So, today, I realized that Mouseclaw is Willowpaw's uncle. Ughhhhhhhh nooooo please just ignore it. I created Mouseclaw and then gave Ferncloud and Dustpelt over to him to be his arbitrary parents, and then I was making a family tree and I realized that Ferncloud and Dustpelt are also Icecloud's parents and ahhhhhghh. Okay, rant over.
Enjoy climax-like chapter! It didn't come out quite like I wanted it to, but it's getting harder to write in the magic and the characters than I anticipated...
I don't own Warriors!
Chapter 18: The End of the World
Willowpaw really did have excellent timing when it came to catastrophe.
"Perfect catch!" praised Mouseclaw, and Willowpaw looked up with a mouse in her jaws, surprised to see him sitting among the bushes.
"I thought you were supposed to hide and stuff during my assessment," said Willowpaw. "Does this mean I've finished? How did I do?"
"How do you think you did?" asked Mouseclaw, approaching her. Willowpaw looked up at him to find him smiling, and she couldn't help but smile when he did. His smile made her feel like the ice inside her was capable of melting.
"I would rather like my mentor to tell me," she said coyly.
"You only get better at hunting every time we go out," said Mouseclaw. "I bet you'll start catching the hearts of the entire Clan before long."
"I don't find myself wanting the entire Clan," said Willowpaw.
"No?" purred Mouseclaw.
"I'm hunting for what I want already!" said Willowpaw, and with a giggle, she pounced, taking him by surprise and slamming him back into the ground. "Well? Did I catch you?"
Mouseclaw laughed and looked up at her for several long moments.
"I'm so glad you're done running from me," he said. "Even if things are sad, I know that I can have you and be happy."
That was how Willowpaw felt, too. Because things were sad. Things were unfortunate, whether that was because of Willowpaw's inevitable destructive tendencies or just that life wasn't always warm fresh-kill and sharing tongues. She smiled and touched her nose with his.
"I know you'll run after me," she said happily. "You'll always be there, right, Mouseclaw?"
That was the precise moment that everything fell apart, and the world began to turn and shake. Mouseclaw and Willowpaw sprung up, and without looking back, they were sprinting. It was time, and Willowpaw felt her heart pounding from an all new type of nervousness. She was not being asked to use her ice powers, and that was refreshing. It felt like the world wasn't falling down on her quite as much.
They ran together, Mouseclaw hardly a pawstep behind Willowpaw, leaping over the logs and weeds and crashing into trees.
Willowpaw! Littlepaw called to her desperately.
We're on our way! She screamed the words out loud and mentally, just as they came rolling into camp. Littlepaw saw her from across the clearing, and there was the slightest smile on his face, and then Willowpaw staggered into Mouseclaw as she fell and felt the pressure of Littlepaw merging with her.
She got used to the feeling after a few seconds, and Littlepaw was there, too, guiding her, reading her thoughts as though they were his own. Willowpaw sucked in a big breath, knowing exactly what he wanted from her. Carefully, moving in a distant daydream that Littlepaw puppet-mastered, Willowpaw visualized.
Skypaw, it's a little scary… Then she was in, and she could feel both Skypaw and Littlepaw there in the back of her mind. Skypaw squirmed visibly, her fur on end, and Willowpaw could feel the air within her rising up and down. But her thoughts weren't spinning in circles, so Willowpaw was relieved. She tried her best to focus on seeing from her own eyes, like Littlepaw was doing, but she was kind of confused – what was Willowpaw and what was Skypaw?
Now Mountainpaw, urged Littlepaw. Willowpaw – or perhaps Skypaw, she wasn't entirely sure – stared at Mountainpaw, meeting his blue eyes.
Don't worry, Mountainpaw, said Littlepaw, and then she was in, too. Skypaw's portion of their shared consciousness panicked as she was joined by Mountainpaw, but the calm emanating from Mountainpaw soothed Willowpaw. For a second she was staring at her body through Mountainpaw's eyes, but it was Littlepaw staring back at her in Willowpaw's body.
