Oh, it is so very great to be back! My computer how I've missed you! *hug* Oh, my fingers have been itching to type a new chapter for weeks now and finally I get to. So, let's cut right down to it, okay? Thank you for everyone who has been reviewing and hopefully haven't lost interest in this story. ^-^ Oh, and please tell me if you want a sequel or not because if you want one then I really have to start arranging the story for one. Personally, I don't really want to write one because I think this idea tha I have would do much better on its own but hey. If you all want one, you'll get one! Here are the comments! Oh, and for whoever commented, you all get Featherpool plushies! *throws them*
Wolf Larka and Savvy: I'm sorry for killing her off! *cowers* I just needed to thicken the plot, per se. lol hope you still want to read!
Chibi Kitteh: OHMIGOD thank you so much! Everyone always says my stories are good but it always makes me feel amazing whenever someone new says it. Thank you so much, and here is an apology Featherpool plushie!
Spottedfire7: Thank you so much!
VitaniXKopa: I love Rowanstrike. He's one of my favorite characters to write and create. :D
Iceflower of thunderclan: Thanks! And I don't know why I killed Featherpool exactly…I guess the opportunity presented itself and I took it! LOL
Rainy1212: *pats you sympathetically* Yes, I seem to be making a lot of people cry lately. *hands you tissue* don't worry though; the depressing stuff is over for this chapter anyway! ^-^
Luckyfur: I know, I know. But don't worry this is not the last we'll see of Featherpool. ^-^ And yeah, but Crowstar is just a mean little butthead now. Lol
Silent Steps in Silver Snow: Well, at least my life is safe…for now. :D But, Crowstar did lose a life so GO FEATHERPOOL! *waves pompoms in the air while trying to type* woohoooo!
Butterfly that flies at dawn: Even though you just gave me a smiley, it means a lot that you reviewed. Thanks! ^-^ :)
Now, onto this long awaited chapter!
The early morning light streaming in cast its glow on the small form of Echopaw and woke the apprentice from her nightmares. She blinked her green eyes groggily and lifted her head. Squinting against the brightness, the creamy she-cat got slowly to her paws and stretched her aching bones.
It had been a few sunrises since the attack on WindClan and the wounds and grief from it were still fresh in the way the cats limped or the distant looks that crossed their features. The death of Featherpool played on a continuous cycle in Echopaw's dreams and the loss was still a raw cavern in her chest.
Pushing the now distant nightmare from her mind, she stumbled out of her nest and into the clearing where the Clan was beginning to awaken. Petalstream was already organizing patrols and Tanglewhisper was sharing fresh-kill with Sandfur. Fishleap was murmuring quietly with Ivypetal, occasionally brushing his tail across her stomach, while Hollyfrost was emerging from the warriors' den with Dustclaw. But none were the cat she was longing to see.
Padding towards her mentor who was talking with Sunwhisper, Echopaw asked, "Are we patrolling or training today?"
Forestfur looked up at her and purred. "Well aren't we eager to start the day?"
Echopaw shrugged. Ever since that night, she had thrown herself into her duties, more than ever wanting to be the cat the prophecy had predicted. After witnessing Featherpool causing Crowstar to lose a life (and also unintentionally the Medicine Cat's as well), Echopaw finally realized that no matter what she did she was the cat destined to finish off the ruthless leader. So finish him off she would.
"I just want to help the Clan and WindClan as well," she meowed, which was not untrue.
After RiverClan and ShadowClan had fled, Swallowstar had limped up to Petalstream and thanked her again and again for helping to save his Clanmates. "We would all surly be dead had you not come when you did," he'd murmured sorrowfully.
Petalstream had dipped her head and answered, "Whatever you need ThunderClan will help. You have our support and offerings if you ever need any."
The once proud leader swallowed and replied gratefully, "Thank you so much Petalstream. And thank Hawkstar as well for me."
Petalstream nodded and, gathering her Clanmates, led them all out of the gorge. Adderflight and Whitepelt carried Featherpool's limp body across their shoulders and every ThunderClan cat could only watch in horrified silence as their beloved Medicine Cat lay still and lifeless.
Echopaw shook her head of the memory and turned her attention back to the now. "So what's planned for today?"
Forestfur stood and stretched for a long moment. Her right ear was shredded from the battle and a wad of cobwebs covered her tail. "I was actually going to ask Petalstream if she put us on any of the patrols. Wait here while I check." The black she-cat walked quickly away towards the deputy, leaving her apprentice with Sunwhisper.
The golden warrior blinked her kind amber eyes warmly at the smaller cat. "ThunderClan is very lucky to have you," she mewed.
