Well, this took forever to write, lemme tell ya'. I really could not focus on this chapter for some reason, until very recently. I got a little stuck and this just doesn't seem to flow very well to me, but I hope it's at least passable. Thank you for all your fantastical reviews, they just make my days! Speaking of those, Review Answers!
Darkflight of DeathClan: *huge breath of relief* SOOOOOO happy you liked it! I loved loved love love love love love love your review, it's so endearingly crazy :) If you wish her name to be Darkfire, so it shall be! And dear, you are amazing and everything you called dearest Darkpaw. Don't you forget it! *hands Darkpaw plushie*
Galefire: Thank you a million times over my most beloved reviewer! xD I luvs you so much deary. And you noticed that too? They just make them seem like bad, cold hearted, soulless cats, huh? I didn't want my ShadowClan to be like that, nu uh, no wayy.
Sparrowclaw of ThunderClan: Aw shucks, luvs ya too!
Ashheart15: I'll try mother ;)
Random Falcon: You're review seems conflicting xD And I know they're a little young, but hey, the she-cat almost died. Shrewpaw would not cooperate unless I let him tell her he loved her. So, what can ya' do?
Silvertail of ShoreClan: Yesss! *fist pump*
Frostpool of lightningclan: Thank ee verry much :) And Darkpaw's name is under debate between me and her beloved creatorr, Darkflight of DeathClan, as seen abovee ^^^^^^
Viper3332: Aw, thank youuu! And my my, we really need to work on your impatience dear!
TearStainedAngel: (argh, my foot is asleep) Continuing, thank you! Completely undeserved, but completely appreciated :D And I said that? When? Me no remember. But I will! Could you send me the link though? Makes it all easier :)
Snowflower3618: when writing reviews, there are no mistakes! And I luvs it anywayy xD
The Endless Hourglass: Congrats! It's really thrilling when your each the double digits! Especially over twenty! That feeling is just like, wow! Thank you darllingg :)
Raintail of RiverClan: Have I ever told you that I love you? Because, I do xD
starbomb: Thank you sweetieee, you're too kind :)
Tangleflame: Aw, thank you ever so much :)
Icestar0921: I bow to your command :) The ending is epic on all proportions, I swear. So many of you are going to hate me though xD I feel so evil sometimes
Squirrelheart: She is preettyyyy awesome, isn't she? I love her too
Runningmist: I didn't mean to make him jerky! I tried to make him nice, by making him run from the battle an all. I can't believe I inspire you, just makes my day :) Thank you ever so much xD
kingszey: that sounds sooo relaxing right now. I'm tired of people xD
Tatyana: Do you know me at all? I would never just ditch a story in the middle. Ever :) And when I wrote that part, I mean Breezetail, who's in the medicine cat den for green cough. So, Shrewpaw is notttt a medicine cat haha xD
XxBlazestormXx: What is up with that? I donneven know. Cloudstar refused to tell me, so I had no choice but to write it and be satisfied *sigh*. I'm losing all sanity left in me, I swear.
Sierra of the Stars: You are indeed good at ranting xD Makes me love you even more, it does! And I like that, "baited breath". Going to use it soon...Anywhoo, you really wish you could write like me? Your stories are awesome, and would be even more epic if you would give them a chance to breath, stretch, and grow. You have to nurture them, make a few mistakes and learn, and just love them to death. That's my secret to writing anyway. *shh, don't tell anyone ;)*
Blue Watcher of Stars: Get that internet fixed! Internet is very useful, useful indeed. :) I hope this serves as a passable break from reality. You all deserve it *heart sign* xD
Nonameknight: *sigh* Solid point, my dear friend, solid point :) I love you, you know that?
Sara: haha, lmao! That most definitely cheered me up, because you're absolutely right!
Dapplenosethecoolcat: Thank you sweetie!
Cherrydawn5: NEW REVIEWER ALERT! *hands Rosepaw plushie* Thank you ever so much!
Mistyflower68: Thank you and thank you! I need to learn a new language to thank you all in...GRACIAS! :) Love youu!
Smexy times: Okay, didn't want to finish that name haha...and I honestly feel like I'm being trolled. I think you're all the same people because you all reviewed at the exact same time! So, on the presumption I am correct, thank you! Your compliments mean a lot, they do :) Keep reviewing, and under one name please!
Continuing!
Chapter 19
Dapplepaw
Thrum...thrum…thrum…thrum…thrum. The soft sounds of her paws hitting the marshy ground echoed in Dapplepaw's ears. The mice in her jaws swayed slightly at the movement and she kept her ears pricked, aware that WindClan was still hostile.
It had been only three days since the devastating battle. When Dapplepaw had checked in on her sister, Snowpaw had merely given a weak shake of the head, the dawn light illuminating her broken expression. Still asleep.