Littlepaw, from within her, commanded her to in turn command Mountainpaw, and as the earth shook and turned around her, she could feel it under her paws like ice, coming to her command. Mountainpaw led them through plant and rock, and Willowpaw traveled with him, reading his fear, his anger. He wanted this over with. She wanted this over with, too. She felt through Mountainpaw a hatred of the shadows, a connection with their roots. Then Littlepaw commanded her to command Skypaw, and Skypaw's thoughts were shared between them as she reached out into a dreamland.
Then they were together, still, but Willowpaw felt herself – good old Willowpaw, tumbling through space and landing in a huge dark cavern.
"This is the Place of No Stars," said Mountainpaw. Willowpaw glanced around, seeing that her littermates had all taken real forms as well. Mountainpaw's jaw hardened as he scented the air, and Willowpaw could taste what he tasted as well. Far, far away from here, there were still cats. She caught a flicker of a memory as Mountainpaw recalled a pool and Ivypool leaping in front of him and Tigerstar rising from the darkness – she shivered alongside the rest of her siblings. They were still sharing thoughts, but it wasn't so muddled anymore.
"We'll have to put a stop to all of this," said Birdpaw. She glanced at Mountainpaw. "You lead on. Tell me what to burn."
Willowpaw shivered at the nonchalant tone of Birdpaw's voice, and all of them felt it. Birdpaw wasn't fazed by destruction like Willowpaw was. She caught for-once-sympathetic looks from her siblings as her own memory took the forefront, flashes of ice and dying cries.
"Sorry, Willowpaw," said Birdpaw softly. "I didn't mean to – "
"Let's just end this," said Willowpaw. "Mountainpaw, where to?"
Skypaw and Mountainpaw were facing opposite directions, both with their eyes closed. They seemed intently focused on something.
"I can sense a disruptance here," said Skypaw softly.
"This way," said Mountainpaw. He glanced at Skypaw, and both of them shared a thought that Willowpaw found herself resonating with. "You feel the channel, too?"
"You feel it because you're still connected to the rocks down below," said Skypaw. "I feel it because I feel something in this realm leaving to reach the world of the living."
"Shadows," said Littlepaw in a heavy voice. No memories or thoughts surfaced in their minds; Littlepaw was strangely silent. "Lead on."
Willowpaw followed Mountainpaw and Skypaw. Birdpaw walked beside her, while Littlepaw took the rear. They walked through silent trees that loomed over their heads and cast dark shadows on the ground before them. She felt that there was someone watching her half the time, and half the time she felt as if they were utterly isolated in this huge space. Underneath the trees they crept, on and on between oddly luminescent moss and shadowy spaces that opened up between the trees and threatened to swallow them whole. She felt smaller than she'd ever felt before.
"Don't worry," said Birdpaw, pressing into her pelt. "I have a feeling that this place isn't as scary as it looks."
"That's because your powers involve light," muttered Willowpaw. Birdpaw cracked a smile at this, but she didn't say anything. Skypaw glanced over her shoulder.
"We should hurry," she said. "I don't know how time works here, but I want to end this before the Clan gets hurt."
"We're fine," said Littlepaw. Birdpaw flicked an ear uncomfortably, and Willowpaw knew that somehow, Littlepaw was absolutely right. They picked up their pace anyways.
After a while spent walking in silence, the fur on Skypaw's spine began to pick up, and Willowpaw began to feel the anticipation from Mountainpaw and Skypaw in her own head. Then they stopped suddenly, crouching low behind the bushes. Willowpaw listened, partly through her own ears and partly through Mountainpaw's keener ones, to the voices ahead.
There were three voices, and if Willowpaw squinted, she could make out three cats. Littlepaw crouched beside him, and a wandering through from him identified them as Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, and Mapleshade. She swallowed hard.
"The kits are here," Mapleshade said in a hissing voice. "There's no telling how long it will be until they arrive."
