The next morning, Moonpaw woke to see Starfur standing over her, glaring.
"Moonpaw! It's past Sun Rise, where have you been?"
"Sorry for sleeping in late," Moonpaw muttered, "I can't help it if I need to sleep." Starfur narrowed her eyes.
"Today, we were going to do battle-training, and hunting-," Moonpaw's ear perked up.
"Hunti-"
"But today, I have decided that this kind of laziness is intolerable. And talking back to me." Her tail whipped angrily from side to side. "Today, you are going to clean out the elder's den AND the nursery."
"What?" Moonpaw whined, "But that new litter of kits was born only a few sunrises ago! They can take care of themselves. And the elders, well they can-"
"They can WHAT? And also, if you don't watch your tongue, she-cat, you'll be doing this for the next few sunrises. Perhaps for a moon...?" Moonpaw stumbled out of her nest. She felt like she had just gone to sleep.
"Fine." She trotted off moodily to the prey-pile, and tugged out a fat vole. Starfur ducked out of the elder's den.
"I hope you plan on bringing that to the elders. Not for eating it yourself." Moonpaw dropped it.
"But, but I need to eat!"
"Yes, but just enough. I can't have you starving anyone because you want to eat well. Eat this-" she gave Moonpaw a scrawny mouse in return. She stared angrily after her mentor, then wolfed down the mouse. Her stomach tightened with hunger still, but she headed off to give the elders their share of prey. Her paws were tired after dragging herself back and forth between the camp.
She regretted every single word she had said that morning as she swept the old, dry moss out of the den. She wished that she could turn back time with every swipe she took at the springy, damp moss. She had to bite her tongue to keep from yowling as Branchfur complained about his "soaking wet" nest, and how apprentices used to treat their elders in the "old days."
Moonpaw was done with her chores by Sun's Fall, as Starfur, the elders, and queens made sure she was kept busy. She wished she could have had the energy for a good wash to drive away the smells she had gathered throughout the day, but she was too tired, and could hardly put one paw in front of the other.
"Moonpaw!" a voice called from the elder's den. She still walked to her original destination, her nest, but Starfur shot her a warning glare so, with a sigh, she padded over to the elder's den and stuck her head inside.
"Yes, Snowlight?" Snowlight flicked her tail.
"Come here, my kit," she mewed. Moonpaw walked next to her and lay down. Snowlight sniffed lightly, then bent her head next Moonpaw's ear, "You smell like kit-muck and old moss," she whispered,"You should wash up while I tell you a tale... That is, if you want to hear one." Moonpaw started to shake her head, then grimaced as she thought of what creative insults Grasspaw would make up if she tried to sleep smelling like that. She licked her paw, then drew it over her ear. Snowlight sta back and thought of something interesting. "I know a story that might interest you. How would you like to hear about Undyingshadow?" Moonpaw paused mid-lick.
"Really?"
"Why not? It's fitting, I suppose." She paused.
"Er, yes?"
"Once there was a grey-white she-cat named Snowclaw..."
"And?"
Snowlight gave her an annoyed look. "I'm trying to remember everything! I'm not gifted with a perfect memory." She looked away. "Now I remember, there was once a grey-white she-cat named Snowclaw, and she-"
"What Clan was she in?" Moonpaw asked eagerly.
"If you WAIT, maybe I'll tell you!" Snowlight huffed, "Snowclaw was of SnakeClan. She was happy there with her mate, Undyingshadow. This was many, many moons ago, before your mother was just an idea in her mother and father's heads. Anyway, she was happy there, and they even had three kits." She licked her lips, "I think they were called Fernkit, Beekit, and- Oh, I forgot the other one's name. But it isn't important. Anyway, SnakeClan and LightningClan were at war. They once raided our camp in daylight, so we easily defeated them. Then, one moon, Skystar, then Skytooth, came up with the brilliant idea of raiding the SnakeClan camp in the night. We did so, and we were victorious! But during the scuffle, Snowclaw and her kits were killed. Skytooth confessed to doing it, but he claimed it was an accident. It was a moonless night, so we could hardly see a paw's length in front of us. Undyingshadow was furious, and leaped into the fight with Skytooth. The leaders, Shadowstar and Featherstar, pulled them apart. Then..." she sighed, "Undyingshadow has plagued us ever since. I hope to Creator that his spirit will never find rest."
Moonpaw fell silent. This was something terrible to wish on a cat. That thier spirit would never find peace, but to be troubled forever...
"Why does he want revenge so badly?"
Snowlight sighed, "Because of a broken promise to Snowclaw. Go now, and rest. Tomorrow will be better." Moonpaw's mind swam full of questions, but she numbly obeyed. That night, she lay her head on her paws, thinking about broken promises.