Echopaw shrugged modestly. "I'm just doing what any other apprentice would. Providing for my Clan and all that."
Sunwhisper regarded her with something Echopaw couldn't read. "Yes but not many apprentices have suffered all the pain you have known. You're a very strong cat Echopaw."
"Thanks" Echopaw mumbled, uncomfortable with the topic. She didn't like other cats talking about how brave or strong she was. Her heart tweaked sharply. If I'm so strong then why couldn't I have saved Pinepaw or Featherpool or even Lionflame? She thought remorsefully.
As if reading her mind, Sunwhisper mewed, "There was nothing you could have done Echopaw. It is Crowstar you should be blaming not yourself."
Echopaw hung her head. "I miss her so much," she whispered.
Sunwhisper nodded. "We all do. But we have to move on Echopaw. Continuously blaming yourself won't bring any of them back. You have to learn to let go of your guilt, young one."
"Easy for you to say," Echopaw growled. "You didn't get them killed."
Sunwhisper rose to her paws sent her a long look. "Neither did you." She flicked Echopaw's white ear with the tip of her golden tail. "Don't be so hard on yourself; life's too short for that. And remember, Featherpool's not far away. She's safe and healthy in StarClan watching over you with all the other cats."
Echopaw opened her mouth but the she-cat had already padded away. Echopaw sat down heavily on her haunches and stared at the sandy ground. Maybe Sunwhisper did have a point that there was nothing she could have done. But I still could have tried…
The brambles rustled and in came Dawnfeather, Furzebelly, Jaypath, and Rowanstrike, all carrying a few pieces of prey. Echopaw's ears perked and her eyes lit up when she caught sight of Rowanstrike's ginger coat. She sprang to her paws and raced towards him eagerly. Thankfully, the attack had only left him with a few scratches and a torn claw, nothing life-threatening. She didn't know what she would had done if this cat was also taken from her.
"Hey Rowanstrike!" she mewed happily, skidding to a clumsy halt beside him.
The tom nodded at her and his blue eyes were dark and serious. Echopaw narrowed her eyes and questioned, "What's wrong?"
Rowanstrike couldn't answer because of the prey but he motioned for her to follow him as he went to drop his catches at the fresh-kill pile. She walked alongside him and spotted Furzebelly dump his prey and rush quickly to Petalstream. The two conversed quietly and she saw the deputy's white fur start to rise.
"What's going on?" Echopaw asked after Rowanstrike had added the mice and squirrel to the pile.
"We were patrolling and hunting when Dawnfeather scented a fox. We followed its trail and it led deeper into the territory towards the lake but there was no den."
"Well then it's sure to move on if there's not den right?" she mewed, her tail twitching.
Rowanstrike shrugged his broad shoulders. "I don't know. I'm sure Petalstream will get Hawkstar to call a meeting though."
Echopaw winced at his words. Hawkstar wasn't in the clearing listening intently and calling a Clan meeting himself; no, Petalstream had to inform him about the fox and urge him to gather the Clan. After he had learned of Featherpool's death, the ThunderClan leader had taken it hard and kept to himself in his den, hardly bothering to come out and eat. She knew the pain her father felt, but yet she still felt a spark of irritation flare up inside her. If she, a mere ThunderClan apprentice, could cope then great StarClan so could he!
Just as Rowanstrike predicted, Petalstream disappeared into the leader's den and emerged a few moments later with Hawkstar slowly following. Echopaw's eyes widened at the sight of his thoroughly matted pelt and defeated expression. She hadn't spoken to him since Iceheart had come to the Clan and she had spat at him and insulted him. She knew she should try and mend their relationship but he didn't seem to even want to attempt to repair their connection.
Petalstream waited while Hawkstar painstakingly climbed up the Highledge and then jumped up nimbly after him. Deputies usually sat at the base of the rock but Echopaw knew that Hawkstar needed the support of the white she-cat's presence. Hawkstar halted at the top of the ledge and Petalstream settled down a tail length behind him.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey," Hawkstar called weakly, his voice a croak. "Gather beneath me to hear my words."
Cats appeared from the dens and joined the ones already in the clearing. Littlewhisker and Iceheart walked out of the Medicine Cat den and Echopaw noticed that even though the small tom's eyes were weary, he held his chin up proudly. The Elders joined the cluster of cats and Ivypetal settled down next to her mate.
"Come on, I want to hear this." Echopaw padded to the front of the group, easily squeezing between Adderflight and Hollyfrost.
"Watch it," the tortoiseshell tom hissed when she stepped on his tail.
"Sorry," she muttered, not really meaning it. When she took her spot between Stormstripe and Shineheart and all the cats grew quiet, Hawkstar began his announcement.
