Mapleshade's Revenge

Chapter Sixteen

Maplepaw paced nervously outside the medicine den. She'll be fine, She told herself over again, Moonbreeze will take care of her.

Thunderclan had arrived back at camp just as dawn arrived. Many warriors had gotten their wounds treated, then gone to sleep, but Maplepaw couldn't stop worrying about her sister.

A tail rested gently on her back. Maplepaw turned to see Snowspeck looking at her with sympathy in his eyes. "Mistpaw is a strong cat. She'll pull through," He meowed softly.

Maplepaw shook her head side to side, "Maybe," She growled, "But it's my fault she's in there!"

"Surely not."

She rounded on him, "If I would have been with her during the battle I could gave kept her safe!"

Snowspeck sat back on his haunches, a serious expression on his face. "You can't always keep everyone you love safe," He mewed, "At one time or another they'll have to face a battle alone."

Maplepaw looked down at her paws.
"I can try," She hissed.

Their conversation was cut short by Echoflight.  "Moonbreeze said we can see her now!" She panted.

Maplepaw jumped to her paws as her mother disappeared in the medicine den. She quickly followed.

Inside, the medicine den air was stuffy. Brackenpelt layed on a mossy nest in the corner of the den, while Mistpaw was splayed out in the other.

Moonbreeze was quickly but carefully sorting through herbs. She glanced from her work as Maplepaw and Echoflight appeared.  "She's sleeping now," She began, "But at least she's alive."

Maplepaw warily padded next to her sister. A cobweb and marigold poultice was applied to her neck, and a herb-like substance covered a wound on her flank. A long patch of fur was missing from her hind leg.

I'm sorry Mistpaw. I really am.

Echoflight gently lapped Mistpaw's ear, then stood back. "Rest well, young one. I'll be waiting for you when you arise. "

Maplepaw backed out of the den, unable to stand the cramped and stuffy air any longer.

She nearly ran into Lionpaw, who was of course, devouring a mouse.

"Watch it!" She growled impatiently. 
He looked up at her, surprised.  "So-ree." He replied stifly.

Maplepaw sighed, then flopped down beside him. She was exhausted.  Her wounds stung, but it was her heart that stung the most. Feeling guilty for Mistpaw, she sighed again.

"Honestly Maplepaw, how can a cat enjoy his meal around here with you breathing as loud as a badger?"

Maplepaw narrowed her eyes then rested her head on her paws, defeated.

"You fought well in the battle," Lionpaw mewed quietly, clearly trying to make up for his poor choice of words earlier.

Maplepaw grunted in reply. Suddenly, her ears perked. The battle had reminded her of fighting...with Applepaw! 

I have to meet him at moonhigh tonight! She thought, her heart fluttering. 

"Is something wrong, Maplepaw?" Lionpaw asked, confused at her sudden change in mood.

"N-No. I just remembered something."

Lionpaw shrugged, then continued eating his mouse hungrily.

Maplepaw rose to her paws, wincing as blood trickled out of a scratch on her shoulder. She ignored the blood, then limped into the apprentices den.

The sooner I get to sleep, the sooner I can see Applepaw again!

She plopped into her nest tiredly, then closed her eyes. It was only a few heartbeats before darkness overtook her.

                               ◇ ◆ ◇

Water poured into Maplepaw's nose, making her sputter.  Her eyes burned and her muscles ached fiercly.

"Help! Help me Maplepaw!" A voice shrieked through the waves.

Maplepaw craned her neck to see who had called, but a dark wave slapped her in the face. She tumbled under the crashing current, water filling her lungs. She fought her way to the surface, gasping for air.

Another voice screamed, "Maplepaw! Don't let me drown!"

"Hang on!" She yowled, "I'm coming!"

She blinked water out of her eyes to see three small shapes drifting helplessly through the rough waters.

A tiny she-cat looked at Maplepaw desperately, her eyes wide, before disappearing under.

"No!" Maplepaw screamed, her plea ending in a sorrowful wail.

She dived down into the murky water, hoping to see the she-cat, but the dark water made it impossible to see anything.

She clawed her way to the surface once more, hoping to rescue the other kits before it was too late. But it was.

The last thing Maplepaw heard before being sucked under the current was the cries of the kits that she could not save.

                              ◇ ◆ ◇

"Agh!" Maplepaw's eyes shot open and she began to cough violently.

The water is making my lungs burn! She yowled inside her head.

However, no water came out. Maplepaw quickly gazed around her. She wasn't in the dark churning waters anymore. She was in the apprentice den.

"Are you okay?!" Lionpaw gasped, leaping to his paws.

Maplepaw stood in her moss nest, panting. "Yeah," She breathed, "J-Just a bad dream."

Lionpaw continued to eye her worriedly, "Maybe you should go see Moonbreeze. "

Maplepaw shook her head, "No. She's too busy taking care of the wounded."  She shakily padded out of the den out into the camp.

The moon shone brightly, almost at its highest point in the sky. Maplepaw gasped.  Moonhigh! She had to meet Applepaw!

She gazed around the camp. Occasional moans and grunts came from the medicine den, while quiet snores filled the warriors den. Redstorm stood unmoving at the enterance, guarding.

I can sneak past him, hopefully!

Her eyes drifted to the Dirtplace tunnel. She decided to sneak out that way.

Maplepaw cautiously crept through the tunnel, peering behind her.

"Good. No one is following." She whispered to herself.

She let out a growl at her stupidity. "Of course no one's following, mouse-brain!" She scolded herself, "You're just paranoid. "

Finally, she ended up out beneath the trees. She glanced up at the sky. The moon wasn't at its highest point, but it wouldn't be long before it would be.

She quickly made her way to Fourtrees, her heart thumping loudly. She gracefully cleared a fallen log and ducked under a hanging bramble tendril.

Maplepaw stopped to catch her breath.  She closed her eyes.

Her heart thumped louder as the yowls and cries of the kits filled her mind and their fragile bodies were tossed into the churning waves, never to be seen again.