happened?" Brindlestar demanded. Appleskip collapsed at Birchthorn's side and gave his head a slight nudge with her nose. His body was so limp that it collapsed as soon as her nose unattached itself from him; she placed her face on his flank and began crying.

"He was hit by a monster on the Thunderpath," Pip whimpered. Brindlestar's eyes filled with horror, she looked at her deputy and they suddenly became glazed with fear.

"Brindlestar, are you alright?" Lightwhisker fretted. The she-cat looked at her and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bring his body to the centre of the clearing, I need to appoint a new deputy," Brindlestar ordered. Wolfheart and Pip obeyed her order and lifted his body into the centre of the clearing. Brindlestar lead the way but she turned off at the path that twisted its way up to the highcliff.

"Is that Birchthorn?" A horrified voice sounded from beside Wolfheart, it was Sagewillow.

"Cats old enough to catch their own prey, please meet here for a clan meeting," Brindlestar called. A few annoyed murmurs rang throughout the clearing because of the rain but they soon were silent when they saw their deputy.

"Birchthorn, no!" Moonpelt's grief-stricken meow split into the clearing louder than the pouring rain that was smashing into the clearing. Each cat from the clearing watched her as she whimpered over to her ex-mate.

"As most of you may already know, Birchthorn, the deputy, friend and kin of Roarclan has passed on into Starclan's hunting grounds, he will be missed dearly and I wish him good hunting," Brindlestar praised the dead deputy. Wolfheart heard a cat fidget beside him and saw Tumblefoot standing up beside him. The tom walked slowly to centre of the clearing beside Birchthorn's body and sat down next to his mother.

"My father may not have been the best father when it came to attention but I knew deep down that he loved me and Sweettuft dearly. I hope that she welcomes him into Starclan well, but even if I never got the chance to say it, I loved him and I will always love him for the cat he became and not what he was," Tumblefoot grieved. Wolfheart lowered his head in respect for the warrior.

"Thank you Tumblefoot, as the warrior code states, I must choose a new deputy before the full moon rises," Brindlestar added. A few cats stood up to show that they were determined but Wolfheart didn't bother, he didn't want the responsibility of leading the clan beside Brindlestar and he knew she wouldn't pick him after what happened in the dark forest.

"It better be me, I've done the most work in this clan" Whitenose whispered to Toadleap. The black and white tom glared at him.

"If any cat is going to get it, it will be me," Toadleap replied sharply. Whitenose gave him a harsh nudge and the two began quarrelling.

"Lightwhisker, would you please step forward?" Brindlestar queried. The two toms froze and split apart, their gazes filled with surprise. Wolfheart looked away from them and located his mother sitting a fox-length away from the fresh-kill pile, her eyes filled with bedazzlement. She saw him staring at her and slowly stood up so that she could pad to the centre of the clearing. Brindlestar leaped down from the highcliff and met her below the highcliff.

"Are you sure about this?" Lightwhisker questioned her leader. Brindlestar smiled and nodded at the she-cat.

"Lightwhisker, will be the new deputy of Roarclan, meaning that she will take over when I pass on to Starclan," Brindlestar meowed. Cats began to cheer for their new deputy, Wolfheart included. He quickly pelted to his mother's side and gave her ear a swift lick.

"I don't think any cat is more fit for the title then you are," Wolfheart praised his mother. He heard a slight purr rise in her throat and she rubbed herself against him.

"I hope your father is watching, he'd be so proud of the cat you've become," Lightwhisker purred. Wolfheart simply smiled at his mother.

If only she knew...