Hello, hello! Starr here, obviously. Just to let you know I put up a new story Intertwining Leaves if any of you wanna take a look at it. (: So, onto the comments and then the story. (Sorry if this chapter is not as good as others…I'm having a bit of a block. :\)
Wolfheart911: YESH! YOU ARE RIGHT! :D *throws Pinepaw plushie*
Hi10000000: how did you know XD and is it ok if I just put "Hi" so that I don't have to write all those 0s? :P *throws Pinepaw plushie*
Mistyflower68: Why thank you. I like your newest chapter with *ahem* Aspenkit and Bramblekit. Heehee…
And to Silent Steps in Silver Snow: Thank you for reviewing pretty much every chapter and thanks for the name suggestion! I really like that one. (: Update your story too or I'll send Crowstar after you! ^-^
ENJOY!
Echopaw's POV
The ThunderClan camp was more silent than Echopaw had ever known it to be. Having just barely won the surprise attack and coping with a now dead apprentice, the cats that slumped in the clearing were licking their wounds and trying to figure out what had just happened. The creamy apprentice could feel the pitying stares from her Clanmates as they continually glanced at her and the broken tom that quivered next to her.
Echopaw had never seen her father so empty. His amber eyes were glazed and stared at nothing, still not being able to believe that his only son was gone. She pressed her pelt against his in a vain attempt to comfort him while trying to withstand the pain of loss as well.
Hawkstar let out a soft groan and squeezed his eyes shut. "Why?" he rasped. "Why did this happen?" Echopaw could not find a response to this so she just pressed closer against her father.
Visions of those last moments continually flashed across her eyes. Pinepaw's glassy blue eyes, the RiverClan warrior's smug look, the way she had just lost control and ripped his throat to shreds…Echopaw shuddered in horror. What did I do? She thought. Deep down, she knew the answer. He had killed her brother, he had deserved it. But to her, it still felt wrong.
She looked down at her brother now, noticing the peaceful expression that covered his face. She had closed his eyes, unable to look into those vacant orbs. She began to lick the matted fur around his neck. It's okay, Pinepaw. I'm here, don't worry.
A few moments passed and Echopaw rested her chin on her brother's fur, closing her eyes and wishing she could redo the whole night. Suddenly, rapid pawsteps thrummed the ground and her green eyes snapped open. ThunderClan warriors streamed out from their nests to see what was going on.
"RiverClan!" some cat shrieked, Echopaw couldn't see who.
Again? Oh great StarClan they couldn't possibly survive another battle, not at this time!
A white pelt flashed through the entrance and the cat with the RiverClan scent halted, gasping for breath, and stared wide-eyed at the hissing and spitting cats that stood before her. Echopaw felt a jolt of surprise as she recognized the cat as Iceheart, the RiverClan Medicine Cat. The last time they had seen each other was before Hawkstar had rescued her from RiverClan camp when she was a kit.
Adderflight stepped forward, growling. "What do you want, RiverClan scum?"
Iceheart glared at him with thinly veiled disgust. "I need to speak with your leader."
Echopaw glanced at Hawkstar but he showed no sign of moving, or even hearing for that matter.
Adderflight hissed. "Why should we trust you?"
Petalstream came up next to him. "Adderflight!" she meowed reproachfully. "Do you honestly think Crowstar would send his Medicine Cat to attack us after we beat him?" Her sharp blues eyes glared at the tortoiseshell tom that backed down. She turned to Iceheart. "What business do you have with ThunderClan?" Even with multiple tuffs of fur missing and a bandaged wound on her tail, she looked tall and threatening. Echopaw had to admire that.
Iceheart's eyes flashed to the deputy and she dipped her head. "Petalstream, I need to speak with Hawkstar, it is urgent."
Just as Petalstream was about to open her mouth, a fluffy gray cloud rushed forward, stopping just in front of the white she-cat. "Iceheart?" Featherpool questioned, completely astonished. "What in StarClan's name are you doing here?"
Adderflight rolled his blue eyes. "For the last time, she wants to speak with Hawkstar."
Featherpool glanced back over her shoulder and met Echopaw's steady gaze. Every cat knew Hawkstar was in no shape or position to talk at the moment. The dark gray she-cat turned back to her friend. "This…isn't exactly the best time for him."
"You don't understand this is…" Iceheart's voice trailed off as she caught sight of Echopaw and Hawkstar along with Pinepaw's dead body. Her ears went back and she ducked her head, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I did not know. But I do need to talk with someone. If not him then you, Petalstream. We do not have much time."
Petalstream's eyes narrowed and she heaved a weary sigh. "Very well, we will talk in Hawkstar's den for more privacy." She flicked her tail at Featherpool. "You should come with us as well."
Iceheart cleared her throat and scuffled her paws against the ground. "Actually, I think Echopaw should be there too."
