Splashflight's Mistake (book one)

Chapter 12

Morningpaw gave an amused snort, looking Splashpaw up and down in disgust. Kicking the dirt, she opened her mouth and insults came pouring out. "You're so pathetic! How's a kit with your skill going to become a warrior?!" Splashpaw felt tears well up in his eyes. He looked at his paws and flattened his ears, taking the injury to his pride silently. Morningpaw went on.

"The only battle you would win is the battle of weather or not you get the hare in the fresh kill pile! Go home, Splashpaw! You're of no use here!" Morningpaw sneered. She lifted her chin, and began to stalk off, her sister following behind her. Splashpaw breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his face, but then Morningpaw froze. She spun around, her eyes filled with a calm mischief. She grinned slowly. "I wish you would have died instead of your sister. Weren't you the runt one?" She took a step closer. "I thought Dawnkit was stronger than you. Why did she die instead of you?"

Spashpaw's eyes widened in horror at the mention of his biological sister. How did Morningpaw even know about her? Everything she had said was true. He had been the runt, and Dawnkit had been much stronger than him. The clan was shaken when Dawnkit died.

Morningpaw ended her bombardment with a laugh, rolling her eyes. "I bet Dawnkit would've been a way better warrior than you, you puny mousebrain." She waved her tail high in the air and stared at him, satisfied with her handiwork.

Splashpaw backed away, his eyes soaked with tears. He opened his mouth to retort something back, but all that came out were choked sobs. He pushed his way past Morningpaw and ran, as far as he could before collapsing in the grass.

He sobbed and sobbed. If only Brightpaw had been with him. She was apprenticed on his first official day of training. She could make him feel better. She always eased the pain of his stupid, horrible life. Morningpaw was right. He should have died instead of Dawnkit. He was, after all, the smaller one at birth. Maybe he should set things right...

Then Splashpaw thought of Brightpaw. She needed him. She would be all alone to face the taunts if Morningpaw. She would never cope with his death and Morningpaw. No, Splashpaw had to fight through it. For Brightpaw. It was only fair to her after all she'd done for him...

Splashpaw dried his tears. He had to go back to camp. It was getting late, and he knew his mother would be looking for him. Getting to his paws, he dragged himself dejectedly towards the direction of camp.

*****

Splashpaw lay in his nest beside Brightpaw. One moon had passed since Splashpaw's horrible night. He now cried himself to sleep silently every night, thinking of how much he just wanted to end it... End it... End it... But only the thought of Brightpaw's reassuring gaze and comforting touch pulled him from the brink of death every time. It was solely Brightpaw's smile that Splashpaw depended on. It was as if he were hanging from a cliff, slipping, falling, and only Brightpaw had the rope he clung to for dear life.

Splashpaw had spent more and more time in Nightgaze's den. Poppystem had died the night before of a heart attack, and now Nightgaze was the sole medicine cat of DewClan. Splashpaw enjoyed the blind tom's dry jokes every so often. He and Brightpaw were his lifeline, pulling him back every day. Splashpaw sighed.

Nightgaze had asked him to become his apprentice. He had told him Splashpaw had a natural knack for herbs, and Nightgaze was getting old as well. So Splashpaw now had to make the most important decision of his life. Leave warriorism, leave Brightpaw, and join Nightgaze, living life easy, with no Morningpaw, and no more nights spent crying and wishing. Or, stay with his beloved Brightpaw and endure it.

He stared at Brightpaw's golden pelt as it rose and fell. What was he going to do?