So hey friends! So for this chapter ONLY I won't reply to reviews. I LOVE LOVE LOVE all of your reviews, and every time I get one I cry a little inside that someone cares enough to review, and it touches my heart. But I can't answer them all this chapter because it's been so long (my fault entirely) and sorry for the wait. I'll start replies next chapter also. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! The musical I was in was nominated for a major award thing, so I have been working hard on that.
So today we have a chapter that starts off from Runningpaw's point of view. This was really interesting for me to write, and now I feel like I can actually sympathize with her. And also, I apologize for any crappy quality. Part of this I wrote when I was half asleep. AND we also have a little bit of fluff before things start getting intense. wHoOpS! Did that just slip out? Pretend you didn't read that little spoiler. There's definitely no foreshadowing in this chapter. Definitely not.
And can I just rant at the bottom of this okay okay it's kind of funny you're going to want to read this.
Oh, and I went back and named the chapters.
Chapter 29: Distance
Runningpaw trotted back to camp beside her mentor, Briarleaf, struggling with a large but scrawny rabbit. She wheezed, paws stinging as they trod heavily over the rough grass that had been worn from countless moons of cats using the same path into camp.
The gray she-cat coughed around the fur of her rabbit, eyes watering, and she was reminded of the cold she had caught the day before. Briarleaf had insisted they continue training, making a stinging remark that Runningpaw would never become a warrior if she was cooped up in the medicine den.
She lowered her head, following her "mentor" through the gorse that surrounded camp, and into the grassy hollow that WindClan called home.
As Runningpaw stepped into the clearing, she glimpsed Flamepaw and Bramblepaw sharing a chaffinch, and Moonpaw and Stormpaw tucking into a small rabbit. I'll have to join them later, she decided, and began to lug her rabbit to the fresh-kill pile, only to halt when Briarleaf let out a yowl.
"No, Runningpaw," the tabby sighed, speaking slowly as if talking to a kit. "Take that to the elders. You should know that by now."
Normally Runningpaw would have retorted, but she had learned to hold her tongue around Briarleaf in fear of cruel and unusual punishments, and headed towards the opposite end of the hollow with the rabbit in tow.
The she-cat dropped the prey just inside the den, alerted the elders of the fresh-kill, and darted across the clearing to Flamepaw and Bramblepaw before Briarleaf could reprimand her again.
"Hey, guys," she meowed, settling down beside them. Sometimes Runningpaw felt like they were the only cats in camp that weren't annoyed by her. She wasn't a fool when it came to other cats' opinions, especially Stormpaw's- she just pretended like she didn't notice. It seemed like the only way for her to get through the day.
Flamepaw returned her greeting with a grin and a bat on the ears. Bramblepaw flicked his tail and swallowed a bite of the chaffinch. "Hey. How was training?"
Runningpaw shrugged. "It sucked, as usual. But I bet Moonpaw's was worse than mine."
Moonpaw was the only other cat in WindClan that acted more egotistical than Runningpaw. Flamepaw's sister was the biggest boaster in all the Clans, perhaps, and the laziest cat Runningpaw had ever met. Moonpaw's and Flamepaw's parents were also extremely prideful. They named their daughter Moonpaw, for StarClan's sake!
The three apprentices shared a laugh, and Flamepaw twitched his ears. "Honestly, she's not that bad. I shared a nest with her for six moons, and she never bothered me."
"But she did boss around the other kits," Bramblepaw reminded him.
"True," Flamepaw conceded. "But-"
"Bramblepaw!"
The tom groaned.
"Bramblepaw!"
All three apprentices grimaced as Moonpaw pranced up to the group, flicking her tail back and forth.
"Have you seen Stormpaw? He promised he'd be back before sunset."
Suddenly the bushes opposite them rustled, and Moonpaw squealed as Stormpaw pushed his way through.
"Stormy!"
Runningpaw felt a growl rising in her throat as the she-cat raced over to him, frantically asking questions and fussing over him. The tabby tom ignored her, padding over to the group.
Runningpaw suppressed a snort at Moonpaw's dejected look, and turned her attention to Stormpaw.
"How was training?"
He shrugged, and Runningpaw flinched as he uninterested gaze passed her over.
"Hey Bramblepaw, can you make sure Moonpaw doesn't follow me? I want to go out on a walk tonight, but she never leaves me alone."
Moonpaw stopped pressing against his shoulder, indignantly muttering,
"I do not!"
"Sure, Stormpaw." Bramblepaw looked at Flamepaw and Moonpaw. "Come on, you two. Lets play a game of capture the rabbit."
"We're not kits," she muttered, but the siblings followed him away towards the apprentices' den.
Runningpaw held her breath as Stormpaw awkwardly shuffled his paws. He doesn't know, ever since he was kind to me as kits, that I've liked him.
Finally the sun sank below the camp, and he stood up. "Listen, I should go."
"Right," she meowed, blinking at him slowly.
"Uh... bye."
Stormpaw padded out of camp, and as soon as he reached the barrier, he sprinted away.
Suddenly Runningpaw broke out of her hazy trance, and began to pace back and forth. Anything could happen to him out there! What if he's attacked? Wait, he'll be fine, won't he?
