Before this chapter begins I want to make it clear that yes, Ashcloud is currently depressed. My Friend/Beta reader who I'll be referring to as Shadu, wasn't sure if it would be implied enough through the mentioning of Ashcloud's lack of appetite, major personality change, inability to sleep, and fatigue. If you read my A/N from the previous chapter then you already know that there won't be an update for a little while due to a vacation I'm taking in a few days. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, I sure didn't because I just finished writing this at 1:53 am (woohoo! go insomnia!) I'm tired.
Maplepaw's P.O.V
She lay next to Ashcloud, the speckled tom grooming behind her ears. Maplepaw sighed and laid her head on her paws, she'd talked to Rainpaw a few days after Bramblescar had killed that apprentice. Apparently the apprentice who fled didn't know that it was her father that attacked them, but guilt had rushed through her veins when he told her that the apprentice that was 'missing' was his littermate Grasspaw.
Maplepaw glanced at Ashcloud as he stopped grooming her ears, he was much more quiet now and almost always seemed tired.
"You okay, Ashcloud?" Maplepaw asked, eyeing her friend with a worried expression. She wasn't all that surprised when he shook his head.
"Not really, all I can see when I close my eyes is Lizardscale's gouged out eyes and torn throat. It's like he's mocking me from the grave, like he's telling me that I'll never get the truth to what happened to him." Ashcloud muttered his amber eyes becoming slightly watery. Maplepaw nuzzled his cheek before a call from the spring cave tunnel entrance caught her attention.
It was Bramblescar, calling for Cactuspaw who had been sharing-tongues with Hibiscuspaw by spring pool's edge. She watched with cautionary eyes as her brother left Hibiscuspaw and followed Bramblescar to the desert above. Maplepaw hadn't even noticed that she had shivered when Bramblescar's eyes had glanced at her.
She heard Ashcloud laugh quietly, "Are you okay Maplepaw, you and Bramblescar seem to be avoiding each other."
"N-no I'm good, how about we go hunting, you're getting thin Ash. Are you still not hungry?" Maplepaw asked, ever since Lizardscale's death Ashcloud has been having a lack of appetite. He was getting thinner everyday.
The speckled tom shrugged, "I guess I could eat today."
Maplepaw smiled at this, she got to her paws and led Ashcloud out and soon they left, they began to head toward the hill with the maple tree. Ashcloud glanced at the sky, this prompted her to do the same, it was almost Sunhigh. As they neared the hill her speckled companion decided to drop a boulder of news on her head.
"I know about you and Rainpaw." Ashcloud mewed, Maplepaw froze and spun to face him, "Don't worry Maple, I don't plan on telling anyone. I just want you to know that what ever happens with you two, understand that I will support you as much as I possibly can."
Maplepaw stared at her friend as she processed what he had said before answering, "When did you find out?"
"Since it's hard to sleep, I've been taking night walks. I was going along the river and saw you two. He's taught you how to swim, hasn't he?" Ashcloud replied a soft smile on his face.
"Y-yeah… you know, I could show you how." Maplepaw mewed her voice cracking as tears began to drip from the corners of her eyes.
"I would like that." Ashcloud purred lightly his amber eyes soft. He rested his chin on top of her head for a moment. Before they continued on Ashcloud playfully nudged her, and for once after Lizardscale's death, she could see her best friend's personality shining through. Even though it had just been for a moment.
They caught a few snakes and lizards at the hill. Afterwards they looked over the desert while resting under the maple tree. A pair of vultures flew by as the sun began to set, they collected their pray before returning to camp. Upon their arrival, Maplepaw made sure that Ashcloud ate, he did complain of his stomach was hurting afterwards to which she had remarked that it was because he hadn't eaten in a while. But when it didn't pass by nightfall, he went to the Medicine Cat den.
Maplepaw had stopped to talk to her mother, Littlefire was now on patrols and hunting again. Maplepaw felt proud that her mother's health was better and she even managed to get a conversation out of Cactuspaw from it. Things where finally beginning to start looking up. And with her warrior assessment in just a few short days, Maplepaw could feel the hope beginning to rise in her chest as she fell into a deep sleep.
(A few days later at Maplepaw's Assessment)
The hunting part of her assessment had been very easy as had been the tracking. But now it was battle. Maplepaw swallowed, as Turtlesnap circled around her. Cricketwhisker and Cactuspaw watched from a flat rock a few tail-lengths away. Turtlesnap lunged, knowing that she couldn't take the senior warrior down head on, Maplepaw rolled to the side narrowly missing a body slam from her mentor.
