Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

    Padding back into camp with Shadedpaw, Willowbounce felt accomplished. Today she had taken her apprentice out on his first training session. She had made it hunting, because Willowbounce was star-bent on making sure this apprentice was raised into a well-behaved warrior. He had done exceptionally well and caught a mouse, which isn't expected for most apprentices on their first hunting patrol, while she had caught a large crow. Willowbounce saw Strongstar approaching her and Shadedpaw, so they slowed to a halt.
    "Shadedpaw you will be coming to the gathering tonight." She said to him. How exciting for him! His first gathering too! Fun for me too I suppose, I haven't been to one in a while...She thought. Her apprentice nodded, then he and her padded over to the fresh-kill pile to deposit their kills. Willowbounce flicked her tail to her apprentice, dismissing him. She watched him pad over to the nursery to presumably see his half-littermates. He's nothing like his father from what I've seen, besides his bravery of course. Then again, I haven't done battle training with him yet...Willowbounce thought as she padded over to where her sister, Splashine was sitting.
    "Hey Willowbounce, how's your apprentice been?" She asked as Willowbounce sat down beside her.
    "He's been great! He's very skillful." She said wrapping her tail neatly around her paws. Splashine looked at her with a flash of doubt.
    "What?" She asked, confused. Her sister sighed.
    "Well he is Bloodstar's son.." She mumbled. Willowbounce felt annoyance prickle her pelt.
    "So?! Just because his father is evil doesn't mean he is! I mean, he mentored me and look how I came out!" She said sternly, defending her apprentice. Splashine looked at her with a 'really?' look. Willowbounce glared at her with question.
    "Well...your not exactly the most passive..." She said glancing at Fawnpelt who was laying on the sunning rocks across camp. Willowbounce flattened her ears in alarm. She doesn't know I killed him does she?! She must be talking about how I tore his ear off...oh please be that...
    "Hey, Direpaw was a nasty fox-heart. And don't try to ignore it. He deserved it when I tore his th- ear out." She said, sweating slightly from the anxiety that raked through her. I almost said throat! No! Splashine please for the love of Starclan think that I just made a mistake! She thought.
    "Yeah, I suppose. But you have to admit, you are kind of aggressive. Anyway...how's it been with you and Icefoot?" She said, leaning against Willowbounces shoulder. She felt herself flush a bit.
    "Um, it's been very well...why?" She asked nervously. Splashine was purring like she had a million secrets she could spill at any moment.
    "Well, it's no secret that you were expecting his kits!-" She was about to continue when Willowbounce slapped her paw over her sister's muzzle. Panic raced through Willowbounce.
    "Splashine! That's private!" She whined. Her sister chuckled.
    "Well I want to know where they are! You're obviously not expecting anymore, so where are they?" She said gazing up at her with round eyes. Willowbounce sighed, frustration bubbling up inside her.
    "You'll know soon enough..." She said. Her kits were now old enough to eat regular prey, and so they had been. Willowbounce nudged her sister off her so she could stand. She noticed it would soon be nightfall, so Willowbounce padded over to the sunning rocks to fall asleep.

