I feel dead inside… my cat died on Monday… I feel broken, shattered, helpless, and weak. I wish he could come back, but he can't… I guess I'm a little more connected with Rosepaw now. Review. I feel too sad to really beg you guys to like I usually do. Oh well, thanks for all the reviews I got this time anyways.
This Chapter is pretty long, and you get to see the point of view from a cat in WindClan, remember the she-cat who nearly killed Rosepaw, but Rosepaw was saved by Troutclaw? Yeah that cat.
Bubbletail: Thanks! I'm glad to see you like it, and I know, it is kind of depressing, depending on the chapter it sort of reflects my mood.
Zestia240: Yeah, poor Rosepaw, she goes through a lot of suffering. I don't think I know that song? Who plays it?
Silvermoon: I do like the name Rosedawn and cool name for yourself by the way.
Starbomb: Ah, well sometimes, Rosepaw has a strange way of showing her emotions… I guess that's the way she'll be doing it. Poor little kit.
Pengirl: Hey Pengirl! Rosepaw does become a warrior very soon if I have to say! It's hard to believe next chapter will be Chapter 20! And I posted Chapter 5 of your story (counting the prologue). Feel free to post Chapter 6 on Mistyflower's Story any time! I'll try and update sooner this time. Sorry, I've just been through a lot.
Galefire: Oh, I don't care how long it takes you to review. Just reviewing is a good thing Thank you for the compliments! It really makes me happy! You should update Path to Purity soon! I really like that story. And I hope this next chapter is good!
Chapter 19: No Glory
Rosepaw sat with her nose sank into her mother's fur. Her mother's long brown and white fur that would never blow in the breeze again. Rosepaw took in a shaky breath. How could she have let her mother die so mercilessly by the claws of Talonfox? And then Rosepaw herself had killed Morningfeather's slayer. But she felt nothing. No honor, no glory. Just failure. She had failed her mother after all. All just to save a kit.
Rosepaw looked over to where the cream kit sat, its wounds being treated carefully by Petalwind while Iceblossom spoke quietly with Oakstar inside of her den, her eyes flashing with worry and doubt.
Rosepaw couldn't raise herself from her mother's body. She felt useless.
"Come on Rosepaw." Rosepaw heard the soft voice of Shinepaw who nudged her sister gently. With a long sigh, Rosepaw got up. She looked down miserably at her mother's body. Morningfeather lay stretched out, her beautiful fur glossy and shining with the rising song. Her eyes were closed. Rosepaw heaved a sigh. She would never see her mother's eyes again.
Grayblaze looked as hollow as Rosepaw did, if not worse. His long fur was ragged and plastered around. His eyes were distant and clouded. Rosepaw felt a flash of sympathy course through her. It's my fault. I've made him this way.
She barely noticed when a sudden warmth flowed over her. She slightly tilted her head to see Stonepaw pressed p against her comfortingly. "It's okay Rosepaw," he whispered. Rosepaw didn't turn to face him. "It will all be alright."
"How can you say that?" Rosepaw shouted, whipping around fiercely, her sadness melting into anger at the world. Stonepaw's eyes flashed in surprise and grief.
"Rosepaw… I didn't mean-
"Didn't mean what?" Rosepaw spat, emphasis on every word. He would never know how she felt. To lose Brightpaw, Morningfeather, Leopardheart, Darkfoot, and even though she didn't know him well, Blacktail. Grief crashed down on her.
Stonepaw stood, speechless before her, his jaws parted as if he longed to speak, but wasn't sure what to say.
"That's what I thought." Rosepaw hissed, her fur fluffing out in anger. "Next time, think before you speak!" she snarled. With that, she whipped around, heading out for the forest.
"Rosepaw, wait!" Shinepaw's gentle voice reached Rosepaw's ears. Rosepaw hesitated for a moment.
"What?" she asked her voice with a twinge of anger on it.
"Let Iceblossom and Petalwind look at your wounds." Her sister called out carefully.
Rosepaw thought for a moment. She took an embarrassed glance at her bloodied fur that hung in clumps. She looked back and saw the dried blood on the grass by Morningfeather by Rosepaw's own body.