She waited until the moon had risen above the camp barrier, then stomped her paw. Good job, Runningpaw. You know there's a fox camping in the territory. He's probably been caught. Just go make sure he's safe.
She bounded outside of the camp, and picking up his scent, began to track him across the windblown grass. After a few minutes, she looked up in confusion. The trail was leading to the ThunderClan border.
Rainpaw brushed her tail against Stormpaw's shoulder, and when he didn't react, she sighed dramatically.
"Stormpaw! Stop moping and enjoy the night!"
He shot her an incredulous glare, and she butted his shoulder.
"What's up?"
The tom turned away, mumbling, "Nothing."
"Nonsense," Rainpaw declared. "I didn't walk all the way here only for you to act grumpy. If meeting every other night tires you, just tell me and we can work out new times.
But seriously, what's wrong?"
Stormpaw exhaled slowly, then shook his head. "I keep thinking about Rushingwind. It's been half a moon since his death, and every time I see my family I'm reminded of him. My mother has lost her energy since we came back, and she's slowly deteriorating. And Bramblepaw has been having nightmares." He dropped his head for a moment, and then his voice hardened. "But that's not it. I keep thinking, what if Bramblepaw had come and died in the mountains? What if Iceshine died? What if you-"
"Shh," Rainpaw murmured. He clamped his jaws shut, and buried his face into Rainpaw's shoulder.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without him."
For minutes they both were lost in thoughts. Stormpaw hadn't pulled away, and Rainpaw had comfortingly pressed her muzzle against his cheek.
Suddenly she pulled away, gasping. Stormpaw sprang up, worried, until he saw the excited look in her gaze.
"Look at that! Up there!" she exclaimed. He glanced up at the trees.
"No, silly! The stars!"
The tom scanned the sky, then gave her a scrutinizing glance. "I don't get it."
She pointed her muzzle at the constellations. "Look at the brightest one."
Quickly Stormpaw found the one out of the huge mass spread before him.
"See the way it's pulsing?"
"Mm-hmm."
"That one is Rushingwind."
"How would you know?"
"You're missing the point," Rainpaw snapped. "That one is Rushingwind, and he's watching over you."
Stormpaw blinked as she stood up. "He's not actually gone. The impact he left is still here. He's up there watching over you, and in here." She touched her tail to his chest. "And isn't doesn't matter if Bramblepaw, Iceshine, or I leave for StarClan. Because we'll always be with you."
Stormpaw felt his eyes water as he comprehended her meaning. You're never actually gone, dad.
Rainpaw padded closer to him, rasping gently over his ear. "So think about that."
Stormpaw opened his mouth to reply, but pricked his ears when he heard a rustle, and caught a drift of cat-scent.
Apparently Rainpaw noticed it too, because she turned around and bounded away, clearing the border stream in one leap. "See you soon," she called, voice resonating gently over the gurgling of the water.
Stormpaw stood stone-still, mouth hanging open in amazement. Wow.
Behind him, someone broke out of the bracken, but he ignored the hurried steps towards him.
"Stormpaw! What in StarClan's name are you doing out here? I was worried!"
Runningpaw raced up beside him, fussing over his tangled fur and muddy paws. "Come on, let's go home and get you cleaned up."
Stormpaw slowly rounded, and stared at the she-cat. "Yeah."
Shocked that he had agreed with her, she stuttered. "Uh... o... okay. Let's go then."
She placed her tail on his flank, slowly guiding him home. For a moment, she was excited that he didn't move away, and wondered if maybe, finally he was warming up to her.
But then she saw the look in his eyes, and with a sinking heart realized that though he was right next to her, his mind was somewhere else. Somewhere distant.
WHEW. FINALLY DONE. I'm actually really proud of this ending.
Anyways, here's my situation:
SO. I have these friends: Friend 1, Friend 2, and Friend 3. And then there are these boys: Boy 1, Boy 2 and Boy 3.
So Boy 1 likes Friend 1, but Friend 1 likes his best friend Boy 2. The problem is that Boy 2 likes Friend 2, who is Friend 1's best friend. Another problem is that Friend 2 likes Boy 3, who Friend 3 also likes, but Boy 3 likes Friend 2. But now Boy 1 wants to ask me out to make Friend 1 jealous. And I'm like uH NO do NOT FREAKIN INVOLVE ME WITH THIS CRAP.
Anyways.
Thank you for all the people praying for my friend! He's been slowly getting better, and will continue to do so. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for y'all, and for God for being the awesome healer he is!
The contest is officially, finally over next Saturday. I can't postpone it any more. You MUST have it in by Saturday or I won't accept it. For now I have to keep my PM box closed, but if you finish and post the one-shot just leave a review saying you've completed it.
Anyways. I have news.
I like someone.
But not any someone.
My long-time, once-lost now-found friend. He's great.
But sometimes I act awkward around him, so I'm afraid he thinks I'm weird. But I try to be friendly and nice to him, so hopefully our friendship will be fully restored.
So I'm going to update May 1st, my 2nd year fanfiction birthday!
I'm so old. All you young un's better listen up to the elderly woman here.
Just kidding. I'm not old. Haha. Well, I'm actually older than 1, but not as old as 100. Hope that'll give you a hint ;)
Anyways, enough of my rambling. Have a wonderful day, and keep being the amazing person you are!
Lots of love,
Eradrin