"We'll have to protect the burrow," said Hawkfrost. Willowpaw squinted, but Skypaw had already focused her eyes in on the slight source of a breeze that let in a sliver of light behind Mapleshade.
"I'll descend," said Mapleshade with a smirk. "I trust you two can handle things up here?"
"Without problem," snarled Tigerstar. Mapleshade turned and vanished into the tear in the fabric of the world, and Willowpaw shivered.
What were they going to do? They couldn't defeat these cats. They were powerful beyond comparing, and even though Willowpaw knew she and her siblings had dangerous powers, could they defeat cats that were already dead?
Littlepaw drew back from the bushes, and Willowpaw followed when he beckoned her.
"I have no doubt that the source of all of this is in that burrow thing they're talking about," he said. "Skypaw can carry Mountainpaw down, and they'll end this. You'll have to go down if things get bad."
"Can Skypaw and Mountainpaw get rid of the shadows?" asked Willowpaw.
"I should think so," said Littlepaw, his whiskers twitching. "You, Birdpaw, and I have to distract these two."
Willowpaw swallowed but nodded. Littlepaw smiled. He pulled them aside one by one as Willowpaw returned, but he had only gotten to Birdpaw by the time Tigerstar's eyes narrowed.
"Don't you smell something moving?" he said.
"Smoke," said Hawkfrost. A shudder ran through both cats' pelts.
"Now," said Littlepaw. "We have no choice."
He led the way, crashing through the final layer of bushes. Willowpaw followed suit, finding that her littermates were right behind her. At once, the pair of Dark Forest cats bristled.
"Look who decided to show up," said Hawkfrost with a sneer. "What do you plan to do, kits?"
"Stop you," said Mountainpaw. Tigerstar laughed lightly.
"Stop us?" said Tigerstar. He laughed, digging his long claws into the earth as he sunk into a crouch. "You have no power here. This is our terrain."
"I would not be so sure of that," said Littlepaw. "Mountainpaw, Skypaw, go!"
Nodding, the two took off, but Hawkfrost leaped to stop their path. Mountainpaw hissed, guarding Skypaw as he launched at the tabby tom. Hawkfrost batted Mountainpaw away and stood before the rift. Mountainpaw cried out as he fell, and Skypaw rushed to his side. Hawkfrost laughed, and Tigerstar took another step towards Willowpaw, licking his lips.
"You're nothing but a mouse in my way," said Tigerstar. Willowpaw stepped back as she smelled his scent of death and blood, and she gasped in fear. Was he going to kill her the same way she had killed all those others?
"Wait!" cried Birdpaw, and Willowpaw felt a strange power coming towards her. The medicine cat apprentice took a few steps forward. "I'm not a part of this. I'm on your side."
"Birdpaw!" cried Willowpaw as that truth hit her in the face. How could Birdpaw have done any of this?
"What?" cried Skypaw, whirling around. Her blue eyes narrowed. "You can't be…"
"I am," said Birdpaw stubbornly. Tigerstar sized her up. "I brought you what you wanted. Now let Skypaw and Mountainpaw go, like we agreed."
"Right," said Hawkfrost suddenly, and Willowpaw saw a glassy film flash over his eyes as Birdpaw's words took hold. "Our agreement."
"What agreement?" spat Mountainpaw.
"Isn't it obvious?" said Littlepaw in a weary voice. "You two go free if Willowpaw and I stay."
"That's right," said Birdpaw, flashing her brother a furious glance. She took a step back, pushing Willowpaw back with her tail. Willowpaw hissed, and Birdpaw turned to face her head-on. "I've always hated you, Willowpaw, the same way you've hated me."
Willowpaw stared into Birdpaw's green eyes and heard the words rolling off her tongue. It was as if she could see them wobbling through the air towards her ears. Birdpaw's eyes were oh-so-green…
Willowpaw gasped as the trick settled into her mind. It was a trick! Birdpaw was lying, even though her lies sounded so true…
"Fine," said Littlepaw. "You want me? Come and get me."
His amber-turquoise eyes were locked with Hawkfrost's, and slowly, as if in a trance, Hawkfrost moved forward.