Echopaw's eyes widened. Her? At the meeting? Why would Iceheart need her there as well? Petalstream and all the other ThunderClan cats looked equally as confused. It was Featherpool that voiced the question, though.
"Why?"
"Because, well, um…."
Dustclaw came forth. "She's just an apprentice, barely six moons old. What purpose would she have at a meeting?" Many cats nodded their agreement.
"But if Iceheart needs her there than it's her business." This came from Tinypaw who, though looking wary, stood by her friend protectively.
Sandfur cocked his head. "Shouldn't she be left to grieve first?"
"Please!" Iceheart burst out, unable to hold her tongue. "There is no time to discuss this, just please trust me."
Petalstream looked at Echopaw. "Are you able to join us?" Echopaw could only nod, still bewildered at this turn of events. What was going on with Iceheart that she needed to talk to an apprentice she barely knew?
"Very well," the deputy stated, padding towards the leader's den and flicking her tail for the others to follow. "Nobody disturb us."
Echopaw slowly rose to her paws, muscles aching and joints cracking from sitting in one position for too long. She looked down nervously at her father, suddenly wondering if he was all right to be left alone. She felt two pelts brush hers on either side and realized Tinypaw and Rowanpaw had come up.
"It's okay, you go," Tinypaw mewed, blue eyes showing her sadness. "We'll stay with him while you're gone."
"Thank you," she whispered before walking away to where the three cats were waiting. She leapt um the rocks and slid through the entrance. The light was dim; barely showing the three cats huddled in the small space. Echopaw padded forward quietly, eyes flickering anxiously back and forth.
Petalstream didn't waste any time. Focusing on Iceheart she asked, "So, what can we do for you?"
"Well," Iceheart began. "RiverClan had gotten back from the battle and Crowstar asked for me to accompany him to the Moonpool."
Echopaw narrowed her eyes. I highly doubt it was to share tongues with our warrior ancestors he claims to still obey.
"So, when we got there, he…" Iceheart paused, eyes slightly unfocused. "I don't know what came over him but he started talking about Silverfrost, his dead mate," she added when Echopaw opened her mouth. The apprentice nodded and she continued. "And he started saying how StarClan had destroyed his life and that he never wanted to be leader but he had to make them pay and how he was going to turn all the Clans against each other and divide them so the Code along with StarClan was completely killed off." She took a deep breath and a disturbed silence spread throughout the small enclosure.
Echopaw was the first to speak. "I-I always knew he was terrible but surly StarClan wouldn't have allowed him to become leader if they had known his intentions," she murmured, more to herself than to the others. Her doubts were pressing down on her. Somehow, she could actually see Crowstar plotting this, tactfully. He was fastidious and obviously had no sense of justice or what was right or wrong.
Iceheart glanced at her. "I don't think any of us could have predicted this," she replied flatly.
Featherpool's green eyes gave away the horror she was feeling, no matter how collected her voice was. "Well, what are we supposed to do about this?"
"Well, I-"
"What I would like to know," Petalstream announced, smoothly cutting off Iceheart. "Is why you are telling just ThunderClan about this? If Crowstar is planning on…mutilating the Clans and the Warrior Code, than wouldn't the other Clans need to know this information as well?"
Iceheart was already shaking her narrow head. "I knew I would not be able to get through to them to make them see reason."
"Then why are we so different?" Featherpool questioned, tilting her head slightly.
A heavy sigh escaped the RiverClan cat and Echopaw started to see just how exhausted she was. Her eyes traveled along her pelt to where the huge, long scar made its mark. Even though Echopaw had seen it before, the gruesome pink flesh caused her stomach to flip and she had to look away. She knew why Iceheart had come to them and especially why she had specifically asked for Echopaw.
"She knew we would believe her because we are one of the few who have seen what Crowstar is capable of," Echopaw explained hurriedly. She looked at her friend. "Right?"
Iceheart merely nodded.
Petalstream's eyes shifted from one to the other and then she turned to Featherpool. "What do you think we should do? Hawkstar is in no shape to know about this, not yet."
"I don't know what we should do exactly but I don't think we should tell the rest of the Clan. It would frighten them and then ThunderClan would be chaos. The attack was enough of a surprise for one night," Featherpool answered grimly.
Petalstream nodded. "Okay," she meowed, directing her words to Iceheart. "ThunderClan thanks you for your bravery in coming to speak with us. However, I think it would be best if you spent the rest of your time with ThunderClan, until we know that you are safe. You can't possibly go back to RiverClan if Crowstar knows you've run away."
Iceheart dipped her head. "Thank you, Petalstream."
"You may find a nest in the apprentices' den," She continued apologetically. "There just isn't any more room in the warriors' den until we expand it." Echopaw was grateful that she didn't also add that since Pinepaw was gone there was an extra nest open. The pushed away grief threatened to overcome her again but she didn't let it. She couldn't let it win, not while she was in the meeting.