"Furzebelly has informed me and Petalstream that he and his patrol caught the scent of a fox." He waved his tail to the long-haired tom at the bottom of the ledge.
Furzebelly rose to his paws and cleared his throat. "We followed the trail but didn't come across a den or anything. It didn't seem like it would be leaving anytime soon because the scent just kept circling back around without much of a direction."
"So what do you plan on doing about it?" Mouseclaw called, casting a worried glance at his blind mate. "It's not going to reach the camp is it?"
"The thing is," Furzebelly continued, almost embarrassed, "we don't know if it was just one fox or more. The scents were all blended into the ground and it would be easy for two or more foxes to have their own smell mingled in with another's."
"So we don't know how many we're dealing with?" Adderflight demanded. "Is that what you're saying?"
"Surly we should drive it out of our territory before it causes a problem!" exclaimed Ivypetal, drawing her tail protectively around her growing belly. Echopaw nodded her agreement. They should run it off before it created itself to be more of a nuisance.
"Well, what's the plan then?" Tanglewhisper asked with a worried glint in his eyes.
Hawkstar was silent, staring at his paws with that familiar distant gaze and was obviously not listening to what his warriors were saying at all. Echopaw glanced nervously at her Clanmates and noticed that some were studying the leader with narrowed eyes. Oh please StarClan, don't let them realize how unfit he is to lead this Clan!
Thankfully, Petalstream stepped forth until she stood beside the brown tabby tom and meowed loudly, "There will be two patrols to search for the fox-or foxes. No cat is to go off alone in case they stumble across more than one and need help. Furzebelly, I want you to take Tanglewhisper, Echopaw, Adderflight, and Shineheart and head towards the lake." Furzebelly nodded in acknowledgement. "Dustclaw, you'll take Stormstripe, Tinyfeather, Windfur, and Sunwhisper. Head in the opposite direction of the lake and into the deeper part of the territory. I want as much of this forest patrolled as possible to find the fox. Go now, while the trail is still fresh."
The Clan dispersed as Petalstream led Hawkstar back to his den with her tail wrapped around his shoulders. Echopaw knew that the she-cat feared for his health, as did she. She met the deputy's blue gaze and saw her own apprehension mirrored back. Hopefully no one noticed Hawkstar's strange behavior and if they did they blamed it on a temporary grief.
"Echopaw!" She whipped her head around and saw Furzebelly calling to her from the bramble entrance. Adderflight, Tanglewhisper, and Shineheart were already gathered around him waiting for her. She was about to dash off to join them but a form of dark ginger fur stepped into her path.
"Promise me you'll be careful," Rowanstrike insisted, blue eyes fretful and anxious.
She let out a purr. "I'll be fine, Rowanstrike. I'm pretty much a warrior now anyway."
He hesitated for a moment. "Just be careful," he finally meowed. "I have a feeling there was more than one fox."
Echopaw rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine. Stop being such a worry mouse."
He sighed in exasperation and touched his nose to hers. "I'm sure you'll give me the full report of it when you get back, won't you?" he teased lightly.
"You bet your fresh-kill I will!" she purred before trotting away to where her patrol stood.
"Finally," Adderflight growled impatiently. "You can get all lovey-dovey with your will-be mate later. We actually have a fox to hunt in case you forgot."
"Well at least someone cares about my well-being," she retorted, glaring at him. "That's more than I can say for you."
"Enough," Shineheart snapped. "Let's just do this and then we can all come back and relax for the rest of the day."
Still scowling, Adderflight shoved his way through the brambles and Echopaw followed smugly behind. Furzebelly led the patrol through the ThunderClan territory and headed towards the direction of the lake. Immediately, she caught the harsh disgusting scent of fox and wrinkled her nose. "They smell so gross," she commented, stating the obvious.
Tanglewhisper nodded. "Thank StarClan they only come here every so often or else every ThunderClan cat would smell like this."
"Quiet," Furzebelly hissed, stopping suddenly. Echopaw almost ran into Adderflight's butt, they halted so soon. They all stood still with their ears perked for any sign of movement. Then, a rustling came from Tanglewhisper's left.
"There!" she whispered, and all heads snapped in the direction of the noise.
"Follow me and stick together," Furzebelly murmured quietly, treading softly towards where the scent drenched the bushes. Echopaw sneezed at it tickled her nose and the noise stopped. Exchanging a confused glance with Tanglewhisper, she prepared to spring when suddenly a tiny muzzle poked out from one of the bigger holly bushes a few tail lengths away.