"Go, Skypaw!" cried Willowpaw, hurtling forward. Her sister's eye were wide, and then the two took off in a dead-sprint, spinning towards the rip in the earth. She saw Skypaw grab Mountainpaw's scruff, and then they vanished.
"What?" Tigerstar jerked from a dream, shaking his head, and he glared at the trio. "There was no such agreement. This medicine cat has tricked us!"
But as Hawkfrost jerked around, Birdpaw was waiting for him, fire growing around her paws.
"Don't hurt my littermates," she growled, and fire slashed through the air as she leaped and sunk her claws into Hawkfrost's pelt.
"Willowpaw, after them," said Littlepaw, dropping into a crouch across from Tigerstar.
"I can't cross realms!" cried Willowpaw.
"Skypaw just brought you across realms while she was in your head," snarled Littlepaw, his ears flattened aggressively. "Go! They can't destroy the shadows without you!"
Willowpaw gasped at the prospect. Using ice, watching as her powers rolled out in an arc, like the remnants of a sonic crash, as she killed and left no one behind. Just ice. It would happen, just like they had all predicted. Just like the dreams.
Then Littlepaw pounced, and Tigerstar met him, but Littlepaw lashed out with a web of water that dropped onto Tigerstar and made the larger tom cry out in his confinement. A second, and the water was snapped.
"Birdpaw and I can't hold them off forever!" bellowed Littlepaw. "When I'm defeated, our connection will shatter, and Skypaw will be left alone!" Willowpaw stared at them, at Birdpaw with fire around her paws and Littlepaw rushing through the open spaces, his eyes wide with a rush of battle and fear alike.
Nodding, Willowpaw rushed to the crack in the world and stared down at it. She closed her eyes furiously and focused. Just a little while ago, Skypaw had brought them here. How? She had focused. She had visualized them in the other realm. That was easy enough.
Willowpaw focused hard on the shaking bond that was still between her, Mountainpaw, and Skypaw. If only she could fight beside them…if only…
She opened her eyes when she felt her body removing itself, and the sounds of fire and water in sync vanished. There was a heavy shaking, and Willowpaw gasped, realizing where she stood.
It was entirely dark, and she could feel inky tendrils of darkness, clawlike and savage, reach for her.
"Skypaw!" she cried out. "Mountainpaw!"
"Another one," hissed the voice of Mapleshade. She couldn't see anything, so Willowpaw turned frantically in an attempt to locate her siblings.
"Willowpaw!" Then a pelt pressed into her side, and jaws snapped in front of her. It was Skypaw beside her, and she could pick up Mountainpaw's scent as he fought before her.
"Willowpaw, you have to use your ice," said Skypaw. "My air isn't doing anything."
"What?" squeaked Willowpaw. She remembered the ice flowing from her paws, of nothing remaining. "But what if I hit you?"
"You won't hit us," said Mountainpaw, and he pressed into her other side. She felt suddenly so warm, as if the ice in her heart had been aided and urged to melt by their mere presence. "We're beside you, and we're littermates. I trust you."
"I trust you, too," said Skypaw. It was Skypaw's voice that mattered most of all.
"Will it work?" said Willowpaw. She gasped out as something snaked down and scuffed her back, and she fell, but a his and a closing of jaws came from Mountainpaw, and Skypaw helped her up.
"My earth can't do it, either," said Mountainpaw in defeat. "It isn't destructive enough."
"Please, Willowpaw," said Skypaw. "We can't hold them off forever."
They couldn't hold these cats off forever, and nor could Littlepaw and Birdpaw, fighting for their lives up above. Sucking in a breath, Willowpaw closed her eyes once more. This time, it was not to copy Littlepaw's power, nor to remember and copy Skypaw's power. It was her own talent. Her own power. Her own…
She exhaled, and as she did, she visualized a circle of ice, light lilac in color, spreading out from her paws in a circle as soon as it cleared Skypaw and Mountainpaw. If she focused and visualized hard enough, she could still protect Skypaw and Mountainpaw.