Unconsciously, the mottled apprentice heaved a hefty sigh, struggling not to drop her prey. Darkpaw…She would never get the image of her sister pinned under that tom's paws out of her mind. It would haunt her for life, never leaving and never fading. All the blood…she shut her eyes briefly, biting back tears. So much blood, so much life spilt for such a stupid reason. And Darkpaw, feisty and witty, clever and talented, bleeding her life out, slowly giving up. The light fading from those rare green eyes…
Again, Dapplepaw shoved the image away, not wanting to remember the day her sister had nearly been torn from her.
Finally coming in sight of camp, Dapplepaw skidded to a halt, walking into camp slowly. Glancing around, everything seemed so normal. Yellowtail had just been released from the medicine cat den and was speaking with Sparroweye by the prey pile. She gave the older cats a respectful nod as she dropped the prey off, immediately making for the medicine cat den.
As she was approaching it, Shrewpaw came stumbling out, blinking away tears. Dapplepaw halted in her tracks, watching as the tom trembled. Oh StarClan, please no, she prayed desperately, pushing past him and bolting through the fern-covered entrance, crying out for Snowpaw.
Dapplepaw stopped when she saw Snowpaw supporting Darkpaw, who was standing on shaky legs.
"Darkpaw!" she gasped excitedly, hurrying over to help. Her sister, though weak and wasted, purred at her, eyes gleaming once again.
"You sound so surprised," Darkpaw teased as she stepped from the nest carefully. "No way I'm losing to some WindClan scum."
Dapplepaw gave a laugh and Snowpaw seemed to still be in shock. Darkpaw shrugged them off the second she was out of her nest, padding on shaky paws to the little pool of water on the other side of the den. Dapplepaw and Snowpaw watched, awe-struck, as the small tabby gave a shake and looked up again, expression determined.
"So, what's been happening?" Darkpaw purred. Snowpaw launched into all the latest clan gossip as Dapplepaw found her thoughts wandering past the conversation.
In two days, they'd be meeting Thornpaw and Rosepaw at FourTrees to discuss the problem. Blackpaw and Runningpaw would be there…and Featherpaw.
It was obvious that Featherpaw had hurt Thornpaw; Dapplepaw had seen the fury and hurt, still raw in the vivid depths of his emerald eyes.
Shaking thoughts of the handsome black tom from her mind, she turned back to her sisters, reveling in Snowpaw's sweetness, Darkpaw's cheeriness, and the overall perfection of her family. Soon, Rosefoot and Sparroweye slipped through the medicine cat entrance, purring with pleasure to see Darkpaw well again.
Dapplepaw watched her family for a moment before slipping out into the clear night air. Heaving a deep breath, she sat down and tilted her head up to watch the stars. A noise at her right told her Sparroweye had come to sit beside her.
They sat for a long while in silence until her father cleared his throat and mewed, "It's a beautiful night." Dapplepaw nodded, breathing in the clear scents. The snow beneath her paws was white and brown, mud and snow mixed.
"Is Darkpaw going to be okay?" she finally asked, afraid. On the outside, her sister was tough. But on the inside, she wasn't sure if she could recover from the experience. To her surprise, Sparroweye let out a purr of amusement.
"I think the real question is whether or not Shrewpaw is going to recover," he mewed, tail flicking restlessly. Dapplepaw let out a light laugh, pressing herself against her father happily. Together, they watched the stars sparkle and shine, performing their brilliant dances across the inky sky.
"Father, we'll always be together, right?" Dapplepaw whispered. Sparroweye rested his head upon his daughter's gently, giving her ear a gently lick.
"Till the day the stars die," he promised and Dapplepaw gave a purr. Till the day the stars died.
"Darkpaw, I still think you should be resting!" Snowpaw hissed. Darkpaw merely tossed her head and Dapplepaw rolled her eyes. The two had been at it since they had left camp half an hour ago. It was quarter moon, time to meet their friends at Four Trees.
Dapplepaw led the way as the giant oak trees came into sight, checking for scents and sounds of pursuers. Satisfied everything was as it should be, she crept furtively into the open clearing.
Anticipation roiled in her stomach, not just at the fact that the WindClan apprentices would be there, but at the thought of seeing Thornpaw again. "Thornpaw?" she hissed, checking for fresh scents. Behind her, Snowpaw and Darkpaw looked around warily, trying to catch sight of the other apprentices.
"Here, Dapplepaw!" a very welcome voice called, hidden by bushes on the edge of the clearing, behind the Great Rock. Dapplepaw heaved a silent breath of relief, hurrying over to the spot, sisters close behind.
Behind the bush, all the apprentices, including Runningpaw and Blackpaw, sat waiting. Featherpaw looked apprehensive, Rosepaw emotionless, Thornpaw excited and the WindClan apprentices both deceptively calm. Behind her, Dapplepaw sensed Darkpaw stiffen at the sight of Runningpaw.
"We're here," Snowpaw stated cheerfully, ignoring the sarcastic mutters of Rosepaw at the obvious statement.
The mood lightened considerably at her cheeriness, and the apprentices all relaxed. Dapplepaw shot Featherpaw a dirty glare as she settled down beside Thornpaw, careful to keep her fur from brushing his.
