CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Every pawstep for Birdpaw was difficult to make as she climbed further away from where she thought her family might be. Ebonypaw, Brightpaw, Wrenpaw and Driftpaw trailed ahead as if they had done this a dozen times already. They were used to not having their mothers with them all the time. This was all new to Birdpaw, and she was terrified.
They were following a rocky slope that only seemed to get steeper the further they went. Birdpaw was struggling to keep up as the wind threatened to blow her away.
"Come on, keep moving!" Ebonypaw yowled over the howling wind. Birdpaw was ready to make a retort when she heard something in the distance. Her ears pricked forward in alarm as she saw what looked like the shape of a small bird soaring above them.
"Shouldn't we find shelter?" she asked, realizing too late that the bird in question was much bigger than she realized.
"From a stupid bird?" Brightpaw scoffed. "Please, I'd love to see some bird try and-"
Brightpaw's accusation was cut off as the bird suddenly launched at them. Birdpaw reacted faster than she could have imagined, ducking between a rocky crevice as the other apprentices tried scattering out of the way. All the while she could hear Brightpaw's screech of terror as the bird had latched it's talons around her. Birdpaw watched on in horror as Brightpaw was snatched away by a bird that could easily take on a full-grown cat.
"Brightpaw!" Driftpaw wailed as the tortoiseshell was taken away. He was charging after the bird, but Wrenpaw had stopped him before he could get any further.
"It's too late," she told him, her voice hollow with grief.
"No, she couldn't be taken away by some stupid bird!" Driftpaw shouted.
Birdpaw felt her own heart clench with pity as she realized what had happened. Brightpaw was gone, all because of some bird. She wasn't even sure what to make of this situation, until Ebonypaw found the courage to speak up.
"Birdpaw, maybe that was a sign sent from StarClan," she meowed, glancing over her shoulder in the direction the bird had flown off in. "I think we're meant to follow whatever nonsense you were babbling about earlier."
Nonsense? Birdpaw's hackles rose at the term Ebonypaw used. She had only followed what StarClan told her. If she wanted to find her true place in the Clan, she needed to follow the sun. These cats were clearly not going to expect her to lead them anywhere safe.
"Ebonypaw, don't you think this is mousebrained?" Driftpaw asked with a roll of his eyes. He jumped onto a nearby boulder and looked down at all three of them sternly. "We've got to find the rest of our Clanmates. I'm sure they're around here somewhere."
"You foolish Clan cats are always trying to find new ways to rule the territory." Birdpaw flinched at a new voice that spoke. Faster than she or anyone else could react, a tom launched himself onto the boulder and suddenly pushed Driftpaw off in the process. He let out a wail of surprise as he fell on the snow-covered ground. "I didn't think it would be so easy to track you down, but here you are, wandering around like some lost little kit."
"We're not lost! And we certainly don't need your help!" Wrenpaw yowled back. The tom only flicked his tail in amusement. Then his eyes lit up with interest as he looked at Birdpaw, who was crouching under a nearby bush.
"I thought I recognized you," the tom growled as he leaped down from the boulder, causing the other apprentices to scatter. "You're the one they spoke of in the prophecy... someone who's eyes reflected the pale blue sky will bring our end."
Birdpaw felt a shiver run through her at those words. The other apprentices were shooting her weird looks. She suspected they were still in a state of shock from losing Brightpaw. But seeing this tom made her realize that they were in greater danger than she first thought.
"We have to get out of here, before he catches us," she heard Wrenpaw whisper to Driftpaw.
"Yeah, but what about Birdpaw?" Ebonypaw asked worriedly. "Darkflower will never forgive us if we let anything happen to her."
"And what are we supposed to tell Emberstar about Brightpaw?" Driftpaw demanded, his voice cold. Birdpaw flinched at the tone in his voice, realizing that Driftpaw probably had a crush on Brightpaw.
They can't seriously think about leaving me behind, can they? she wondered fearfully as the tom began advancing towards her.
"Stoneteller will want to speak with you, especially," the tom sneered.
The smaller apprentice suddenly streaked past the tom, her pelt standing on end as she heard him yowling at her from behind. Wind and snow blinded her vision as she ran to StarClan only knew. Her heart was racing so fast that she was afraid it might give out on her. She kept running until finally she was out of breath, gasping for air as her shoulders began trembling with overwhelming fear.
