Chapter 19 Why Doesn't Anyone Help?
Lightpaw woke up instantly and looked around. He was still in the punishment den and it was nighttime. Lightpaw took a deep breath to calm down and figure out what he had just heard.
"Light and Dark will come together to rule the forest, but if the White stone crushes the dark, the light will claw the White stone and choose the path of light or dark. What did it mean?" he thought.
Lightpaw started putting the pieces together. Light obviously meant him, dark obviously meant Darkpaw, and White stone meant…his father. He knows this from the stories the elders told him. Whitestone was Lightpaw's father's warrior name before he got the name Whitestar. Lightpaw then realized that he had heard a prophecy and it spoke of unforetold future. It made sense; the last part meant that he was supposed to pick a path of evil or good and that he would kill his father…right? I mean, Starclan wouldn't hint that he would have to kill a cat, right? It just didn't seem like them. Then again, Starclan was full of mysteries. It made sense now, it explained why Lightpaw's father paid more attention to him and made sure he was happy. Of course Whitestar and Cloudberry would know about the prophecy, Starclan had to tell them, but if Darkpaw's dead, then how could light and dark rule the forest? A few days passed and today was the day Lightpaw could leave the den. He woke up and looked around. It was morning and the sunlight beamed on him and the entire cave. It would be the last time Lightpaw would have to sleep in here.
"LIGHTPAW!" A voice called.
He left the den and saw Flowershine and Petalflower sitting a few feet ahead of him and smiled. They approached Lightpaw and touched noses with him.
"I'm glad you're out." Flowershine meowed.
"Thanks, it's good to be out." Lightpaw smiled.
"Come, we want to show you something." Petalflower meowed.
Lightpaw was confused. He followed Flowershine and Petalflower until they reached a field on the eastern territory and came across a field of short grass, trees, and a single daisy with unusual blue petals. Lightpaw stared at the flower with amazement and got closer to it with Flowershine and Petalflower sitting next to him; tears forming in their eyes.
"This is where our parents buried Darkpaw. When we came to visit him, we found this. It even grew during winter." Petalflower choked.
Lightpaw nodded. This flower was a way of marking the best friend he had and will always have in his heart. Lightpaw started to cry and wrapped his paw around the flower gently. The flower touched his forehead and Lightpaw thought he felt another paw on his. Lightpaw, Flowershine, and Petalflower were behind the medicine cat den. Between the den and the nursery, there was a small trail that led to the punishment den. It actually gave clan leaders a easy passage to have their warriors take guilty slaves and warriors to the punishment den; it was better than taking the long way from Starlight Falls. Lightpaw was nervous and hesitant; he wasn't sure how cats were going to react to seeing him. Everyone saw him fight Moon and Daisypetal like a warrior and clawed off Moon's left ear and eye. Lightpaw knew he would get looked at, but he didn't care. Right now, he just needed to see the cats he still cared about. Lightpaw entered the camp and saw all the warriors and slaves staring at him. Each one was whispering and murmuring to each other. Lightpaw felt disgusted and angry seeing those warriors, but when he saw the slaves, he was pitiful, sad, and sympathetic.
"Lightpaw!" A voice called out.
Lightpaw, Petalflower, and Flowershine looked and saw Cloudberry leaving her den. She approached Lightpaw and touched his head with her nose and smiled.
"I'm glad you're out." Cloudberry meowed.
"Thanks, it's good to be out." Lightpaw retorted.
He looked at the warriors; still whispering and mummering to each other. Lightpaw glared at them; disgusted by how they just stood there and pretended that nothing happened. Cloudberry's ears flattened, she flinched, and got close to Lightpaw's ear.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Lightpaw. Everyone was worried about you." Cloudberry whispered.
"Heh, like they care if I'm alright." He growled.
Lightpaw headed for the fresh-kill pill and sat down.
"Lightpaw!" A voice called out.
Lightpaw looked and saw Darkheart and the other slaves; smiling and glad to see Lightpaw out and about. Lightpaw approached them and nod his head at each one.
"Hello Darkheart, Doespring, Nettlespring…" he greeted.
"We're glad that you're out, Lightpaw. It's so good to see you." Darkheart meowed.
"Thank you, I'm glad I'm out as well. How…How are you, Darkheart?" he asked.
"Oh, I've been better. It hasn't been easy, but I've been better." She signed.
