Gilafang's Resentment (Book 4)

Chapter 11

Gilapaw trudged on, limping on his injured paw through the coarse sand. Snowtip was beside him, panting, and Ryeflight was falling behind. The sun was setting, touching the horizon and setting the sky to purple and red flames, and they still hadn't passed the desert.

Gilapaw finally collapsed on the ground, exhausted and unable to go on. Sweat was pouring down his brow and he groaned quietly. Snowtip rushed to his side.

"Badgerfang, wait!" She cried, licking Gilapaw's forehead, trying to cool him. Badgerfang turned and ran to his side.

"What happened?" He demanded, half annoyed and half concerned. Gilapaw held up his injured paw and sighed. As Snowtip took the bleeping paw in her own paws, she gave a grunt of dis-content.

"That looks horrid, Gilapaw! What happened to it?" She cried, licking the sand out of the wound. It stung, but Gilapaw just clenched his jaw and pushed through.

"The hot sand split it," he groaned. "The sand got into the cut then and irritated it." Badgerfang looked around and nodded.

"Its dark anyways. Lets set up camp here for the night and rest. Maybe when we wake up we will have clear heads for searching," he concluded, yawning. "I'll lead a patrol to find nest material and a good place for sheltering. Snowtip, you stay with Gilapaw."

*****

Gilapaw woke with a yawn, reaching out his paw to stretch. Snowtip had wrapped his forepaw in soft dead tinder-grass and tied it off with a bendy stick Ryeflight had found in the sand. The sand hadn't gotten back into the wound yet, and it felt much better after Snowtip washed it.

He looked at the rest of the sleeping patrol, he in the middle with Turtleface and Snowtip on either side, Ryeflight sleeping between them in a circle surrounding Gilapaw. Badgerfang slept under a nearby green spiked plant, probably sleeping on guard duty.

Gilapaw looked up at the sky, watching the sun touch fire to the horizon briefly before the sky settled into it's pink wispy state of the sunrise. He smiled. "Here comes the sun." He said to himself quietly, and looked back over his shoulder at the hill they had sheltered behind.

I wonder what I can see from up there? He wondered curiously, and got to his paws. He limped to the top of the hill as the sun crept its way closer to his clanmates, and finally he peered over the edge, and his mouth dropped open wide in astonishment. He ran back down the hill, tripping over his paws.

"Snowtip! Ryeflight! Turtleface, Badgerfang wake up!!!" He cried, shaking them excitedly. "Wake up, wake up!"

Badgerfang growled in annoyance. "Gilapaw, shut up! I'm trying to sleep..." He opened his crooked mouth as far as it allowed in a huge yawn, his teeth glinting in the growing light. Snowtip and Turtleface stretched together, taking turns licking each other's sleep-spiked fur.

"Hurry up, Badgerfang! We have to go! I've found it!" Gilapaw pulled Badgerfang to his paws.

"Found what, exactly?" Reflight yawned, scratching his ears with his foot.

"I've found the Twolegplace!"

*****

"Stay behind me, everyone." Badgerfang insisted in a low meow as they crept towards the Twolegplace. It felt so good to be on wet, cold grass again, and Gilapaw relished the feeling on his hard, calloused pads. He slinked forward, slithering up to Badgerfang.

"I can go first, sneak around and scout for trouble. I'm small," he offered, shaking his injured paw. He shook the binding off, and jumped with relief as the cold, wet grass kissed his wound.

Badgerfang looked at him like he was crazy. "Gilapaw, how could I let you go first?! I should go, its my responsibility to keep everyone safe, and I will!" He said. Gilapaw stepped in front of him.

"No, Badgerfang, I can slip into small places. I'll sneak around, I'll be careful," he insisted, his eyes hard and serious. Badgerfang shook his head.

"No, Gilapaw, I can't let you!" He said again. Gilapaw finally lost his temper.

"Let me prove to you I'm not some helpless kit! I'm almost 13 moons for StarClan's sake!" He exploded, tail lashing. Gilapaw stared at Badgerfang, challenging him. He had always babied Gilapaw, and never let him explore or do daring things. And Gilapaw was sick of it.

Gilapaw finally calmed down when he saw the look on his clanmates' faces. Staring at his paws, he felt his ears go hot. "Besides, you can stay here and protect everyone else, Badgerfang." He offered more quietly.

Badgerfang was taken aback, his eyes wide as he shook his head with surprise. Then he sighed, staring at the ground.

"Gilapaw, I love you so much and I don't want to lose you. But if you think you are strong and cunning enough and you would like to prove yourself, then so be it. I cannot stop you. Just-" he looked at his adoptive son.

"Be careful and come back to me." He said, and Gilapaw nodded.

"I promise."