A Different Path

Aftermath Part 1

Once the blood stopped pumping in his ears and his heart finally calmed he was met with the sight of two lifeless corpses but to his shock he felt nothing but glee and it horrified him. The blood on his claws felt nice and he was overcome with pride. The heat from the sunlight that warmed his dark tabby pelt was nothing compared to the satisfaction of victory warming him up from within as the warm thick blood dripped from his fur.

He turned to stare back at the dappled golden warrior he had saved. With pride he puffed out his chest and gave a cocky smile, "They won't be harming any more ThunderClan warriors." He proclaimed with great joy as he imagined his father staring down at him with pride as he saw his son avenge him.

"Let them rot in the Place if No Stars!" Frecklewish replied in a soothing mew before giving the apprentice a loving lick on the cheek, "You did very well!"

Beetail approached with his tail drooping and his head hung low, "We were able to chase away those mousehearts but Mapleshade will soon join StarClan."

"Those foxhearted mousehearts going after a ThunderClan warrior alone! She was just helping gather herbs!" Bloomheart snarled as he seemed to grieve the lost of his former apprentice.

Frecklewish let out a screeching wail as her legs gave out beneath her. All Birchpaw could do is slash the ground in front of him in frustration, "Those fish breaths have no right in the forest!" He snarled as his tail slashed side to side.

The sight of Petalpaw and Larchpaw sobbing as they pressed up against each other broke something within Birchpaw but the worst was when Patchpaw arrived. The little medicine cat dropped into a crouch as he approached the dying warrior, his mother.

Her expression was one of great pain and her sides rose and fell with strain. Heaving her lost breathes she just smiled at her kits but when she tried to speak no words left her parted jaws just sounds of struggling. She had no strength left in her but with the last bit of what she had left in her she forced a paw onto Patchpaw's and gave him a gentle smile before trying to speak again.

After a few moments of fighting through the pain her voice finally left her throat and past her jaws to fill the air, "I cannot be more proud of you all, my kits. I'm sure Birchface is proud to. We'll watch over you until your time comes to join us in StarClan." She managed to mew but the pain edged every word.

After a few more heaving her sides fell for the last time and a stillness gripped the forest. The wind just blew as if the forest was saying its final goodbye to a warrior gone too soon.

Birchpaw's claws dung into the soft wet soil as he irked forward as a sob broke past his lips. Yowling in grief the fire in his belly grew.