"All right, what's first?" she asked brusquely. Featherpaw stood and launched into the story of her life. When she had finished, she went into a long description of his battle strategies and plans. Done at last, Dapplepaw realized the night was half gone. They all sat in complete silence until Blackpaw asked the question heavy on all their minds.
"What are we going to do?"
That is a very good question, Dapplepaw thought, reflecting on all that the tortoiseshell she-cat had shared.
Rosepaw, who had been deep in thought, raised her head at the question. "I'll tell you what we're going to do," she mewed quietly. All the young cats turned towards her. She met their gazes evenly, calmly. "We're going to train harder than ever, become warriors, tell our clans what we know, and fight until that fox-dung is dead. For good," she declared proudly.
The little clearing sat in complete silence, broken by Runningpaw this time. "Is that all?" he asked scornfully, voice irritating Dapplepaw extremely.
"How do you mean?" Thornpaw asked calmly, eyes flashing dangerously at the tom. The WindClan apprentice stood and stretched nonchalantly, ignoring his brother's warning signals.
"We were called out at moonrise, from our clans, for a forbidden meeting, to come to a conclusion we already had. Just seems a little pathetic, don't you think?" he replied. Darkpaw rose to her paws, fury flashing in her green gaze.
"Scared?" she challenged. The tom met her eyes without flinching.
"Not at all. You?" he meowed, voice carrying a hint of a threat. Darkpaw spat at him.
"Wasn't scared when we were outnumbered, one to ten, not scared now," she hissed accusingly. The WindClan tom dropped his gaze ashamedly, sitting. Rosepaw brushed her tail against Darkpaw's flank soothingly.
"Runningpaw was being realistic, Darkpaw. He's right, you know. We need a better solution," the ThunderClan apprentice murmured thoughtfully. Dapplepaw felt her respect for Rosepaw rising even more at the statement.
Finally, Featherpaw spoke. "I have a plan," she mewed hesitantly.
She began to speak. After she had finished, they all stared at her in shock. Dapplepaw was amazed at her courage. Thornpaw asked, "Are you sure, Featherpaw?" about a million times before he fell into a disgruntled silence.
After discussing the plan a bit more, they all agreed it was the best course of action.
Snowpaw stood and yawned, Darkpaw rising beside her. "Well, we should head back to our territories before some cat realizes were missing," she muttered, turning to exit. The cats all nodded agreement. Runningpaw and Blackpaw set off for the moors and Rosepaw exchanged a few words with Thornpaw before setting off alone.
Dapplepaw shot him a quizzical glance and he beckoned her with his tail. Featherpaw followed Rosepaw, casting the tom one last regretful glance.
Dapplepaw signaled her sisters continue without her. Darkpaw narrowed her eyes knowingly as she set off behind Snowpaw tiredly, her wounds exacting a toll on her strength.
"What happened?" Thornpaw asked, watching her leave. Dapplepaw sighed, settling back down.
"WindClan attacked few days ago. She was one of three on the patrol. Bad bite to the neck, slept for like two days. Scared the heck out of everyone," Dapplepaw replied, not wanting to think back to those days.
Thornpaw nodded before launching into a spiel he had obviously been working on. "Look, Dapplepaw, I have feelings for you. I don't know if you do or don't, but just let me talk for a moment, okay?" Dapplepaw nodded, waiting for him to continue. He took a deep breath before going on. "If you do, well, that's great I guess. Thing is, we're from separate clans, first of all. Then, there's Featherpaw and this Shadowfur business. And I don't have the time or energy to be thinking about my feelings right now. I have to care for Rosepaw, especially after…after Darkflight," he rambled.
Dapplepaw blinked, amazed at the flood of emotions surging in her chest. "Okay," she whispered, not quite covering the hurt in her voice. Thornpaw glanced at her painfully.
"Please, please understand Dapplepaw," he rasped desperately, pushing his head into her fur. Dapplepaw shook him off, standing and giving his ear a quick lick.
"I do understand, Thornpaw. And, you're right, we need to focus on what's important. I just wish things could be different, is all," she mewed gently, retreating slowly. Thornpaw, not fooled by her short speech, stood as well.
"Dapplepaw—"
"I have to go," she muttered, turning and stumbling out of the clearing, hoping he couldn't see the tears in her eyes.
Dapplepaw collapsed in her nest gratefully, ignoring Darkpaw's curious glance as she cried silently to herself.
She really, really liked that tom, more than was good for her. But he was right. On all points. They were from different clans and had more important things to think about.
Dapplepaw just wished it was different.
If wishes were fishes.
Angel dear, I really hope you liked this chapter! I tried really hard on it!
On a little sidenote, I found the perfect song to describe Rosepaw. "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)" by Kelly Clarkson. I'm obsessed with it at the moment.
Ravenwing POV coming next! Going to be good to revisit her. Aw gosh, tearing up just thinking about it. :')
Excuse me while I go reminisce and cry my eyes out. Toodaloo!
~Ciao, Monkey~