Chapter 3: Grieving

The sun started to slowly rise, fog hanging in the air like a tick on a cat while Volepaw sleepily padded out of the apprentices den. She heard her belly growl and felt a little pain, so she made her way over to the fresh-kill pile. After choosing a field mouse, she heard shuffling from the warriors den and saw Jumpingpelt walking out. His ears were droopy and his tail dragged in the dirt as he stumbled through the fog.

Volepaw felt sympathy for the young tom, knowing very well what it was like to lose a friend... Just then, she saw Smokestep pad over to her and pick out a rabbit from the pile.

"Jumpingpelt sure is feeling down," the apprentice meowed. The deputy looked at the warrior then back to Volepaw.

"A hunting patrol will do him good," Smokestep told himself. "He's grieved for long enough."

Hearing this, Volepaw stopped chewing on her piece of mouse and stared at her mentor in disbelief. She gulped. "Runningbird's only been dead for 2 days," she nearly spat. "He'll grieve as long as he needs."

She looked over at the nursery, hearing the kits starting to stumble out.

Sootkit, Mallowkit and Sorrelkit jumped on each other, pretending to be warriors in a game of battling each other. Volepaw purred as she watched them, remembering when she was a kit. Not having a problem in the world, not having to worry about duties. Just endless playing.

She snapped her attention back to the deputy as he walked away toward the camp entrance.

Where is he going? she thought. Volepaw thought for a minute before the answer came to her. "Oh, right. Dawn patrol."

The tan she-cat followed him, her brown eyes curious. She saw Beeflower padding over to her and she purred at her sister. Beeflower returned the greeting by touching her nose to her's.

"Hello Volepaw," Beeflower meowed.

"Hi sister," she replied. Volepaw looked around and saw Ivysong comforting Jumpingpelt, who was on the verge of crying. Beeflower saw this too and said, "I feel bad for them both."

"Yes, Runningbird will be missed by everyone in the Clan," her sister added. "Especially by Sunbird and Jumpingpelt."

Volepaw thought back to when Swallowstar told the Clan that the deceased warrior was half ShadowClan. Surely Snakewing will miss Runningbird too, right? She IS her first born after all.

But then again, Snakewing's heart is as cold as stone. Just like all of the cats in Wetstar's Clan. Volepaw felt a cold chill go down her spine. She pushed the thought away and turned back to Beeflower. "When are you getting another apprentice?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

The warrior shrugged, flicking her tail. "Swallowstar hasn't said anything about the kits yet." Volepaw let her ears droop.

"I was really hoping you would get another apprentice. I mean, you trained Antfire well."

Before the cream she-cat could respond, Smokestep called Volepaw over.

Saying goodbye to Beeflower with a flick of her tail, Volepaw approached her mentor. "Yes Smokestep?" she asked.

The gray tom gestured to the camp entrance. "Hunting," he meowed. Volepaw followed his gaze then nodded.

Volepaw felt the warm heat on her pelt, trapping the air under her fur. She purred, enjoying the feeling. It was past sunhigh and she and Smokestep were still hunting. "Steady breaths..." the apprentice told herself. She opened her mouth and tasted the air.

Wren. The brown eyed she-cat took a few steps toward the bird, carefully placing her paws on the dirt. Then she leaped! Volepaw caught the Wren by it's wing and quickly bit down on it. After it stopped moving, the tan she-cat started padding back to the deputy. Seeing her catch, Smokestep nodded.

"Very good," he complemented. "Now try to find another one." Volepaw nodded then pushed her way back through the tall grass. It wasn't long before she came to the thunderpath, gazing into the territory of SolarClan. The apprentice took a step back and turned to go away, but a voice made her stop.

"Hey," it hissed. Volepaw looked back at the territory, curious. "Hello?" she asked. She took a look at the other side of the thunderpath and listened for anything.

"Over here!" the voice came again.

Volepaw finally spotted a brown tabby with gray eyes. He was standing by a rock, his fur helping him blend into his surroundings. "Hello Volepaw," he greeted.

The she-cat nodded her head. "Hello Owlpaw."

He looked around to make sure his mentor Grassnose wasn't near, nor Smokestep. "How are you?"

Volepaw took a step forward, then raced across the hard, hot stuff of the thunderpath. When she was across, she felt her paws slowly begin to cool down.

"How are you?" Owlpaw asked again. Volepaw nodded and purred, "great. How are you?"

The SolarClan apprentice looked down at his paws.

"Grassnose and Harestream are breathing down my neck. How are you and your mentor?"

The tan she-cat purred and looked away. "Smokestep is getting more angry with me, too."

Owlpaw looked at Volepaw and felt a stab of sympathy for her and WindClan.

"I'm sorry about Runningbird. I saw everything... I was with Harestream and Creekstrom on a patrol."

Volepaw was surprised that he brought her name up, so surprised that she turned back to him. "It's okay, Owlpaw. Runningbird is in StarClan's hunting grounds now. She's at peace, and free from her death disease."

Before Owlpaw could give his response, Volepaw heard Smokestep calling for her. She made a move to leave, but was stopped him.

"Meet me at fourtrees tomorrow." Owlpaw took off into the undergrowth, deeper into the rocky dry territory.

Volepaw watched him go, thinking about what he said. She sighed, heading back to Smokestep.