There was a cracking and a screaming, and Willowpaw winced as the noises of solidifying ice met her ears. Skypaw shivered beside her, but she was still warm, and Mountainpaw was as well.
"What?" screeched Mapleshade, and Willowpaw could hear her diving onto the ice to avoid getting hit. She felt a whisper before her muzzle and recoiling.
"Yes, keep going," said Mountainpaw. "I can feel it…"
Because of their tentative connection, Willowpaw could feel it too – a solidifying force, something that froze these shadows in their place. It was destructive magic at its highest degree, and Willowpaw nearly laughed out loud. Here she was, creating ice in sheets and sheets, and no one thought anything of it.
"Can you freeze the break in the world, too?" said Skypaw.
"Will we be able to get out?" said Mountainpaw. "I thought if the rift was closed you couldn't leave."
"I'll get out," said Skypaw. "And I'll make Littlepaw evacuate. If he evacuates, we'll all be shot out of the dream. Because I technically brought you here, so you have to travel with me." She said all of this in a proud voice.
"Brilliant, Skypaw!" said Mountainpaw. "Go!"
There was another shiver in the air around them, and Skypaw vanished. There was no longer a pelt attached to hers.
"M-Mountainpaw?" Willowpaw whispered. Was she alone in the darkness with the fragments of these shadows? She shivered. "Mountainpaw!" Tears rushed to her eyes, and she let out a single sob.
"I'm here, I'm here," whispered Mountainpaw. "I just…you're cold. Sorry. I'm here. Don't worry. I wouldn't leave you alone."
Willowpaw nearly sobbed harder at this, but then her brother's tail wrapped around her, and she took a deep breath and let out another wave of ice. This one felt bright blue, lovely and hard and impregnable by Mapleshade's ability to control the "burrow."
"Is this working?" She said as her ice flooded everything. Mountainpaw was shivering beside her.
"I th-th-think so," stammered Mountinpaw. "It's cold."
"We'll be out of here soon, right?" squeaked Willowpaw.
"Yes, of c-c-course," said Mountainpaw. He pressed closer to her, and his pelt was the only warm thing she knew. "Willowpaw, I th-th-think it's work-king." He licked her ear, and Willowpaw managed up a nervous purr. "You could have done it."
"We all did it," she whispered. "Littlepaw by putting the bond on us, you by finding the power, Skypaw by transporting us, Birdpaw by telling that story and getting Hawkfrost to come closer to her, and…" She shivered.
"And you repaired this world," said Mountainpaw. "Stop thinking so destructively."
She blinked. How could he tell what she was thinking?
"There's no way that crack to the Dark Forest is supposed to be there," said Mountainpaw. "You didn't destroy, you repaired. The shadows were causing all of this by getting through to a crack in our world. But you repaired that crack, too."
"So you mean…?"
"I don't think we have to worry about earthquakes again," said Mountainpaw.
So they stood there in the frozen mini-realm, shivering side-by-side in the pitch darkness. Around them, shadows waited, temporarily immobilized by her icy curse. Willowpaw had never felt prouder of her ice powers.
Then she was standing in ThunderClan's now-still camp, staring through Mountainpaw's eyes. The connected flickered to an end in an instant, and Willowpaw gasped out as exhaustion rocked her body. She had somehow made it to Jayfeather's den. Willowpaw sat up, her head spinning.
"Stay with me!" Jayfeather was yelling. Willowpaw turned to the blind medicine cat.
She laid eyes on Mouseclaw and screamed.
Birdpaw and Littlepaw came skidding into the den.
"No!" cried Birdpaw, and she rushed up beside her mentor. Littlepaw hurried beside Willowpaw, but Willowpaw was already moving forward, hurrying to Mouseclaw's side.
He was all-too-still from where Leafpool helped to prop him up. Jayfeather was wrapping Mouseclaw's chest in some bandage while Birdpaw and Leafpool held him up, but it wasn't working. It was clear. Mouseclaw's head bobbed in Birdpaw's paws. Willowpaw cried out. Jayfeather whirled, his blind eyes settling on Willowpaw.