Echopaw gasped as one tiny fox kit tumbled out of its hiding spot quickly followed by another, and then another. They looked not even a moon old, their eyes still innocent and their looks unguarded. The sun shone down on their rusty coats and small white muzzles.
"Great StarClan," she whispered. "Who knew foxes could be so cute?"
Adderflight threw her a disgusted glance before saying, "If there are kits here than the mother is sure to be nearby."
Oh. Right.
"What should we do with them?" Tanglewhisper questioned, staring at the kits with a dumbfounded expression. Echopaw had to hold back a mrrow of laughter. It's as if Tanglewhisper has never seen a kit of anything before!
Furzebelly seemed to be in deep thought and didn't answer.
"Well, it's obvious what we should do with them," Adderflight scoffed. "We need to kill them so that they don't grow up in our territory, make themselves at home, and then eat all our prey!"
"You would kill three innocent little kits?" Echopaw meowed shakily. How could Adderflight be so heartless?
"They're not kits, they're foxes."
"It doesn't matter!" she snapped, stepping protectively in front of the little ones in question. Their big eyes followed her movement curiously and one started making little huffing noises. She looked down at them and knew that Adderflight had a point. They would grow up to be potentially harmful to the Clan but that didn't mean they had to kill them!
"We aren't going to kill them, Adderflight," Furzebelly interjected calmly, still gazing at the three kits. "We will not take innocent lives for no reason."
"But there is reason!" the dark furred tom spat. "Who knows what these things might do if we let them live?"
"I do not take genuine lives of anything just because of the possibility that they might do something!" Furzebelly snarled sharply, glaring at the warrior. "If you want that then maybe you should go join RiverClan!"
Echopaw's ears went back in surprise and she saw Shineheart and Tanglewhisper looking equally as stunned. Furzebelly had always been on the quiet side and she had never before seen him angry. Adderflight's jaw gaped open like a fish but he quickly snapped in shut. With a grunt, he turned and padded away from the patrol, heading deeper into the trees.
After he disappeared from view, Furzebelly exhaled with a heavy sigh and turned back to the foxes. "Don't worry," he soothed the kits gently. "You'll be alright."
Even though she felt triumphant that the kits would live, Echopaw still had doubts about what would happen to them. Fortunately Shineheart voiced the concern they were all thinking. "So what do we do with them?"
"Well," the gray warrior replied, "It's kind of strange that the mother hasn't come to protect her kits yet."
"Maybe she died and they're on their own?" Tanglewhisper suggested, looking uncertainly at the kits.
Furzebelly nodded slowly. "That's always a possibility. But, even though I don't like the suggestion he made, I have to agree with Adderflight. We can't just let them wander round until they're full grown and made their dens. That would be chaos."
"So what then?" Echopaw demanded, exasperated that he just seemed to be repeating what Adderflight had said. "Do we take them back to camp and let Hawkstar figure it out?"
"I think that would be best," Shineheart mewed. "He'll know what to do."
Furzebelly looked doubtful and Echopaw realized that he knew (or at least had an idea) about Hawkstar's unfit mental state. Fortunately he didn't say anything, just finally nodded and grabbed a kit by its scruff. It squealed and thrashed but he held firmly onto it. He flicked his tail for them to carry the other two so Tanglewhisper and Shineheart both picked on up. The two were much less wild then their sibling and didn't protest as they were raised from the ground.
When they were ready, Echopaw led their patrol-minus Adderflight and plus three fox kits-back to the camp. As they walked slowly so as not to jar the kits too much, Echopaw took a good look around and was surprised to find them almost by the lake. She hadn't realized they had come so far.
Then, without warning, a sharp yowl sounded. Echopaw whipped her head around, trying to find where it came from. It sounded again, this time more weakly, and she suddenly recognized it.
"It's Adderflight!" she shouted and plunged into the foliage. She dashed across the ground and burst into a small clearing. Her heart jumped to her throat.
There, in the center, stood Adderflight. His fur was fluffed up to twice its size and he kept his back leg off the ground. She saw blood dripping from a gash in his neck and she froze when she saw what caused it.
Circling the tortoiseshell warrior with their backs arched and eyes gleeful were three foxes.
Dun dun DUN! Soooooo, what did ya think? I had fun writing this chapter and I am going to start the next one very, very soon. YAY! *does a dance* So, raise your hand if you hate Adderflight! LOL Nah, he's just a cranky little butthead is all. So please review, my loyal readers, and thank you all for sticking with this story. Don't worry, Echopaw's warrior ceremony will be coming up very shortly because I have finally (FINALLY!) decided on her name. ^-^ Thank you for everyone who voted on my poll and for those who sent in some name suggestions, you deserve many plushies. :D
Oh, and remember to say if you want a sequel or not!