Crowfrost's POV
Brambles swatted at Crowfrost's face.
Flashback
"Crowfrost! Can you be the temporary mentor for Stoatpaw? Ratscar is sick." Blackstar meowed. "Sure." he answered. Stoatpaw was waiting at the entrance of camp. "Let's go already!" he meowed energetically. The apprentice raced off, brambles hitting his face as he ran. Crowfrost followed him, but more carefully so the brambles didn't hit his face. Where was the apprentice going? This wasn't the normal way out of camp. Curiosity kept him quiet, as the apprentice stopped in a nice looking clearing, where leaves were comfortably piled up so that they would make soft leaf nests.
End of Flashback
He reached the clearing Stoatpaw had lead him to when he had been the step-in mentor. He remembered when he sent away the apprentice when he requested to join their alliance, Ratscar looked as if he would protest, but didn't. I'm sorry, Stoatpaw. I wasn't thinking, I was sending you to your death when I sent you away.. surprisingly you haven't died yet. The leaves were scattered.. and WindClan scent was among it.
"Stoatpaw?.." he meowed. No answer. Is he dead, and I just didn't hear his death? Crowfrost wondered, feeling a pit of grief open in his stomach.
He turned around and went back to where Tawnypelt, Tigerheart, Ratscar, and his mate Dawnpelt was sitting. Tawnypelt shifted her tail.
"Did you find a good camp?" she asked. "Yep, but it has some WindClan scent on it. But I've made sure that WindClan aren't there." he replied. Tigerheart got up to follow.
"Did Stoatpaw die?" Crowfrost asked. Tawnypelt shook her head.
"Not yet." she meowed. "So now you're caring for Stoatpaw!" Ratscar exclaimed. Crowfrost nodded, guiltily.
"Why didn't you take him into our group earlier.. he must be dying right now!" Ratscar snapped. Crowfrost took a step back.
"Hey, you didn't protest!" he meowed defensively.
"What could I have done?" Ratscar hissed.
"A lot! You could have gone with Stoatpaw like a good mentor should do!" Crowfrost snarled. Instead of answering, Ratscar got into an attacking crouch, and without warning, pounced on Crowfrost. Pain screeched on his flank, he could hear Dawnpelt yowling at Ratscar.
Crowfrost felt claws dig into his belly. Someone pulled Ratscar off. Crowfrost felt dizzy. He could hear Ratscar's yowls of pain, and then a deafening silence.
"Ratscar of ShadowClan is dead! Killed by Dawnpelt!" Mapleshade howled. Ratscar's dead. Oh no. Wait.. he deserved it! Crowfrost argued. He tried to sit up, but fell back.
Pebblefoot's POV
"So first thing you'll have to know, don't trust cats as easily as you did to me." Pebblefoot meowed. Stoatpaw looked as if he was about to run.
"But you can trust me." Pebblefoot quickly added. The apprentice relaxed and settled beside him.
"Are you going to train me to be a warrior?" Stoatpaw asked. Pebblefoot nodded.
"Okay, let's see your battle moves Stoatpaw." he meowed. Stoatpaw launched himself at Pebblefoot, battering him with sheathed claws.
Pebblefoot easily pushed the apprentice off. "You're pretty good, it's just that you're hungry from not eating, and also weak. Let's get you some food and a good rest. Stay here." Pebblefoot meowed.
He quickly caught two mice and a sparrow, and went back to Stoatpaw's camp. The apprentice looked sleepy.
"Before you sleep, here." Pebblefoot meowed, pushing the 2 mice toward him. Stoatpaw ate quickly, polishing off the first mouse before Pebblefoot could finish the sparrow.
Stoatpaw ate the second mouse as fast as the other, and fell asleep before Pebblefoot could say anything. Well, I guess it's good that he's sleeping. He really needs it. Pebblefoot thought. He settled down beside Stoatpaw and slept.
