A Spark in the Night, part one: The Spark Ignites

Chapter ten

Softpaw struggled awake to a wail that sounded like Willowleaf. Is she hurt? Softpaw peeked out of the den, and saw that Willowleaf was fine, and almost every cat in the Clan walking around the clearing, speaking in hushed tones. What happened? She stepped out of the den and padded to the middle of the clearing, where every cat was walking around, and her jaw dropped in a wail at the sight of what was lying in front of her.

Shinepaw was lying unmoving, twisted at an awkward angle.

"No!" Softpaw whimpered. "No... no. NO!!"

looking up, she saw Featherpaw happily bounding into the camp with her mentor, tail high, with a plump hare in her mouth. Her joy vanished when she, too, saw Shinepaw. She dropped her prey and ran towards him. "What happened?" she asked Softpaw.

"I don't know." She replied sadly.

Poppyflower approached them. Softpaw looked at the medicine cat. "What happened to him?"

She looked sadly at Softpaw. "He ran onto the thunderpath in pursuit of a squirrel.

Softpaw's jaw dropped wider. "No!" She wailed.

He was chasing that for me! It's my fault! Oh, StarClan, no! Shinepaw is dead because of me!! Poppyflower must've seen her shock, because she looked at Softpaw and asked, "What is it?" Softpaw looked at her paws.

"Before he left, he told me he'd catch a squirrel for me! Oh, please don't tell anybody! It's my fault!!"

Softpaw buried her face in her littermate's fur. He was cold. She could hardly hear Poppyflower telling her that she was not responsible for his death.

Softpaw sat awake, wide eyed during the entire vigil. Why did he have to chase it? Why didn't I tell him not to? After all, they were there to get herbs. It's my fault! Why me?

That morning, the elders were sent to bury Shinepaw's body. Softpaw realized that this would be the last time she'd ever see him. She watched sadly as his silver pelt vanished from sight. Softpaw made her way to the apprentices' den and, when she got to her nest, she crumpled into her nest and sobbed. Oh Shinepaw, I miss you so much.

Softpaw woke up in a warm, beautiful, lush, prey-filled forest. Where am I? She looked around and saw stary pelts moving around, one of them, a gray tom, was approaching her. "Is this StarClan?" She asked. "Am I dead?" she gasped. "Where's Shinepaw?"

The tom smiled. "Yes, no, and exploring. He's happy."

"Who are you and why am I here?"

The tom looked at her. "You have a rare, and special connection with StarClan."

Softpaw was beginning to get inpatient. "Who are you?" she demanded.

The tom smiled at her. "My name is Falconswoop."

Softpaw's eyes widened. "The one who chased a pack of dogs away from the camp?"

Falconswoop nodded. Softpaw narrowed her eyes, confused. "Why are you here with me? You saved the whole of MistClan, and probably NightClan, too, when you were alive, and I'm just a regular apprentice."

Falconswoop smiled. "I thought I'd speak with you. You're more likely to listen to what we have to say if I tell you rather than some cat random, and you'd be too cheerful to listen to Shinepaw."

"What do you have to say to me?" Softpaw asked.

Falconswoop looked at her, suddenly serious. "You have a special destiny. Challenging times are ahead of you, but you must push through."

Softpaw felt herself waking up, and tried to ask one last question before she did. "Does StarClan know what Leafclaw and Grasswhisker are doing? Is that what you meant?"

Just as she was waking up, she got his answer. "We're helping with what we can, and believe you can handle the rest."

Softpaw smiled in her nest. StarClan believes in me.