A New Era
Hiiiiiii everybodyyyyy! I'm high on sugar here! I think I ate too much cotton candy! Ohh! Ahh! Ka-pow! Wa-cha!
Sorry 'bout that! Anyway, I finally got Long Shadows! (Apparently there aren't enough copies to go around…) YES!!! FINALLY!!! LONG SHADOWS IS NOW IN MY HANDS!!!! Woot! WHOO-HOO!! I'm reading it right now! I find it so awkward! A lot of the ideas that I had, Erin Hunter copied! Ok… It was a coincidence! I was so surprised that in Long Shadows Erin Hunter made Leafpool tell Jayfeather to bring someone with him to collect herbs too! I was so surprised that I burst out laughing in the middle of a random period at school. It was so awkward after that! Weird… yet funny! It was fun! Yet my whole class stared at me like I was some lunatic. I was so happy that I kept a low profile at school!
Anyways, this is chappie 14! Enjoy! Just a reminder: This continues off after Hazeltail agrees to join Runningnose. M'kay? Good.
Oh, and don't forget to review! The more reviews I get, the more motivation, and the faster I will update! So review! Or else Scourge possesses the beloved Squirrelflight! Mwahahahahaha! (cough cough) I mean… Please review. (smiles) The reviews are greatly appreciated. :D
~Crystal Cavern
Chapter 14: Travel
Hazeltail followed Runningnose. They had been traveling north for a while, but still they continued. Hazeltail glanced up. The sky was darkening and clouds were forming. It was going to rain soon.
Finally Hazeltail broke the sullen silence. "Where are we going, Runningnose?"
"I honestly don't know." He looked back at Hazeltail. "Wherever it is, it will be far away…. across the borders." Runningnose continued to walk.
Hazeltail sighed. "Where are we right now?"
Runningnose hesitated and looked around. "We're near the Greenleaf Twolegplace."
"Where's that?" asked Hazeltail, who had absolutely no idea of her own whereabouts. She knew they were still in ShadowClan; the land reeked of their odor, but that was all. She patiently waited for Runningnose's reply.
Runningnose padded on a bit further. Hazeltail was getting a bit annoyed because her question was not answered but she didn't want to dishonor Runningnose, so she clamped her mouth shut. Normally, she would have said a rude remark, but this time she didn't.
As they rounded a bush, Hazeltail saw a big clearing. The grass was a bright green. A single ray of sunlight escaped the clouds and shone in front of them, kind of like a path. Hazeltail looked around in awe while Runningnose sat down.
"This is the Greenleaf Twolegplace, isn't it, Runningnose?" Hazeltail asked. Runningnose nodded.
Hazeltail took a step forward. "Wouldn't it be beautiful in greenleaf? I mean, this clearing would be filled with all sorts of flowers, right? Wouldn't there be a lot of prey here too?"
Runningnose snorted. "Pretty, yes, but it doesn't help the clan much. Right now, it is newleaf, but in greenleaf, many twolegs come here and scare away all the prey. Sometimes the twolegs venture further into our territory. We have to be alert when we come here."
Hazeltail didn't know what to say. She didn't want to sound like she pitied ShadowClan. It's not like ShadowClan was weak.
Runningnose got up. "Come on." He said, and padded across the clearing.
Hazeltail bounded after him. "Where are we going?"
"For the last time, I don't know! Keep your mouth shut, Lionblaze. You ask too many questions. Sometimes," Runningnose added, "the answers you hear will shock you. Some things are better off known by few."
The small grey and white she-cat bit back a sour reply. Fine. I guess you could be right… Then a thought hit her.
Hazeltail didn't want to make Runningnose mad, but she had to ask one more question. This one was important. "Runningnose, I'm sorry! I just have to ask one more question." She hesitated for a bit, half expecting Runningnose to deny her request. Quickly she added, "Are we leaving the clans for good?" As much as Hazeltail felt betrayed, there was still that sliver of hope that linked her to her clan. "I mean, what about the gathering? Isn't it tomorrow?"
Runningnose answered without looking back. "Yes, the gathering is tomorrow."
"No! Not that question! The other one! Are we leaving the clans for good or not? Are we becoming rogues… or loners?"
"That's two questions, Lionblaze," Runningnose said. "Which one do you want answered the most?"
Hazeltail made up her mind pretty easily. "The first one."
"Then the answer would be 'no'."
Hazeltail almost leaped for joy. "That's great!"
Runningnose muttered something under his breath. Then he spoke louder. His voice was emotionless. "So it is."
A while later, it stared to rain. Droplets of rain splattered on everything. It made their coats plaster onto their skin. A soft breeze passed by and Hazeltail suddenly felt cold.
"Brrr…" she said. "Hey Runningnose, we should find a place to rest. We're going to get ill if we stay out in this weather."
"I agree," Runningnose replied. "But I think we should keep on going until we exit ShadowClan territory."
"Why?"
"I know you're not mousebrained, Lionblaze. Why do you think?" Runningnose said, not unkindly.
