PPrince sighed as he sat next to Hopepaw. "I can't believe my sister would be so willing to kill your brother." Hopepaw leaned closer, her soft pelt reassuring as it pressed closer.
"It's not your fault." She murmured supportingly but her voice wavered with grief and pain. Prince glanced at Dawnpaw and Duskshade who were sitting close together, their eyes full of grief and Dawnpaw burying her muzzle in Duskshade's. He saw Leafpaw lying down near the bramble tunnel, her face pressed against her paws. They had sit vigil yesterday for Wavepaw. Prince felt so much guilt that it was painful. Prince appreciated Hopepaw's company but he felt like he needed to be alone. "I'll be back." He murmured and he stood and walked out of camp, ignoring Hopepaw's soft calls. Prince walked towards the ShadowClan border. When he arrived, he turned sideways and recognised the now ivy covered entrance to the camp of his family. Prince walked towards it, unhesitating. Prince felt all his memories as he stepped foot inside the clearing. Prince gazed around and saw his former den exactly where it had been. Prince suddenly remembered his first moments inside of this camp.
Prince was standing in an empty space where his Mother had told them it would be there new camp. "Why are we here?" Princess had asked as she twitched her whiskers irritably. "Patience Princess." His mother snapped. Princess lowered her gaze.
"Queen, this isn't just a soldier in training, it's our daughter." Queen whipped around and faced the ginger tom.
"I am leader, this is my order and l expect everyone to follow it, especially our children. You are only my second in command, l could take that away easily." Queen spat before she stalked away. Prince looked at his father sympathetically. His father had been the gently one in their relationship and Prince had inherited that trait from him, although his mother and sister don't know. Prince had begged silently that Princess had a bit of kindness in her heart but he had given up a long time ago when she had killed an innocent cat which she had falsely accused of stealing prey. "King!" Queen yapped as King quickly hurried to follow his mate. Prince gazed after them before turning around. He decided that he would be a healer along as a fighter. He turned to Princess who was busy washing herself. "Princess, do you like hurting cats?" He meowed before he could stop himself. Princess paused her washing and looked at Prince, her eyes flashing. "What's wrong with that?" Prince was flustered.
"Oh! I was just asking. No reason." He replied and lowered his gaze. Prince blinked and found himself at the abandoned camp again. Prince sighed as he started to walk out but heard a voice he no longer wanted to hear. "What are you doing here?" He heard Princess's icy voice. He whipped around and saw his sister standing in front of him, her eyes narrowed. Prince growled as he slid out his claws. "You wouldn't hurt your Sister, would you?" She meowed smugly with a small smirk on her face. Princes hissed.
"Your not my Sister! You threw that relationship away when you killed Wavepaw!" Princess narrowed her eyes.
"Who? Oh! Right, that white tom." She smirked. "Prove me wrong then, kill me." Prince stumbled back slightly.
"What?" Princess stepped closer. "D-don't take another step!" Prince stammered as he stepped back.
"Kill me, prove me wrong." Prince shook his head.
"No," Princess twitched her whiskers.
"Why, are you scared?" She taunted. Prince lashed his tail.
"I may hate you but l'm no murderer." He snarled as he turned and ran.
"You will regret this!" He heard Princess calling after him as he neared the camp.
"Prince! There you are, l was looking for you." He heard Duskshade. Prince looked up and saw Duskshade walk closer, grief still shimmering in his gaze. Prince dipped his head. "Sorry Duskshade, l just took a walk around the forest." He meowed, ignoring a sudden pain in his chest. Duskshade nodded. "Alright, let's go hunt then we'll do some battle training." Prince nodded and followed Duskshade. He glanced towards the ShadowClan border, thinking of Princess and her threat again. Prince pushed the thought to the back of his mind and kept walking forwards.
Prince sighed as he collapsed next to Hopepaw, a squirrel in front of them. "How was your training?" Hopepaw asked as she but into the squirrel, a hint of delight lighting in her gaze. Prince smiled thinly. "Tiring but l learnt some useful moves." Hopepaw nodded. "That's good." Hopepaw looked at Prince with her eye and smiled. Prince suddenly wondered how Hopepaw's training was with only one eye. "How do you do it?" Prince wondered out loud, softly. Hopepaw turned to face him.
"Do what?" Prince freezes. Oh no! She heard me!
"Train with one eye." He muttered. He noticed Hopepaw flinch a little and he immediately felt guilty.
