Jaywatcher's Love [Old, DISCONTINUED]

∆ chapter 9 ∆

Jaypaw shivered. The apprentice's den had a draft. She peeked her eyes open, seeing Ivypaw's pelt beside her.

The older apprentice was also shivering. Jaypaw guessed that Ivypaw was also cold.

Dawn was here. Jaypaw looked outside at the rose-pink sky. The dawn patrol would be here soon. She turned at a shuffling noise near the other end of the nest.

Blackpaw rose, yawning. His eyes locked with Jaypaw's. "Good morning, Jaypaw." He mewed quietly.

Jaypaw nodded. "Good morning." She replied as Rowantail's shadow overtook the apprentices den and his head poked into the entrance.

"Jaypaw, Cedarpaw and Blackpaw." Rowantail mewed. "We need to go retrieve Tigerpaw. Badgerheart's coming too."

Guilt washed over Jaypaw, but she didn't know why. She had forgotten that today was the day they needed to retrieve Tigerpaw's body.

Blackpaw stood and walked, nudging Jaypaw to her paws. Jaypaw shook bits of fern and moss out of her fur.

She yawned. Jaypaw was still tired from hunting with Leafpaw last night. Cedarpaw exited the den behind them.

Blackpaw shook out his fur as Rowantail led them out of camp. A gut-wrenching feeling shivered through Jaypaw.

She was going to retrieve a dead body. For the Clan to bury. Her denmate's body. Tigerpaw, who's spirit was walking among the stars.

Before she knew it, the small patrol had reached Carrionplace. Badgerheart took the lead, her black and white striped tail waving in the air.

Jaypaw flanked behind Cedarpaw and Blackpaw, who looked equally as nervous as she did.

Jaypaw shivered as Cedarpaw's tail flicked her shoulder. "Don't worry," he whispered. "I'm here for you."

Jaypaw nodded, eyes focused ahead of her. Carrionplace lay ahead, and Jaypaw could smell the rancid smell from where she stood.

Badgerheart's tail flicked up and they all bounded down the hill, reaching the gates of Carrionplace within minutes.

"It's infested with rats." Badgerheart sniffed the air. "We need to keep an eye out. If you see rats, call out. Tigerpaw should be close to the entrance."

Jaypaw and Rowantail nodded as they all catiously entered Carrionplace. Rat squeaks taunted Jaypaw, and she whipped her head back and forth.

Cedarpaw padded to Jaypaw's side. "There's no rats. If there was, I would protect you!" He whispered.

Jaypaw rolled her eyes. She didn't need protecting! She was just nervous, that's all.

"Where's Tigerpaw?" Rowantail murmured, breaking the awkward silence. "He has to be around here somewher-" He broke off.

Jaypaw peered around her mentor, then wished she didn't. Tigerpaw's body lay still, a pool of dried blood around him. Patches of his fur was missing.

The dead apprentice's mouth was opened in a silent scream, and Jaypaw shuddered at the sight.

Badgerheart's eyes widened, then she looked more serious. "We have to get him back to camp. Let's go." The warrior grabbed Tigerpaw by his scruff and the apprentice's eyes rolled to the back of his head, making Jaypaw jump.

She looked away, focusing her eyes on Cedarpaw. The apprentice looked as scared as her, but continued on walking back as Badgerheart dragged Tigerpaw's body along the ground.

As the patrol was about to exit the dreaded, rat-infested place, a squeak sounded behind Rowantail.

Jaypaw's mentor spun around as a rat swung for him, teeth bared and squeaking.

Rowantail's tail lashed and he battered the rat back, and Jaypaw rushed to his side as a couple more rats made their way forwards.

At that moment, a sharp pain stabbed through Jaypaw's tail and she let out a yowl of pain. She swung her head around to see a rat biting viciously at her tail tip.

Jaypaw flung the rat off, and it let out a pitiful squeak before fleeing into the rubble of Carrionplace.

As another rat leapt forwards for Jaypaw's neck, a hefty ginger-and-white paw smacked it out of the way.

Jaypaw peered up to see a cat a lot taller than her. She was muscular and had a ginger and white tabby pelt, with a small mossy-green bandanna around her neck. She didn't smell like a Clan cat.

Cedarpaw thrusted his way inbetween Jaypaw and the newcomer, teeth bared. "Don't you hurt her, you sick rouge!" He hissed.

Badgerheart had to interfere before Cedarpaw hurled himself at the rouge. "That's enough, Cedarpaw." She scolded her apprentice.

Turning to the rouge, Badgerheart spoke. "Thank you. Who might you be?" The warrior asked.

The ginger she-cat dipped her head to the Clans, and Jaypaw swore she locked eyes with the rouge. "My name's Cardinal. I saw this little runt get attacked. I tried to help, but I was too late. Sorry."

Rowantail nodded at Cardinal. "Thank you for trying. We will remember you. You have the respect of ShadowClan." He mewed. "But we must get going. We need to bury Tigerpaw by sundown."

Cardinal nodded. "I reckon I'll see you once more in my life. Goodbye." The rouge stepped back to let the Clan cats pass, battering at any rate that leapt out to fight.

Rowantail took the lead with Jaypaw at his side, and Badgerheart picked Tigerpaw up by his scruff and dragged him along. Cedarpaw was helping his mentor by padding beside her and lifting Tigerpaw's tail.

Jaypaw trudged along beside Blackpaw, who had been mainly silent the entire time. Jaypaw guessed he was still coping with Tigerpaw's death.

They reached the camp before they knew it. Tigerpaw's body was laid onto the dusty ground, right infront of Redstar.

The Clan had gathered around as the sun dropped lower and lower into the sky, mourning Tigerpaw's passing. Jaypaw joined in.

Memories pressed against Jaypaw's skull, making her shiver. Tigerpaw had always been rude and cruel, making fun of Jaypaw for her mother being dead.

When Jaypaw and the rest of ShadowClan stopped mourning, the sky was glittering with StarClan's warriors, a half-moon floating in the sky.

Jaypaw turned her head to see Marshpaw padding slowly after Silversong, the ShadowClan medicine cat. They were on their way to the Moonstone.

The ShadowClan apprentice looked at her paws as they lead her to the apprentice's den and into her nest. No one else was there. She didn't want anything more than to sleep, but as Jaypaw lay down, she couldn't.

Tears welled in her eyes as Jaypaw remembered the moments that she enjoyed with Tigerpaw.

Playing games, talking...Jaypaw sighed. Though Tigerpaw had been rude during her kithood, she still grew up with him. He was her denmate, and her friend.

Teary-eyed, Jaypaw buried her head into the mossy nest. It was only then she heard paws pattering into the den.

"Are you okay?" She heard Cedarpaw's voice whisper. "Why are you crying? Is it because of Tigerpaw?"

Jaypaw only let out a sniffle in response, not daring to look up.

"Don't worry." Cedarpaw reasurred her. "It'll be fine, I'm here."

Jaypaw sniffled again as Cedarpaw curled beside her, his fur brushing her's. The two apprentices slept in minutes, tails intertwined.