Apprentice and Pregnant 2

Chapter 7: Old Gray

a/n: This chapter contains a disturbing concept. Read at own risk

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run,

So we'd both be free

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree

Thornpaw raced through the trees, getting more stressed out by the second. Every sound in the forest sounded like an alarm, a signal that what he was doing was wrong. He wondered for the zillionth time if he should go back, slip back into the camp and guard it like he was supposed to. His paws burned with the desire to get to the gathering as fast as he could, but at the same time he was itching to stop what he was doing and turn around.

I've already come this far, he thought, trying to reassure himself. I might as well go through with it. I wonder if Whitewhisker has noticed my absence yet… oh no! What if she has?

Fear at the thought alone made him stop in his tracks. He stared out into the darkening forest, feeling terrible. It's gonna be okay, he told himself, trying to make it so he believed it. I'll just say a quick hello and go right back. He started running again, forcing himself to think of nothing but good thoughts. He thought of Laurelpaw, and how happy she would be when she saw him.

You're making me jump through rings of fire to see you, girl. I hope you're worth it.

A sudden noise distracted him, and he nearly tripped over a root. He skidded to a halt, looking around wildly. Who's there?! Ears perked, he listened the best he could, wondering if he was just imagining it. After several minutes of reassuring himself that he in fact was imagining things, he started to move again.

"Help!"

Thornpaw shrieked and tripped over a pile of leaves, crashing down into them in the process. He shot up as fast as he could and looked around wildly, there was no mistaking things this time.

Someone had called for help, and by the sounds of the timid voice, it was a very young cat. Thornpaw peeked around a tree, trying to find the source of the voice. If this is a cat from Shadowclan, god help me. I'm gonna get in so much trouble… but I can't ignore a cry for help.

He cautiously moved around the tree, scared of finding a Shadowclan apprentice in fear that they would tell on him. However, after a few good moments of looking around, confusion set in.

There was no one there.

"Hello?" Thornpaw called out with all the courage he could muster. "Is someone there?"

"Help!" the little voice called again. This time Thornpaw could tell where it was coming from, and he used his paws to shove a bunch of undergrowth aside. What he saw made his throat clench up with shock and fear.

Two young kits were huddled around a she cat, lying dead on the ground.

"Oh my god," Thornpaw whispered, rushing forward." Oh my-" his voice stopped working as he touched the she cat, wondering if she was really dead. Her fur was ice cold.

"Can you help her?" one of the young kits whispered, staring up at Thornpaw. "You have to help her… she's fallen down and won't stand up!"

"Come here," Thornpaw felt as though he was choking as looked at the kit. He looked over at the other one, realizing with horror that she was dead too. The kit gave no second thought and walked over, huddling against Thornpaw. Thornpaw stroked the top of his head with a paw, not knowing what to say that would possibly be helpful.

"What happened?" he asked at last.

"We were playing," the kit said sadly. "And then Old Gray came up and started pushing her. She fell and hit her head and hasn't gotten up since… you need to help her!"

"What…" Thornpaw shook his head, feeling sick. "Who is Old Gray? Why was he pushing her?"

"He always pushes her," the kit shrugged, acting as though it was the most normal thing in the world. "But when she hit her head he got scared and ran away."

"What the heck…" Thornpaw felt like he was going to puke. Who are these cats? Who's Old Gray and why was he shoving around a mother cat… what the hell is going on?

"What happened to your sister?" Thornpaw forced himself to ask, staring at the dead kit.

"Old Gray pushed her first," the kit explained. "That's why he pushed mom so badly… she got angry and scratched him."

"I need to get you out of here," Thornpaw said, feeling very scared. "Come on, let's go. I'm going to find you help."

"We can't leave momma!" the kit cried, pulling himself away from Thornpaw. "She's hurt!"

"She's dead," Thornpaw said numbly, knowing that there was no avoiding that fact. "I'm so sorry…"

"She's…" the kit looked over at the she cat with wide eyes. "Dead?"

"Yes," Thornpaw said, feeling as though his heart was breaking. "I'm afraid your sister is too…I'm so sorry, little one."

"At least this way Old Gray can't hurt them anymore," the kit said softly, leaning up against Thornpaw again.

What

The

Fuck.

This is so messed up… why was "Old Gray" hurting them in the first place? Why are they out here in the middle of Shadowclan territory? I'm so confused… this kit needs help, but where do I take him? I can't take care of him… and I sure as hell can't bring him back to Shadowclan, then they'd all know I left!

Wait

The answer seemed to smack Thornpaw in the side of the head. I'll take him to the gathering, and let them notice him… someone will help him.

"I need you to come with me," Thornpaw said. "I'm going to find someone to help you."

Laurelpaw looked around for the hundredth time, craning her neck around to look in every possible direction. Thornpaw is here somewhere, she told herself again. But she knew in her heart she was fighting denial. She angrily scratched the ground, feeling a horrible sense of frustration weighing her down like a stone.

"What's your deal?" Firepaw asked, staring at her with a weird expression on his face. "Who are you looking for?"

"No one," Laurelpaw snapped crossly, not wanting to talk to him. "Leave me alone."

"Sheesh!" Firepaw snorted loudly and glared at her. "You could at least pretend to be nice."