"I Guess it's hard but l'm kinda used to it. I just have to turn a lot so l can see my target." Prince noticed hurt in her voice and looked up to stare in her eye. She looked away. "I d-didn't mean it like that." Prince stammered. Curse myself! Prince put a paw on Hopepaw's flank and gently pushed her face to face his. "Your eye is beautiful." Prince meowed softly as he lowered his paw. Hopepaw looked away, a hint of pink showing on her cheek. Prince scrunched up his nose. That was too extra! Prince felt like banging his head against a rock dumbly. Prince! Stop talking! He told himself. Hopepaw turned back to look at Prince. "Your pretty cute too." She muttered shyly, her tail flicking with embarrassment. Prince felt his heart swim in a sea of pure joy as he licked his chest fur, trying to hide his dumb smile. "Hopepaw! We're on a border patrol." Dewstalk meowed as he neared them. Hopepaw nodded and smiled.
"I'll see you later Prince." She murmured as she stood up and left Prince with their half-eaten squirrel. Prince took another bite and chewed. He thought of Hopepaw's words and he smiled widely. "What's gotten you so happy?" Emberstrike teased as he sat next to Prince. "Nothing." He said. Prince regretted saying that as pain suddenly pierced his chest.
"All right, can l have this?" Emberstrike asked, his suspicions suddenly vanishing as he put a paw on the squirrel. Prince nodded and Emberstrike immediately bit into it. Prince purred softly as Emberstrike licked his muzzle satisfactorily. Prince and Emberstrike had become close friends after they had gone on a patrol together a day after Prince had officially joined ThunderClan. "Dawnpaw! There you are." They heard Creamstar speak as she approached Dawnpaw who looked defeated.
"What's wrong?" She asked as Prince slightly edged closer to the two she-cats.
"I t-t-tried to look for Wavepaw near the border." She stammered. "I could only smell the earth and blood. I'm sure he's dead." Dawnpaw let out a quick sob of sadness as she sat, her shoulders slumped and tail drooping. Prince saw Creamstar put her tail tip on her apprentice's shoulder and nudged her towards the apprentice den. Prince felt another wave of grief wash over him as he ran out, ignoring the gazes of a few of his clanmates. Prince came to a stop at Waverock, thinking of Wavepaw again. Prince glanced at the WindClan border, not far off. He saw the edge of the ravine and Prince felt anger. He padded to the border and stopped. He wanted to cross and investigate or proof the apprentice was dead. Prince saw a patrol approaching him. "Who are you? You smell like a ThunderClan cat." A black tom asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Prince was flustered before he realised. There had not been a gathering since had joined so they had not met Prince yet. "My name is Prince, l'm a new apprentice." He explained as some of the WindClan cats exchanged glances. He could tell some of them didn't approve of cats outside of the clans becoming an apprentice but they didn't say anything. "We can't control Creamstar's choices so Prince, welcome." A silver tabby spoke from next to grey tom with white paws, as she smiled warmly. "My name is Rosecloud, this is my apprentice, Smokepaw. The black tom is Toadflower, this is Goosewhisper and that is Flamepelt." Rosecloud pointed her tail towards her clanmates in order. Prince felt a thrill of joy as she spoke to him so kindly and introduced him to everyone. Every cat he had met before he was an ThunderClan had always threatened him and his family. Prince dipped his head respectfully to everyone before speaking again, "l wish to be go to the Shadow Ravine if it is okay?" He asked finally. Prince saw Goosewhisper exchange glances with Flamepelt.
"I guess so," Goosewhisper meowed. Prince let out a small breath of relief before crossing the border and walking cautiously towards the deadly ravine. He noticed Rosecloud come closer. "I'm sorry for your loss." She whispered softly. Prince nodded sadly as he imagined the sight of Wavepaw tumbling down and Princess staring at the apprentice, her smirking before running away. Prince had not seen it actually happen but he heard Hopepaw explain what had happened. He had not believed it was Princess who would do it. He knew what she was capable of but he never imagined his sister do something so cruel. Prince felt himself getting snapped back to the present as he heard Rosecloud speak again. "If you want, l think Goosewhisper would let you try to go down there and try to find Wavepaw's body." She meowed softly as Prince turned to look at the older warrior.
"Really?" Rosecloud nodded before turning to Goosewhisper who was talking with Flamepelt.
"Goosewhisper! Is it okay for Prince to go down there and find Wavepaw's body?" Goosewhisper hesitated but nodded as he walked towards them.
"I think Rushstar would let you but be careful, it's pretty deep. I'll come with you." Goosewhisper meowed. Prince remembered Duskshade telling him of the WindClan leader. Goosewhisper turned back to Flamepelt. "Flamepelt, go back to camp and tell Rushstar that l'm going down with Prince." Flamepelt nodded and ran away. He turned to Rosecloud, Smokepaw and Toadflower. "You three stay here and keep watch in case, if any ThunderClan patrols come, tell them we're looking for Wavepaw's body. Don't tell them Prince is with us." He commanded as they all nodded. The grey and white warrior turned to Prince. "You ready?" Prince nodded, eager. "Alright then, let's go."
HopexPrince is so cute...Thanks for reading! Credit to Echostream136!