Chapter 4
StarClan's Omen
It had been a couple of days since her quarrel with Marigoldpaw. Things seemed to have cooled off between the two sisters , but Sunpaw still found herself getting angry with her often. So, she had decided it would be best to distance herself from Marigoldpaw until she could figure out the source. And although it had seemed like a good idea, she now found herself on a hunting patrol with the world's most annoying apprentice, Graypaw.
"What can you smell, Graypaw?" asked Sootwhisker.
"Squirrel, starling, thrush… badger!" Graypaw meowed, his ears erect and eyes focused. "But I don't see any nearby so it must be stale."
"We should tell Rushstar," Thrushpelt meowed, looking around to make sure it wasn't lurking in the shadows.
"We should hunt it down!" Graypaw burst, running ahead of the patrol to follow the scent trail.
"Graypaw come back!" Sootwhisker demanded, following his bold apprentice.
"That apprentice needs to learn to follow orders," growled Thrushpelt as she took suit after them. Sighing, Sunpaw followed. If only Graypaw would just be less… annoying.
"…but we could kill it so we wouldn't have to worry Rushstar," Graypaw argued, his amber eyes full of determination. Sunpaw had followed the patrol more slowly and came upon both mentors scolding the flighty apprentice. Although rash, Graypaw meant well. She didn't want to have to worry Rushstar about a badger when everyone was so worried about the white tom, but he had to know.
"We're no match for a badger," Sootwhisker said calmly. "Come now, let's go warn Rushstar so that he can warn the patrols. That is what will help the Clan now."
"And don't you dare disobey," Thushpelt put in. "You're already going to be cleaning out the Elder's den for a moon!"
At last Graypaw looked defeated, muttering a "sorry" before padding after the patrol back to camp. Sunpaw was trying to avoid him on the way back, but he wouldn't let her get off that easy.
"So what're you, too scared to fight off a badger?" Graypaw poked, smirking.
"Of course I'm not scared, I'm just not mouse-brained like you!" she hissed, glaring at the obnoxious tom.
"I'm not mouse-brained. I'm just ready to defend my Clan at all costs, unlike you," he shot back, padding ahead of her a little. She stared at him, shocked he would make such an accusation. "Someday I'll be able to prove my loyalty to ThunderClan. And maybe you'll even have to call me Graystar."
"Oh great, just what ThunderClan needs, a mouse-brained leader," Sunpaw meowed, rolling her eyes. He was worse than Ravenfur!
"I'll be the best leader there ever was," he huffed as they entered camp. "Even better than Firestar."
"No cat could be a better leader than Firestar," Thrushpelt meowed, breaking up their conversation. "Graypaw, you are responsible for cleaning out the Elder's den for a moon. No other cat can help you. This is your punishment for not listening to a warrior's orders."
"Yes Thrushpelt." Graypaw ducked his head. Sunpaw almost felt sorry for him.
"We'll go hunting later, Sunpaw," Thrushpelt vowed. "Now go get some rest."
Sunpaw watched as their two mentors padded over to Rushstar's den to relay the news about the badger. It was just her and Graypaw now. Before he walked away, she wanted to reach out to him… their quarrel bothered her somehow.
"Hey listen, I can help out here and there if you'd like," she offered, looking over at the gray tabby tom. But he just casted her a look and shook his head.
"I don't need your help." And he padded away.
Sunpaw sighed and brought a piece of fresh kill to Oakflower before settling down in her nest. If only Blackpaw were here. He would calm her down if Graypaw rubbed her fur the wrong way. But he's not here, so might as well deal with it, she thought sourly, letting her mind drift away to sleep.
When Sunpaw woke up the sun was beginning to go down. She jumped up in alarm and hurried out of the apprentices den, hoping Thrushpelt wasn't angry with her. The camp was quite though, and the fresh kill pile was full. Sunpaw sighed with relief and reveled in the peacefulness, however deceiving it was.
That was when she heard the yowl. Heart racing, Sunpaw ran in the direction of the sound, barely aware that other cats were stirring from their nests. As she got closer and closer to where the yowl came from, she heard more hissing and smelled the thick scent of blood.
And there he was. That big white tom standing over a wounded ThunderClan warrior.
Finchtail.
The white tom fixed his crisp blue gaze on her before turning away and fleeing. Sunpaw wanted to follow and avenge Blackpaw's death, but she knew she needed to get help for Finchtail. The brown tabby tom with still alive and moaning softly, making Sunpaw's heart twist with sorrow.
"Finchtail?" she meowed gently, rushing over to his side. His flank was bleeding heavily, but the rest of him seemed fine. The young warrior trained his green eyes on her and she was surprised by how dull they looked. Usually they were bright. "Finchtail, I'm going to go get Redbelly!"
"No," gurgled the tom, extending his paw to touch her leg. "No time…"
"No, Finchtail!" she shrieked. "No! Someone, help!"
"It'll- be okay," Finchtail rasped. Sunpaw crouched down by the tom and liked his cheek gently. They had trained together. He had only just become a warrior. Too young, StarClan. Let him live!
But the life was already draining out of Finchtail and soon his breathing stopped. Heart aching, Sunpaw raced back to camp with a heavy heart and went right to Rushstar's den.
"Rushstar! Finchtail died!" she called, voice cracking.
"What? How?" he asked, meeting her outside his den.
"The white tom killed him. I found him standing over Finchtail. He ran away," she informed him, voice filled with grief.
"Show me the way."
They summoned Redbelly and Badgerfoot and together the four cats left camp. Sunpaw felt a little unsettled leading the important group of cats, but more prominent was her overwhelming grief of watching her friend be murdered.
As they approached the spot where Finchtail's body lay, Sunpaw braced herself. It was a gruesome sight that was sure to haunt her for days to come. In the distance, one of the border patrols was heading their way, coming to the source of the commotion. Sunpaw's patrol just stood there frozen as their eyes took in the bloody scene. Only Redbelly stepped forward to inspect the fallen warrior.
"He's with StarClan," Redbelly affirmed, touching his nose to the young tabby's fur. Suddenly, his entire body visibly stiffened, making Sunpaw's heart race frantically.
"Redbelly?" Rushstar meowed calmly, though his fur was bristling.
The red medicine cat got up slowly and fixed his amber gaze on them. Although his gaze wasn't amber like it normally was. Instead it was silver and filled with stars.
"A message from StarClan. Only light can expose the darkness."
