Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

    "TWOLEGS! TWOLEGS ARE COMING!" Fiercehearts yowl filled the camp as he rushed in. Willowbounce lifted her head from her paws in alarm. So did the other queens. Willowbounce knew there was talking, but it was too rushed and far to hear. Then she heard her leader.
    "Everybody, retreat to your dens temporarily until I give the order to come out!" Strongstar ordered. Like thunder on the ground, Willowbounce heard the paws of all the cats in camp rushing into dens. Then silence. Willowbounce shuffled closer to the other queens. Woodkit and Larkkit were cowering by Skyfurs belly, staying obediently quiet. There were a few heartbeats of silence, then a few twolegs came into camp. The barking of a dog followed their odd voices, and Willowbounce shrunk even closer to Hawkwing and Skyfur. The twolegs only stayed for a short bit, then left. But the dog stayed. Willowbounce could hear its nose quickly taking in whiffs of air as it searched the camp for the cats hidden inside. It was over by the warriors den, she could hear it. Then suddenly, the dog started barking very loudly and frequently, as if it was trying to alert its twolegs. Oh no, it must've scented us! Willowbounce thought. The twolegs came rushing back to camp, and at once Willowbounce heard large pawsteps hit the ground of the camp. They belonged to Strongstar.
    "Everyone out of camp! Follow me!" She yowled. Willowbounce saw her rushing by the den entrance. The camp began to be swarmed by all the cats rushing out. Hawkwing was the first to be on her paws in the nursery. She picked up Woodkit while Skyfur picked up Larkkit. Willowbounce hustled to her paws. The twolegs howled and were making loud noises in surprise. The dog was whimpering and still barking, overwhelmed by all the cats. Willowbounce and the other queens made their way to the entrance and began to move quickly with the river of their clanmates. Willowbounce was able to keep up with the flow of cats because she had been pregnant before, and she had worked the whole time. The whole clan was running together through the trees now in directions Willowbounce didn't know. They travelled along ridges and along paths through the trees Willowbounce didn't even know were part of their territory. Her clan had slowed to a trot now, tired from running so far.
    "H...How much longer..." She heaved, quite exhausted from her extra weight and the long trip. Willowbounce was near the front of the group, and so she was near the leader and Icefoot.
    "Not much longer, we're almost there." Strongstar said without turning her head.
    "Where is there anyway?" Willowbounce said in between breaths.
    "The mooncave!" Strongstar said. The mooncave? She means the one the medicine cats go to every half-moon? She thought. Soon, the Thunderclan group arrived at the entrance, and Mountainpelt, Greenpaw and Stormpaw now led the group, leading their clan into the ancient and sacred place. Willowbounce felt her paws slip into the engraved paw marks of her ancestors who had traveled this path countless times. She suddenly felt as though she was walking among the stars. But, there was something off here. She felt as though she was almost an outcast here of sorts. Like she was walking among Starclan cats, and she was one as well, but she was different. She was different in a bad way. Willowbounce tried to brush off the feeling as the clan entered into the cave opening. It was bright and beautiful. The cave had walls made of crystalline rocks and the large pool in the middle was clear with a little stream that was gurgling water steadily into the pool. At the top of the cave it was wide open, where the stars would shine in during the night. Willowbounce was in awe at the beauty of the cave, and so were her clanmates. She was knocked out of her daze when Icefoot nudged her shoulder. He signaled for her to follow him. Icefoot laid down at the edge of the pool laying sideways. There was just enough room for Willowbounce beside him. So Willowbounce carefully stepped beside the pool and laid down beside Icefoot. He curled his tail over her hips comfortably. His face was beside hers.
    "I can sense that your worried Willowbounce...what's on your mind?" He murmured just loud enough for her to hear and no one else.
    "When I was walking down the path into the cave, I had the strangest feeling. I had the feeling I was walking among Starclan cats, and I was one of them...But I felt different...I felt like I was an outcast. Like I didn't belong almost...It made me worried." She said quietly. Icefoot looked at her, concerned. He seemed to think for a moment, his gaze somewhere deep in thought as he gazed into the moonpools depths.
