Foxgaze's Haunting

Chapter 5

(Cat above is Glazepaw)
"Foxpaw. Are you awake?" Leafpaw poked her side.

Foxpaw opened an eye. Don't remind me of my awful name. She sighed in a tired tone "I am now".

The thin tom purred, oblivious to Foxpaw's mood "Great! Just saying, I think tomorrow you can go back to your normal apprentice duties. Nightstar and Lakeheart agreed".

The thought of Nightstar made Foxpaw dig her claws into her nest, tearing at the moss. I'll flay that snake-heart for all the pain he's made me go through.

Without knowing, Foxpaw let a low growl rise in her throat. Leafpaw took a step back, his eyes full of sympathy "I can see you still haven't forgotten him for changing your name" he mewed quietly.

Foxpaw ignored him. She rose from her nest. "I'm going for a walk" she meowed gruffly.

Leafpaw muttered something under his breath and turned away. Foxpaw stretched in the sunlight outside the den. Despite her dark mood she loved the feeling of the sunlight on her dappled fur.

She saw out of the corner of her eye Glazepaw eating a mouse. The smoky grey tabby she-cat with white paws looked old enough to be a warrior. Foxpaw wondered when she would be made one. Glazepaw's dark blue eyes lit up when she saw Foxpaw "Birdp- Oh wait, Foxpaw! It's good to see you out of the medicine den".

Foxpaw didn't want to dampen her good mood "Err yes it is. I feel a lot better".

"Great! Can't wait to train with you again!" the bouncy she-cat mewed. Foxpaw nodded and padded away. She looked at her neck. The bite had healed enough to have the cobwebs removed, Foxpaw almost wished they hadn't. A jagged tear stretched from behind her neck to her white chest fur. She knew that the fur wouldn't grow over most of the scar but she knew it would heal over like new skin when time passed. I'll just look like any other warrior she thought.

Pebblefur was lying in the shade of a big pine tree. The speckled grey tom had his eyes half closed and his tail curled around him like a napping kittypet.

The tortishell apprentice managed to slide out of camp without being talked to by anyone, something she was hoping for. The moment Foxpaw touched the nettles with her paw, memories of Adderpaw screeching and foxes barking crashed over her like a wave. She gasped from the sudden crash of grief He isn't coming back.

Stop it! I have to get over my fears, no matter how terrible they are Foxpaw thought with determination. She took a deep breath and began to walk into the forest.

In moments, Foxpaw lost all fear of what was around her. It was a pleasant late new leaf day. The nettles were cool and crunchy below her paws. In the trees above, Foxpaw could hear birds chattering in the branches. Her stomach growled Oh, better bring something back to camp.

Foxpaw dug her claws into the bark of a pine tree. She edged herself up the rugged surface. After reaching about halfway up the tree, Foxpaw was beginning to tire. She hadn't done things like this for at least a moon, lying in a nest all day didn't count as training. Her head began to ache from her injury. A rising feeling of panic filled the apprentice Oh no! I'm loosing my grip. Am I going to fall? Please don't let that happen StarClan. I need a branch to rest on. Foxpaw thought desperately. She saw a straight branch about a tail length away from her head. With one leap, Foxpaw dug her front claws into the branch. She felt a moments triumph before realizing that her legs were flailing wildly. She gasped "Help. Help!"Like some cat pushing her upwards Foxpaw scrabbled to the branch. She dug her claws into the branch and took a few deep breaths of relief. She had made it.

The view from the branch was amazing. Foxpaw could see the whole territory from her spot. She could also make out the MountainClan border not too far away. Beyond that, she could see a glittering lake. Foxpaw was tired from her climb. She leaned back against the trunk and fell into a light sleep.
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Foxpaw opened her eyes. She wasn't on the tree branch anymore. Surrounding her were tall pine trees and soft ferns that shone with morning dew. The trees had new green leaves that let light pass through and made the ground a patchwork of light and dark.

"Enjoying the place?" a framiliar voice said. Foxpaw brought herself to her paws. She saw a cat slide through the bushes in front of her. It was Adderpaw.

"Adderpaw! It's so good to see you again. I'm so sorry for what happened back on that awful day" Foxpaw meowed, her mood was a mixture of sadness and joy for seeing her beloved brother.

Adderpaw's pelt looked glossy and well groomed. His leafy green eyes were so...calm. He purred "It's good to see you too...I think they call you Foxpaw now".

Foxpaw looked around "Where are we exactly?"

"Isn't it obvious mousebrain? I'm dead, you're asleep. It's a little place called StarClan" Adderpaw chuckled.

Adderpaw looked at Foxpaw, his gaze was more serious than Foxpaw had ever seen him before"We both have and had a destiny. Every cat does, mine was to die fighting but I don't regret that. Your destiny is much more significant than mine".

"What do you mean" Foxpaw turned her head to the side in confusion. Adderpaw's tail twined around Foxpaw's. He sighed and meowed in a dark tone "The ancients want me to tell you something that they have seen in the form of a prophecy. Even Nightstar doesn't know what it is".

Foxpaw nodded. Adderpaw looked up at the sky and stared upward for a moment. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. He opened his eyes and stared at Foxpaw with a stare nearly as powerful as it seemed, the sun.

"The bark of the fox will echo through time. Claws will spill blood to stop the echo only to find it was nothing but themselves" Adderpaw chanted.

Foxpaw felt the ground lurch under her paws. She tried to reach out to Adderpaw but he was gone. She fell back into sleep.