The Barn Cat

Chapter Eighteen

The sun was starting to fall when all the cats sat around in a large, hushed circle. Only a bit ago had Sparrow, Fang, and Midnight gone to retrieve Flame's body from the Thunderpath. Everyone was quiet now, huddling around her orange, lifeless body. Echo had made sure they cleaned her spotless and laid her in a position where she looked like she was just sleeping with her tail over her nose, as though she was still alive and taking a nap. The cats had already shared their words with her, and the only noises coming from the camp was from Birch and Moon who kept having to quiet their kits who were begging to see what was going on. Ivypaw couldn't help but stare at Leafstride during all of this, who was sitting with his head hung low and his claws stuck in the dirt. Ivypaw figured the tom and she-cat had a close relationship, but once Mistfoot had informed him that Leafstride was wanting to be mates it had still shocked Ivypaw. It must hurt really bad to not only have someone you love so much die right in front of you, but betray you right before they do die.

"It's time for her burial," Night mewed in a hushed tone, making all of the cats turn their solemn gazes to their leader. He nodded to Stone, the dark-gray tabby tom giving him a slow nod as he got to his paws. "Blaze, Sparrow, would you mind helping?" Stone asked the toms, his mew quieter than a mouse's snore. The two toms started standing, then walking over to the peacefully placed Flame. "I want to help too." Leafstride's mew was more powerful than the other toms', which took the cats around him by surprise. "I don't know," Stone turned to Night, who only dipped his head. "Please," Leafstride padded over to Flame, "I loved her." "Okay," Stone agreed. Ivypaw watched as the four toms lifted her lifeless body onto their shoulders and padded her out of the silent camp. "That must have been awful to watch." Ivypaw spun his head around to see Palepaw standing behind him, flanked by Hawk. Uncomfortable, Ivypaw got to his paws. "Yep," he didn't feel like talking, so short and sweet was the best way out of this. He turned and padded away, to where the rest of the Young Ones were sitting. "This is awful, Ivypaw," Silver Rain mewed as he sat down. Ivypaw dipped his head, "I didn't know her like you all do, but I do feel your pain too." The cats gave him an appreciating nod, then stared at their paws.

"I don't know what I'd do if I saw Hawk or Rain get hit by a car," Olive mewed quietly. Car. So strange. "You won't," Rain mewed softly, putting her tail over her sister's shoulder. "It's just so sad," Kaya whispered. Young murmurs of agreement swam through the young cats. "Hey Ivypaw, I think someone needs you," Jay nudged him and pointed his tail behind him. Ivypaw turned his gaze to see Mistfoot standing alongside Brightshade, both the warriors staring at him. Ivypaw dipped his head to his fellow young cats, then padded over to the clan cats. "We think it's best if we discuss what's happening amongst us," Mistfoot mewed. "Amongst the clan cats," Brightshade put in, making sure Ivypaw understood. Ivypaw nodded his head, "okay. I'll go fetch Leafstride when he comes back." Mistfoot stared for a second, her gaze unreadable, until she finally nodded and turned to pad away with Brightshade. Ivypaw padded over to where he had watched Leafstride leave the camp with the other toms. He sat and waited, letting his thoughts overcome his feelings. Were Mistfoot and Brightshade ready to go home? Did Mistfoot feel at fault for this and want to leave? Are the clan cats going to take over the mission? The biggest question was creeping in from the back of his mind. What are we going to do now?

*****

The moon was fully out now, and Ivypaw was still waiting for Leafstride. He'd watched all the cats go into the barn one by one to go sleep, and now the camp was empty. Noises came from behind Ivypaw, and he watched as Stone and Blaze padded back into camp, their gazes empty. Sparrow followed shortly after, glancing over to Ivypaw. "You might want to go get him. We tried to have him come back with us, but nothing was working. He's sitting at her grave." Ivypaw gave him a grateful nod as he got to his paws, and watched as Sparrow trotted away. Ivypaw forgot all his questions and worries, all he could focus on now was making sure Leafstride was okay, and to try and make him feel better.

