Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

   
    Willowbounce had been treated for her wounds after all the clans had returned to their territories. Thankfully, none of her scratches were serious. Shadedpaw hadn't been wounded too badly either, thankfully. Willowbounce was tired but she wanted to spend time with Icefoot before she went to sleep. As soon as he had been treated by the medicine cats, Shadedpaw had been sent to his nest as well as every other cat. Willowbounce waited by the thorn tunnel for Icefoot to come to her. She gazed up at the moon while she waited. It was still in the middle of the sky, since the gathering had ended early. Willowbounce had relaxed since the gathering, no longer on edge or her blood coursing with adrenaline. Though, Willowbounce still couldn't get the image of Shadedpaw with blood smothering out his black paws. She suppressed a shiver, still trying to shake off the memory. Movement caught her eye, and Willowbounce turned her gaze back down to the clearing to see Icefoot padding towards her. She smiled, feeling at ease by his presence. He nuzzled her as he approached, then he sat down close beside her.
    "Hello, love..." He murmured to her. She purred, her eyes shining in the moonlight. Willowbounce pushed her muzzle to his chest, glad to see he wasn't badly injured or in pain.
    "Are you ok? You seemed a little shaken in the medicine den.." Icefoot inquired.
    "Well...I..I just..." Willowbounce sighed, not wanting to down talk her apprentice.
"When I saw Shadedpaw in the battle, he had saved me from Toothclaw...but when I saw the anger..and the blood on his paws..It covered them! And I thought he had killed him..I felt..scared.." Willowbounce admitted. Icefoot had a look of concern.
    "But he didn't kill him. And I understand why you were scared...You were scared because you saw yourself in him, didn't you?" Icefoot said in a gentle voice. Willowbounce nodded. She had seen herself in him. She was scared to death that Shadedpaw would turn out like her, or worse, his father.
    "I just want to mentor him right, Icefoot! And I'm so worried I'll fail...that's all I've done all my life is be a failure..." She said, bending her gaze to the ground in shame. Icefoot drew his paw under her chin and made her look at him directly.
    "You are not a failure. You have done so many great things in your life. And even if you have done bad things, you aren't like that anymore." He said evenly. Willowbounce smiled, but there was still shame inside her. Icefoot licked her cheek and she licked him back. Icefoot started to lick her behind her ears, so Willowbounce started lapping at his chest fur. She was happy to share tongues with her mate. In the background, her shame had melted away and she felt at peace once again. She and Icefoot had their tails entwined, making her feel safe.
    "Come on, let's go to our nest.." He whispered in between licks. Willowbounce nodded in agreement as the two of them got to their paws and headed back to the warriors den, walking with their tails entwined. Icefoot laid down first and Willowbounce curled up beside him, not making a sound as she snuggled up to him. She felt Icefoot wrap his tail around her, so she did the same for him. Soon Willowbounce began to drift off to sleep.

    The next morning, Willowbounce had taken Shadedpaw out on her own. She wanted to practice hunting yet again, in hopes that it would teach him some valuable lessons about teamwork since it was just the two of them. Soon, Willowbounce caught the faint scent of mice. She waited to see if Shadedpaw would scent it. Sure enough, he did.
    "This way," He said, beginning to take off into the bushes. She bounded after him, keeping pace. They bounded through the undergrowth, over a couple of logs and past bushes. Shadedpaw slowed to a stop as they approached the Ancient Oak. This is where the scent was strongest.
    "It's under that root," Shadedpaw said pointing with his tail. "I'll take the right side and you take the left, we'll corner it. If it tries to run out, either way it will be greeted by teeth and claws." He murmured, then snuck off to his side. Willowbounce nodded and stalked off to her side. Shadedpaw scared the mouse out of hiding and it ran in Willowbounces direction. Willowbounce was waiting with her claws unsheathed. She smacked her paw down on the creature, trapping it. Shadedpaw bounded over and held it down by its tail. Willowbounce moved her claws over so she could bite down and kill the mouse. She held it in her teeth until it stopped squirming. She let the mouse go of her paws and so did Shadedpaw, sheathing both of their claws.
    "Good job." She said, praising her apprentice." She and him turned to head back to camp when they were stopped by bushes rustling on their left. Birdclaw and Tailpaw appeared from the undergrowth. Birdclaw was holding a shrew and Tailpaw a lark.
    "Hi Willowbounce, hi Shadedpaw." The young apprentice greeted them. "Me and Birdclaw were about to head back, want to come?" Willowbounce glanced at her apprentice, wondering if he wanted to hunt more. He had a look of agreement on his face, so she nodded.
    "Sure, we were about to go back too." Shadedpaw said, turning back to face Tailpaw. The apprentice did a little jump of excitement. They began to pad back in the direction of camp, Willowbounce and Birdclaw falling into step with each other in front of the apprentices trailing behind them.
    "So, Shadedpaw's doing well?" Birdclaw asked. Willowbounce nodded.
    "How is Tailpaw?" She asked.
    "Oh he's a great apprentice!" He responded. They went on silently for a while until they were about half-way back to camp.
    "Hey, um Willowbounce? Would you have the time tomorrow to go on a hunting patrol, just you and me?" The gray tom asked. Willowbounce knew Icefoot probably wouldn't be so fond of that, but she would feel bad to turn him down. It was just a hunting patrol, nothing more. I'm well aware of how Birdclaw feels about me. But he needs to learn he'll never be more than just a friend to me. She thought.
    "Sure. I don't have anything planned." She said.

    Once they arrived back in camp, Willowbounce, Shadedpaw, Birdclaw and Tailpaw all deposited their kills on the fresh-kill pile. Shadedpaw bounded off to the nursery to see his littermates again.
    "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high-ledge for a clan meeting!" Strongstar announced. Willowbounce padded to a spot where she could see her leader clearly and sat. A few heartbeats later and the whole clan was gathered.
    "Today it shall be Fiercepaw's naming ceremony." She announced. The black and white tom padded to the front of the crowd.
    "You have proved yourself through strength and courage. From now on, you shall be known as Fierceheart." Strongstar said. The clan chanted the new warriors name, and when the chanting died down she said, "Clan dismissed." Willowbounce padded over to Icefoot after the meeting was over to relax with him for a bit.