RisenClan Book Two: Evermore

Chapter Three

Soaringpaw sat down by the small lake where he had been brought to as an apprentice. Tears were streaming his face. She was right, Ruinstar had been right. He could not do anything right and he would never be anything better than an actual RisenClan cat. He peered into the lake where the reflection of himself was staring at him with a pained expression.

Everything was becoming much to difficult for him. His siblings were thriving here while he was left to rot behind him. Ever since his naming ceremony he had felt this way. And as days passed he was feeling less and less like himself. Today had really set him off course. Now someone who was not Hallowstorm was telling him he was 'doing it wrong'. Hearing it from his mentor had been been tough, but hearing it from the clan leader was torture. Now he really knew.

He hit the reflection of his face in the water, he let his paws drop down back to the grass and watched as it rippled across the lake. His face scrunched up as his reflection appeared again and he raised his paws, repeatedly hitting the water over and over and over and over. He was so angry, so embarrassed, so.....

He suddenly felt paws push into his sides and felt himself hit the grass. He panted heavily and looked up to see Ruinstar staring down at him. "Stop!" She shouted at the kitten. "You are going to hurt yourself." He turned his head away and buried his face into the grass. A moment later Ruinstar removed her paws from his side and sat up. "Get up, please, Soaringpaw?"

Soaringkit gave himself a moment to calm down and sat up slowly to face her. "I-I----"

"Shhhhhh..." Ruinstar meowed to the kitten softly, her eyes looking into his. "How did you remember the way here?" She asked.

He was at the very same place where this new prophecy had been introduced to him as a kitten of three moons. The very prophecy that saved his clan from The Stone. "I guess I never forgot." He meowed. He had not really been thinking when he came here, as if StarClan guided his paws.

"Do you come here a lot?" She asked.

"This is the third time." He said softly. "I came here once right after I was made apprentice."

Ruinstar nodded and looked towards him. "I am sorry that I yelled at you. I am just exhausted and a bit crazy from all this." She said staring down at her stomach.

"I forgive you." He meowed. "I still have a lot to work on."

Ruinstar nodded and smiled. "Yes, but I believe you can do anything Soaringpaw."

Soaringpaw looked at her. "Really?"

"Yes. A lot more than you know you can."

Soaringpaw turned away looking back at the water. "Are you excited?"

"For what?" Ruinstar meowed confused.

"The kittens."

"Well....Yes." She meowed. "But...."

"But what?"

"We can't decide on names yet... Any ideas?" She asked.

Soaringkit blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "What about Grantedkit?"

"That's pretty." She meowed with a smile. "Lets head back to camp and see if any kits have been brought home."

The two headed back and Soaringpaw could not help but feel a bit better about everything. It was good to know she had his back. Soaringpaw actually managed to catch a plump rabbit on the way back. It was not even paying attention, an easy kill.

"That is a very big piece of prey. Enough for three hungry cats to eat."

Soaringpaw just accepted the compliment rather than comment that it had been very easy to catch to avoid her saying it still counted, or some other remark to praise him.

When they got back he was sad to see that the kits had not been found. This worried Soaringpaw, what was going on , where were they? Were they safe?

Later that day Soaringpaw sat down, spending some time with his sister Dawnpaw. Out of all his siblings, he felt closest to Dawnpaw. She was kind-hearted and smart. Always knowing what to say and do. They shared a snake and spoke about the days events. 

"Do you think she will actually use the name Grantedkit?" She asked Soaringpaw.

He shrugged. "She thought it was pretty."

"Grantedkit, Grantedpaw, Grantedwishes." She said with a smile.

"If she dosen't use it, I might." Dawnpaw meowed with a grin.

"Grantedwishes does sound beautiful." He meowed.

This small talk was what he loved the most about spending time with Dawnpaw. What they talk about could be the least interesting thing in the world, but it never mattered. They could make a conversation about everything and anything.

"Are you enjoying training with Hallowstorm?" She asked him.

Soaringpaw looked around to make sure no cat was listening. "No, I hate it. He is not  very helpful at all. How is Risenspirit?" 

Dawnpw purred. "Amazing, he has taught me so much useful information. He tells me every day how lucky he is to have me as an apprentice."

Soaringpaw rolled his eyes. "Hallowstorm hates me."

"Nonsense!" Dawnpaw said. "He is just a grumpy soul is all. He will warm up to you I am sure. If not I am sure Risenspirit would be happy to take you out to train you every once and a while."

Soaringpaw smiled at his sister. "Alright."

Tulip-paw then emerged into camp with herbs in her jaws. "Hi Tulip-paw." Dawnpaw purred.

"Hi!" She meowed happily. She padded over towards them, setting the herbs down on the grass. "How are you two?"

"Fine." Dawnpaw meowed.

"Just peachy." Soaringpaw said. "StarClan give you anything about where those kits are?"

"Very little." Tulip-paw meowed. "I actually was just there sharing dreams with them. They are alive, and safe. And that's all they could say."

"At least we have that to go on." Dawnpaw meowed. "It will be comforting for Flashstorm and Worthypelt to know they are okay."

"Right you are." Tulip-paw meowed and flicked her tail. "Let me do that now. Have a nice moon-set." She meowed and padded off towards the nursery.