    "Willowbounce...wake up!" The voice of Icefoot rang in Willowbounces ears. His warm breath tickled her ears. She blinked open her eyes to find his face in hers.
    "Come on sleepyhead we're going to the gathering!" He said excitedly. Willowbounce rolled over and got her paws quickly. Icefoot was gazing up at her, his eyes ablaze in the moonlight. Willowbounce didn't care if some of her clanmates were watching her ; she dove on Icefoot like a playful kit. He yelped in surprise, rolling over and pinning her under him. She felt herself flush heavily. She felt Icefoot flushing too, but he got off of her to let her up, not wanting to rough house in front of the clan. Most of their clanmates were watching them, not including Shadedpaw. Willowbounce padded over to the crowd of her clanmates attending the gathering, standing with her apprentice as Icefoot traveled to the front of the crowd. He's the deputy, it's his duty. She reminded herself.
    "Is everyone here and ready?" Strongstar asked the group. The cats around her, including Willowbounce herself, raised her voice in agreement. Strongstar and Icefoot padded to the front of the group, then her leader said, "Lets go." The whole group began to move out of the camp at a quick pace. Shadedpaw padded confidently beside her. After crossing through Skyclan and Shadowclan, the patrol had made their way to the island. Willowbounce nudged Shadedpaw up onto the slippery log. It was harder to see in the dark, but her senses were still alert. Willowbounce clambered up behind her apprentice, placing her paws carefully in front of the other. She had her claws slightly unsheathed to cling to the slippery bark. About half-way across the log, Shadedpaw slipped and fell off the log. Willowbounce lunged down and caught her apprentice by his scruff. Her claws dug into the log and her muscles bracing as Willowbounce hauled Shadedpaw back onto the slippery wood. He was able to complete the rest of the walk without trouble. Once in the clearing, Willowbounce let her apprentice go off and sit where he pleased. Willowbounce decided she would sit with Birdclaw, considering he was one of her only closer friends. She padded up to him and sat down beside him.
    "Oh, hey Willowbounce!" He said, almost surprised she was there. Well I usually would sit with Icefoot every gathering. But he's the deputy now, so I can't. She thought.
    "Hello." She greeted him casually. He looked like he was about to say something but he stopped short as the leaders got ready to announce.
    "At the beginning of this moon, a band of cats that call themselves Deathclan attacked us. Their leader was one of our greatest warriors, Bloodclaw, who is now called Bloodstar. I spoke with Starclan and I was told they did not give him nine lives. His mate, Leaffall, was killed in battle. Thankfully she had already given birth to her kits, Shadedpaw, Icekit and Greenkit." Strongstar announced first. Her voice was level, but Willowbounce knew she was nervous. Willowbounce also remembered how she wasn't able to fight in that battle. She was heavily pregnant and had actually given birth during the battle. I wish I could've clawed the faces of those flea-ridden traitors...Willowbounce thought bitterly.
    "Shadowclan was attacked by Deathclan, and some of our warriors turned to their side with greed for power and blood." Lizardstar said. Suddenly a familiar booming voice filled the clearing, making every cat's head turn.
    "Cats of the lake!" Bloodstar's voice rang out. Willowbounce whipped her head around to the source of his voice, on the western end of the clearing.
    "Cats of the lake!" He said again. Willowbounce saw all of Deathclan lined up beside Bloodstar. She felt her hackles begin to rise. She saw all the leaders bound down from their places into the clearing to stand with all the clans. They all stood together facing Bloodstar with all of the clans behind them. Willowbounce got her paws as well as all the other cats and stood defensively towards the evil clan.
"What do you want?" Lizardstar growled. Bloodstar glared at the clan leaders.
    "I demand a stone to sit on, a place in this forest for me and my warriors. I am going to tell you the choices I gave Thunderclan and Shadowclan: Join Deathclan, or die!" Her former mentor challenged. Willowbounce flexed her claws, their sharp tips easily sinking into the ground.
    "Thunderclan!" Strongstar called.
    "Riverclan!" Scalestar yowled.
    "Skyclan!" Pebblestar growled.
    "Shadowclan!" Lizardstar snarled.
    "Windclan!" Jumpstar yelled.
    "Attack!" All the leaders said in unison. Willowbounce felt adrenaline flow through her as she charged forward with all the clans. Seemingly a thousand yowls filled the clearing as the opposing enemies charged at each other. Willowbounce was met with a tabby tom with scars all over him. She leaped at him and tackled him to the ground. He swiped at her face and Willowbounce had to mentally remind herself a warrior does not need to kill to win a battle. Willowbounce swiped the tom hard across his muzzle.  He kicked hard at her belly, throwing her off. He leaped on her and Willowbounce and the tom rolled, locked in battle. She lunged her jaws at his shoulder and bit down hard. The tom yowled in pain as blood began to stream from his shoulder. Willowbounce let go and swiped at his chest. The tom then bounded off to find a different opponent. Cool sweat was already beginning to form on her pelt ; Willowbounce liked it. Even though her scratches stung, she felt exhilarated by the fight and looked around for a Deathclan cat to tear into. Suddenly she was taken out of play by another cat. When she turned to face her opponent, she saw it was Toothpaw.
    "Guess who's a warrior now, Willowbounce! The names Toothclaw now!" The tom yowled as he went to lunge at her throat. Willowbounce began to swipe viciously at his face, blocking him from attacking her throat. He hissed at her. Willowbounce swiped at his chest, and small droplets of blood scattered into the air. Toothclaw growled in pain. Before Willowbounce had the chance to react, the tom swiped her over her head so hard, she blacked out.

    Blinking open her eyes, Willowbounce wasn't pinned down anymore. Her head hurt but it cleared rather quickly. Soon the sounds of fighting filled her ears again, and she remembered what had happened. Willowbounce looked around wildly for Toothclaw. She was surprised to see Shadedpaw ripping into the tom with such force, she thought he was going to kill him.
    "Shadedpaw!" She breathed out, wanting him to stop. Fear wound up in her voice because she saw all the blood pooling from the tom. Willowbounce was terrified her apprentice had just killed a cat! Shadedpaw looked up, seemingly pausing at her voice. He looked at her, his eyes round and wild with anger and fear. But his anger faded as he realized what he had done. Willowbounce saw all the blood that covered his paws, and flashes flooded her memory of when she was an apprentice in the Dark Forest, blood had covered her paws similar to his now. Willowbounce struggled to her paws. Shadedpaw backed up off the cat in horror, his eyes were wide and his pupil shrinking in fear at what he had done.
    "Deathclan, retreat!" Bloodstars voice boomed.