The Barn Cat

Chapter Nineteen

"It's going to be so weird without you guys here," Flower mewed. Jay nodded in agreement, "we kind of got used to you guys living with us. You were basically one of us at this point." Palepaw shifted her paws sadly, "we all knew we would have to leave eventually." "But we never knew it would be this hard to say goodbye," Kaya murmured. The cats all murmured in agreement. "I can't help but notice that you don't seem to care you're leaving," Badger mewed to Ivypaw, who was standing a little bit further away from the group of Young Ones. Ivypaw shrugged, "I find it easier to say goodbye by starting to distance myself. It makes it easier." Silver Rain got to her paws and rubbed her cheek against his, "I don't care, I'm still going to miss you." Her mew was sweet, and Palepaw watched Ivypaw's body tense as Silver Rain brushed against him. He relaxed just as quick though, rubbing his cheek against hers for a split second before she pulled away. "We're all going to miss you," Speckle put in. Ripples of agreement flowed in the circle of cats again. Ivypaw dipped his head, "we'll miss you too."

"Maybe you can stay," Hawk's mew made Palepaw's heart break. He sounded so hopefully, as if the thought of him saying that would give them the power to stay with the barn cats. Palepaw wrapped her tail around his, rubbing her head on his chest, "you know we can't Hawk." She felt his body relax with sadness, "I know, I just wish you could." "We all do," Olive's mew was full of sadness. This was the hardest goodbye, Palepaw thought as she pushed her head deeper into Hawk's chest. Maybe that's why she saved it for last. "Ivypaw! Palepaw! It's time to go!" Brightshade's mew filled Palepaw with a dread that she never felt before. "I'm sorry Hawk, but I have to go." She pulled her head away, locking eyes with him. Her heart felt like a stone that was about to fall through her chest. "I'm going to miss you so much," Hawk whispered. Palepaw felt her legs begin to shake, "maybe I'll come back when this is all over, and it can be just like it was a couple of nights ago." Hawk's eyes grew hope, but they both know that wasn't true. Palepaw and Ivypaw were old enough to get their warrior names when they returned back to their clans, and Palepaw will have to serve her duty to her clan as a warrior. "Palepaw!" Palepaw flinched this time, "coming." She gave one last glanced at Hawk, who gave her a sad gaze in return.

"I wish we could stay longer," she murmured as she reached the clan cats. "It's hard to say goodbye sometimes," Brightshade agreed. The cats starting trotting away, waving their tails in farewell to the barn cats as they called out their goodbyes. They had only made it a few cats lengths away from the cats when Ivypaw froze. "Ivypaw, what are you doing?" Mistfoot asked. The young, black tom stared at her with concern, "somethings not right." "What do you mean?" Mistfoot pressed. "Something bad is about to happen," Ivypaw's mew grew quiet. His gaze flashed at Leafstride, who's gaze also lit up in the same moment. "The Whisperers are about to attack," Leafstride's mew was serious. Right that moment the sound of war screeches blasted through the trees, making birds fly ahead. "We have to help them!" Palepaw shot away back towards the barn, which they could still see above the trees. She pushed her way through the forest, the rest of the clan cats on her heels. Once they made it to the opening of the clearing, panic surged through her. Right in front of her, cats were tearing at each other. Blood was everywhere. Huge cats were attacking the barn cats, who were severely outnumbered. "We need to help them!" Leafstride pushed his way into the battle, knocking a large black tom off his paws and clawing at his nose. "Remember your training!" Mistfoot shouted as she charged into the battle. Ivypaw and Brightshade bolted in after her, leaving Palepaw alone.

