Larkpaw wandered out of the camp, her tail between her legs, and her eyes on the ground. When she recalled the visions of he cats tearing at her mentor's fur, and staining it red like the feathers of a cardinal drifting to the snow, she would stop, and yowl loudly. She hunted for a while, to take her tired mind off things, but it was no use.
Larkpaw imagined Snowfoot's stiff and broken body being carried into camp, and her father sitting vigil in the cold, lonely night for the white warrior.
Then Larkpaw's paws clenched when she thought of the cats who had attacked her mentor. Their scent was no scent of a Lake Clan, and they were so big…Larkpaw growled with frustration.
"Why did this happen to me?" she yowled, her voice vibrating deep in her throat and ringing out in the crisp air. Though she hated that she did it, she furiously wished that it had happened to Gustpaw or Huntingpaw. They were so cheerful and innocent, but they hadn't seen their own mentor and friend being gutted by strange cats right before of their eyes.
Larkpaw suddenly found herself at the edge of the lake, and she looked out across the glistening blue water. Tiny waves rippled across the surface of the lake, and the reflection of the sun cast an orange glow that looked like molten iron washing across it. It's so beautiful… thought Larkpaw, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her forepaws.
A brisk breeze whistled past her, and Larkpaw drew in a deep breath, tasting every scent. The scent of LeafClan came drifting from her left, StoneClan from her right, and the faint scent of RainClan from across the lake. She scented vole and mouse from behind her, and a duck floating somewhere on the lake. She looked down and saw small fish darting about in the shallows, and tried to watch them as hey swiftly avoided each other.
Larkpaw looked up at the cloudless blue sky, and shook her head, feeling the sun beat down upon her gray fur. She watched the tops of the trees sway slowly, and watched the birds flit about all around her. She caught sight of an enormous eagle, his wings spreading across the sky. She watched as the great bird picked up speed, and anticipated him dropping into the lake and swinging up with a glistening fish. But the eagle didn't swing dive toward the lake, it instead reached out its talons…and grabbed a swallow out of the air. Larkpaw could hear a surprised scream from the tiny bird, and she leaped to her feet, wailing.
There it was again…killing. Why was it like this! Why did beloved creatures have to disappear so suddenly from the living world? Larkpaw grieved for even the swallow, knowing his mate and chicks would be pining for dinner all day, and awaiting the swallow's return with slowly deepening agony, at the realization that the beautiful bird would never come back to them.
"Larkpaw? Thank StarClan, I've found you!" It was Brackenstar.
"Daddy." Larkpaw sat down again, her eyes downcast. The leader dropped down next to her, heaving a heavy sigh.
"You're my only child, Larkpaw," said her father, turning his handsome brown face to her.
"Yes. That's true." Muttered Larkpaw monotonously, not even blinking.
"Yes, well. I don't like to see my only daughter sad. Why don't you come back to camp, and we can talk there?" said her father softly.
Larkpaw looked up, her eyes cold and hard. "Do you really think it's that easy? I know you feel more than that, Daddy, so why don't I? Am I such a kit? I had a mentor, Daddy! I was an apprentice! Do you think these cruel ways of life are not so harsh on me as well?" spat Larkpaw, suddenly rising, her fur bristling.
Brackenstar looked taken-aback. He had no reply.
"No, I don't want to go back to camp! I never want to go back to that stupid camp! Go away!" Larkpaw screeched, unsheathing her claws menacingly. "I never want to see you again!" she finally shrieked, and whirled around.
"Larkpaw, wait!" cried Brackenstar in vain. "I've just lost Snowfoot, now I've lost you as well?" he howled into the trees. But Larkpaw was gone.