Warriors: The Blood Moon Rises

Chapter Eight

Canyonpaw's heart dropped out of her chest and into her stomach. Her head spun as emotions flooded her head. Canyonpaw didn't hesitate to dash with all her might out of the hollow. She brushed through the bushes and trees, scratching her pelt. What if Oakpaw was dead? What if she never got to see her again? The ringing in Canyonpaw's ears blocked out her thoughts.
"Oakpaw!" Canyonpaw cried, her voice like the screech of an angry eagle. "Oakpaw, where are you? Answer me, please!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she took a deep breath to steady herself. As she inhaled, she caught a familiar scent. Oakpaw! Canyonpaw's heart raced as she followed the scent trail, her hope rising with every step.
Suddenly, a flash of bright red snatched Canyonpaw's gaze. She slid to a screeching halt, the dust peeling at her paw pads. There, in the grass, was a small pool of fresh blood. Canyonpaw trembled and backed away from it, eyes wide. She felt sick to her stomach thinking about what might have happened. Shaking, she followed the trail of blood. Every part of Canyonpaw's life with Oakpaw flashed before her eyes. Canyonpaw turned the corner around a large bush.
There, in the middle of the clearing, lay two mutilated bodies. Canyonpaw's heart stopped beating. The tears were making her vision blurry, but she could see every wound on the cats. Canyonpaw dropped down next to Oakpaw. His eyes were frozen, still wide with fear. There was a pool of blood coming from a giant gash in his neck. The bright red fluid was already seeping into his oak-brown fur. He wasn't breathing and his body lay limp.
"Oakpaw," Canyonpaw breathed, her voice trembling with fear, "Wake up!" Tears streamed from her honey-colored eyes. "Please!" She begged. Canyonpaw swallowed the giant lump in her throat as the impossible finally became clear to her: Oakpaw was dead. He wasn't coming back. Canyonpaw let a wail of agony as she wept.
"Please, come back!" She screamed, her whole body shaking. Canyonpaw curled up next to Oakpaw's limp body, rubbing her muzzle against his. Her crystal tears glinted off of his fur. With a shaky paw, Canyonpaw reached up and closed Oakpaw's golden eyes. "Why, StarClan? Oh, why did you take him?" Canyonpaw yowled through heavy tears. She despised StarClan for this! How could they take her Oakpaw away from her?
"Canyonpaw." Canyonpaw jerked her head up as someone rasped her name. She looked over at the other cat, whom she thought was dead. Canyonpaw couldn't tell from the fact that she was covered in blood and claw marks, but that was Pumkinpelt! Standing up on shaky legs, she went to the young warrior's side.
"A-are you alive?" Canyonpaw's voice shook.
"Barely. Did Eclipsepaw get you?"
Canyonpaw nodded.
"Can you please help me back?" Pumpkinpelt begged. "I don't know how much longer I'll last."
"Of course!" Canyonpaw didn't feel like anything was real anymore as she lifted Pumpkinpelt's forepaw around her shoulder. Pumpkinpelt's breathing was slow and shallow, and her flanks heaved with each breath. They weren't very far from the camp, so even though Canyonpaw's muscles started to ache from carrying Pumpkinpelt, she knew they were almost there. They finally made it through the entrance of camp. Gasps sounded from all round, and someone yelped, "Get Sunspirit!"
Sunspirit and Ironheart came running to get Pumpkinpelt. They each put one of her paws around their shoulders and hauled her off the medicine den, Canyonpaw at their feet.
"Canyonpaw, what happened?" Sunspirit had a very serious face.
"I- I was training in the hollow," Canyonpaw's voice was trembling, and so was she. "And...and Eclipsepaw came running into the den yelling about a fox."
Sunspirit's eyes widened.
"So I ran- I ran and followed the scent until I found..."Canyonpaw trailed off as she broke down into tears.
"Was there anyone else with her?"
"Oakpaw!" Canyonpaw wailed, digging her claws into the earth. "And you could've saved him! But you didn't!" Canyonpaw pointed a claw at Pumpkinpelt.
"Canyonpaw! There was no way she could've-" Canyonpaw had already run out of the den and out of the hollow. It was all coming back to her now. Oakpaw was gone forever. She started to get dizzy again as she ran in the direction of his body. His brown fur came into view again. She threw herself to the ground and buried her face in his soft, brown fur. She started to sob again as she thought about what Oakpaw had told he just this morning, about going to StarClan. I won't let you sit here in the dirty forest, Canyonpaw silently promised, lifting his body up onto her back. as she carried her best friend, even more than that, back to camp. She re-entered the camp, carrying Oakpaw. She lowered him in a corner and curled up next to him. Now you're home. Home with me.
Sunspirit exited the den and gasped. He made his way over to Canyonpaw and Oakpaw.
"Oh, Canyonpaw, I'm so, so, sorry." Sunspirit shook his head as he examined the gash, which was now encrusted with dried blood.
"Why did StarClan take him?" Canyonpaw whimpered, choking on her tears.
Snowwhisker entered the camp with a distressed expression on her face, followed by Applepaw, Lavenderpaw, and Eclipsepaw. Applepaw gasped and dashed over to Canyonpaw and pressed her head against hers, their tears touching. Lavenderpaw's eyes got big, and suddenly she passed out. Canyonpaw's vision started to blur. Her heart pounded in her ears. Every voice around her became muffled. She pressed her body against Oakpaw's and closed her eyes. She would block out everything forever. She never wanted to be seen again. Oh, how she wished with all her heart that she could be with him in StarClan.
