Chapter 5
Stormstar, Emberpaw, and Sharktooth walked around Fallenclan territory. Emberpaw slipped a little. Both cats turned to her, but Emberpaw caught herself on her own. She grunted and kept moving. "It's muddy here." She commented.
"Well, a giant wave did come through." Sharktooth pointed out.
Emberpaw grunted again. Sharktooth looked at Stormstar, who shrugged helplessly. 'She's just like this.' His expression said.
Then Stormstar saw a piece of fur sticking out from behind some rocks. He gave a small gasp. Emberpaw heard it and followed his gaze. She gave a gasp when she saw it and ran over to it. Stormstar ran after her and peered over the rock. It was Lavapaw alright. Or rather, his body.
Stormstar walked over and bent his head down sadly. Emberpaw stared ahead, her emotions netural. Stormstar supposed he couldn't blame her. She and Lavapaw hadn't exactly gotten along in life, but no one in their right mind would be happy a cat had died.
"We should get back to camp." Emberpaw said. "His siblings will want to morn."
Stormstar blinked at her new authority, and slowly nodded. "Of course." He picked up Lavapaw and they started back to the border.
Once they reached it Sharktooth, who'd been standing awkwardly to side the whole time, stepped forward. "I'm sorry about this."
"Not your fault." Stormstar said through Lavapaw's fur. Then he and Emberpaw crossed the border and Sharktooth turned around and headed back into his territory.
"Frogcroak, where are we going?" Bellpaw asked as she followed her mentor out of camp.
"We're going to hunt." He replied.
"Then . . . can I go alone?"
"What?" Frogcroak turned around. He looked a little hurt.
Bellpaw tried not to feel guilty. They barely knew each other, it wasn't like Bellpaw was denying time with friend, or family. She looked at the ground shyly. "It's just . . . I get nervous. I do a better job hunting on my own."
"Well. . ." Frogcroak looked like he was considering. Bellpaw waited patiently. "You've learned how to hunt?" Bellpaw nodded. "I suppose you can go on your own then, if you do better that way."
Bellpaw beamed. "Thanks Frogcroak! I won't let you down. I promise."
Frogcroak gave a smile himself. "I know you won't."
Yes, with a response like that Bellpaw had decpeted him well. She dashed off into the abandoned twoleg town. Once she was out of sight of Frogcroak she started towards the forest. She slowed down then, moving quietly through the trees. The forest was the most dangerous place to be, it was rogue groups liked to be. "52?" She called out softly. "52 it's me, Bellpaw."
A familiar voice spoke from behind her. "You came again. I didn't expect you too."
Bellpaw turned around. Despite his words, he didn't look or sound surprised. Bellpaw knew that didn't mean much though. The rogue group 52 was from had a leader, who was literally named Leader, that liked to take away any personality his followers had. That was why all the members of his group, except his daughter, had numbers for names and he took most of them when they were kits.
"I'll always come back." Bellpaw promised.
"I'm glad." He almost looked like he meant it.
Bellpaw smiled. "Now come on, I've got to hunt."
52 nodded. "Me too."
The two went further went deeper into the forest. Bellpaw didn't care, she wasn't as afraid with him. There was more prey in the forest, and they soon both had a little bit of prey.
Bellpaw looked at 52 as he sniffed for more prey. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She had a question for him, but she always got too scared to ask it. Oh come on! He hasn't hurt you yet, he won't be answering a question. "52, why don't you take me to leader?" He turned towards her. "I don't want you to. But I lied to you, and I thought you were supposed to take me to him."
"If I took you to him, you would change." He said flatly.
Well duh. Bellpaw thought. "And you don't want that?"
52 shook his head. "You . . . you can change your face, and voice."
"I show my emotions." Bellpaw offered.
"Emotions." 52 looked like he hadn't heard that word in a long time. He nodded. "Yes, you have emotions." A tiny smile crept to his face.
Bellpaw tried not to leap up and down and shout in excitement. He had changed from his monotone expression. The rogues could be helped. It's not their fault they're like this after all. It's Leader's fault. I've got to tell Springstar! Then she realized the problem. Springstar didn't know about her visits to 52, and she wouldn't be too happy about them.
Bellpaw gave some thought on what she should do. I'll have to change 52. Then I can bring him to Springstar, and with him to prove my point she'll be happy. Yes, that was a good plan. She's just have to wait a little longer.