She bolted to the side as he attempted to tackle her. Due to his flexibility, despite being practically an elder, she knew that it would be difficult to trip him up. And he always made sure that no cat ever got onto his blind side. He was, in Maplepaw's opinion, too good of a fighter. She mainly dodged the patchy tom while trying to trip him. After a long while she managed to do just that.
After kicking out a hind leg and successfully tripping Turtlesnap she slammed her paws into his stomach before pinning him down the best she could. It was when Turtlesnap began to laugh did she let him up.
"Good job, warrior, you did very well today." Turtlesnap meowed as Cactuspaw cheered from his spot. Maplepaw beamed at being called a warrior, they returned to camp. She groomed her fur for her ceremony, Littlefire watched with pride. However Bramblescar was nowhere to be seen.
"All cats old enough to travel across the desert gather for a clan meeting!" Emberstar called out, the clan gathered. Maplepaw and her brother sat under High Ledge as Emberstar continued the ceremony. "We gather under Jagged Edge to make two apprentices into warriors. Cactuspaw step forward."
Cactuspaw moved forward his head held high.
"From this moment on you'll be known as Cactusthorn, after your battle skills and loyalty to your clan." Emberstar announced, the clan cheering Cactusthorn's new name, Emberstar then turned to her. "Maplepaw step forward"
She did just that.
"From this day forward you shall be known as Mapleseed, after your hunting abilities and your courage. May Starclan recognize you and Cactusthorn as proud warriors of our clan." Emberstar finished, Mapleseed raised her head and smiled at her mother and best friend. Later before night fell and their vigil began, Cactusthorn pulled her aside.
"Mapleseed, something bad is going to happen soon." Cactusthorn hissed quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.
"What do you mean?" Mapleseed questioned, ever since Cactusthorn had become distant he never seemed this stressed.
"Bramblescar has been collecting rouges, he plans on taking over the clan and leading us to war with Waterclan." Cactusthorn whispered, Mapleseed froze and stared at him, horrified.
"What? We need to tell Emberstar!" Mapleseed growled, has her brother become an idiot over the past few moons.
"I already did, he's going to hold a clan meeting while Bramblescar is on patrol tomorrow. But if anything happens before then I want you to get Hibiscuspaw and get to Earthclan. Please Mapleseed. I know Bramblescar won't hurt Littlefire, but he's been threatening Hibiscuspaw to keep me quiet." Cactusthorn begged the fear in his eyes told Mapleseed that he wasn't lying.
"I'll try, but lets hope that this is resolved with by tomorrow." Mapleseed muttered before giving her brother a quick lick and turning to go guard the camp entrance.
When morning came Mapleseed and Cactusthorn where let go to rest when the morning patrol left. On that patrol was Bramblescar and Falconfeather, she must know and just a short while after they left Emberstar called the clan to a meeting. During that meeting Bramblescar's plan was revealed at first they couldn't believe it until Mapleseed shared her story of what happened to the Waterclan apprentice. They where shocked and horrified but none as much as Littlefire who watched in disbelief.
Then Falconfeather and her patrol returned, but they were missing Bramblescar. The cats on the patrol including Mapleseed's former mentor, had been told of Bramblescar's crimes. They had been sent to kill Bramblescar and chase out the rouges. Mapleseed watched with pity as her mother fled camp, tears of grief and betrayal streaming down her face.
Mapleseed turned to her brother, "We did the right thing, yes?"
Cactusthorn nodded his head low, and his body shaking lightly. Mapleseed turned and entered the warrior den, when she glanced back Mapleseed saw Hibiscuspaw comforting her brother. With a sad smile she turned and entered the den. Mapleseed saw Ashcloud sitting by a newly made nest, he pointed at it with his tail before leaving.
She collapsed into the soft nest, exhaustion from the vigil and the stress of what had occurred forced her to submit to the welcoming darkness of sleep.
Mapleseed felt a cat shaking her awake, she opened her eyes to see her brother's tear streaked face, immediately getting to her paws she asked, "What happened?"
Cactusthorn's body shook as he replied, "A hunting patrol witnessed a group of Waterclan cats drowning someone, by the time they had gotten there the cat had died. It was Littlefire."