"Rosepaw," Shinepaw spoke softly. "You must have them inspect you at the least."
Rosepaw held her breath. "Fine." She grumbled, releasing all of her breath in a low voice.
Shinepaw trotted forward, Rosepaw could feel her tail on her flank. Rosepaw noticed Stonepaw gazing after her, still dumbfounded from the spot she left him as Shinepaw led her to the medicine cat den. Rosepaw sighed. Mouse-brained toms!
Rosepaw stepped inside of the medicine cat den where she was met by Petalwind. The white and brown she-cat looked concerned at her friend's condition. "Rosepaw, why didn't you come see my earlier?" she scolded.
Rosepaw meekly shrugged, feeling helpless inside. Petalwind's eyes gazed over Rosepaw and she shook her head. "You are not in good health." She meowed.
Way to state the obvious.
"Come along." Rosepaw left her sister's side and padded further inside of the medicine cat den. She saw Iceblossom looking at a small cream she-kit. For a moment, Rosepaw didn't know who that was. She parted her jaws to ask, but then a cold harshness of memory flood over her. It was the kit, whose life was spared for Morningfeather.
Rosepaw felt rage boil inside of her. She struggled to hold her anger inside of her. The kit was curled up in a tight ball, her small furry tail wrapped around her tiny pink nose.
"Do you think she will stay?" Petalwind asked her mentor.
Iceblossom looked up for a moment. "I am not sure yet. I will speak with Oakstar soon."
Petalwind nodded. "Of course." She flicked her tail over to a nest nearby. "Over there, Rosepaw." She meowed. Rosepaw nodded and trotted over to sit down on it. She breathed in slowly as Petalwind looked at her wounds. She cast a glance back over to the kit which now lay alone since Iceblossom had left to speak with Oakstar. The kit lay curled up, asleep, completely unaware of the loathing eyes that bore into her small body.
Rosepaw felt a sudden sting on her wounds and bit back a yowl. She turned to look at Petalwind finishing plastering a poultice on her large red wounds. The she-cat then turned around to scour through her supplies.
"Those were some wounds there Rosepaw." Petalwind murmured casually. Rosepaw's heart beat quickened. "Mind telling me how you got them?"
"A fight of course, you know that." Rosepaw answered bluntly.
Petalwind turned her gaze back to Rosepaw, her paws covered with cobwebs as she approached. "Any cat in particular?" Petalwind meowed, her voice sharpening ever so slightly.
Rosepaw shook her head quickly. "Nope."
"Rosepaw," Petalwind looked at her with disappointment as she wrapped the cobwebs on her wounds. "There is no use lying to your medicine cat."
Apprentice. Rosepaw thought angrily. She took in a deep breath. She didn't want another cat to know that she had killed Talonfox. It was against the warrior code, not to mention he was deputy. "It was Talonfox." She mumbled. "He killed Morningfeather. I don't know what happened. Some part of me just snapped I suppose. He had to die." Rosepaw gulped down the last words harshly.
Petalwind nodded. "Very well." She meowed. "I am not one to judge you Rosepaw." She added, flicking her tail with annoyance.
Rosepaw sighed. "I guess I should know better." She mewed. "But please, don't tell anyone, okay? I don't want to be known as the apprentice who killed the WindClan deputy."
Petalwind nodded slowly. "You've already earned quite a name for yourself throughout the Clans Rosepaw." She meowed lightly. Rosepaw's ears twitched. "But no, I won't tell anyone."
Rosepaw nodded. "Thank you Petalwind." She meowed quietly, looking down at her paws in embarrassment.
Suddenly, Rosepaw heard a cry from outside their den. Rosepaw peered out of the medicine cat den, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She held her breath when she saw Leafsparrow wrestling with a tabby WindClan warrior.
No! Not again!
Rushfall's POV
Rushfall froze. Every hair on her pelt tingled with nervousness as she stared up at her leader, Adderstar. The tom stood proudly as he announced to his Clan, his tail flicking with anger and chasing for revenge. Rushfall felt a wave of fear brush over her.