Iceheart nodded and Petalstream rose to her paws. "I must go check on the Clan and send out hunting patrols," she meowed, finalizing their little meeting. Echopaw stepped out of the way as Petalstream brushed past her and out into the clearing.
Featherpool also got up. "Echopaw, I need to look at that wound on your face. You can't let it be untreated for too long or else you risk infection." Echopaw had completely forgotten about the three claw marks the dead RiverClan cat had made. The pain had gone away and she realized it was numb. She nodded meekly and padded out of the den, tail trailing in the dust. Featherpool followed and soon after that, Iceheart.
As she made her way past Pinepaw's body, she halted and pressed her muzzle gently into his fur. Rowanpaw and Tinypaw (who were lying on either side of Hawkstar) were staring at her, obviously anxiously waiting for her to tell them what happened during the meeting, but they were knew it was not the time for it. Rowanpaw blinked his blue eyes sorrowfully at her and Echopaw could see that he, too, was hurting for the loss of his friend.
Echopaw continued onwards towards the Medicine Cat den, brushing through the ferns and entering the enclosed space that reeked of tangy herbs. Featherpool turned to her and without a word started to lick to wound clean. The stinging rasp of her tongue made Echopaw flinch but she stayed where she was.
After that was done, Featherpool picked up some type of leaves and began to chew them into a pulp. All the while, she was avoiding Echopaw's gaze and finally the creamy she-cat couldn't take it anymore.
"Are you afraid, Featherpool?" she asked, hissing as her friend lathered the mixture onto her wound, making it burn.
Featherpool stayed silent for a long moment. "I don't believe it is fear that I am feeling right now," she murmured quietly, giving the wound a good sniff.
Echopaw drew back a bit, giving her a searching look. "What are you feeling then if you're not afraid?"
Featherpool sighed and wearily settled back on her haunches. "I am shocked, I suppose, and worried about the future of the Clans. But no, I am not afraid."
"Why not, though?" Echopaw persisted, curiosity taking hold of her even though she had far bigger things to worry about.
The dark gray she-cat looked levelly at her. "Because," she answered. "StarClan sent us hope."
Echopaw felt a flicker of confusion and slight dread. "In what form?" she mewed in a hushed voice. She thought she knew the answer and Featherpool just confirmed her suspicions.
"You."
Echoes of a whisper will flow across the stream of darkness and save the Clans from perish.
The dream with Snowstar and Thornstrike came rushing back to her. She had firmly put it out of her mind for a while, successfully ignoring the warning, but now it was like it had never been gone. She could recall perfectly how dark Snowstar's amber eyes had been as she told Echopaw the prophecy involving her. But how am I supposed to save the Clans? She wondered now, noticing how Featherpool was looking at her intently to see how she would take the news.
After a moment Featherpool muttered, "Well, you certainly seem less surprised than I thought you would."
Echopaw shrugged and dropped her gaze to her paws. "I already knew. Snowstar-the leader before my father-came to me in a dream a while ago and told me the prophecy."
"Really?" she couldn't be sure but she could've sworn Featherpool looked impressed. "StarClan usually just sends their prophecies to the leader or Medicine Cat, not an apprentice. But then again, you are no ordinary apprentice, are you?"
But I want to be! She yowled inside. I don't want the pressure of the Clans' fate on my shoulders, I want to be normal! Normal. What did that really mean anyway? Ever since she was a kit she had wanted to be leader, had even sworn to kill Crowstar after the severe pain he had caused her and the cats she cared for.
Her heart dropped.
That was her destiny. Not to become leader and nurture her Clan but to defeat the leader of another. Feeling sick, Echopaw leapt to her paws and stalked out of the den, feeling Featherpool's gaze burning her pelt. She stormed past Iceheart and Petalstream who were huddled by the warrior's den and only halted when she got to Pinepaw. She stared down at her brother, and suddenly, it hit her like a huge wave.
Her brother was gone.
Her vision blurred and with a broken cry she raced away, through the brambles, and into the forest. With each paw step the words echoed in her head:
I never had a choice.
Poor Echopaw…Now, stop feeling sorry for yourself and kill the evil dude! Seriously…..Lol XD well, this was kind of a filler chapter because I had to involve Iceheart. BUT, lucky for you next chapter will be much more exciting! …I hope.
And hey, I know a lot of people read this story because I've looked at the traffic for it so why don't you review? I am thankful for those who do, but it makes me feel kinda bad. Is my writing not good enough to be getting your opinions? D: Seriously.
And please vote on my poll. I am going to change the options from 10 to, like, 5 because I realized I do not like some of the names. XD so…please vote! But if you don't, don't complain if I decide on a name you don't like. You had the chance. ^-^