Windclan's Hope

Chapter 9

Stempaw lifted his head the next morning, Mumblejaw and Turtleheart had left and Ivypaw remained. Sproutpaw had left to become a loner, she wanted nothing to do with the clans anymore. Turtleheart had left his side during the night to tend to Dovepaw's injuries. Stempaw watched as Graytooth and Haresprint dragged their leader from camp to bury her. Squirrelpaw was following. Stempaw hurried to meet her at the side. "You okay? You barely spoke when you got back. You didn't even talk to Turtleheart or Ivypaw!" He asked. Squirrelpaw shrugged, "Im fine." Stempaw sighed. "You know you can-" Squirrelpaw interrupted. "I said im fine!" She hissed and turned, leaving the burial. Stempaw stood there, Graytooth looking at him. "Is she okay?" She asked. "I think she is grieving." Haresprint rasped, finishing the burial.
Stempaw padded into his nest in the apprentice den, waiting for Turtleheart and Mumblejaw to be back, it was almost dark now and he planned to stay up along with most of the camp to congratulate their new leader.
As dawn broke the sky Turtleheart camp back, alone. "Where is Mumblestar?" He heard Briarfang mew, Sheepfur absent at her side. Turtleheart's eyes were blank, no emotions showing. "Let her speak to the clan." Redcall's mew sounded into the crowd. Turtleheart leapt onto the rock, sitting down. "Mumblejaw and I were almost at the moonstone when twolegs showed up, they were collecting things from the trashed place… Mumblejaw and I tried to avoid them but before we made it to Mothermouth… twolegs saw us and chased us away. We ran, we tried to run across the thunderpath but we didn't look across before we ran. I was right in line with a monster… He leapt in front of me and shoved me away. When I looked back, i heard a crunch. Mumblejaw was dead.." Turtleheart wailed. Redcall looked at his paws. Stempaw saw Graytoothlay down in grief.
"I will go to the moonstone now, along with Whiteclaw and Ratfur, also Ivypaw will come too, these cats will be my witness whatever Starclan decides." Turtleheart announced, her eyes briefly landing on Stempaw before she turned and left with the others around her. "She looked at someone, who was it?" Haresprint looked around. Ivypaw turned for a minute. "Dovepaw, you should be able to continue training soon. Sleep today and ill assess your wound when i get back." Stempaw watched his sister catch up with the group and leave sight. His stomach turned to a knot as he followed Birdnose out of camp for training.
"Stempaw focus! Come on, let's go run to get you focused." Birdnose hissed in annoyance. Stempaw nodded, following his mentor down to fourtrees and back up to where they had been training near outlook rock. When they settled, Birdnose leapt at him. Quickly, Stempaw dared to the side and leapt onto his mentor's back, pushing him onto the ground. Birdnose twisted to softly bite him but Stempaw reared, pummeling the tom's muzzle softly. Birdnose rolled out from underneath him and crouched to leap again but Stempaw was faster, he leapt forwards and met Birdnose midair, taking him down with momentum. Birdnose stood, winded. Stempaw let him up, purring. "Good. Lets hunt and head back. I smell rabbit over there, ill chase it towards you." Birdnose bounded away. Stempaw crept towards the rabbit, watching as Birdnose leapt forwards. He leapt onto the rabbit, killing it. "Good, ill take this to camp then go hunting again. Try to catch a bird if you find one, dont stay out long, Ivypaw and Turtleheart will be home tonight and you should be awake for the meeting so you should nap.
Stempaw crept forwards, a blackbird in sight, he set his paws down lightly as he prowled forwards. The wind brought the birds scent towards him and as another gust of wind shook the trees of fourtrees next to him he leapt onto the bird. He dodged the wings flapping and killed it. Purring he padded back to camp next to Birdnose who carried two mice. "Im proud, you are turning into a fine warrior." His mentor praised. "Thanks, Birdnose." He replied, watching as Lilyfrost bounded up to him with loud purrs and entwining her tail with his.
Stempaw gave his blackbird to the elders, plucking the feathers and filling their nests with them and taking the extra to Sheepfur so he could take them to Briarfang and his kits. He ate a vole that was at the bottom of the fresh kill pile and ate it in his den. He had asked Birdnose to wake him when the medicine cats came back.