Diverging Paths (Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 37

Whirlpaw sat dejectedly in the middle of camp with his fellow apprentices Bigpaw, Slicepaw, and Cricketpaw. His orange eyes could not stop drifting to the warrior's den, where he knew his mentor lay motionless and locked in mental turmoil. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to do something to help. Surely there was something, anything he could do to assist his mentor. But he had been told repeatedly by both Doublepelt and Sunroar that Highwings was in a much darker place than he could ever comprehend. In attempting to help her, he would only lose himself in her shadows.

Training and patrols helped distract him from what his mentor was currently going through, but work was still work, and it bored him out and tired him out. And as soon as he stopped, the feeling of despair returned. The only thing he could really look forward to today was Mumblekit and Spotkit's apprentice ceremony. It would be nice to have more apprentices in the apprentice's den, as currently there were only four, and Whirlpaw was far behind in age from his current peers.

"I mean, I kind of wish I'd gotten pretty much anyone else, but I suppose he isn't always that bad." Cricketpaw's voice burned its way into his mind, as he responded to something his brother had said.

"Augh. I wish we could trade. Beargrowl's so much cooler than Starefrown. What do you think?" Bigpaw replied.

Assuming Bigpaw was talking to Cricketpaw, Whirlpaw continued staring into the distance at the warrior's den. It wasn't for nothing, either; he was deep in thought of what Highwings may want as her next meal. She had been too dejected to even get up to eat in the morning, and when he noticed no one else was interested in retrieving food for her, Whirlpaw had been the one to feed her. Now he was wondering what she may like as some sunhigh food. The fresh-kill pile was lower than it usually was, but still very much full in comparison to seasons past. Whirlpaw furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"Hey! Tiny, I'm talking to you." Whirlpaw's fur spiked and he wheeled his head to the side, to see Bigpaw glaring at him judgmentally.

"Wh- I-" Whirlpaw stammered.

"I asked, what do you think?" he grunted, though he seemed on the verge of laughter from Whirlpaw's cluelessness. Behind him, Whirlpaw saw Cricketpaw and Slicepaw staring at him with raised eyebrows, and a strong wad of self-consciousness manifested itself in Whirlpaw's chest.

"Uhh...of what?" Whirlpaw asked with a quivering voice.

Bigpaw burst out into the anticipated laughter. "Can't pay attention for more than five heartbeats! What an odd fella you are."

Cricketpaw snorted, "Yeah, Whirlpaw, you know you're here too, right? Hello. ShadowClan to Whirlpaw. Do you hear me?"

"Ha, ha, very funny," Whirlpaw huffed with a roll of his eyes, though a smile snuck its way onto his face by mere virtue of him being surrounded by laughter.

"Well, I don't think it's very funny!" squeaked a new voice.

All four apprentices' heads turned to see Spotkit and Mumblekit had made their appearances. It seemed that Spotkit had been the only one to want to come up to them, though, as Mumblekit had an aura of hesitation around her.

Slicepaw put on a friendly smile and swept forward to greet both. "Spotkit! Mumblekit! Congrats on six moons, eh?"

A weak, but genuine smile spread across Mumblekit's face, while Spotkit just rolled his eyes at the older apprentice's expressive welcome. "Thanks!" Mumblekit mewed. "It's really a lot. I'm kind of scared of training."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Slicepaw purred.

"Yeah, me too!" Whirlpaw added, padding up to them. "We can all help you out if you start to slack."