Chapter 10
"Tumblefur! Tumblefur!"
Thrushpaw's heart broke as he heard Leafpaw's desperate wails as she raced for her father. He turned, instead, to watch as Petalfall and Whiteheart chased the badger off towards the Thunderpath.
Let ShadowClan deal with it, he thought.
Thrushpaw turned his head back to where Leafpaw's ear-splitting wails filled the air. He cringed and slowly padded over to her, touching his nose to her fur where she was pressed up against her father.
"Leafpaw," Thrushpaw murmured gently.
"Go away!" snapped Leafpaw, but Thrushpaw could only hear the ache and pain in her voice.
"It's not your fault," Thrushpaw murmured gently. He turned to see Whiteheart and Petalfall hurrying towards them. Petalfall was limping from her previous injury, and Thrushpaw quickly hurried over, offering his shoulder for her to lean on.
"Thanks," Petallfall mewed, staggering unevenly as she dropped her weight onto him.
"Leafpaw, we have to get Tumblefur back to camp."
Thrushpaw turned to watch Whiteheart gently nudging Leafpaw, and Thrushpaw watched as Leafpaw pushed herself away. Her eyes looked clouded, and she appeared uncertain and confused.
"I'm okay," Petallfall whispered to Thrushpaw. "I'll help carry Tumblefur. Leafpaw looked a bit shaken up. You should probably help her."
Thrushpaw nodded, numbly hobbling over to his friend. Leafpaw looked sick as she collapsed against Thrushpaw, her head bent over in a heap of whimpers and sobs.
"It's okay," Thrushpaw murmured gently.
"No, it's not," Leafpaw cried. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't made you take me out here, and if we hadn't come this far, and if_"
Thrushpaw knew that it was partially his fault, but didn't say it, knowing it would make Leafpaw feel worse. "Come on," he mewed. "Let's get back to camp."
Slowly, Thrushpaw managed to get Leafpaw to her paws and then guided her back to camp.
"Leafpaw!" Briarcloud was the first to rush over to her, covering her with licks. "You're okay!"
Leafpaw nodded, still looking meek, and then scoured the camp. "Where's Tumblefur?"
Briarcloud turned away, and Thrushpaw turned to the center of camp where a bunch of cats surrounded his body.
"He died an honorable warrior." Brightstar was off to the side, watching, waiting until the rest of the cats had paid their final respects. "He died saving his Clan."
"You should've died instead!"
Thrushpaw heard a hiss in his ear and turned to see Snowpaw behind him, her eyes glazed with anger.
"Snowpaw!" Briarcloud quickly rushed over quieting her daughter. "That's no way to talk to Thrushpaw."
"He isn't even Clan born!" wailed Snowpaw. "He should've died instead!"
"Thrushpaw saved me!" Leafpaw objected. "Would you rather I be dead?" Her voice was taut, and Snowpaw didn't reply. Instead, Snowpaw turned and fled into the apprentice's den.
"I'll go grab her a poppy seed," murmured Raincloud, disappearing into Berrywhisker's den.
"It's not your fault," mewed Leafpaw, before trudging over to her father's body and pressing her nose against it.
Thrushpaw sighed, knowing that he'd broken the last straw. Snowpaw was right. He should've died, not Tumblefur. It was his fault.
"It's not your fault," Brightstar meowed, touching her nose to Thrushpaw's ear. "You saved Leafpaw. It'll take time for her to recover, but it means a lot."
"How are Petalfall and Whiteheart?" Thrushpaw asked anxiously.
"Whiteheart was okay," Brightstar mewed, "but Petalfall..." she looked hesitant. "Her wounds were deep, but she's young and strong. She'll be fine."
Thrushpaw nodded, and the next moment, Spottedpath padded up to him, dipping her head. "You did well, Thrushpaw," she mewed. "I had doubts about your loyalty, but tonight you saved a Clanmate. Good job."
Spottedpath's praise warmed Thrushpaw's pelt, as she then turned and disappeared into the warrior's den to go back to sleep.
"They'll appreciate you more now," Brightstar mewed knowingly. "Now go pay your final respects to Tumblefur. I need you on the dawn patrol tomorrow."
Thrushpaw nodded, padding over to Tumblefur where Leafpaw was still buried into his fur. He bent down, hesitating, before mewing quietly, "I didn't know you well. I wish I could have. Rest in peace and find all the hunting you need in StarClan."
Then he pulled away before padding over to the apprentice's den and slipping inside. Berrywhisker was busy feeding Snowpaw a poppy seed. Briarcloud was beside her.
"She'll be okay," Berrywhisker mewed, her voice lowered. "Just keep her off of apprentice's duties for the next few days."
"Okay," Briarcloud mewed, giving her daughter's ears a lick. "What about Leafpaw?"
"I'll see to her once she's done paying her respects," Berrywhisker responded. He then rose to his paws and slid out of the den.
Thrushpaw pretended to not be paying attention as he slid into his den, but Briarcloud turned to look at him the next moment and hurried over to him.
"Thank you," she mewed quietly.
Thrushpaw turned away. Briarcloud shouldn't be thanking him.
"I know you may blame feel as though you have some responsibility for Tumblefur's death, taking Leafpaw out and all, but you proved your loyalty to your Clan."
"Thank you," Thrushpaw mewed. "But it came with a price."
Briarcloud nodded. "I'm sorry for judging you before. It wasn't my place to do so." And with that, she turned and stalked away.
Thrushpaw sighed, curling up in his nest, and was about to close his eyes when he saw a pair of green eyes glaring straight into his. He jumped in fright, before realizing it was Snowpaw.
"I don't care what Briarcloud says," she snapped. "I will never forgive you."
Thrushpaw wanted to say something, but he knew that it was no use to waste his words on something this pointless. Sagepaw and Silverpaw were asleep in their nests a few rabbit-lengths over and hadn't heard any of their conversation. Thrushpaw was glad, but also wasn't at the same time.
Proving his loyalty was taking a lot more work than he wanted it to.
Complete! The next chapter is the Gathering from Leafpaw's POV. :o Get excited! So yes, you can assume that Leafpaw goes. It's also a chapter with Blossompaw because of the Gathering! It'll be up soon!
-Leaf