Dark Destinies {Book 1}

Chapter 26

Chapter 26 (Hollypaw)

I stared at Leopardspots's dead body, her image flashing between images of my own mother laying limp in the clearing dead. The whole clearing formed a circle around her but the kits were instructed to stay in the nursery without their mothers as they morned. 

Minnowpaw, Mousepaw, Littlepaw, Sunray and Hiddenstar were the only ones premitted to touch and say good bye to her in private. Littlepaw was a wreck and Mousepaw's eyes were stormy and Minnowpaw looked shell-shocked as she licked her mother's fur. 

Hiddenstar raised his head from her side and faced the clan with sad blue eyes. 

"Today is a sad day for Iceclan" he mumbled "We lost a valuable clanmate and warrior. Leopardspots was loved by everyone clan cat and treated her own clanmates like her kin or kits" a small rumble of laughter followed but it was soon covered with sadness "She was smart and reliable without a doubt she will live on in our hearts forever and in her honor we will sit vigil without sleep or food until morning" 

The whole clan padded forwards and I pressed my head against her belly. 

"I will miss you! May Starclan great your path" I whispered, then I stepped back a bit so everyone could say good bye. 

I wanted to talk to Minnowpaw but she seemed as if she didn't want to be bothered and I figured time alone might help like it helped me. Ashpaw appeared beside me, his eyes flickering with nostalgia probably of mother. 

"It's so strange, as if everyone's mother is dying" Ashpaw muttered sadly. 

My heart jumped, he was right, everyone who was part of the prophecy would face the death of both their parents. Thinking that my eyes fell upon Stormbreeze who was sitting slumped in front of the body, if you only knew... At least I'll never lose Ashpaw, he'll be my only family left after father dies...

That night passed slowly, I hadn't stayed out the whole night beside Leopardspots but I had slept beside her until a little before dawn since she had died during the night then afterwards I had crept into the apprentice den with Brindlepaw on my tail. 

"Hollypaw!" I woke to the gruff sounding voice of Owlclaw, I jumped and sent pieces of my moss nest scattering everywhere. 

I stood and stretched out my tired muscles allowing them to shake and twitch, Ashpaw was still sleeping and so was Brindlepaw but Krestelpaw was gone from the den and it seemed like Minnowpaw, Mousepaw, and Littlepaw hadn't returned to the den since their scent was stale. 

I padded into the clearing to find Owlclaw standing beside the apprentice den, Whitemist was sitting on top of the Snow Rock probably about to call out patrols whilst Leopardspots's body was missing from the clearing but the lingering tendrils of death hung in the camp like fog on an early morning. 

"Come on. I've scheduled early hunting then a sunhigh patrol for today" Owlclaw instructed plainly, he seemed unhappy about being up early since it was only dawn and the sun was only starting to climb the bluing sky. 

"O.K" I smiled. 

I enjoyed hunting patrols a lot more then scenting and scooting lessons and battle practice, hunting was something I excelled in and felt at peace doing as if I were one with nature and the forest I stalked amongst. I became the tall trees, the long grass and the small animals that moved around me, everything felt right. Plus the feeling of bringing back prey to feed others was fulfilling. 

We flicked tails to Whitemist before leaving the camp into the New-Leaf woods. 

Nothing was better then hunting in New-Leaf. Everything was alive, the flowers, the trees and the animals and everything was fresh and new, reborn after the harshness of Leaf-Bare. Wonderful scents came from everything and though I was nervous about certain plagues the way the forest moved made me feel at ease with my surroundings.