THE DARK MATTER | Book One: Stained Trails

chapter twelve

CLOUDPAW WAS AWFULLY MOROSE AFTER SHE COULDN'T ATTEND THE GATHERING. She and Oatpaw had always pondered when they were kits what their first gathering would be like, and now only one of them had the experience of it before the other. She was bitter for a few days though reluctant to show it through coldness. She often just shrugged off conversation or even dismissed Sandnettle's offers for extra training or patrols. She tended to express her anger through silence and desolation, as she'd rather claw her own fur off than get into an argument.

The only cat she really found herself still wanting to he around during those days was Mudpaw. Sandnettle had proposed multiple times that it was Mudpaw's fault more than Cloudpaw's over what happened, but Cloudpaw couldn't bring herself to blame them. They all made mistakes and Mudpaw learned his lesson when he nearly died from that coyote. The image of him being shaken around like played with prey was stuck in Cloudpaw's mind, burdening her and making her sick to her stomach. He was just as dispirited as she was after the incident and stuck in the Starlinked den for days for proper care, so she did all she could to make him feel better.

Now Mudpaw had returned to his normal routines and the apprentice den. They had moved their nests closer to one another and outside of training they were stuck to them for most the day, chatting about anything and everything. Mousepaw passed with light scoffs at them while Oatpaw shot Mudpaw glares whenever the other apprentice wasn't looking. Cloudpaw knew Oatpaw blamed Mudpaw for what happened, but her brother's behavior made her pelt bush out in irritation sometimes.

It was mid-day and the gathering had just happened yesterday. Oatpaw hurriedly explained to her a few things that happened at the gathering when she first woke. He told her about the ValeClan apprentices and Rainstar's abrupt rudeness. From what Cloudpaw could tell, Oatpaw's first gathering wasn't all that delightful and that made her stomach feel a little lighter.

Mudpaw was rolling onto his stomach in his nest beside her, the two yet to have made their departure from the den. "Do you think Doebounce and Nightfang like one another?" He asked.

"I think I'd have bees for brains if I thought otherwise," Cloudpaw huffed in amusement.

"Fair. She's barely batted an eye at me being stuck in the Starlinked den. I think in the long run she was just happy it gave her all this free time to spend with Nightfang," Mudpaw scowled.

Cloudpaw sighed and attempted to reassure her friend with a smile. "I'm sure she cares a lot about you. You're her first apprentice even though she's been a warrior for quite a while now. I just know half of her conversations with Nightfang are about you."

"Yeah but what if they have kits soon and I'm stuck without a mentor?" Mudpaw added with a fold of his ears to the back of his head.

"I'm sure kits is the last thing on Nightfang's mind since he lost Finchspot," Cloudpaw replied in reference to the tom's old mate. "Mom always told me she was expecting his kits when she passed... Very terrible."

A frown deepened onto Mudpaw's face. "Yeah... That is terrible." He shuffled his paws as he sat up, glancing sideways at Cloudpaw. "Cloudpaw... How would you have felt if I did die the other day? What would you have done?"

Cloudpaw blinked repeatedly, a little taken aback by his sudden question. His gaze was plastered to her as he awaited an answer and she nearly stumbled over her words. "Well, you didn't die and that's what I'm grateful for."

Mudpaw appeared disappointed in his answer for a moment but then beckoned to her scar that lacerated her cheek to her neck. "I'm just asking because... Our scars complete one another, don't they?" He queried with a shy grin, nodding to his shoulder scar.

She didn't entirely understand what he was insinuating as his was a bite scar and he's done by a claw, different in appearance. His smile said it all though and the way he inched ever so slightly closer to her. Her ear tips heated up and she grew flustered, though before she could reply to Mudpaw a cat had strode up to the entrance of the apprentice den.