Waterstar's Heart

Chapter 6

Waterpaw followed Cowpatch into the center of camp. The old molly had complained about being cooped up in the den. The black and white molly turned to pad towards the gorse tunnel. It was sun high, and everybody was out patrolling or hunting.

Houndtail peeked out of the elder's den, and limped after the two. "Are you going to hunt?" She meowed, her whiskers twitching happily.

Cowpatch turned, pressing her muzzle to her mate's cheek. "Yes. I'll bring back something for you." The molly then slipped away into the gorse tunnel.

When the two exited camp, Cowpatch let out a long, relaxed sigh. She shook out her long, thick pelt. "I miss the days when I was a warrior...Your mother may say I shouldn't be out here, but I still have a few good hunts left in me." She meowed.

Waterpaw's ears flicked as he took in the familar scents of the forest. He could hear the chips of the birds above, and the stream of water nearby. A smile tugged at his lips as he padded alongside his grandmother, his tail wavering gently behind him.

Waterpaw sniffed the air. Strangely, he smelt no prey. "Should we go to Snake Rocks? I hear the prey is well there. Or near the border of ShadowClan? I heard that they finally got the idea to leave our territory!"

Cowpatch shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose the border." As the two began their walk, the elder purred fondly, "I remember when I joined ThunderClan. Your mother was around your age, maybe a bit a bit older...We fled ShadowClan after joining them, and we met your father."

"Why did you leave ShadowClan? You never told me that story." Waterpaw tipped his head to the side. He only knew that Cowpatch had mixed emotions towards the clan.

Cowpatch paused, closing her eyes a moment. "When I joined ShadowClan, I fled Copper's group. I lost a cat very close to me...and my three other kits. I was seeking refuge, and I found a warrior named Cottonpatch." Her voice cracked slightly, as if she was living in the memory. Waterpaw's ears pinned to the back of his skull.

"...We became close, and eventually mates. I was quite the warrior, and the leader before Adderstar wanted me to become deputy. He didn't care that I was a rogue, only that my loyalty was unwavering. I didn't accept, however. I didn't want the responsibility," she paused, her tail swishing, "There was a warrior who didn't accept my place in the clans. He never did. His name was Tigerthroat. He murdered Cottonpatch in cold blood, and he threatened to do the same to Badger and I. I couldn't risk it, so, I came here."

Waterpaw's eyes widened as he listened to his grandmother's story. The pain and sorrow in her voice as she recounted her mate and kits' deaths tugged at his heart. He had only heard of bits and pieces from other cats, never from her. Maybe that's why she never told him about it.

Now, he understood.

"I'm so sorry, Cowpatch," he croaked, his voice filled with empathy. "I can't even imagine how hard that must have been...I didn't even know Badger had littermates."

Cowpatch stared at the ground, tears welling in her eyes. Her claws dug into the earth below her. "Thank you, Waterpaw. It was a very difficult time, but I eventually found the courage to start over. ThunderClan took me in. Thank StarClan."

Waterpaw nudged his grandmother forwards. He didn't want her to keep telling the story if it was too painful to go on. He kept in front of her, gazing around the forest. He sniffed the air again, his whiskers twitching as he caught the scent of a squirrel.

"I smell squirrel, let me catch one." The apprentice meowed briskly, ducking down into a crouch.

He tracked the squirrel to a gorse bush. It was very alert, twitching as it looked around.