-[ Warriors: With The Fallen ]-

Part One: Chapter Eight~ The World must be Ending!

(Later that day)

  This morning, Night'paw didn't wake her up with a nudge. Or was it night? The moon rose from the side of the sky slowly. Night.

  Rose'paw quickly remembered that... incident from earlier that day. She pushed her head forward, and scanned around.

  Rose'paw let out a sigh of relief. There was Night'paw.

  She remembered the words from earlier:  ' 'At least we'll always have each other,' Night'paw had meowed; she looked Rose'paw straight in the eyes. Soft brown ones meeting with her bright blue ones.'

  Rose'paw sat up. She looked over to the Medicine Den. It was barracked up by the entrance, with extra surrounding all sides.

  She briefly remembered the scattering actions of earlier that day. Had Leopard'dream seen what she had? He must have.

  This was going to be hard on the cats who had relations to the ones inside. —Like Fawn'tooth. Were they really lost? Gone?

  'No,' A little voice in her head argued, 'Leopard'dream is probably just trying to stop the spread or something.'

  She shook off the thoughts. This was stupid to worry about things like that. Only brought her down.

  Rose'paw nudged Night'paw. She held her breath, as if expecting to see the she-cat blink back up at her with blank eyes.

  Instead, Night'paw yawned. She turned to her and gave a little nod.

  "It's so early," Night'paw mewed. The weight of seeing her brother in that state still seemed to linger on her. How could it not? It still bothered her to see Fawn'tooth like that.

  Fawn'tooth.

  Her mentor, her guide, her friend. The cat who always told her to stop apologizing. The cat who laughed with her when either of them messed up a bit. The cat who annoyed her, but was truly more of a mother than Crackle'fire could dream of being.

  Before she could respond to Night'paw, Fog'star yowled as loud as he could into the clearing: "I will announce the cats to come to this Gathering,"

  No one cheered or yapped with excitement.

Dull.

  That filled the camp. Leopard'dream had told them of the Medicine Cat den incident.

  'It's nothing serious though!'

  Rose'paw nudged Night'paw again. She heaved herself up with a rather loud sigh. Then the two made their way to the clearing.

  Rose'paw didn't expect to get chosen. Although Feather'paw had... apologized to her, she knew the rest of the clan still believed she had 'forced' him to come with her. —Even just thinking about that, his earlier excuse just made no sense.

  "Grey'sky, Tough'mouse, Cackle'fire, Tiny'pelt, Mist'paw, Night'paw, Rose'paw. You all will come to this Gathering!" His mew quavered a little. Leap'tail helped him down the ledge before he could stumble off.

  'That's surprising,' Rose'paw thought, a little sarcasticly.

  Feather'paw sauntered over to her. Night'paw got up, and so did she. Rose'paw was not in the mood to deal with him at the moment.

  "I told Fog'star the truth," Feather'paw told her. His expression held a look that needed her to not go — Almost as if he missed her.

  "I wanted you to go have some fun." He added when she paused, "I'm so sorry for that night. You really didn't deserve what I did,"

  Rose'paw gave him a genuine smile. One she hadn't given him in... Well, awhile.

  She trotted up to him. Maybe this was because she was real tired or something. "Thank you, Feather'paw,"

  Afterwards, she playfully cuffed him over the ears, and darted off in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Night'paw watched with a confused expression.

  "C'mon, Night'paw!" She called.

  The snow flew up from behind her. Feather'paw stood there, like he didn't know what to do, or he was confused. Probably just confused on why she invited him to join them in play. Rose'paw was pretty confused on that, too.

  She paused. He looked to her, and smiled. Then Feather'paw dashed through faster than Feather'paw should be able to run. He barreled into her easily, and knocked her over in the snow.

  She struggled feebly against his hefty build, to no use. Night'paw knocked into him. Nothing. He started laughing, and so did they.

  'The world must be ending or something.' She thought with a small eye-roll, 'What else could explain what is going on?'

  Night'paw took the laughing to her advantage. She pushed Feather'paw off of her.

  "Yes!" She cried when she was finally free. The strong apprentice's grip almost choked her! —Kinda.

  The two she-cats turned on him, to start chasing him around. Then, Fog'star announced they would be going. More of Leap'tail reminding him, and then telling him what to say.

  'Just in time to end something good.'