"Get out," he said. "I can't save him with you screaming."
"Will he be okay?" whisper-yelled Willowpaw.
"He will be if you stop your caterwauling and let me work!" cried Jayfeather. Birdpaw's green eyes flashed with pain, and Willowpaw caught the look. Willowpaw read the lie. She didn't want to leave, but then Littlepaw was nudging him out of the den and into the clearing.
"Mouseclaw!" she cried again, but Littlepaw shoved her to a sitting position. Mountainpaw and Skypaw were hurrying across the clearing, Doveheart in tow.
"What's happening?" said Mountainpaw. "Mouseclaw?"
"Well, you all…you all collapsed," said Doveheart. "Some rocks fell. Mouseclaw threw you out of the way, Willowpaw, but he got caught. We pulled him out, but…" She swallowed. "Something landed on his chest."
"Jayfeather can heal him, right?" said Skypaw, her eyes wide. Willowpaw collapsed, shivering. She felt wide awake, every bone on edge, every sense tingling. Mouseclaw. Mouseclaw had to be okay.
Mountainpaw wrapped himself around Willowpaw, who was now sitting staring at the ground.
"It's going to be okay," he whispered to her. Willowpaw leaned into her broad-shouldered older brother and tried to keep her tears at bay. Everything felt like it was falling apart, like she was stuck in the end of the world and she had nothing to do with it.
But it's my fault anyways. Willowpaw's sobs came quick and thick, as if she was choking on a piece of fresh-kill. She could imagine Mouseclaw yelling for help when she and the rest of her siblings toppled without a word, and him standing guard over her, dragging her body to the best of his ability down to the center of camp with help from Doveheart or Icecloud. She could imagine someone screaming for Mouseclaw to look up, his eyes going wide as he saw the rocks falling, and him throwing Willowpaw out of the way seconds before the rocks flattened him. Now Jayfeather was tugging reeds around his chest and no one could answer her questions seriously. No one thought he would live.
"It's my fault," said Willowpaw, shuddering into Mountainpaw. Skypaw came to sit on her other side, and Littlepaw moved before them, so that the quartet of siblings huddled together away from the camp.
"Willowpaw, you saved the entire Clan," said Skypaw carefully.
"I don't care," wailed Willowpaw. "I don't…it shouldn't be Mouseclaw in there. It should be me!"
"Willowpaw, don't talk like that," said Mountainpaw. "There's nothing you can do. It will…it will work out."
"You would die for him?" said Littlepaw, his amber-turquoise eyes wide.
"Easily," said Willowpaw. Skypaw jumped. "Easily, I said!"
"But, Willowpaw…" she began.
"What am I good for?" hissed Willowpaw. She shuddered as she realized it: every time, it was destruction. Yes, maybe she had healed a breaking world. She had stopped destruction by causing more destruction. It was like the disaster followed her wherever she went.
"Mouseclaw would give his life to protect you," said Mountainpaw. "Don't let his sacrifice be in vain."
"I would gladly take his place," said Willowpaw in a thin, choked voice. "It wouldn't even be a question."
"That's a serious thing to be saying," said Skypaw hesitantly.
"I love him," said Willowpaw. "I love him. How could I not want to give my life for his?"
Skypaw, Mountainpaw, and Littlepaw didn't speak for a long time.
"He'll live," said Littlepaw. He was staring at the ground. "I'm sure of it."
Willowpaw sniffed, staring at her smaller littermate. Littlepaw looked back up.
"Don't worry, Willowpaw," said Skypaw, leaning against her. "We'll be beside you. I'm sure Mouseclaw will be fine."
"We'll stay right here until there's news," said Mountainpaw. Skypaw purred, although a shiver ran up her spine as Willowpaw's sorrow chilled the air. Littlepaw shuddered, too, heaving a heavy sigh.
