𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓻𝓼: 𝓒𝓻𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓵 𝓦𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 (𝓐𝓹𝓹𝓵𝔂𝓕𝓲𝓬!)

•★★ Chapter 4 ★★•

SHELLPAW's POV

Shellpaw slipped through the apprentice's den, frowning as he watched everyone shove each other around and joke loudly. He had never taken a liking to his clanmates' actions, though he loved them dearly. They were rough and sneering, always pushing him around and acting as if he were a kit. No one would tell him anything about borders or GlowClan or battles. 

GlowClan...

The two GlowClan apprentices! He had almost forgotten about them. In fact- there was one now! The smaller, white one was stalking away from Pondpaw, who kicked a half-eaten mouse away from him. Shellpaw nearly laughed. That tom could annoy anyone! Even Shellpaw wanted to knock his teeth out at one point. Shellpaw shook himself, forcing the thoughts of the irritating tom out of his head. As he began to walk towards the medicine den, but paused. The two GlowClan cats were very hostile, if he was being honest. He always thought GlowClan cats were soft and weak, but those two practically insulted everyone with their eyes! Especially the brown one. She had injured her paw during the encounter in the foresty part of their territory, and was super snappy on the trek back to the camp, he heard. She must have been scared as much as she was angry though. And a scared animal is dangerous, regardless of the species. Well, now that he was really thinking about it... they couldn't be too bad. Especially if they were scared. Maybe he could be friends with them. Or he could be scary. Maybe then he would finally get some recognition. He lashed his tail in a bit of self-pity. He couldn't scare a guppy out of water! 

Shaking the thoughts away, Shellpaw slunk through the clearing, easily staying unnoticed as he padded away, and through the medicine den. "Oh, hey Shellpaw! What's up?" Koipaw said, bouncing over to greet him. Shellpaw shrugged. "Just, uh, wanted to meet the GlowClan cats" he said hoarsely. "Woahh, you don't sound so good!" Koipaw said, giving him a look of concern. "Relax, Koipaw. Shellpaw just sounds like that because he never talks!" Mangrovepaw said sassily. Shellpaw felt a twinge of annoyance from the tabby, but ignored her. "Uhm.. are they the GlowClan cats?" he said quietly, gesturing towards the two cats curled up in the nests of moss and leaves. "What else would we be, mouse-brain? A pair of salamanders?" The brown one lifted her head, a challenge glinting in her eyes. "Might as well be, here doing nothing but snoring!" Mangrovepaw retorted, her response almost muffled by the herb wrap in her mouth. The brown one's eyes gleamed with fury. She let out a cough, glaring at her. "What's the matter? Got greencough now?" Mangrovepaw hissed. "No, just allergies. I'm allergic to stupidity!" the brown one snarled. Mangrovepaw whirled around to glare at her. "Now, now. What's going on in here?" A voice said from the entrance. All of them turned to see the two medicine cats, Azuremoon and Rapidtuft. 

Mangrovepaw turned away reluctantly. "Nothing. Just a little skirmish with... the patients" she spat the words out like it was poison. "Hold your tongue, Mangrovepaw." Azuremoon said calmly. "We must treat our guests kindly" 
Rapidtuft nodded in agreement. "The poor things must be frightened out of their minds!" she said sympathetically, turning to the GlowClan cats. "What are your names?" 
"Opalpaw and, uh, Rosepaw" The white one whispered. "Lovely names. Now, what seems to be the problem here?" Rapidtuft asked, trotting over to sniff them. "Rosepaw.. hurt her paw" 

"I can speak for myself" Rosepaw snapped. Azuremoon padded over. She nudged the she-cat's paw out from under her chest to take a look at it. "How did you get this?" She asked after a moment. Rosepaw's ears flattened. "A certain apprentice" She grumbled. "Pondpaw?" Shellpaw guessed. The apprentice fixed Shellpaw with her glaring amber gaze. "Is that the striped one? If not, then no." she said simply, looking him up and down judgmentally. Shellpaw felt hot under her gaze. "Er.. Riptidepaw?" He mewed uncomfortably. "Yes,  I believe that was his name" Opalpaw said, turning her head him. Oh great... now they're looking at me, Shellpaw thought in embarrassment. 

