Cherrypaw dashed back as quick as she could, her heart beating, and all she could think is that it was her fault. So who was she gonna go to? The apprentice thought as she returned to the Clans.
Shadowstar! She'll understand!
Cherrypaw knew Shadowstar's Clan was a little far off, so once she got to ThunderClan, she knew she would have to go further. So...tired... She managed to think, searching for a lake, puddle, something with water.
Her trembling paws stopped once a splash of water got onto them. Cherrypaw immediately put her head down and started to gulp down the delicious beverage. She then put her head up, and started to run more.
Maybe this is it? She thought, starting to go down the hill. It was sort of a forest area... not like ThunderClan. She slowly crept into the Clan further, but then thought of Thunderstar again, and realized she had to find Shadowstar.
As she went on, she realized there wasn't much trees, but more puddles and such. "Hello? Shadowstar?" She called out.
No response.
"Hello?" She yelled, continuing on her journey. Soon, she caught sight of a small thing in the distance. Her eyes couldn't focus on it, until she got closer, but she was to far away, and it was walking.
"Hello!" She screamed, as if she were trying to get help if a bear had attacked her. The thing stopped. The apprentice ran more and more until she drew an outline of a cat. Yes! Cherrypaw thought.
"Are you Shadowstar?" Cherrypaw asked once she was up close to the cat. She noticed it was white and gray. Didn't' Thunderstar say something about Shadowstar being brown?
"No, uhm, who are you?"
"Cherrypaw of ThunderClan." She said with pride.
The apprentice noticed the cat's eyes widened once she said ThunderClan.
"Well, this is RiverClan territory, you have to get out, uhm, I am busy right now, why would Thunderstar even let you here...this isn't your territory..."
"Riverstar, was that you?" A quiet echo filled the two cats ears, but it seemed far away.
"Thunderstar is in trouble. I need your help, I was looking for Shadowstar, who are you...Riverstar?"
"Yes, uhm, Shadowstar is that way." She quickly flicked her tail. "You have to go now."
"But I need someone's help, I can't waste time, Thunderstar is-"
Riverstar quickly glared at the apprentice. From the corner of Cherrypaw's eye, she could see something.
That couldn't be Shadowstar...that was...Windstar.
She didn't know anything about Windstar, did she?
"Go in that bush over there, and don't make a peep." Riverstar ordered quietly.
"Will you help me?"
Riverstar nodded, still giving the ThunderClan cat an outraged expression.
The apprentice smiled and dashed into the bush. The leaves and prickles had annoyed her. They felt like tiny claws trying to dig into her pelt.
The apprentice glared once she saw Windstar.
"Why hello darling, what was the yelling about?" The brown leader said in a mysterious voice as always.
"What yelling?"
Darling...huh? That is what my parents called each other sometimes, until my father left... but that is what my mother always called us... The apprentice remembered. That means...they loved each other, right? Were they mates?
"I heard a faint hello, I don't think Thunderstar would try to say hello to me. Anyways, it sounded like a kitten voice...did you hear it?"
"No." The RiverClan leader lied.
"Hmm...strange. Anyways, why do you look so tense?" He had asked her with a hint of being caring in his voice.
"Tense? Me?" Riverstar asked, then smiled. "Nah."
"Okay dear." Windstar said, and chuckled for about two seconds before he asked, "Want to have a race? We have the whole day."
"Do you mind we do that tomorrow? I just ran out of prey and I want to have enough for when we hang out." Riverstar told him.
Hanging out with each other? Thunderstar and Shadowstar don't do that anymore...they have to be mates!
"Oh River,"
"Riverstar." She corrected him.
"Ah, yes. Riverstar, why can't we both go hunting?"
The white and gray she-cat sighed. "Because you don't know how to fish."
The brown leader smiled and licked the cat's furry cheek. "Darling, you can teach me!"
"It won't be done fast enough." She said.
"Do you not want me around?" Windstar asked, annoyance peaking through his strange voice.
"Of course I want you around!"
"Then why not let me learn how to fish?" He demanded. His yell was as if a million badgers had threatened to kill the cat's family.
Riverstar faked a cough.
The apprentice who was hiding smiled, her bright golden eyes gleaming through the dark green.
"Oh, you okay?" Windstar asked. He started to go closer to her until he saw yellow eyes in the bush.
Windstar charged for the bush with that vision.
"Windstar, no!" The white and gray she-cat yelled.
Cherrypaw screamed as Windstar's force tore most of the bush from the ground.
Windstar faced Riverstar. "What is this I see?" He said, then faced back to the apprentice, unsheathing his claws.
This is for Thunderstar, remember? Cherrypaw thought.
Afraid on the inside, but strength showing on the outside, she unsheathed her claws, looking up at the cat, who looked like his paws were about to crush her to pieces once they touched her.
"Run Cherrypaw!" Riverstar yelled.
Cherrypaw nodded and started to sprint over to ShadowClan with the command. She didn't dare to look back, because that would only slow her down, but she heard quick pawsteps behind her. They were just paws, easy steps, but to her, if they got to close, her heart would stop beating.
"She's just a young one looking for help!"
"You didn't tell me!" Windstar said, looking back at his mate, then started to go quicker.
"She just came over to me!"
Windstar was about to pounce onto the apprentice, when...
Crash!
The brown cat was on the earth floor, with cuts on his back legs. Riverstar panted, as the color red stained her paws.
The apprentice took one last glance, until she disappeared into the trees...