News of the Day: Shatter has broken 50,000 words! Whoop whoop! :D
Chapter 37: The Amnesiac
Emberpad woke with a throbbing headache. He stood on shaky paws, feeling his back sting as if it was covered in nettles. He looked over his shoulder to see a sticky red liquid seep from a wound. "Great." He croaked.
He sighed, looking up at the sky. Some of the stars were hidden by the bars of the holder. He wondered which one was Scarletbreeze. He had overheard Colddusk telling Scarletbreeze one night about Starclan and how cats became stars when they died if they were good. One star seemed to shine the brightest down on Emberpad, and he found himself smiling. That's her. I can tell.
Suddenly, something shifted in the shadows behind a boulder. Emberpad pressed himself into the bars on the opposite side of the cage, and his claws clicked as they tapped the hard bottom of the cage. Suddenly, teal eyes appeared from the darkness. Emberpad frowned, parting his jaws to try to identify the scent, but he couldn't detect any.
He let out a soft hiss. "Who are you?"
"It's me" Shatterbreeze called out. She stepped into the moonlight. "I'm here to bust you out."
"What?! But if they catch you, you'll be mouse-meat!"
"I'm the leader's daughter. I'd like to see them try." She smirked. Emberpad's frown remained.
Shatterbreeze looked around. Seeing nothing, she cautiously walked to the door, silently opening the latch. Emberpad slipped out. "Now what?"
"Your mother wants to say goodbye."
"Goodbye? Why would she-"
Shatterbreeze put her tail on his muzzle, and he quieted. "She'll explain." Shatterbreeze whispered, and then headed toward the camp entrance. They climbed over the rocks, where a silver tabby with blue eyes waited in the bushes. Shatterbreeze waited a few fox-lengths away to give them privacy and time.
"Hey, Mama" Emberpad said, giving a small smile.
"Hey, honey…Look, I know this is confusing and all, but…Russet and I think you have to go away for a bit."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it's for your own safety. I think if you lay low for a bit, people will think you're dead anyway, and I don't want my only kit to be killed."
"Yes, I understand. It's for my own good."
"But maybe one day, we'll meet again. Oh, and here. Eat these" She placed a leaf bundle, snapping the vine that held it with her claw. Inside were three tear-drop-shaped seeds, which had a blue-ish tint. Emberpad frowned.
"What are these?"
"Just eat them. It'll help."
Giving his mother an odd look, he lapped them down. Silver then licked his back wound clean, getting rid of the dried, crusted blood. She gave a small sigh, nodding. "Ok. You're ready. Be brave, you hear me? Shatterbreeze will take you. I must get back to camp before they think something is up." His mother gave him one last lick, tears welling in her eyes, before dashing back over the rocks.
Emberpad let out a tiny 'goodbye', like a faint whisper in the wind. Shatterbreeze padded up to him. "Here. Roll in this patch of herbs." She flicked her tail toward a small patch of strong-smelling herbs. That's why I couldn't smell her earlier. He did so, and suddenly, she stiffened. Shouts could be heard from camp. A scream sounded out, and Emberpad yowled 'Mama!'. The shouts grew lower and shadows emerged over the top of the rocks.
Emberpad felt his scruff being yanked on as Shatterbreeze swiftly picked him up. She darted into the undergrowth. Emberpad flinched as she dodged trees and ferns and roots and rocks, feeling like he was going to crash into them. The shouts grew lower, and pawsteps could be heard behind them now. He heard Shatterbreeze's muffled curses and she turned, running straight toward a tree.
You mousebrain! I'm gunna get squished! Emberpad put his paws out in front of him, closing his eyes and bracing for impact. Shatterbreeze slammed into the tree, keeping Emberpad above her as she looked up. His body rested on her chest as she scrambled up the tree trunk like a squirrel. She hid in the upper branches, well camouflaged. She wrapped her body and tail around the tiny tom, making him blend into the shadows better. Emberpad watched from the gap in the black fur.