He padded through the forest, following the scents that buried the she-cat. Finally, he came across a calico tom who was sitting next to a flower that lay in front of his paws. Ivypaw slowly padded over to him, and without speaking, sat next to him. Silence filled the air for what felt like forever, but Ivypaw knew that Leafstride just needed someone there. Not someone to tell him what to do, or how to feel, just someone there to fill and empty presence inside him. After a while, Leafstride finally broke the silence with a sad, broke mew. "She was a great cat." Ivypaw dipped his head, "I'm sure she was. You did know her better than all of we did after all." Leafstride stared at the flower, "she may have gotten herself into something bad, but I'm sure she thought she was doing something good. She wasn't evil, nor did she want to hurt anyone. She just wanted peace." He paused, staring numbly, "but I don't think this is the peace she imagined she'd have if she helped them." Ivypaw put his tail on Leafstride's, "I'm sure she didn't, but I'm also sure that she is okay with it. I know that the cat's she was with were out for blood, and I think it's best for her to be peaceful this way than to live with the guilt of what would have come out of her working with them to try to be peaceful." Ivypaw got to his paws, "and I'm sure Starclan saw her mistakes and let her in with welcoming paws." Leafstride turned his broken gaze to Ivypaw, "do you think so?" "If my mother is up there, then I know that she let Flame in." Ivypaw gave the tom a warm gaze, then turned to start padding away. He turned back to Leafstride, who was staring back at the flower. "There's only one thing we can do to help her find the peace she wanted now. C'mon Leafstride, let's fix this for her," Ivypaw encouraged. Relief washed over him as he watched the calico tom get to his paws. Everything is going to be okay.

******

"Welcome you two," Brightshade mewed warmly. Ivypaw dipped his head to the large tom, then took a seat next to Mistfoot, making sure he wasn't close to Palepaw. "Mistfoot, would you like to talk or would you prefer me to?" Brightshade asked. Mistfoot gave him the 'go ahead' look, which Brightshade nodded to. "Mistfoot and I have been discussing things, and we think it's best if we return back to our clans." "What?" Palepaw shot up to her paws. "We can't just leave them, especially like this! We came here to help not only them, but our clans too. Now that we know what's going on, why would we leave?" "We don't know what's going on," Brightshade hushed the apprentice, "and the fact that Night's own cats are turning against him doesn't really make us feel like we should stay here either." Brightshade turned his gaze to Ivypaw. "Like you said, they want to take over our clans, they don't care about the barn cats. They just want to get through them to get to us. What if now that Flame is," he paused, giving a cautious glance to Leafstride, "no longer with us, the Whisperers decide that they should just go around the barn cats like avoiding an obstacle? Shouldn't we at least send a warning to our clans?" "And you agree with this Mistfoot?" Palepaw flashed her gaze over to the blue-gray she-cat. Mistfoot's gaze was calm, like it always was. "I believe that there is not much we can do here, Palepaw. We've got these cats prepared for what is coming for them, they no longer need us. Our clans do, they need to be prepared." "There's more of us than there are barn cats," Palepaw's mew was getting desperate now, "Leafstride, you can't possibly agree to any of this."

Leafstride didn't budge, he just stared at the ground like he was the flower. Brightshade grunted, "I don't hear a no from him." Palepaw let out a panicked whimper, then helplessly turned her gaze to Ivypaw, who gave her a cold glare and turned his gaze to Mistfoot. "So, when are we leaving?" "We'll start heading home tomorrow," Mistfoot mewed. "Two days," Palepaw argued, giving up. "So we can all say our goodbyes." Mistfoot nodded, "okay, in two days. No more, no less." The clan cats nodded, and they got to their paws to head over to the barn to sleep. Ivypaw turned to pad away, then remembered Leafstride. He turned to talk to the tom, but it seemed as though Mistfoot already had the idea to, as she was already trying to get him to follow the clan cats. Ivypaw turned to follow Brightshade away, but got interrupted by Palepaw jumping in front of him. "Why didn't you back me up?" She growled. "Why would I? I want to go home because I'm a true clan cat," he replied coldly. Before she could argue anymore, he shouldered his way past her and trotted to catch up to Brightshade. He wasn't talking to her anymore. Not here, not at the barn, and not at the clan territory neither. He was finished with that drama, and he just wanted to move on.