Warriors: Sunbeam's Promise

Chapter 7

The next day, Sunpaw was up early. She couldn't even see the sun yet. She looked around in the apprentice den, watching her denmates sleep before she silently got up. She didn't even bother shaking the moss out of her pelt, and she slipped out of the den. She was glad it wasn't raining anymore, her fur was still wet. She looked around in the clearing and twitched her ears. She missed the new deputy's ceremony, and now she was wondering who replaced Hawkclaw. Speaking of Hawkclaw, she realized she didn't even stop to say goodbye to him the previous day. She shook it off. That was not what was bothering her the most in that moment. First she had to make sure Ravencall came back during the night. She trotted over to the warriors' den and poked her head in. Everyone was sleeping. And there was no sign of her mentor's short black fur. Disappointed, she pinned her ears and walked backwards out of the den. Where did she spend the night in such ugly rain? she wondered.

She closed her eyes and thought for a bit. Ravencall ran away because of her. That meant she had to find her and bring her back! Or at least it felt right. She looked around herself for one more time before she took off and sprinted out of the camp. She ran to the last place she talked to her and tasted the air. “Mousebrain!” she scolded herself. She couldn't pick up anything but the usual forest scents mixed with the post-rain air. No sign of Ravencall. Of course – the rain must have washed every yesterday's scent away. She let out a yowl of defeat as she fell to her side. This couldn't be true... She had to be back! She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before she rose to har paws and straightened up. She had to find her, no matter what her Clan, even Nightbreeze, thought about her.

She ran towards Fourtrees, hoping to find a scent trail there. But she didn't. She ran around every border, but all she could catch up were the scentmarks of the other Clans. She lay down at Sunningrocks with a groan. She felt exhausted. And all of that was for nothing. She rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes, once again wishing she could just disappear. Maybe she could run away too, just like Ravencall did. Suddenly, she felt two paws – claws unsheathed – hitting her from the side and pinning her down. She and her attacker both growled at each other before they recognized themselves. It was just her brother Coalpaw.

“Good morning to you too,” Sunpaw grunted and Coalpaw stepped off of her so she could sit up. “Sorry,” he meowed, “thought you were a RiverClan cat. But what are you doing here?” Sunpaw shook her fur before she began grooming herself. “I have no mentor, I'm independent,” she retorted, but calmed down as soon as she saw her light gray tabby Clanmate walking over to Coalpaw. “No, you are not,” Silverwhisker snarled a bit, moving to stand right next to Coalpaw. “Not even senior warriors are as independent as you could think,” he added, causing Sunpaw to pin her ears. “Sorry, Silverwhisker.” The gray tom nodded, but slight hostility remained in his eyes. “So, any explanation for staying at the RiverClan border on your own?” he asked, his eyes locked on Sunpaw. “These are Sunningrocks!” she meowed ironically, “I thought many cats spend time here huh?” Silverwhisker nodded his head again. “Aight, leave it. You're gonna tell Firestar everything after all.”

The thought of talking to Firestar made her shiver. She remembered how his growls at Ravencall echoed through the clearing the previous day. “Did anyone notice me not being at... the new deputy's ceremony yesterday?” she asked warily, looking over at her brother. Coalpaw and Silverwhisker exchanged a concerned glance, and it made Sunpaw's anxiety even worse. “What is this look about?” she asked, lowering her body a bit. “There was no deputy ceremony. ThunderClan is still without a deputy,” Silverwhisker told her, uncomfortably lashing his tail from side to side. “What?!” Sunpaw exclaimed, bristling. New deputies always had to be announced before moon-high after the former deputy's death. Coalpaw bent his head. “It's true,” he murmured, “Firestar hasn't even walked out of his den after the quarrel with Ravencall. Sunpaw felt as though her heart was being squeezed by a dog's jaws. This was even worse than bad. “Let's head back to camp,” Silverwhisker broke the silence at last and turned around, already begging to pad away. “You should ask Firestar to appoint a new mentor for you.” Sunpaw nodded, and followed after Silverwhisker next to Coalpaw. She didn't even want a new mentor. She wanted Ravencall back.

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When they reached the camp, Sunpaw was trotting directly to Firestar's den. She took a breath before poking her head inside. “Firestar?” she meowed softly, and the orange tabby murmured a “Come in.” She took slow steps into the den until she stood across from Firestar. “Silverwhisker sent me to you. Since Ravencall is away-” “-Don't even mention her in front of me!!” Firestar snapped at her, and Sunpaw jumped up a bit, her fur prickling. “Firestar, I probably need a new mentor...” she explained carefully as she took a little step back. Firestar shot her a cold glare. “Sunpaw, do you think you deserve one? You disobeyed me when I said that apprentices would stay in the camp, I could get over that. But defending that filthy traitor! You don't deserve to become a warrior.”

Sunpaw was staring at him in dismay. Sure she messed up with the whole battle thing, but the hate he had for a warrior he mentored himself? She just wanted to stand by her, every friend would do that! Then she remembered Nightbreeze... Did he say what he said because he was scared of never becoming a warrior either? “Sure!” she spat. “I would hate to fight for someone like you anyway!” she snapped and turned around, running out of the den. She heard Firestar's growl and the snapping of his jaws, and she was relieved to be out of his reach. She mewled before she took off towards the apprentice den, where she curled up and covered her face with her tail. She felt awful again, but she didn't regret standing up for Ravencall.

“Sunpaw..?”
“Go away, Coalpaw!” She didn't even know whether it was actually Coalpaw or not, she didn't perceive much in that moment. “Sunpaw...” Just there Sunpaw recognized the sweet voice of her mother Goldenfur, who walked further into the empty den and lay down close to her, giving her daughter a few licks in the head. “Nobody blames you for anything,” she meowed softly, “and Firestar will change his mind. He's just disappointed.” But Sunpaw just shook her head and turned it away from Goldenfur. “He doesn't have to. Silverwhisker told me to go there, I don't need a new mentor. I don't want anyone else.” Goldenfur heaved out a long sigh. “A good warrior doesn't give up like that,” she meowed, licking her head once again. “Sleep on it, give it some time,” Goldenfur whispered, moving to stand up. “I'll give you some space. But remember, I'm here for you, okay?” she added before she turned around and trotted out of the apprentice den. Sunpaw hid her head in her paws.
A warrior doesn't give up like that. I'll never be a warrior.