A patrol of Chill, Bracken, Cinder, and Ripple quietly stalked around, attempting to pick up the faintest scent. Cinder head-butted a cat forward, and Chill snarled in the trembling cat's face.
"Where is he?" Chill rumbled.
"I-I don't-…Ahh!"
Chill had attacked Silver, swiping his claws over her face. A small crimson stream trickled down from a gash in her head. She lowered her head, looking at her paws. Emberpad wanted to claw Chill for a change, see how he likes it, but he knew if he moved he'd either fall out of the tree or get caught, so he settled for silent seething.
Soon, the patrol moved on. After straining their ears for any noise, Shatterbreeze carefully helped Emberpad pick his way out of the tree. She carried him toward the Thunderpath, and Emberpad looked around curiously. Where was he? How did I get here?
Soon, a bright yellow she with blue eyes trotted across Thunderpath, along with a brown tom with bright green eyes. Who are they? Why am I here?
"Greetings, Honeyheart and Cloverleap." Shatterbreeze said to the newcomers. Cloverleap dipped his head. Honeyheart smiled sadly.
"It must have been hard for Silver." Wait, who's Silver? Emberpad was confused.
"Yes, it was, but she knew it was better than the alternative."
"Yes. I may not be able to have kits, but I know how much a mother can love her kit." Honeyheart sighed. "And I will love Emberpad as much as Silver did." Shatterbreeze nodded, and Honeyheart picked up Emberpad gently. The little tom gave a yawn, his white fangs gleaming in the moonlight. Cloverleap thanked Shatterbreeze, and Shatterbreeze gave a tired blink for a response. The Bloodclan apprentice and the loners then parted, becoming swallowed by the shadows. Shatterbreeze turned back, watching Emberpad being whisked away into his new life. She gave a soft exhale. "I'm gunna miss that furball. Goodbye, Emberpad." She then slipped away, back into the thin forest where Bloodclan called home.
She quickly caught three mice, washing off the scent of the herbs, and headed back to camp. The patrol had come back, reporting to Darkshard.
Shatterbreeze set the mice down, listening to the conversation. "It's just a kit. It'll starve or get killed by a fox or something. It won't last long." Shatterbreeze concluded as she tucked into one of the rodents. The patrol nodded, agreeing before slipping to their dens for the night. Silver shot a sneaky glance toward Shatterbreeze, who gave a subtle flick of her tail as she ate her mouse. Silver seemed to relax a bit, knowing her kit was now safe and in good paws, and went to her nest in the Elite den.
Shatterbreeze grabbed the other two mice and headed toward Lunaclaw's den. Kestrelbreeze still lay in one of the nests, her flank rising and falling. Lynxbreeze sat by her, watching Kestrelbreeze. Shatterbreeze dropped the mouse by her, and Lynxbreeze jumped, then calmed herself. "Thanks."
"How is she?" Shatterbreeze asked after Lynxbreeze finished off her prey.
"Any day now." The brown she replied. As if on cue, Kestrelbreeze's eyes fluttered open. Lynxbreeze's expression became one of pure joy.
"Kestrelbreeze! You're alive! Oh, I was-"
"Kestrelbreeze? Who's that?" The fluffy brown-spotted apprentice seemed genuinely flabbergasted. Her hazel eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
And Lynxbreeze's face fell.
Remember when I said I'd do a one-shot or spin-off or behind-the-scenes starring Emberpad? This is where it would begin. Should I do it? Let me know!
Shatterbreeze: Told you I'd save the day! Kind of...
Kestrelbreeze: What? Who are you? *looks at me* Who are you?!
Me: Um...Review?
Kestrelbreeze: *Looks at reviewers* Who are they?
Emberpad: *appears* Where am I? *looks at Kestrelbreeze* Who are you?
Kestrelbreeze: Who are-
Everyone: Shuddup!
Me: *sigh* Starclan, help me. -.-