Canyonpaw drifted into a heavy slumber. As she slept, the setting morphed. The black sleep shifted into a blue misty forest that glinted in the moonlight. Was she in StarClan? Her heart leaped with joy. She could finally be with Oakpaw forever! She breathed in the fresh, moonlit air and took in every part of this gorgeous afterlife.
A shape emerged from the forest. His brown fur shone and his eyes shimmered. It was Oakpaw! Where his the slash in his neck once was had turned into a gleaming streak of blue. Canyonpaw ran straight to him and rubbed muzzles with him.
"Oh, Oakpaw! We can finally be together forever!"
"Oh, my Canyonpaw. Your time down there isn't finished yet. You have a mission to complete. You won't have to for a while, but a time will come when you are needed." Oakpaw sounded so philosophical and wise.
Canyonpaw's heart sank. She wasn't in StarClan at all! This was only a dream!
"Oh, please don't send me back! I can't bear to go on without you! They stole you from me!" Canyonpaw cried, tears welling up again. Oakpaw rubbed his muzzle on her cheek and licked her ear.
"I will miss you too, Canyonpaw. I already do." Oakpaw slowly faded away into stardust.
"Wait! No, please! Don't leave me, Oakpaw! I need you!" Canyonpaw sank to the ground and cried again. Oakpaw had been the closest to her since her birth! How could StarClan just snatch him away? Oh, look at yourself, Canyonpaw. Don't be a kit. Plenty of warriors have friends that die. You'll get over it.
~
Applepaw nudged a mouse over to Canyonpaw. "Eat," she commanded.
"I'll catch my own prey, thanks," Canyonpaw mumbled numbly. Applepaw gave her a quick sad glance, sighed, and trudged away. Truthfully, the thought of food made her sick. Two sunrises ago, she had cried so hard she made herself vomit, and was forced to vomit again when she tried to poison herself with deathberries. She didn't want to think at all. She shoved every thought out of her brain.
"Canyonpaw! Come hunt with me!" Duskyflame called her from the leader's den. Canyonpaw nodded and tried not to drag her feet as she headed to her mentor. They were both silent as they exited camp and into the forest. Canyonpaw liked the silence. It was peaceful, just how Oakpaw liked it when he wasn't joking around. Once the pair were far enough into the forest, Duskyflame sat down on the grass. As Canyonpaw sat down, she realized that this was the place she had found Oakpaw.
"You and I both know we aren't going to hunt right now." Canyonpaw honestly didn't know that, but nodded. Duskyflame's voice was serene and calm, contrary to her bold, scratchy voice.
"Tell me about Oakpaw. You knew him better than anyone, even his mother."
Oh no. Canyonpaw sucked in a sharp breath. Don't cry, don't cry.
"He liked thrush best. He liked the forest how it is now, when he wasn't being a goof. Peaceful and silent." Canyonpaw closed her eyes and pretended that Oakpaw was sitting beside her, letting the wind blow through his fur.
"That sounds very nice. Anything else?"
"The other day, he said he wondered some things about StarClan. That wasn't like him at all. He was goofy and outgoing, and I should've noticed something was out of the ordinary." The bad thoughts came pouring back in. Tears welled up in her eyes. It was silent for a few seconds. They ticked by slowly, and it seemed like a thousand years. Canyonpaw burst out crying. She screamed and cried and grinded her claws into the ground. " I can't do it anymore! I wish I was up there with him! I don't want to be here anymore! I can't bear living every useless day without him! I can't even think about him without crying! I'm acting like a kit!" Canyonpaw cried, curling up on the ground.
"Oh, Canyonpaw don't you dare say that! Please, I beg of you to never speak those words again!" Duskyflame laid down with her and pressed her body against Canyonpaw. "I felt just how you did once. My sister, Tempestclaw, died in battle, and I thought life was useless! I wanted to end my life and be up there with her. I cried until every tear was wrung out of my body. I thought I deserved to be me instead of her who was killed. I was numb and pushed everyone who loved me away. That was until you became my apprentice! Yes, I still miss her, but you gave me something to live for! It would destroy me if you left, especially if you did it yourself! Can't you see? You saved me, Canyonpaw!" Duskyflame looked up at her with a teary smile.
"And don't ever apologize for crying. Every warrior I know has cried after the loss of a friend. I know it feels this way right now, and I know you'll never stop missing him, but please let us in!"
Canyonpaw nodded and sniffed. "Why did StarClan just snatch him from me? I- I loved him! I know it's stupid, but I could've had a future with him! Maybe have kits or something."
"Oh, that's not silly at all! Every she-cat starts thinking about her future at your age. And that's ok! As for StarClan, they have a plan for everything. I know it seems like StarClan is cruel, and we may never know why they did it. But trust me, they have a reason." Duskyflame's voice was comforting like soft moss in the nursery.
"Thank you, Duskyflame,"Canyonpaw choked, rubbing her muzzle into her grey-and-dark-ginger fur.
"Of course dear."
Canyonpaw would get through this. She would miss Oakpaw forever, but she had to move on from her numbness. She believed in herself. Oakpaw believed in her too, and she knew he was smiling down at her from StarClan.