Hazeltail's temper finally broke. "Don't answer my question with another question!" It felt good to say it out loud, but she knew Runningnose wasn't going to keep his cool much longer. She felt like a nuisance.
"Then maybe you shouldn't ask so many questions!" Runningnose replied. "Why do you think?! If you were smart, then you would use your head! The Lionblaze I heard about was smart, cunning, and strong! What has gotten into you?"
"What if I'm not smart?! What if I just want to know?!" Hazeltail shook her head, wishing desperately that she would have taken that back. "I mean, what if I want to know what you think?"
"Then I wouldn't care! Are all ThunderClan warriors like this?!" Runningnose spat.
"No! And don't insult my clan!" Hazeltail had to force herself to remember that she shouldn't be looking for a fight. Every hair on her pelt bristled, but she forced it to lie flat.
"Fine." Runningnose said, and walked on, increasing his pace. Hazeltail quickly caught up.
Hazeltail felt bad about what she said before. She hesitated, but then she gathered every ounce of courage and took a breath… and let it out again… Her pride just wouldn't let her say it. She couldn't say she was sorry.
It was his fault anyway, she thought.
Then "Lionblaze" noticed that the landscape had changed from a clearing to some dense woodland. She looked around. This is just like ThunderClan! She thought.
Runningnose gaped his mouth to check the scents. Hazeltail noticed and quickly did the some. Mouse… Rabbit… fox! Wait… The fox scent is stale. It probably was only passing by.
"Do you smell that fox?" Hazeltail asked. "Do you think it will come back?"
"No. I don't… but while Littlecloud was gone," Gone? Hazeltail thought, Gone where? "a fox was spotted heading in this direction by a border patrol. It's very likely that its den is in ShadowClan territory. It probably comes here or RiverClan to hunt." Runningnose checked the scent again. "But it's stale… It hasn't been here for a while."
That's what I think too. Hey. On the bright side, Runningnose isn't entirely helpless, Hazeltail thought.
Hazeltail glanced up again. It was moonhigh and the moon was peeking out from behind the rain clouds. Hazeltail sighed. "I'll look for a place to stay tonight."
Runningnose snorted. "This place is fine. Hazeltail looked towards Runningnose. He was standing beside a tall bush. The base had just enough room for two cats. Hazeltail looked at it with disgust.
"Don't you think we should find some proper housing? It looks muddy and –"
"Muddy?! Show some courage! At least it's sheltered from the rain!" Runningnose narrowed his eyes. "Admit it, will you? We're both tired and we want to rest! This place will do for now."
Hazeltail was determined to be brave. After all, if Runningnose got any more suspicious, then he would suspect that she wasn't Lionblaze. As much as she wanted to tell him the truth, she couldn't. If he knew, then he would get mad at her, and in the worst possible situation, he could leave her, and she would be alone again. That reason alone was enough to make her clamp her mouth shut and behave, like a good little apprentice.
Hazeltail sighed and gave in. At least the fox isn't here. She crawled under the bush. Runningnose was right behind her. Hazeltail settled down and tried to go to sleep.
But then… She heard a noise. A growl-like noise. Only when Runningnose made a comment on it did she realize what it was.
"I see you're hungry." Runningnose said. "But I myself –" He was cut off by another stomach growl, this time from his own body.
"And when was the last time you ate?" Hazeltail teased. "You're not one of those fat pampered kittypets who needs diets!"
Runningnose's eyes sparkled. "No, I'm not." He let out a purr of amusement.
What Hazeltail said next surprised even her. If she had a choice, she wouldn't have said it, but it seemed like the right time, and her mouth seemed to form words by itself. "Runningnose, I-I'm sorry about earlier."
Runningnose gave her a questioning look. "About what? That was my fault. I've realized that we need to work together to survive out here." He chuckled. "And I need you more than you need me."
"Th-that's not true!" Hazeltail objected. I need a friend… more than you know.
"Of course it is." Then Runningnose put on a more serious expression, and his voice changed. "Now, listen to me, Hazeltail. Tomorrow, you are to go to the gathering without me."
Just when Hazeltail was going to object, Runningnose silenced her by slapping his tail in her mouth. This tastes like mud… Hazeltail made a face. Ewww…
"Don't argue with me. Tomorrow, something important will happen at the gathering. Stay hidden, but attend it. At all costs, do not let yourself be seen. Now, get some sleep. Not a peep from you until dawn. Oh, and don't try to sneak off."
Sneak off? Don't you trust me? I had no such thought in mind!
Hazeltail couldn't object, and soon, Runningnose feel into a deep sleep. Hazeltail, on the other hand, couldn't. It was partly because she had a lot on her mind and partly because Runningnose's runny nose made a bubbling sound when he breathed.
She flattened her ears on her head. The sound was so annoying. Oh, how she wished she could shut him up with a good kick! It was so tempting! But I can't, she thought. It would be the end of the world if I did.
Then Hazeltail heard a rustle. She tasted the air. Fox!