Lightpaw nodded. Darkheart was Darkpaw's aunt, of course she would feel this way, but Lightpaw always wondered how a slave leader could ever deal with something like this. A leader was supposed to protect their clanmates, not leave them out to die, but if you're a slave leader…you don't really have a lot of power or right. Lightpaw gazed at the other slaves; all smiling and pleased to see Lightpaw alright, until his gaze rested on Blackfur and Tinydawn. Both cats looked at Lightpaw; smiling solemnly. Lightpaw's ears flattened.
"They want to talk to you." Doespring meowed.
Lightpaw gulped and shivered in fear. He approached Blackfur and Tinydawn and sat down.
"I…I'm sorry I didn't protect Darkpaw harder. I tried so hard, but Moon threw me to the other side and I was knocked out by Snaketooth and…" Lightpaw meowed.
"Don't you dare apologize Lightpaw, what happened wasn't your fault, it was Moon, Brightshine, and Wolffang's fault. Their actions caused our son's death, you were just protecting him." Tinydawn comforted.
As much as Lightpaw wanted that to be true, the pain, guilt, and grief couldn't be ignored. Suddenly, a loud screech echoed in the camp. Everyone looked and saw a crowd of warriors and a warrior pinning a slave. It was Snaketooth; pinning Flowershine to the ground. Her face was covered in scratches and was bleeding. Snaketooth's claws were unsheathed with a paw in the air and one on Flowershine's throat.
"Ready to feel pain slave?" Snaketooth smiled.
Flowershine closed her eyes in fear. Lightpaw ran up, jumped, and pinned Snaketooth to the ground. Anger, fury, and rage overwhelmed Lightpaw and he raised his paw in the air while one was on Snaketooth's throat; claws unsheathed.
"If you ever touch her or any slave like that ever again, I will kill you. Do you understand? Do you understand?!" Lightpaw growled.
"Y-Yes…" Snaketooth stammered.
Lightpaw scratched Snaketooth's cheek and got off of him. Cats stared at him horrified. Lightpaw scanned the crowd of warriors until he stopped at Brightpaw. She was horrified; her eyes were wide and her mouth was open. Lightpaw approached her and leaned into her ear.
"It's your fault that Darkpaw's dead, I should've killed you when I had the chance." He growled.
Brightpaw stared at him horrified. As Lightpaw walked past Icetuft, he approached the fresh-kill pile, grabbed a rabbit, and laid in the corner. As he ate the rabbit, Ivypaw approached Lightpaw and laid across from him.
"Hey Lightpaw, how are you?" she meowed.
"How do you think?" he retorted.
"Look, I know you miss Darkpaw, Lightpaw, we all do…" Ivypaw begin.
"And yet you all didn't do anything!" Lightpaw hissed.
"Wh-What?" Ivypaw stammered shocked.
"You anti-salve cats say you hate the slave law and yet you don't do anything! You didn't help me protect Darkpaw, you don't help them escape from camp, and I've never seen any of you trying to overthrow the leader or take over the clan. If you really hate the slave law that much, then why don't you help? Why doesn't anyone do anything?!" Lightpaw yowled.
"Lightpaw, everyone is trying to do something. We've all done something to help or contribute to the slaves." Ivypaw explained.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well, for example, I fell in love with Hawkpaw and instead of following the slave law, I followed my heart. I don't regret it and I'll never will. Then there's Shinefur, she asked Whitestar if Kinkfoot could be her slave, because she was concerned that she would be given to an abusive master due to Kinkfoot's paw being lame. Frozenpelt asked Snowstar if Blossomsnow could be his slave, she's his mate you know." Ivypaw explained.
"Really? She never told me that." Lightpaw meowed.
"Heh, there's a lot of things you don't know about her. Anyway, your aunt Cloudberry, your father, Blossomsnow, and your mother helped Birchheart and two slave apprentices escape Lightclan…" Ivypaw continued.
"I know that, dad told me." Lightpaw meowed.
"Yeah, then there's Icetuft. He didn't want a slave, but you know how that turned out." Ivypaw meowed.
"Yeah, he looked disappointed when dad gave him Raccoonmask." Lightpaw meowed.
"Finally, there's Foxwhisker. He's the only cat that doesn't have a slave. You see Lightpaw, we're all doing something, we just need someone who can abolish the slave law without going to the Star Council." Ivypaw finished.
After that, Ivypaw left Lightpaw alone. Lightpaw pondered and realized about something. He looked at this all wrong. Cats from the past and present must've done something to help the slaves, but it wasn't enough. Asking their leaders for certain cats to be their slaves, helping them escape, and cats that didn't want slaves wasn't enough. No, something else needed to be done; one that no cat has done. Lightpaw needed to be leader. It made sense, leaders can do everything. All Lightpaw needed to do was become leader and then things would finally change.