{NEW STORYLINE SOON} Frostflower's Return

Chapter Eight 🐾

     "Frostpaw! Quit chatting with that useless kittypet!" Duskclaw screeched, tail lashing furiously. Star's eyes widened with fear and she leaped down the fence, skittering into her twoleg nest. Frostpaw's chest swelled with outrage.

     "Go away!" Frostpaw yowled, and ran toward camp.

     Umph! Frostpaw collided with Morningwind when she raced blindly into the gorse tunnel.

     "Frostpaw! What are you doing?" Morningwind asked, surprised.

     "D-Duskclaw." Frostpaw stammered, crouching down and looked at the ground to escape Morningwind's glare. Frostpaw thought she saw the deputy's glare soften as she glanced up. 

     "Mmm. I know Duskclaw has been hard on you. I'll have a word with him." Morningwind said, disappearing out the gorse tunnel.

      Frostpaw sighed with relief and padded into the medicine cat's den to check on Dawnheart. Dawnheart was eating a piece of fresh-kill when Frostpaw entered, Peachflame poking around in his herb storage. Sunpaw flicked his tail in greeting as he passed by, holding some poppy seeds. Frostpaw returned Sunpaw's greeting and when she looked at Dawnheart more carefully, she gasped inwardly. Dawnheart's back legs were crushed entirely. Dawnheart glanced at Frostpaw mournfully. 

     Just then, Blazetalon entered the medicine cat's den and curled around Dawnheart, looking at Frostpaw uninvitingly. Frostpaw dipped her head respectfully and backed out the den. Frostpaw snarled softly as she saw who was standing in front of her. Duskclaw. Duskclaw looked mad. Frostpaw flicked her tail grumpily and ignored her mentor, padding toward Oakstar who was sitting beside Snowdrop, a piece of untouched fresh-kill between his paws. As Frostpaw neared, she suddenly realized what Snowdrop said about Oakstar being vague. Oakstar's eyes were clouded, and when Snowdrop brushed his pelt with hers, he remained unresponsive.

     "Oakstar." Frostpaw mewed, settling down beside Oakstar. Oakstar glanced at Frostpaw and said, "Frostkit?"

     "No, Oakstar. It's Frostpaw." Frostpaw mewed. Clarity flooded Oakstar's eyes and he nodded. As if Oakstar suddenly realized he was hungry, he tore a piece of flesh from the mouse at his paws, swallowed, and faced his daughter.

     "Where's Riverkit, Sunkit, Silverkit, and Summerkit?" Oakstar asked uncertainly, his eyes clouding over again.

     "It's Riverpaw, Sunpaw, Silverpaw, and Summerpaw, father. Riverpaw's dead. Sunpaw is training with Peachflame, Silverpaw is training with her temporary mentor, Nightpool, and Summerpaw is dead as well." Frostpaw said patiently. 

     "Ah. Thank you Frostkit." Oakstar said.

     "Frostpaw." Frostpaw corrected as Oakstar rose to his feet unsteadily and walked into the leader's den. Snowdrop watched him go, and when his tail disappeared into the leader's den, Snowdrop turned and faced Frostpaw.

     "Oakstar's been like that ever since he agreed to give us away. He really doesn't want to loose us, but protecting the clan is more important." Snowdrop sighed. Silverpaw came through the gorse tunnel, Nightpool behind her. Both cats were carrying fresh-kill. Silverpaw dropped her catch onto the fresh-kill pile and padded toward them. 

     "See ya later, Frostpaw. I hope they'll kill you on the spot!" Silverpaw teased and licked Snowdrop affectionately on the forehead.

     "Silverpaw! Don't be rude!" Snowdrop exclaimed, shoving Silverpaw away. Silverpaw looked hurt and padded over to join Sunpaw, muttering something into his ear. Sunpaw flashed a sympathetic look at his mother and sister and whispered something back that irritated Silverpaw, sending her padding to a shady corner and sulking. Frostpaw saw movement heading toward Silverpaw. Pebblebreeze, a warrior made by Oakstar when she was a kit, had a worried look on his face as he padded toward Silverpaw. Frostpaw narrowed her eyes, studying Pebblebreeze more carefully. Was that a moony look in his eyes?

     Suddenly, beside her, Snowdrop mrowed in laughter.

     "You just realized? Pebblebreeze has been padding after Silverpaw since he saved her from a dog during the dog fight." Snowdrop giggled. Frostpaw sighed. She had noticed that Pebblebreeze was following Silverpaw wherever she goes when he can. She just hadn't noticed he was in love with Frostpaw's irritable sister. Frostpaw left her mother and headed toward the gorse tunnel.

     Frostpaw padded toward the twolegplace, to Star's twoleg nest. SHe leaped onto the fence and startled Star. Again. Star yelped and scrambled away from her, and a heartbeat later, Star recognized Frostpaw, tentatively inching forward.

     "Frostpaw?" Star asked, hesitantly.

     "Yes. Did I startle you again?" Frostpaw sighed, sitting and curling her tail neatly over her paws.

     "Mm hm." Star mewed and yawned, "Why're back?"

     "I -" Frostpaw cut off as a voice echoed in her mind.  

     Frostpaw? The voice asked quietly. 

    Leave me alone, Shadowclaw! Frostpaw hissed at the voice. 

    I'm not Shadowclaw. The voice murmured. That voice felt familiar. 

    Riverpaw? Frostpaw asked, hopefully. 

    Hi, Frostpaw. Yes. I'm Riverpaw. The voice purred, then got serious, Darkspirit's getting more powerful as rogues and, yes I know this feels wrong, a Thunderclan cat, join him. You are the cat chosen from the prophecy to stop this darkness. 

     Frostpaw felt panic course through her body, How can I stop him?! I'm just an apprentice!

     You can stop him. Riverpaw mewed in her mind.

      I will try. Frostpaw thought determinedly.

     That's the spirit! Riverpaw purred, Farewell. 

     "Are you okay, Frostpaw?"

     Frostpaw flinched. She glanced around wildly, half-expecting herself to be in camp and this was all just a dream. 

     "A-Are you okay?!"

     Frostpaw flinched again, and she mentally calmed herself down. She looked up and saw Star in a tree, looking very worried. 

     "I-I'm fine." Frostpaw mumbled.

     "Nuh uh, Frostpaw. Your eyes clouded over, and you were crouching down with your head in your paws." Star said, "Go back to camp. I'll be waiting next sunrise."

     "Actually, I wouldn't be here next sunrise." Frostpaw sighed dejectedly.

     "Why?" Star asked, leaping gracefully off the tree onto the fence.

     "Me and my mother are going to be taken away by this cat driven away from Thunderclan." Frostpaw mewed. Star looked shocked, but didn't say anything, just brushed her tail along Frostpaw's flank in farewell and walked into her twoleg nest. Frostpaw stayed on the fence for a while longer, watching the sunset. Frostpaw sighed again, dropped from the fence into the forest, and padded toward camp.