The Rise of a Tyrant

Chapter 8 // Stormpaw

Stormpaw ignored the cries in camp and walked towards the catrocks to sun himself. When he passed the fresh-kill pile, he saw Shellpaw sitting there with a worried expression. Stormpaw felt a flicker of empathy for the she-cat, as she was sitting there all alone while camp life went on.

"What's up?" Stormpaw mewed casually.

Shellpaw looked up at him, her broken stare piercing Stormpaw's heart. 

"Beachpaw is sick." She mumbled back. Stormpaw's ears flattened.

"That's not good." He said, feeling sorrowful for how it was affecting Shellpaw. He wanted her to be happy, not like this. "How about you come sunning with me while the sun's still up?"

Shellpaw's amber eyes look thoughtful for a moment. A heartbeat later she got up and started kicking sand onto part of the fresh-kill. This confused Stormpaw.

"What are you doing?" He asked the she-cat. Shellpaw didn't turn around.

"This is the cause." She mewed, emotionless. Stormpaw remembered how excited Shellpaw had been that morning with her octopus - and now she was kicking sand onto it like it was crow food.

"The cause of what?" Stormpaw asked. 

Shellpaw glanced back, frowning. "All of this." She mewed.

Oh, the sickness.

"Oh... you coming?" Stormpaw asked, feeling nervous that she wouldn't join him.

"Yeah," Shellpaw shook her ginger paw and followed Stormpaw to the catrocks. As Stormpaw lay out, he stretched over almost half the space. Shellpaw looked astonished, before stretching out next to him. Her multicoloured stripes shimmering beautifully in the late-sun. Stormpaw couldn't help but purr softly. This had been his only source of... life in the clan. Shellpaw, that is. 

"Thanks," Stormpaw murmured.

"Huh?" Shellpaw looked at him, confused.

"...For sunning with me." Stormpaw felt his pelt burn with embarrassment.

Shellpaw chuckled softly. "Why wouldn't I?" She mewed, looking happier. Stormpaw's heart leapt.

His yellow eyes glowed with love. "Yeah, why wouldn't you..." He murmured, blinking.

***

"Stormpaw?" A voice awoke Stormpaw from his sleep. He grumbled in his large, mossy nest. "Stormpaw, get up!" The voice continued, and Stormpaw felt a small paw cuff his large ear.

Stormpaw growled and opened his yellow eyes. "What?" He hissed at his mentor.

"We need you up, now." Turtleclaw glared at him with grey-green eyes. 

Stormpaw blinked in the dim light. "But its barely dawn."

Turtleclaw snorted. "I don't care, this clan is in trouble and we're sending cats out to hunt."

Stormpaw licked his dark grey paw. "Seriously?" 

The deputy hissed. "Stop complaining, you're doing this for the clan!"

Stormpaw felt as if fleas were crawling through his fur as he sat up in his mossy nest, glaring down at his mentor as if Turtleclaw was the apprentice.

"Fine." He spluttered. Turtleclaw nodded up at him, then turned and padded out of the den. As Stormpaw followed him, he saw the deputy's ginger fur glow brighter in the pale light of the moon.

"Can I go to the beach?" Stormpaw requested, wanting to see the red-stained Skypool again. Turtleclaw shook his head profusely.

"Absolutely not." He hissed. "Hunting at the beach is strictly prohibited, you'll be going in the forest today."