CHAPTER 1
The air in the hollow was thick with mourning. ThunderClan grieved as one.
Tabby fur had been groomed of the earth that had drowned it. Once it was groomed until sleek, the fur was decorated with lavender and mint. The potent scent of herbs barely managed to cover the smell of soil and death.
Green eyes were closed, never to open again. Whiskers were still, never to twitch with laughter again. Badgerpaw was gone.
ThunderClan approached and groomed Badgerpaw's fur, whispering goodbyes to the young apprentice.
"You're gone too soon."
"You died like a warrior, hunting for your Clan."
"May StarClan light your path."
Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw shook with grief as they approached their still daughter. Brambleclaw lowered his head, barely holding back a wail, and began to groom Badgerpaw's fur. He whispered soft messages of love. Squirrelflight could not bring herself to speak at all, not trusting her choking voice to get through even the simplest blessing.
Brightheart, Badgerpaw's mentor, stepped forward to stand by her apprentice's body. Cloudtail twined his tail with his mate's in solidarity.
Featherpaw and Sunpaw stood at the edge of the hollow, pelts brushing. They were not ready to say goodbye just yet.
Go get 'em, Sunpaw!
Make us proud!
Badgerpaw's last words to her brothers rang in their heads.
Sunpaw's eyes were dull. He lowered himself to the ground, head resting on his paws, and let out a small whine. What am I going to do without you? he thought desperately. I've lost one of my best friends.
Sunpaw could only think of his sister's laugh, her lopsided hunter's crouch. He could only think of how her eyes had flecks of yellow in their green depths. He could only think of the battle with ShadowClan, and how he and Badgerpaw had fought side-by-side to fend off the invaders. He could only think of Badgerpaw, Badgerpaw, Badgerpaw - and how everything they had done together was coming to an end.
I'll never hunt with you again, he thought. You'll never tease me for being too proud. You'll never get your warrior name! We'll never stand vigil together, keeping each other awake like we always planned. We'll never be elders together, demanding the apprentices bring us fresh moss twice a day. It broke Sunpaw's heart to imagine life without her.
Sunpaw shut his eyes, grief crashing over him like a wave from the sun-drown-place. He groaned quietly, lost in memories and what-ifs.
Featherpaw, meanwhile, stood still as stone. If he moved, then he would break - and he would not break.
At moonhigh, Cinderpelt padded forward and stood before Badgerpaw's body. "Badgerpaw," she declared. The Clan lowered their heads in deepest respect. "Badgerpaw, may StarClan receive you and light your path. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep."
Firestar padded forward to stand beside Squirrelflight, licking her ear in sympathy. Sandstorm joined her mate and pressed her face into Brambleclaw's fur. Brambleclaw welcomed his mate's mother's gesture, and rested his chin atop her head.
Featherpaw got to his paws. Sunpaw looked up at his brother, dreading what was to come: it was time to stand vigil. Featherpaw did not even look at Sunpaw as he strode forward, dutifully joining his family in honoring Badgerpaw for one last night. Sunpaw sighed and pulled himself to his paws, then shuffled across the hollow to approach his sister's body.
It felt wrong, Sunpaw thought, to see Badgerpaw this way. His sister had always been so vibrant, so quick - and now, she was small and still. Sunpaw looked up at the sky, through the branches of the budding trees, and sighed. There would be one more star in Silverpelt tonight - for Badgerpaw.
NOTES
Another bleak chapter - sorry!
You can see how this book already differs from Dark River. We're still following the same timeline - so, things that weren't directly impacted by Lion, Holly, and Jay will probably still happen. But already we've seen what's happened without Jaypaw's powers to save the day: we've lost two ThunderClan apprentices and one WindClan apprentice. And also - in Dark River, Hollypaw and Jaypaw weren't grieving Lionpaw. So, there's that, too!
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