Warriors: Escaping Fate

Chapter 7 - Shadowspring's Wrath

A swift breeze sent chills running down Redpaw's spine as she stepped out of the den and into the snow-covered camp. The sun was at its highest point, warming the ground below, but its soft rays hardly penetrated the icy feeling of snow stabbing into her paws. She breathed deeply, her breath coming out as little wisps of frozen air, and raced across the clearing towards the Highrock, where Flamestar's den was.

"Flamestar!" Redpaw gasped, bursting inside.

The leader, a flame-point tom, was at the back of the den digging into a blackbird, and in surprise, he leaped to his paws. "What is going on?"

"Emberstar, he's in the medicine cat den."

Flamestar's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he fixed his gaze upon Redpaw. "Did something happen?"

"He...um..." She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. How could she explain it? Her father was confronting Willowbranch for making her a medicine cat. But isn't that what she wanted? Suddenly, a deep feeling of regret welled up inside, and her paws shook. What should she do?

"Redpaw," Flamestar's voice was stern. "Did Emberstar do something to Willowbranch?" He took a step closer.

"No!" Redpaw shook her head. "I don't know! Willowbranch just sent me here!"

Flamestar furrowed his brows, a mix of confusion and concern flickering in his blue gaze. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to be a medicine cat anymore!" She burst out suddenly, digging her claws into the ground. As she spoke everything began to spill out, and she couldn't stop herself. Her words, thoughts, and emotions rushed forth, crashing forward like tumbling waves. "I want to help my clanmates, but everyone is expecting me to take Flowerpetal's place! I just can't do it! What am I going to do when I don't have the herbs I need? What am I going to do when I don't know how to treat injuries? Everyone will die under my paws, and it will be all my fault! I can't deal with that! All I ever wanted was to be a warrior. Why does StarClan hate me so much? I didn't do anything bad! I was only a kit, and Hazelpaw was the one who always got into trouble!" Redpaw was a sobbing mess now, and her whole body shook. She couldn't stop the tears from falling.

The clan leader's ears flicked impatiently. "Listen to me! Now is not the time for that! What did Emberstar tell Willowbranch?" His voice was louder this time, and Redpaw's head shot up in surprise. He really didn't care at all, did he?

"He's confronting her for making me a medicine cat." Redpaw said finally.

"Tch...of course." Flamestar hissed. "I'll go talk to him." He brushed past her, not bothering to ask any more questions.

Redpaw, suddenly realizing that her father might get in trouble, spun on her heels. "Wait!"

He came to an abrupt halt, his fur bristling as he locked eyes with the young apprentice. "What is wrong with you?" He snarled, his tail lashing back and forth angrily. It was clear that he had lost all his patience. "You seemed happy for a few moons, and now you're in my den complaining. I don't have time to listen to you ramble on when we have much more important matters to attend to."

"But my father is only trying to help," Redpaw pleaded desperately, as she wiped the tears away with her paw. Suddenly Echobreeze's words repeated themselves in her mind, reminding her of the promise she had made to her after the apprentice ceremony: that they would figure something out. "He only wants what's best for me. For him to see me as a medicine cat instead of a warrior must be tearing him apart."

"Your father only wants what's best for himself," Flamestar growled. "He may be dying, but that will only make him more desperate to achieve his goals. He can't be trusted."

Redpaw opened her mouth to protest when suddenly, a blood-curdling cry pierced through the air, slicing through their conversation, and forcing both cats to widen their eyes with alarm.