Warrior cats: The Silent Path

Chapter 10

The night Saptoes died, Shatteredpaw couldn't bring himself to sleep. Instead he laid curled in In his nest staring into a black abyss. He noticed morning came when cats began to wake from their sleep and rustle around camp. Cloverfeather padded out of her den, letting out a loud yawn. Violetpaw was awakened by this, letting out a yawn too, instead of her usual complaining. Shatteredpaw stayed sulking in his nest, unwilling to move. It wouldn't be the same without Saptoes.

He felt himself being nudged. Copperpaw's mossy scent reach his nose. "Shatteredpaw... Cloverfeather says you can battle train with me and Fallentail. He says it's okay too," she added. He shifted his head away from the sound of her voice. He didn't want to go anywhere, not without Saptoes.

"You can't stay here forever and rot," Cloverfeather growled, unexpectedly shoving him from his nest in a rather angered manner. His fur prickled with unexpected fear and anger. His stomach twisted in an uneasy feeling that made him snap.

"Don't touch me!" Shatteredpaw snarled, whirling around in a defensive hiss. His belly was surged with pain and he realized she had pressed a sensitive spot on his belly.

"Shatteredpaw, he's gone! He's not coming back, we have to move on!" Cloverfeather spat. "Go train! Now!" She snapped. All three apprentices in the den were shocked of Cloverfeather's sudden outburst.

"Fine, whatever!" He hissed. Shatteredpaw stormed out of the den and marched straight towards the entrance, slipping out of camp before Fallentail or Copperpaw could say anything. 

Fallentail led the two apprentices to the burnt sycamore, the last place Shatteredpaw had been with his his mentor before he was murdered. It was silent on the way, Shatterdpaw's steps were heavy. He thought of the orange pelt of the rouge, and the hatred his saw in the rogues eyes.

As they settled Shatteredpaw asked bitterly, "is the rogue alive?" 

Fallentail seemed surprised by this as he answered. "We believe so. We found Saptoes' body laying at the carrion place. We tried tracking the rogue but he had a head start. His scent keeps appearing but we haven't found him yet."

Shatteredpaw let out a heavy sigh. "Let's just start," he growled, his tail flicking irritably. The rogue was out somewhere, probably plotting to kill more cats.

Shatteredpaw learned many new moves during training. He often stumbled over his paws or missed his blows. Now, remembering his previous training, Shatteredpaw waited and listened as he smelt Copperpaw creeping towards him. After a long day of practice his mind was focused on the training. A few frustrating attempts went by as he practiced anticipating, using his strong senses as an advantage.

Copperpaw crept up from behind him. Her breath faltered for a heartbeat, her claws dug in the ground about to strike. Shatteredpaw felt sensed her movement and quickly moved from her blow. He located her with the twitch of his whiskers, grabbing her pelt and pinning her down. She let out a startled yelp.

"Well done Shatteredpaw. You've gotten better since we started," Fallentail meowed approvingly. Shatteredpaw let out a triumphant grin as he stepped off of Copperpaw. When he released his grip, the she leaped up and pinned him to the ground. Fallentail let out a mrrrow of pride for his apprentice. "Very good!" Fallentail praised.

"That was foul," Shatteredpaw snorted, shaking his pelt of mud as Copperpaw released him from her strong grip.

"It's okay Shatteredpaw, you haven't learned that move yet," Copperpaw cooed gently licking his cheek reassuringly. "It's called play dead, it's when you let your opponent think you've been beat so they lower their guard and-," 

"I know, 'then strike'," Shatteredpaw finished, pulling away from her. 

"Don't worry Shatteredpaw, Saptoes would be proud, you've improved quite nicely." As Fallentail spoke, Shatteredpaw was reminded of his dead mentor. The rogue was still out there, probably gloating. Shatteredpaw pinned his ears and let out a low, frustrated growl. His muscles ached from training and his stomach growled of hunger.

"I think we can head back now," Copperpaw declared, her fur pressing into his flank as if she sensed his distress. He let out a sigh and let her lean into him for a moment, feeling her comfort.

"Yes, I think so too. Let's go," Fallentail meowed. Shatteredpaw followed Fallentail back to camp, Copperpaw by his side, though he frequently pulled away from her many attempts to comfort him, feeling restless with frustration and guilt. As soon as they entered camp Shatteredpaw padded straight towards his den. 

"Shatteredpaw wait, aren't you going to eat?" Copperpaw called after him.

"I'm not hungry," he grunted, padding up the slope that led to his den. Although this was a lie, he was indeed quite hungry. Cloverfeather was scented next to Violetpaw, trying to persuade his stubborn sister to eat herbs. Shatteredpaw shook his head and slumped in his nest, curling up, ignore his churning stomach rumble from hunger. How could he eat, he let his mentor's life get taken by the same rogue Saptoes had saved him from. Shatteredpaw curled his tail closer to him, remembering the how rogue clamp his jaws on his tail. He shuddered, his fur slightly prickled as he remembered the fear he'd felt.

He felt a sudden chill run through him."Finish what your mentor started," a voice in his head sounded. A flicker of light appeared in the darkness as he realized what he needed to do... avenge his mentors death, which meant he needed to learn to fight, to be stronger. Cloverfeather broke his thoughts, his whiskers twitched as he felt her figure in front of him.

"Shatteredpaw, I'm sorry for snapping at you. I- I just can't believe he's gone... I- I still need him," she sniffed, pressing her nose into his cheek. Shatteredpaw had almost forgotten her harsh outburst. "Will you forgive me?" Her voice quivered, he could tell it had eaten her up inside.

"Of course," he meowed, returning her affectionate nuzzles. Cloverfeather, aside from Saptoes, had taken care of him for as long as he could remember. She was more of his mother than his own mother. Ironic, given medicine cats weren't allowed to have kits for the very reason of taking care of them. It was by luck that there were two medicine cats to take him in. He let out a sigh and rested his head on his paws. It was clear to the clan by now who Shatteredpaw valued more from the other deaths. He'd not been as emotional when Willowfur died, as Saptoes. Although cats seemed to understand somewhat, he knew they would think he was selfish by now.

After a long day of training, and not sleeping the night before, Shatteredpaw was exhausted. He finally felt himself drifting to sleep.

"It seems a great deal has happened little one," a familiar deep voice cooed. Shatteredpaw opened his eyes to see the great silver tom loomed in front of him in the darkness. Shatteredpaw found it odd he seemed to have lost connection with Branchstar, but had a deep one with a cat whose identity still remained a mystery. Since Shatteredpaw could not speak when he tried, he listened. "Right what has been wronged, frail apprentice. Avenge the one who was closest to you, or you shall see no end to the agony of his loss. Follow the path to justice," the silver tom murmured. Then things grew dark. Shatteredpaw thought this strange, but this cat was from StarClan, he had to trust him. The glow faded as he smelt blood flooding over his mentors familiar scent and his stomach twisted.

Shatteredpaw jolted awake, imagining the orange rogue with an unmistakably evil glint in his eyes. Shatteredpaw dug his claws in his nest. Now he was sure what he needed to do.