Chapter 7
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.
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Streamheart – Thank you! Glad you like it!
Oceanwind – I don't know. You'll have to wait and see!
Shaded-Strike – Very mysterious….Hm...What could they be doing?
Freeheart – Thanks!
Dawnflower – Thanks!! I like changing the POV too!
Feathertail's Loyalty – THANK YOU!! I've read The Sight, and it's REALLY good.
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Berrypaw writhed around in his nest. He was dreaming. He was dreaming, but all he could see was darkness. He ran on and on, and soon, voices began to whisper around him.
You can't escape it…
Face the facts...
It's your destiny…
"Stop!" Berrypaw yowled. The whispering stopped, and Berrypaw slumped down.
Bad mistake.
He fell through a hole in the ground. His mouth opened in a wordless yowl as he plummeted to earth.
Beware, for soon the flames will die down, leaving only a path of cinders, which must rise up to replenish the fire…
"Berrypaw! Wake up!" Berrypaw rose to see Cinderpaw standing over him. He unsteadily rose to his paws.
Path of cinders…
"Are you okay?" Cinderpaw asked. Berrypaw shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"I'm fine," he meowed, and strutted off, leaving a hurt Cinderpaw behind him.
CINDERPAW'S POV
Cinderpaw watched Berrypaw pad off. As she watched him, she felt a familiar tingling in her fur. She quickly pushed it away.
What am I thinking? Berrypaw never even noticed me! He's too busy with Poppypaw anyways.
Cinderpaw dropped her head onto her paws. She stared blankly across the clearing at Berrypaw. As she watched, the brown apprentice padded up to Poppypaw and pressed his muzzle into her side. The tortoiseshell apprentice responded by licking him on the ears.
Mousebrain! Cinderpaw thought as she dug her claws into the soft ground.
POPPYPAW'S POV
Poppypaw purred and pressed up against Berrypaw. She expected her gesture to be returned, and was surprised when Berrypaw pushed her away.
"Poppypaw, I'm sorry. We can't be together…" Berrypaw mewed. Poppypaw growled low in her throat.
"Who is it? Tell me!" She yowled.
"No one," Berrypaw meowed quickly. Poppypaw turned and padded away.
"I'll find out who it is," she hissed. "When I do, you'll be sorry! You'll be sorry!"
CINDERPAW'S POV
Cinderpaw raised her heads as Berrypaw padded over to her. She growled.
"Go away," she hissed, but Berrypaw pressed forward. He opened his mouth.
"Cinderpaw, I'm sorry. I don't like Poppypaw, not even as a friend. If that's what's bothering you, I'm sorry." With that, Berrypaw backed up, dipping his head to Cinderpaw.
Cinderpaw stared after him, eyes wide. So he didn't like Poppypaw. The thought of that made her heart beat ten times faster. She let out a low, rumbling purr. She wrapped her tail around her paws as she sat up. Her ice blue eyes calmly scanned the clearing. She rose to meet Cloudtail, who was beckoning to her.
"Sun-high patrol?" The white warrior asked. Cinderpaw nodded and rose to her paws. Brambleclaw joined them a second later, Berrypaw at his side. Cinderpaw avoided Berrypaw's gaze, and busied herself with scratching out pictures in the dirt.
"Are you coming?" Cloudtail asked her. Brambleclaw and Berrypaw were standing at the entrance of camp. Cinderpaw raced over to them. Brambleclaw let out a purr of amusement, and led the patrol out of camp.
"We'll patrol the ShadowClan border," Cloudtail meowed as they journeyed deeper into the territory.
"I hope they don't try anything stupid," Brambleclaw hissed.
Berrypaw took a swipe at a falling leaf. He caught it between his paws, and pressed it against the ground.
"The mighty hunter!" Cinderpaw purred. Berrypaw rose to his paws and padded pat her, flicking her over the ears as he went past. Cinderpaw let out a playful growl and launched herself at him.
"Hurry up!" Cloudtail's meow called them. Cinderpaw jumped up and raced after Berrypaw. The brown tom stopped at Cloudtail, but Cinderpaw raced on, not stopping.
She heard the rumbling before she saw it.
Cinderpaw pulled up, but it was no use. She tumbled head over heels onto the Thunderpath.
Cinderpaw raised her head. She felt the ground rumble beneath her paws. The rumbling grew louder and louder. Cinderpaw screwed her eyes shut.
StarClan help me! Cinderpaw thought desperately. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of white. Cinderpaw was sent hurtling free of the monster's path. The monster rolled by a split second later.
Cinderpaw rose unsteadily to her paws. She faced Brambleclaw and Berrypaw as they emerged through the trees. Berrypaw raced up to meet her, but Brambleclaw stared past her, eyes wide.
"Great StarClan no…" He mewed. Berrypaw turned to him.
"What?" Berrypaw meowed. His eyes followed Brambleclaw's gaze, and suddenly, Berrypaw swayed.
"No!" Berrypaw meowed. Cinderpaw turned, a sinking feeling rising in her chest. When she was fully turned around, she gasped. The world seemed to stop.
"No, why? Why?" She wailed.
Lying in frost of them on the Thunderpath, in a pool of blood, was Cloudtail.