Chapter 16

Moonpaw

Something was bothering Moonpaw. Something just wasn't right.

Her pale blue eyes blinking open, she rolled over in her nest and stood up, taking care not to disturb her mentor's sleeping form.

The young gray she-cat padded quietly out of the medicine den, her paw pads flattening the soft, damp grass below.

She froze as Hornetflame let out a questioning mumble, but when Moonpaw looked back, he was still fast asleep.

Something has happened. Something outside of camp. Moonpaw wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. She just had a strong feeling inside her chest, something making her paws carry themselves to the edge of camp.

Moonpaw had to get out of the camp— she had to see what had happened. Instead of leaving through the entrance, she squeezed through the gorse bushes surrounding the camp island, trying not to get her fur stuck.

The plant scraped against her, making her wince as it grazed her skin through her short fur, but she kept pushing, coming to the river on the other side. She knew the RiverClan warriors on guard wouldn't trust her to go out alone, so sneaking out was the only way.

Not the other RiverClan warriors. Just the RiverClan warriors. I don't belong here.

However, as tempting as leaving completely was, Moonpaw couldn't leave the Clan behind. She wasn't sure why— she didn't like the cats in RiverClan, and they didn't like her either. She didn't even like it in RiverClan. But she was so accustomed to Clan life now, and it felt wrong to go back to being a loner.

That thought made her want to laugh. Or cry. Or maybe both.

The odd feeling still tugged at her paws, and now, Moonpaw could tell that something bad had happened. She still didn't know what. All she knew was that she had to find out, no matter what.

Now, how would she get across the river? It was much thinner than the large body of water she had fallen in a few moons ago, but it was still more than powerful enough to sweep her away.

She would have to jump over— it was the only option. She couldn't swim, that was for sure, since she never wanted to step paw in any kind of water ever again.

Taking a deep breath, Moonpaw stepped to the edge of the river, going down into a crouch and wiggling her haunches.

Clenching her jaws together, the young apprentice leapt as far as she could, farther than she ever had before. Her forepaws landed on the opposite bank, but her hind paws scrabbled and slid down into the water, a splash sounding.

Desperate to get away before anyone realized it was her, Moonpaw's claws tugged on the earth and she hauled herself up, shivering. Her hind legs were soaked and freezing.

She heard pawsteps approaching and, forgetting the chill that swept through her body, she bounded away from the camp and didn't look back.

Only after running for what seemed like moons did Moonpaw let herself stop. She looked around at her surroundings, letting out a groan as she realized she was lost, and she had possibly even left RiverClan territory at this point.

Anxiety pricked at the she-cat's cold gray fur, but she knew that if she had left RiverClan territory in her panic, she was probably a few fox-lengths from the nearest border at the very most.

This thought didn't comfort her much, but it was better than nothing. She raised her muzzle to sniff the air but quickly regretted it, recoiling at the repulsive stench that hit her nostrils, mixed with the smell of drying blood.

Despite herself, Moonpaw's paws pulled her towards the smell. She let out a disgusted growl, breathing through her mouth. She wanted to turn back but she couldn't. She had to get closer, had to figure out what had made the smell.

But why do I feel like I need to go closer? I should be doing the very opposite thing right now! Is this what carrion smells like? If so, I don't know how scavengers eat this awful stuff!

And then, she saw it. She came into a blood-stained clearing, her eyes falling on a gray figure.

Moonpaw froze, then let out an earsplitting, grief-filled yowl as she stared at the body of her father.