Crowfeather's POV
"I'm going out hunting, Crowfeather. Don't worry, I'll be back by sundown, and just in case, I'm hunting near the Great Overhang." Ashfoot meowed. Crowfeather nodded.
"By the way, Crowfeather, get some sleep. You've been guarding all night.." Ashfoot added.
Crowfeather sighed. "I'm still your mother. I can't bear to lose you, I've already lost Eaglekit, his littermates, Deadfoot, and your littermates. " Ashfoot meowed.
Crowfeather wordlessly headed off to the little burrows that he and Ashfoot had made behind the holly bush, because the dens were too open. He could hear Ashfoot padding away. Crowfeather fell into a restless sleep.
Flashback
"Furzepelt and Boulderfur are dead, Boulderfur killed by Furzepelt and Furzepelt died of blood loss!" Mapleshade yowled.
"You're my son and you turned out like this! You try to kill your father.." hissed Crowfeather.
"You never loved me! Or my mother! You just loved that stupid ThunderClan cat Leafpool! You hated me!" Breezepelt hissed angrily.
"I never hated you, or your mother. You were just determined to think so!" Crowfeather yowled.
"Bye, Breezepelt. I will never see you in StarClan, you will just be another lost to the Dark Forest." Crowfeather meowed.
End of Flashback
He regretted killing Breezepelt. He was Breezepelt's father.. how could he do something like that? But what else could you have done? You would've died if you didn't kill Breezepelt. A voice meowed. He woke up. He shook the lingering thoughts, and sat up. No time for restlessness, no time for thinking like this. I need to be positive about myself, or I'll get no where. I'll just be a burden for Ashfoot. He told himself. And at that moment, he didn't regret Breezepelt's death. Or Nightcloud. If they wanted to attack him, they didn't deserve to live, his own son attack him? His own mate attack his mother? And Breezepelt's apprentice had killed his mate Heathertail's apprentice.. he was now glad of Breezepelt's death. And all Ashfoot, Furzepelt, and I did was defend. Ashfoot was back, but clearly didn't know that he was awake. "Positive mindset." she was muttering. Crowfeather just went back to sleep.
"Crowfeather.. wake up!" came Ashfoot's urgent meow. Crowfeather's head snapped up.
"ThunderClan.. Ivypool and Dovewing are in the warrior's den! I think they're tracking us right now!" Ashfoot whispered.
"Let's attack them. Now. Before they get the leeway on us. " he hissed.
Ashfoot nodded. "They're separating!" she meowed. "Let's go for Ivypool together, I hear she can battle 2 cats at a time!" Crowfeather suggested. Not waiting for Ashfoot to answer, he followed Ivypool.
The gray she-cat looked very insecure. Well, she should be. She's as obvious on the moor as a huge rabbit! He thought.
Crowfeather bolted toward the she-cat, landing a blow on a leg that seemed to have just healed.
Ivypool turned on him, and hissed, launching herself forward. Crowfeather rolled to the side, expecting to have Ivypool land a fox length away.
Instead, the she-cat flipped and landed on Crowfeather's stomach. He heard a fierce yowl, and turned to see that Ashfoot had launched herself at Ivypool.
Ivypool turned her full attention to Ashfoot for a split second, clawed at her. He could see Dovewing racing down.
"Crowfeather! Run!" Ashfoot yowled. He turned to his mother, and saw Ivypool was beating her. He ran, and heard his mother yowl "Eaglekit! Deadfoot! Crowfeather!" and a dreading silence.
"Ashfoot. Dead! Killed by Ivypool!" Mapleshade yowled. Grief washed over Crowfeather. Just a few moments ago, Ashfoot had been beside him.. now she was gone. Gone... He could see Dovewing and Ivypool yowling in the distance, trying to catch up to him Can't catch a WindClan cat.. stupid ThunderClan warriors! Crowfeather thought, his pride catching up with him.
Thank you for all the awesome reviews! I will be posting another chapter soon!
3 ~Waterwing~