    "Do you think...it was a sign from Starclan..?" He inquired with hesitance. She widened her eyes, realizing what he meant. Willowbounce felt like her heart had dropped out of her chest and onto the stone she was laying on.
    "That I don't belong among the stars...?" She asked, her eyes rounding in fear and slight panic. Icefoot's gaze was distant like he wasn't sure.
    "It may be possible...But I don't think that's true..I mean you haven't been to the Dark Forest in moons! Plus, you haven't done anything wrong, right?" He said. Willowbounce stayed silent. Her gaze was filled with sorrow and remorse. Icefoots gaze dropped.
    "Willowbounce...What. Happened." He asked. Willowbounce opened her mouth to spill her guts to Icefoot, but she was cut off.
    "Icefoot! Come on, you're going on a patrol!" Splashine called to him. Willowbounce was still facing Icefoot, snarling in frustration. The tom looked concerned and frustrated a bit as well.
    "Coming.." He said loud enough for her sister to hear. Then he turned to her and said, "We are not finished with this." His voice was strained and a bit frustrated. Willowbounce felt uncomfortable in her own pelt. She had been forced back into the Dark Forest against her will. It wasn't her choice! Willowbounce flicked her tail anxiously. He'll understand when I tell him, won't he?
    "This patrol will be going back to camp and giving us a report on how it looks there. The rest of us will stay here and wait for their return." Strongstar said, then walking back to a spot where she had been sitting. Willowbounce stared into the moonpool at her own reflection. Starclan...won't you tell me what to do? I need your guidance...I don't know what to do anymore...She thought despairingly
    Icefoot led his patrol out of the mooncaves tunnel. The tom was aggravated and upset, his tail flicking back and forth as he began to make his trek back to camp. Willowbounce...what in the name of Starclan are you thinking!? You cannot be going to that place! You could not only get yourself killed, but you bet your tail you won't be going to Starclan! She needs to stop...He thought frustratedly. His clanmates chattered and talked behind him, but Icefoot strode ahead of them. He needed time to think, and this was his chance to do it. When I get back I'll report to Strongstar..then I'll take Willowbounce outside the cave where she and I can talk privately. I'll ask her just what she thinks she was doing going there and we'll resolve it...we always do when something is wrong. But I need to get my anger out right now or else I might explode on her...I really, really don't want to do that.Icefoot thought with his claws flexing in and out as he walked. Unfortunately, this made his claws get strung up in the soft dirt, and Icefoot tripped and fell. Icefoot snarled to himself, his fangs flashing.
    "Icefoot are you alr-" Splashine had padded over to him and was about to ask if he was alright, but Icefoot cut her off.
    "I'M FINE, SPLASHINE." He snapped at her viciously. Splashine was taken aback by the tom's unusually snappy attitude. Icefoot instantly felt bad.
    "I-I'm sorry Splashine..I'm just...tense.." He said, murmuring from still being aggravated. Splashine nodded quickly to him, then returned to the rest of the patrol who was staring wide-eyed. Icefoot only gazed at them for a heartbeat before turning around and continuing his walk.The patrol was silent the rest of the way there.
Finally upon arriving at the camp, there wasn't a sound. Icefoot was more focused now, though he was still prickly. He padded into camp first with his chin held high and his paws moving confidently. He stopped dead when he entered. The camp was in complete shambles. Any dens that had been weaved into existence had been crushed under the twolegs and their crowfood-eating dogs. There were some dens that were still intact, like the medicine den which didn't look touched. The leaders' den, elders' den and fresh-kill pile were also unharmed, but the warriors, apprentices' dens as well as the nursery were destroyed. Icefoot gazed at the nursery for a couple of heartbeats. His heart ached when he thought of Willowbounce and their unborn kits. They could've been killed in there...He thought. The rest of the patrol was right behind him, and they had seen enough.
    "Alright, let's head back. We've seen the damage." Icefoot said, turning around. He didn't want to waste time. For all I know something could be happening right now..Willowbounce could be in danger...He thought, picking up pace as he began his way back.