Once Birdpaw had stopped, she realized too late that she was nowhere near the area her other Clanmates had been. Ebonypaw, Driftpaw and Wrenpaw were long-gone. Birdpaw's eyes widened in horror when she realized that she had left them behind.
I'm nothing but a coward! she thought bitterly. She should have stayed behind to help them. Anything was better than just running away with her tail between her legs.
Just follow the sun. Birdpaw stiffened as she heard that voice again. The sun will guide you home.
For a moment, Birdpaw thought like arguing against the voice. Then she thought better of it. Whoever was talking to her seemed to know where she needed to go. If the others refused to follow that same voice, than she would take the charge and follow it.
So that led to Birdpaw's next journey. The sun had only just started falling when Birdpaw found herself following the path it was on. She trailed through the snow and rough terrain, ignoring the stinging pain left on her pads when she jumped from rock to rock. She had to stop once or twice and realized with a start that her pads were bleeding from the rocks that had cut through them.
She winced as she placed her paw gently on the cold ground and tried trekking downwards. Birdpaw kept up her pace until she felt exhaustion weighing down on her shoulders. Eventually she had to stop herself and find shelter before the next storm hit the mountains. She knew that eventually she would reach the Clans. There was no point on pushing herself to the brink of death.
It's hard to believe I was once a scrawny little kit, she thought after finding a warm hollowed out cave to spend the night in. Mother would be proud if she could see me now.
Your Clan is proud of what you have accomplished. Birdpaw's eyes began to close at the soothing voice in her head. They will be safe under your guidance. Eventually she drifted off to sleep, letting the cold and exhaustion get the better of her.
ALLEGIANCES
ThunderClan
Leader: Petalstar - light gray she-cat with white paws, belly and muzzle; has blue eyes
Deputy: Hawktalon - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Dusknose - gray tom with a darker gray nose
Warriors
Oakfire - ginger-brown tom with tabby markings along the tip of his tail
Stormshadow - dark gray, almost black tom with yellow eyes
Feathermist - gray and white she-cat with feathery-tipped ears
Robinwing - brown and white tabby tom with amber eyes
Roseclaw - ginger and white she-cat with green eyes
Shademask - gray tom with a darker gray, almost black face
Timberleaf - slender brown she-cat with pale green eyes
Foxfur - dark ginger tom with green eyes
Hazelwind - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Kestreltalon - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Flamestrike - ginger tom with faint brown stripes along his tail
Lilypool - pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Shrewfang - light brown tom with darker brown stripes along his legs and tail
Apprentices
None
Queens
Heatherpelt - pale gray she-cat with yellow eyes, expecting
Elders
Rockfur - dark black tom with a white-tipped tail and pale amber eyes; partially blind
Daisytail - black and white she-cat with amber eyes
Kits
None
ShadowClan
Leader: Russetstar - brown tom with dark ginger paws
Deputy: Grayshadow - gray and darker gray tom
Medicine Cat: Scorchheart - dark ginger tom with green eyes
Apprentice: Ravenpaw
Warriors
Cloudfall - white she-cat with patches of gray along her fur; has blue eyes
Apprentice: Snowpaw
Sageleaf - gray and white she-cat with green eyes
Barktail - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Talonclaw - pale tabby tom with yellow eyes
Briarheart - brown, white and black she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Smokepaw
Sleetstorm - very pale gray, almost white she-cat with pale green eyes
Nightclaw - black tom with yellow eyes
Mousefang - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentices
Snowpaw - gray she-cat with amber eyes
Ravenpaw - darker gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Smokepaw - dark black she-cat with piercing green eyes
Queens
Poppyfur - brown and ginger she-cat with green eyes, mother of Longkit, Bramblekit, Marshkit and Newtkit by Talonclaw
Thistlepatch - spiky-haired tabby she-cat with amber eyes, expecting
Elders
Pineclaw - dark tabby tom with amber eyes; former deputy
Kits:
Longkit - pale brown she-cat with green eyes
Bramblekit - light ginger tom with amber eyes
Marshkit - tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes
Newtkit - pale ginger tom with amber eyes
WindClan
Leader: Icestar - white tom with gray paws
Deputy: Rowantail - gray and ginger dappled she-cat with a tabby-striped tail