"Oh, you're a pretty kitty." A large, white she-cat with gray splotches and a large scar across her nose charged at Palepaw. Frozen with fear, Palepaw felt pain as the she-cat landed a blow across Palepaw's face. The white she-cat with sand-colored stripes was sent flying, and got to her paws just before the large she-cat could land another blow. "I'm a warrior, not a kitty!" Palepaw spat, pushing off her hindquarters to launch herself at her attacker. She landed on the she-cat's back, and started ripping at her spine. "Get off!" The large she-cat hissed as she shook Palepaw off. "You rat!" The she-cat spat. She charged at Palepaw, and this time Palepaw was too slow to dodge the attack. The she-cat dug her claws deep into Palepaw's side. "Leave her alone!" Hawk's cry came loud and fierce as he shoved Palepaw's attacker away. Without saying anything else, the two young cats teamed up against the she-cat, angering her and sending her away from the battle. Pride swelled up inside Palepaw, but soon disappeared with fear as she turned and saw more Whisperers joining the battle through the bushes. "We need to leave camp! Make sure everyone is out with you! Don't leave anyone behind!" Night's call flushed over the cries of battle. Terrified, Palepaw watched as all the barn cats grabbed one-another and started charging away from their home. The Whisperers watched with satisfied and power-hungry eyes as the cats ran away.

"Hurry! This way!" Mistfoot called to the cats, leading them the direction of the clan territory. Palepaw watched as cat's helped the two queens with their seven kits and pushed hurt cats along with them. "Leave no one behind!" A frantic call by Courage this time rang through Palepaw's ears. The cats rushed in a large group, abandoning everything they've built behind. They ran for what felt like ages until they finally came to a stop amongst the river that lead the clan cats here. Palepaw stopped, panting, and gazed around all the cats with the most panic-written expressions on their faces. "What are we going to do?" "What do we do now?" "Where are we going to go?" The terrified cries made Palepaw feel like a kit again. What were they going to do? She stared at everyone with a blank stare, pity filling her as she glanced at the cats trying to calm each other and make sure everyone was okay. "Everyone!" A cat called out above everyone. Palepaw recognized that voice immediately. "The clan cats are being kind enough to lend us a helping paw!" Night's voice ruled over the struggling cats, silencing the air. Lend a helping paw? What did he mean by that?

"Barn cats," it was Mistfoot calling now, "it's our duty as warriors to help those who need it." Palepaw shook out her fur, if Mistfoot had a plan then everything would be alright. "We are going to do the only thing we can do for you, considering the situation right now isn't exactly the best," Mistfoot continued. Palepaw felt her paws twitch as she waited for Mistfoot's next words. "Since you have all been kind to us, and we are all in this together, we have decided to allow you into our clan territories." Shocked gasps came from some cats, including Palepaw. How can Mistfoot decide this? Shouldn't the clan leaders be the ones to make this decision? It's a big decision after all, for the clans. "Would they be as welcoming as you are?" A worried mew called above the murmurs of uncertainty. "Well," Mistfoot's voice hinted to her being unsure, "I think that if they know what the circumstances are, and what danger we have to prepare to face, I'm sure they'll allow you to say until we defeat the Whisperers." The mews around her sounded a little bit more confident now, and their eyes grew more determined. "What if your leader turn us away?" Palepaw had to admit, she had the same fear as that cat. "If our leaders decide to not have you in our territory, then we will help you rebuild a temporary camp just outside of clan territory." Palepaw wished she could sound as certain as Mistfoot did.

"Mistfoot is going to lead us there," Night took over now, "we will respect the warriors whether they accept us or not. We are all going to be in this together at one point or another, and we need to become allies and work together to push this evil away." Palepaw glanced around at all the cats and spotted Echo with herbs in her jaws running through the group of cats checking on each one as she padded by. "Palepaw," Echo greeted her as she padded up to the apprentice, "you have a cut down your side." "Oh it's nothing," Palepaw mewed. "Let me look at it," Echo insisted, taking a look at it. "It's not deep, but I need to take care of it before it gets infected," the she-cat mewed, grabbing her herbs and placing it on Palepaw. Palepaw flinched at the sting of the herbs, but relaxed as her pain soothed away. "There, that should help for a bit," Echo mewed satisfied. "Thank you," Palepaw dipped her head and watched as Echo padded past her to move onto the calico she-cat next to Palepaw. "Oh, I really don't any looking after, Echo. I only have a scratch on my paw." The she-cat's gentle mew was hushed by Echo's tail. "Once I say you're okay then you're okay, okay, Dawn?" Dawn nodded, her whiskers twitching with amusement. These cats acted a lot like warriors. The way they lived, where they lived, even their rules. Palepaw silently gulped as she looked around the cats again. Would the way they are even be enough for the clans to accept them?