Rapidtuft came over to examine the paw. "It looks like you've wrenched your paw muscles" she said, nosing the paw. "Will that keep us here longer?" Opalpaw said anxiously. "For Rosepaw, I'm afraid so. Not for you though. Rosepaw must rest for a few days, but you're free to go." Rapidtuft said apologetically. Rospaw snapped her head around to glare at Opalpaw. "You better not leave me here, you oaf!" She growled. Opalpaw blinked. "Uhm. When exactly can she go?" 
"About four to five days, depending on how bad it hurts. Water therapy won't really be needed, unless you're weakened there more than we think" Azuremoon said, looking Rosepaw over quizzically. Rosepaw sighed. "No. I wouldn't swim for a thousand mice!" she muttered.
"It's your decision, Opalpaw. You can go if you'd like. I can call up an escort right now" Azuremoon offered. Shellpaw begun to back away. He wasn't needed here. "No, I want to stay with my friend" Opalpaw said firmly. Azuremoon shrugged. "Suit yourself" she mewed. 

"Hey, what's wrong with you, Shellpaw? Fever? Stomach bug?" Rapidtuft said, finally noticing him. "Uh. No, nothing. Just wanted to.. meet.. the new cats?" he said quietly. Rapidtuft gave him a weird look, before turning to their herb supply. "Comfrey and nettle should do the trick!" she meowed as Shellpaw exited the den. 

~

Shellpaw lay with his tail curled over his nose, trying hard to fall asleep. He realized with a sigh that he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He sat up, shaking his fur out before letting out a silent yawn, tasting the salt-scented air. He heaved himself out of his nest with a grunt, climbing out of the den, crawling past the other apprentices, careful not to wake them. He trotted out of the den, hoping he wasn't out too late. TideClan didn't usually have guards, unless a serious threat was near. He sat and watched the sky, the dark blue void speckled with stars looked back down at him. StarClan, why are you keeping me awake? He asked silently, blinking tiredly. His eyes became heavy as the time passed, and he fell asleep after a little. 
He was awoken by the snap of a twig, and he jerked his head up alertly. Whispers of unfamiliar voices caused him to leap into a nearby bush in terror, crouching low, his heart beating fast. 
His heavy breath caught in his throat as a tall figure stepped into the camp, its pelt too dark to be identified. It looked around, before slipping across the clearing and into the nursery, its pawsteps silent as it walked. Shellpaw felt his ears pounding with fear as he recoiled, worry overcoming the fear quickly. What if a kit was hurt? 
He heard the quiet mewl of a kit and his blood turned to ice. Was someone stealing a kitten from its mother? The mew was hushed by the cat and, with ease, it slunk out of the nursery, a kit in its mouth. Shellpaw watched in horror as the cat padded out of camp with the kit, his body paralyzed in fear. He wanted to do something.. but he couldn't. He waited for a few moments to calm himself down, even though it didn't do anything. 

He leaped out of the bush and stood awkwardly in the clearing, thinking of what to do. He felt fear pounding in his chest as he began to approach the nursery, hoping none of the queens would suspect him. 
He pawed the nearest one, gently shaking her, whoever she was. "Psst. Hey, wake up!" he whispered. "Shellpaw? What in StarClan-" 
"Shhh. Listen, someone walked in and.. and I think they stole your kit" He mumbled, recognizing the voice of Pearlsong. A moment of silent came, then quickly left as she let out a yowl of fury. "What?" She snarled, leaping to her paws. The others lifted their heads in worry as the queen began nosing at the kits in the den. 

"Deerkit... Rootkit... Mosskit..." she said in a hushed voice. "Stormblossom. Do you have all your kits? You too, Northnight!" Pearlsong ordered. "Where's Rowankit and Jellyfishkit?" Stormblossom wailed in despair. "Blizzardkit's in here!" Northnight called. 

Shellpaw sprang over to check for Rowankit and Jellyfishkit, but stopped to see Stormblossom burst into tears. "Stormblossom?" Shellpaw could barely get the words out. The silver molly turned her head, tears streaming down her face.

 "Jellyfishkit... they took her"

For the record, I know cats don't cry, it just added emotion 😭