They sat like that for a while, and the Clan lay silent. Ferncloud paced back and forth before the medicine den, Dustpelt occasionally calling out to her. Lionstar and Doveheart weren't sending out patrols anymore – what was the point? No member of ThunderClan wanted to move. At last, Sorreltail urged her Clan-mates to start moving the rocks out of the way of the camp, and a few warriors grudgingly moved to performed these tasks. But no cat glanced over at the quartet of apprentices huddled in the corner of camp.
The sun had set by the time Willowpaw started to remember that she had used up so much power that she was utterly exhausted. She was leaning on Skypaw's shoulder, her tears having stayed moist on Skypaw's pelt for once. A moon ago, she wouldn't have pictured herself ever being in this situation, with Mountainpaw's tail rubbing her fur smooth and Littlepaw sitting at her paws and Skypaw as her support. Now, nothing else mattered but the fact that they were together. Willowpaw didn't think that anything could rip them apart again.
Birdpaw stepped out of the den hesitantly, her fur bristling as the camp perked up. Willowpaw didn't react until her medically inclined littermate stood before them.
"Well?" said Mountainpaw softly. "How…how is he?"
"We think he'll be okay," said Birdpaw quietly. Willowpaw looked up, her eyes wide, and Birdpaw smiled, tilting her head. "The way the rock landed on him broke three of his ribs and collapsed his lung. I think you should know that Mouseclaw died."
Willowpaw looked up, her eyes wide and her tongue refusing to move.
"What do you mean?" said Skypaw. "I thought you said he'd be okay?"
"He stopped breathing," said Birdpaw. "And we couldn't find a pulse. Then he shivered, and he was breathing again, like the injury wasn't nearly as bad."
Willowpaw opened her jaws in shock.
"Like he was given a second life," said Mountainpaw. His eyes opened in clarity. "That's what happened to me!"
"What do you mean?" asked Skypaw.
"When Ivypool and I were in the Dark Forest, and that silver-gold cat arrived to save my life." Mountainpaw said all of this with a sure voice. "Bramblestar said that there was someone looking out for us, remember? He said that he didn't have many lives to begin with because…"
"Someone is giving each of us another chance," said Birdpaw. "But Mouseclaw isn't one of us."
"Willowpaw said she'd give her life for him," said Skypaw. "Maybe somehow…"
Willowpaw's tears stopped, and she turned to Birdpaw.
"He needs rest, but you can go sit with him," said Birdpaw. "He woke up briefly, but he's in a lot of pain. We gave him some poppy seeds, and he's sleeping now.
"And all of you," added Birdpaw, turning back to their little huddle. "Had better keep this a secret."
They nodded earnestly, and Birdpaw led a shaking Willowpaw into the medicine den.
Mouseclaw was still lying there, the only movement being his uneven breaths.
"You told her?" said Jayfeather. Birdpaw meowed a confirmation, and Jayfeather sat back on his haunches. "Then be careful, Willowpaw. You don't get another chance."
Willowpaw shook her head, giggling and crying at the same time as she touched her muzzle to the soft fur under Mouseclaw's chin. She could hear his heartbeat, hear his raspy breathing. Carefully, she stretched out to sit beside him.
"Thank you, Mouseclaw," said Willowpaw. "You saved my life, and I saved yours."
And we did it, she added silently. I was destructive, but it…it did something good.
That thought in mind, she sat there and studied her beloved Mouseclaw until Jayfeather kicked her out to sleep.
A big moment for little Willowpaw. Originally Birdpaw was gonna set everything on fire. But, for plot reasons, that straight up would not have worked. So, yeah! Willowpaw gets the destructive moment. Also, originally, this chapter was in Littlepaw's POV.
Next chapter belongs to Littlepaw. Originally, the chapter was going to have five scenes (one for each member of the Great Five), but then I decided that that wouldn't have worked out.
Let me know what you thought! If you're up-to-date on War of Shadows, at least to chapter 28, you'll probably recognize one setting of this particular chapter...mwahaha things are coming together...
~Elsi