Apprentice: Owlpaw
Medicine Cat: Furzewhisker - light brown she-cat with unusually long whiskers
Warriors
Wildheart - mottled brown and ginger tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Sprucepaw
Larksong - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Harewhisker - gray tabby tom with white paws and yellow eyes
Apprentice: Antpaw
Leafshine - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice: Sootpaw
Ferretpelt - short-haired tabby tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice: Olivepaw
Whitebirch - white she-cat with brown spots along her back leg
Twigfur - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Berrystripe - brown and ginger tabby tom with amber eyes
Owlflight - silver tabby tom with green eyes
Sootfall - dark gray tom with amber eyes
Apprentices
Antpaw - brown tabby tom with yellow eyes
Olivepaw - brown and white she-cat with amber eyes
Sprucepaw - slender pale brown she-cat with amber eyes
Queens
Palemist - pale gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes; Mother of Wildheart's kits, Gorsekit, Harekit and Mosskit
Elders
Redstripe - dark ginger tom with stripes along his legs
Sparrowsong - very old brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; Larksong and Leafshine's mother
Kits
Gorsekit - gray and ginger dappled tom with amber eyes
Harekit - gray and white tom with amber eyes
Mosskit - gray-brown she-cat with yellow eyes
Deceased
Larksong - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
RiverClan
Leader: Minnowstar - light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Deputy: Mintwhisker - gray tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Blizzardwind - silvery white she-cat with pale green eyes
Apprentice: Scarletpaw
Warriors
Watertail - gray-blue she-cat with amber eyes
Ashfang - silver and gray she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Redpaw
Cinderfire - dark ginger tom with green eyes
Foampelt - silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes
Pricklefur - long-haired dark gray tom with yellow eyes
Blossomwind - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes
Eagleclaw - brown and white tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Firepaw
Ambertail - brown she-cat with a ginger-tipped tail
Pebblepelt - fluffy gray and white tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice: Dawnpaw
Acorntail - golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Reedriver - long-haired silver tom with pale blue eyes
Hollycloud - black and white she-cat with amber eyes
Larchwing - gray and white she-cat with amber eyes
Willowsong - gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Apprentices
Scarletpaw - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
Redpaw - light ginger tom with green eyes
Dawnpaw - dark ginger and brown she-cat with amber eyes
Firepaw - ginger tom with amber eyes
Queens
Foampelt - silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes
Elders
Ripplecloud - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Blizzardwind, Watertail, Ashfang and Mintwhisker
Sandfang - pale ginger tom with green eyes
Kits
None
SkyClan
Leader: Emberstar - ginger tom with darker ginger ears
Deputy: Birchpelt - silver she-cat with light ginger markings
Apprentice: Birdpaw
Medicine Cat: Dewspots - gray and darker gray spotted she-cat with yellow eyes
Warriors
Thorntalon - smoky black tom with pale yellow eyes
Apprentice: Wrenpaw
Mothflower - tawny colored she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice: Brightpaw
Hollowstorm - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Ebonypaw
Lightningstrike - black tom with green eyes
Apprentice: Driftpaw
Darkflower - black and white she-cat with green eyes
Frozenfoot - gray she-cat with darker gray paws
Specklewing - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentices
Wrenpaw - gray-brown she-cat with amber eyes
Brightpaw - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with bright green eyes
Ebonypaw - dark black she-cat with amber eyes
Driftpaw - pale gray tom with darker gray paws
Birdpaw - white she-cat with gray patches of fur and dark blue eyes
Queens
None
Elders
Goldenpelt - golden ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Ivyclaw - dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Bouncestep - long-legged tabby tom with amber eyes
Kits
None
Cats Outside Clans
Frost - white and dark gray she-cat with pale green eyes, mother of Smoke, Luna and Dusk by unknown tom
Luna - dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Dusk - smoky gray tom with green eyes
Pinion - spiky-haired tortoiseshell she-cat who lives near the abandoned horseplace
Sprucepaw - slender pale brown she-cat with amber eyes