"Birdpaw, keep up!" Birdpaw giggled, running to catch up to her mentor, Blackdapple, the deputy of Gorgeclan. She had been an apprentice for three moons now, just one moon less than Lionpaw and Batpaw. Blazestar had considered giving Birdpaw and her sister to Shadethorn and Pebblesong, Boulderfury (who was Blackdapple's brother) and Rainsong's kits that had recently become warriors. However, he had deemed them too inexperienced and given them to older warriors. Blackdapple was kind and fair, so Birdpaw hadn't given it a second thought.
Birdpaw walked beside Blackdapple in the back of the patrol, following Dustclaw, a senior warrior and Raccoontail's brother, toward Waterclan territory. Birdpaw felt a bit on edge as they neared the river, which actually wasn't that far from camp; the river was the reason the gorge had filled with water when she was a kit and killed her brother and mother. Stormfeather's image came to her and she shook her head, fighting tears. She still couldn't get over her mother being evil. She hadn't told anyone, not even Fernpaw, about the dream. She just tried to forget it.
"I'm going to mark the border," Blackdapple said. "Birdpaw, watch out for Waterclan partols." Birdpaw nodded, puffing her chest out. Dustclaw chuckled and headed the opposite way as Blackdapple, staying near the river. Birdpaw approached the water, wading in, surprising herself. The water actually felt calm, so different from the flood. She laughed, splashing in the water.
"What are you doing?" Birdpaw turned to see Fernpaw and Lionpaw, their mentors Rainsong and Owlscar, and Boulderfury.
"Blackdapple and Dustclaw are marking the borders," Birdpaw explained. "Come on, the water feels great!" Lionpaw smiled, wading in beside her, "It's cold!" Fernpaw dipped her paws in the water, slowly letting more of her body get wet. Birdpaw giggled, but suddenly, water sloshed onto her face. Lionpaw laughed, his tail swishing back in forth in amusement. Birdpaw growled playfully, then swept her tail across the water toward him. Lionpaw shook his head, spluttering and blinking water out of his eyes. He laughed again and swept his tail toward her. Birdpaw purred and avoided the wave. Fernpaw smiled, joining in tentatively. Birdpaw laughed with her sister and best friend.
"Well," she thought as she glanced at the soaked, but still handsome Lionpaw, "maybe more than a friend."
"Help!" Birdpaw turned to see Fernpaw disappear under the water a little ways away.
"Fernpaw!" she cried, running toward where her sister had disappeared. Lionpaw held out her tail to stop her, "Wait!" Birdpaw watched as Owlscar, Rainsong, and Boulderfury splashed into the water.
"Fernpaw!" Owlscar cried, looking around frantically. Birdpaw had never seen him like this. Rainsong was pawing around, "There's a dip in the river. I can't find her!" Boulderfury helped his mate search, but soon the water got too high for them to wade.
"Fernpaw!" Birdpaw cried, Lionpaw's tail still around her shoulders.
There was no response.
Birdpaw lay in the middle of camp, staring at the lithe brown she-cat with black bands that lay still beside her, the she-cat's yellow eyes empty. Owlscar was beside Birdpaw, his own yellow eyes almost as dead as his daughter's. She had been named Fernstride. Birdpaw and Owlscar had chosen it for her love of running and confident step, even if it had been shy. She had washed up farther downstream and a Waterclan patrol had found her. Birdpaw's heart felt like it had been smashed into pieces.
"I hope she finds Mudkit," she thought. Soon, she could fight sleep no more and closed her eyes.
"Do you believe me now?" Birdpaw jumped away, looking around frantically. She gasped, "Stormfeather! What are you-"
"I told you, and you didn't listen!" Stormfeather roared, looking more rugged and insane than last time Birdpaw had seen her. "They could have tried harder to save Fernstride, but no! They let her drown!" Birdpaw couldn't say anything, just watched her mother pace and rant.
"I told you they would betray you both and now she's dead because of Gorgeclan! And Starclan didn't help either! Now," Stormfeather turned to her daughter, "will you join me? Is the death of your sister not proof-" Birdpaw turned and ran, unable to hear anymore. She couldn't even look at her mother. She remembered how when she was a kit and saw the light. She searched for the light and raced toward it when she found it. When she left the forest, she collapsed.
Awaking suddenly, Birdpaw gasped. She breathed heavily, looking around at the other sleeping cats. Owlscar was the only one still awake. He looked down at her, "I had nightmares too; when Stormfeather and Mudkit died. They'll go away eventually." He sounded so sad and defeated, Birdpaw couldn't bear to tell him the truth. She pressed against her father, giving him the best comfort she could.