She used to respect this leader; after all, he had taken her in back when she was only a loner. At that moment, Rushfall felt very grateful, and very eager to please her new Clan, WindClan. She could see his eyes showed no mercy, even back then, and to please him, she had persuaded herself that she had to be equally merciless.
However, it wasn't who she was. Not at heart. She wasn't a cold-hearted killer like Adderstar. Somewhere beneath her dark pelt was something of kindness, care and pity. Or was there? Rushfall couldn't be too sure herself referring to what she had done.
Her black fur bristled as Adderstar spoke. Her eyes narrowed on the tortoiseshell. Her tail flicked uncertainly as his deep voice boomed against the hollow.
"WindClan!" he hissed. "As you may know by now, ThunderClan has stolen one of our kits!" he yowled. "Not, to mention, a mere apprentice killed our Clan's deputy!"
Rushfall's tail flicked. They only took the kit because they saw it in pain because of what you did to it. She snarled inside of her head, but remained quiet to the world. And Talonfox was killed by the apprentice that I nearly killed. She needed the ground in frustration. She looked around in surprise as infuriated meows rose from the gathered Clan.
"So, I have decided that, after I appoint the new deputy of the Clan, we shall attack ThunderClan! And get our kit back!"
Rushfall stiffened. No! She thought, her fur fluffed out.
"What are you scared Rushfall?" The ginger tabby tom named Blazepool snarled to her, bumping against her harshly.
Rushfall remained silent.
Blazepool snickered. "You've been a mouse-hearted coward ever since our first attack on ThunderClan! Did that apprentice rough you up too much?"
No, that elder did. Rushfall bit her lip. Saying that would earn her even more criticism than she received now. When the cheers died down from the Clan, Adderstar continued.
"Now, I appoint the new deputy to be Bloodwhisker." Adderstar meowed. Bloodwhisker looked up at him with a pride lit in his gaze. He had expected this. Murmurs of congratulations swept throughout the Clan, but Rushfall noticed that they were on edge, their muscles tense and their eyes shining in excitement for the battle to come.
"Now." Adderstar's gaze sharpened and the cats before him quieted immediately, out of fear and intimidation.
Rushfall's fur bristled. Please. Don't bring me along.
"Bloodwhisker will be leading a patrol of Burningheart, Streamfang, Sparrowthorn, Rushfall, Ravenblood, Lakefeather, Brownpaw, Leaffall, Littleclaw, and Deadwhisker."
Rushfall cursed under her breath when she heard her name called. Why would Adderstar even give her another chance to prove her cold-bloodedness? She would not kill another cat. Not after a particular one had spared her.
"You will head out now." Adderstar demanded deeply, his eyes hollow stones of cold as he flicked his tail pointedly out of camp.
Bloodwhisker nodded to the patrol of cats who had gathered, motioning with his tail for them to follow. The reddish tom took off, and Rushfall was hesitant to follow, though eventually she did so, falling into pace beside Littleclaw and Streamfang.
"I don't think this is a good idea." Littleclaw whispered to Rushfall. Littleclaw was a newer warrior of WindClan, and didn't share her family's eagerness for cold fur beneath their claws. Rushfall could relate to her.
The black she-cat shook her head. "No, it's not a good idea. About that kit? Let them have it! They'll treat it better than we would. Maybe in ThunderClan it will actually have a good life." Rushfall grumbled.
"But, Rushfall, what if it was your own kit? Don't you suppose you would be worried like Milkwhisker is now? Snowkit's disappearance took us all by surprise."
"If it were my own kit." Rushfall meowed, her voice lowering to a grumble. "Then I wouldn't let any flea-bag touch it. If I were to come to know that I was expecting kits, I would leave our Clan immediately." Rushfall growled, lashing her tail in fury at her own Clan. The Clan she used to respect.
"You better quiet down." Rushfall her a soft hiss in her ear. She turned to look at Streamfang loping beside her.
"And what would you know?" Rushfall snapped.
"You're being much too loud." Streamfang grumbled. "Some other cat might here you." He added. "And there is no doubt that you would be punished."