"I'm not in a very good mood, Firepaw," Laurelpaw mumbled. Now I have to wait another freaking moon to see him… this is so unfair!

"Man, I nearly wish I lost the competition so I could stay at the camp," Firepaw continued dramatically. "Then I wouldn't be stuck here with you and your rudeness."

"Then why don't you go hang out with someone else?" Laurelpaw sighed, wondering why Firepaw was hanging around her when he was complaining about it.

"Because I don't want to," Firepaw responded hotly.

"That doesn't make any sense," Laurelpaw cried. "If you don't want to hang out with me, then don't!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Firepaw snapped.

"I'm not!" Laurelpaw rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. "Why don't you go talk to Pinepaw, or some apprentices from different clans? If I'm bothering you so much, then leave!"

"We are hanging out right now whether we like it or not," Firepaw said in a huffy voice. "End of story."

"Oh for crying out loud-" Laurelpaw stopped talking as something caught her eye in the distance. She squinted her eyes and stared, wondering what it was. There was one single tree shaking on the other side of the gathering clearing, which didn't make any sense because it wasn't windy and all the other trees were standing still.

"I'm gonna go check something out," Laurelpaw said, interrupting Firepaw who was still ranting. "Be right back."

"I'm coming!" Firepaw insisted, looking downright annoyed about it.

"You sound like you really don't want to," Laurelpaw sighed.

"I don't," Firepaw said. "But I'm coming anyway."

"Whatever," Laurelpaw replied, getting tired of Firepaw and his confusing actions. He acts like being around me is killing him slowly. He could leave anytime he wants, but no… he just keeps complaining. It doesn't make any sense.

They walked quickly over to the trees, curiosity growing in Laurelpaws mind. What's in the trees?

The tree had stopped shaking, and Laurelpaw figured that whoever was shaking it had realized that they had caught her attention. Laurelpaw cautiously stepped into the forest and looked around.

"Hello?" Firepaw called out from behind her.

"Sh!" Laurelpaw hissed over her shoulder.

"Over here!"

Laurelpaw followed the voice, which was coming from behind a giant rock. Firepaw beside her, they walked over quickly.

"What if this is a trap," Firepaw whispered suddenly. Fear shot through Laurelpaw, she hadn't thought of that. She stopped in her tracks and stared at Firepaw, realizing he had a good point.

"What do we do?" she mouthed the words. Firepaw nodded to indicate he'd handle it, and turned to the rock.

"Show yourself!" he called out, voice strong and loud. Laurelpaw forgot about her irritation towards him for a moment, admiring how confident he sounded.

"You show yourself," the voice called back.

"We're not the ones hiding behind the rock," Firepaw snapped. "Show yourself or we're leaving."

"Fine!"

Laurelpaw watched with complete disbelief as Thornpaw stepped out from behind the rock, with a tiny kit beside him.

What the heck… what's he doing here? And why the hell was he hiding behind a rock? Who's that kit he has with him?

So many questions!

"Who are you?" Firepaw asked, clearly confused.

"Yeah, who are you?" Laurelpaw put in, realizing that it would look suspicious if she didn't ask too. Thornpaw clearly picked up on what she was doing, and gave her the same look that he gave Firepaw.

"My name is Thornpaw," Thornpaw said. Laurelpaw nodded as if she was learning this for the first time.

"Why were you shaking the trees around?" Firepaw demanded, getting straight to the point. "And why are you hiding behind a rock when you should be in the clearing?"

"I'm not supposed to be here," Thornpaw explained. "I'm supposed to be in Shadowclan guarding the camp."

"Oh that makes sense then," Firepaw said sarcastically.

"Hear me out," Thornpaw said desperately. Laurelpaw stared at him, realizing something was very wrong. He looks scared… I don't understand anything right now.

"I went for a walk because I needed some air, right?" Thornpaw said, glancing at Laurelpaw. Laurelpaws heart sped up a little; she knew what he was doing.

He snuck out to come see me!

"When I was walking around, I found him," Thornpaw said, nudging the kit gently. "Next to his dead mother and sister."

"Old Gray pushed them too hard," the kit piped in, clearly trying to help. Laurelpaw gasped, and Firepaw let out a squeak of alarm and surprise.

"Oh, dear," Laurelpaw whispered, completely unprepared for his words. "What happened?"

"He told me that "Old Gray" pushed them and they hit their heads," Thornpaw leaned in and whispered the words so the kit wouldn't hear. "I feel like there was something terrible going on, and I have a disturbing feeling that Old Gray is the kits dad."

"That's… sick," Laurelpaw felt nauseated. "He must be so disturbed and traumatized."

"Yeah, and I don't know what to do about it," Thornpaw said desperately. "I can't bring him back to Shadowclan, cause then I'll get in trouble. That's why I shook the tree, to get someone to come over and take him."

"Have no fear," Firepaw said before Laurelpaw could say anything. "I'll bring him straight to Swallow Star. He'll know what to do."

"Thank you," Thornpaw whispered, looking incredibly bothered. "Do it now, please… before they start doing their announcements."

"Will do," Firepaw said, motioning for the kit to join him.

"I need to go back to my clan," Thornpaw said slowly. "Thank you so much for helping me… And try to avoid mentioning it was me you saw, if you don't mind."

"We won't," Laurelpaw whispered. "Don't get caught."