    Arriving back at the mooncave, the whole clan turned their attention to Icefoot and his patrol as they entered. Strongstar approached him first.
    "So, what's the damage?" She asked. Icefoot sighed.
    "Almost all the dens were destroyed, excluding the medicine den, the elders den, your den and the fresh-kill pile. Everything else was in shambles." He concluded. Strongstar nodded, her gaze troubled.
    "Alright..thank you Icefoot." She said. Strongstars voice was troubled and weary. He didn't tread on that thought for long, and he padded past his leader straight over to Willowbounce, who was still laying in the same spot as when he left.
    "Come on, I said we weren't done." He said to her, then turning and walking out of the mooncave. He heard her pawsteps behind him. Once they were outside the cave, Icefoot turned and faced her directly, sitting down. She sat down across from him. He could feel anxiety wavering from her pelt like waves on the lakeshore. He studied her movements, and he knew she felt small under his sharp gaze.
    "Tell me what's been going on, now." He said flatly. Icefoot was surprised to see her keeping a steady face, as well as a steady tone when she spoke despite the fact that he was being snappy with her.
    "I was taken back there against my will Icefoot..He took me! I tried my hardest. I really did! But he took me..against my will.." She spoke in a frustrated tone, like she was venting. But he knew it was also because she wasn't sure if he would believe her.
    "Who is he?" He asked flatly once again. He saw Willowbounce unsheath her claws and snarl slightly.
    "Direpaw..." She spat his name like it was poison itself. Icefoot felt anger bubbling up inside him, but also remorse for his mate. His gaze softened.
    "I believe you..I really do.." He said in a more comforting voice now.
    "Indeed it was me..." The voice of the sinister tom himself spoke, making him and Willowbounce perk up. Icefoot snarled an angry snarl.
    "Get away from my mate, Direpaw!" He yowled loudly as the tom appeared behind Willowbounce. Icefoot unsheathed his claws as fast as lightning and lunged at the tom with his paws outstretched and his fangs bared. Willowbounce dove out of the way just in time as Icefoot crashed into the Dark Forest tom behind her. Icefoot had him pinned to the ground.
    "I SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU BEFORE YOU MADE HER DO IT! YOU WERE TROUBLE FROM THE START AND I KNEW IT! YOU DROVE HER TO BE LIKE THIS, YOU BROKE HER!" He yowled in furious rage. Direpaw even seemed a bit shocked under his grasp. The tom was merely wincing slightly as Icefoot drilled his claws into his flesh. Icefoot was practically foaming at the mouth, his blood pounded in his ears, yet he couldn't bring himself to rip into the tom.
    "And that's what makes you weak, Icefoot." The tom sneered smugly with a grin, like he was in his head. Icefoot realized what the tom had meant and he was shocked. Before he had the chance to register anything, Direpaw disappeared from under his grasp, Icefoots paws hitting the ground, and his claws tips sinking into the soil. He raised his head slowly, and turned to Willowbounce who was staring at him. She looked shocked and afraid. Icefoot sheathed his claws and thought for a moment.
    "...That is what it's like for you..isn't it? You feel an unfathomable amount of rage...and you just can't control it...right?" He asked. She nodded slowly.
    "Except...for me..it's..so much worse...What you just experienced was only a pawful of what I feel..." She said. Icefoot couldn't imagine how horrible that must feel. No wonder why she tells me she feels like a 'monster' when she's like that...if I felt only a pawful of what she experiences, it must be absolutely terrifying...He thought.  Icefoot felt like a heavy stone was sitting in his heart. My poor mate...He thought. Icefoot also felt quite horrible for being snappy with her. She was already in such an emotional limbo and Icefoot knew he wasn't helping by being prickly with her. Willowbounce approached him first, nuzzling her muzzle against his cheek. Icefoot felt instantly a bit calmer from her gentle caress. Then she padded forward and ran her tail under his chin. Icefoot got to his paws and followed her as she led him back through the cave entrance. Though, Icefoot thought he saw a tinge of sadness in her eyes as she passed him. Worry built up inside the tom.