Scarlet River

Part 44

Riverpaw, Stonepaw and Echopaw sat silently in the apprentice den. They did not speak, and did not look at each other. Echopaw continued to shift in place, her expression one of frustration. Stonepaw lay curled in his nest, staring at his tail. Riverpaw sat staring at the moss of her own nest.

They were all thinking the same thing: How do we bend this rule and stay together?

"She can't do this!" Echopaw finally exclaimed.

"Yes she can. She's our leader." Stonepaw replied dully.

"That shouldn't matter! We're friends! No, we're more than friends! You two are like littermates to me! Well, I mean, Riverpaw is like a littermate to me. Stonepaw you are my littermate...oh you get the point!"

"Lightstar is right. It doesn't matter how we feel." Stonepaw muttered.

"Wow, way to be optimistic, Stonepaw." Echopaw snarled, "Maybe we can just sneak out again, like we did last time! It won't be that hard, we'll just use the path up the side of the hollow again."

"But what about when we join the rest of the group? There will be two of every other clan, and four of Thunderclan. I'm sure the other clans will get mad if that happens!" Stonepaw said, sitting up and looking at his sister.

"Well, we can-ugh! Can you at least try to help me think of a plan?!" Echopaw shouted.

"Only if you stop proposing nonsense ideas! There's no way Lightstar will leave us without some kind of guard when Riverpaw leaves. She'll have our mentors keeping an eye on us, no doubt. And I'm not kidding when I say the clans will get mad! Even if we're just apprentices, it's unfair if Thunderclan has any kind of advantage! And what makes you think they will even let us stay once we join them?! They'll probably send us right back to camp!"

Riverpaw closed her eyes. Everything Stonepaw was saying made sense. There was no way around it this time. They would have to separate.

Echopaw and Stonepaw fell silent, staring at each other with anger flashing like lightning between them.

"Guys, I think we just have to separate." Riverpaw murmured.

The siblings looked at her, shocked. Even Stonepaw, who had been fighting against himself, opened his mouth to protest,

"But-"

"You're right. There's no way to change the rules this time. Last time you were kits, and no one thought you would do something as crazy as follow a complete stranger out of camp. This time they know how close we are. They know you'll try, and Lightstar will definitely prevent you. And if you do manage to sneak out of camp, the punishment will be severe this time. You may never become a warrior. There's just no way. I'm sorry." Riverpaw hung her head, fighting the lump in her throat. She wanted them to come. Wanted it more than anything. Of course she wouldn't be going off alone, but wherever she was going, it was hard to imagine not having them with her.

Her friends were silent for a long time. Finally, Stonepaw curled up once again, back to Riverpaw, and lay still. Echopaw followed his lead. Riverpaw was left, sitting alone, staring at her friends' backs.