Rushfall sighed and nodded. "Very well." She meowed more quietly. "I'll just express my hatred for our Clan in my head."
"If you really hate WindClan so much," Streamfang meowed. "Why don't you just leave?"
Rushfall shook her head slowly. "I can't just leave." She meowed. "Where would I go? I can expect most Clans wouldn't give a mouse tail for a worn down WindClan warrior like me."
"Ah, but you are a young warrior." Littleclaw piped in. "Your scars are not so many, and your history not so deep."
"They would know of my heritage though." Rushfall meowed, feeling stuck. "I will end up staying in WindClan until the day I die, which, judging by Adderstar's actions won't be too long."
Littleclaw and Streamfang didn't comment to her saying. That must meant they agree with me. Rushfall thought. They must think that I will die soon. Perhaps by the claws of Adderstar if not in a close battle.
Rushfall had barely noticed as they neared the ThunderClan camp. So far they had gone completely undetected, hiding their scents well. Bloodwhisker crouched in front of patrol.
"Ready," he hissed. It wasn't a question. The WindClan warriors crouched low; awaiting Bloodwhisker's okay to go.
Don't harm any cat. Rushfall thought to herself. I'll just slice through their fur and race off to the next cat, it can't be too bad.
Bloodwhisker's tail twitched. The WindClan cats raced into the camp, Bloodwhisker giving a loud battle-cry as he launched himself at a nearby gray tom.
Rushfall drew in a sharp breath. Let it begin.
Rosepaw's POV
Rosepaw leapt to her paws. "A battle!" she cried.
Petalwind whipped around to face the dark cream she-cat. "No! Rosepaw, get down! You are not allowed to fight in this battle with wounds like those!"
"They've come for the kit." Rosepaw mumbled, ignoring Petalwind's commands. She swished her tail across the ground. "Morningfeather won't have died for nothing." She hissed. "She died for that kit's life, and I will not let it be taken by one of those mange-pelts!" Rosepaw's lip rose into a snarl.
"Rosepaw, no!" Petalwind cried.
Rosepaw tuned Petalwind out. She rushed outside of the medicine cat den, barreling into a silver tom. She lashed her claws out at him. He recoiled from her, but then plowed into her with his force.
Rosepaw leapt out of his way swiftly. She couldn't risk getting another injury; she would only have to play more offense. The tom continued to swipe at her, giving away hisses of frustration when Rosepaw dodged his well-aimed blows.
Movement caught Rosepaw's eyes. She noticed a light brown tabby she-cat slink away into the medicine cat den. No! Rosepaw thought, backing away from the tom. You can't take that one! Rosepaw pulled away from the tom's flailing claws and raced into the medicine cat den.
She found Petalwind standing defensively in front of the kit. "No!" the medicine cat snarled. "Get away; you can't harm a medicine cat!"
She she-cat smiled smugly. "Try me." She hissed.
Rosepaw ran forward, without thinking too much on it, she simply grasped the WindClan warrior's tail in her jaws and yanked. The she-cat gave a yowl of surprise and whipped around, her claws long against the ground, her eyes hungry for killing.
Rosepaw crouched down. She smashed into the warrior. The she-cat, stunned for only a moment. This still gave Rosepaw enough time to slide underneath her and take Petalwind's place in front of the kit. Rosepaw batted at the tabby wildly, her claws snagging against their fur.
"Get out!" Rosepaw yowled. She fiercely clawed at her, feeling her instincts for Morningfeather dwell over her. The she-cat shrieked in pain, fleeing from the den.
Rosepaw stood, unscathed, panting with effort for simply thwacking a WindClan warrior until they turned tail and ran.
"Rosepaw!" Petalwind cheered. "You won!"
Rosepaw just turned to face the kit which sat up in the nest now, crying out in fear. Yet, Rosepaw felt no connection to this kit. Even now, standing before it like a hero. But Rosepaw felt nothing. No wonder, no honor.
No glory.
All for now. Hopefully next chapter will be up soon. I stayed up pretty late writing this one. Hope you like it.
Mistyflower