RisenClan Book Two: Evermore

Chapter Thirteen

Soaringpaw watched Sunnyside. She was still crying as she slept. Soaringpaw was being strong, but felt Sunnyide's pain wash off of her like water. She was too gentle hearted and sweet. She felt betrayed by her only brother who Soaringpaw could tell, she still loved despite all he had done to her. Even Soaringpaw was feeling betrayed by StarClan. Weren't they on his side? Why would they not help them now? When The Stone was a threat StarClan predicted it on their own and warned the clan. They had not shared anything with him. He used to share dreams with them all the time, but they were absent from his life now. He could not do this on his own, and Sunnyside was so vulnerable right now. He felt as if their roles had been switched around. It had been Sunnyside keeping Soaringpaw from losing sight of the goal when they traveled to the bears. Now Soaringpaw felt as though he had to keep Sunnyside's eyes on the goal. 

Suddenly Soaringpaw heard chit chatter and saw Tidepool pull open the fence and drag limp Grizzlypaw over the edge by his scruff. Soaringpaw leaped over Sunnyside to break Grizzlypaw's fall. It hurt his back and he fell to the ground against Grizzly's weight, but he was alright. He pulled himself out from under the tom and turned to see that Sunnyside had woken up by the noise. Tidepool replaced the fence without a word. 

"My StarClan, is he alright?!" Sunnyside asked as she padded over to look.

"He is breathing, must just be passed out." Soaringpaw leaned down to lick his ear. "Wake up brother." He whispered. 

"Let him rest for now Soaringpaw. We can find out what's happened when he was woken up." Sunnyside sniffled and curled back into a ball next to her apprentice. She loved Grizzlypaw just as much as Soaringpaw did. "You should rest too Soaringpaw."

"No that's okay, thanks Sunnyside." Soaringpaw meowed. How could he sleep at a time like this?

Eventually night pierced the sky and Soaringpaw watched Sunnyside and Grizzlypaw sleep. He had his red fur laid on top of his paws and he felt himself drifting. He was thirsty, hungry, and freezing. It been nearly two days since he received food and Spiritsong had always told him eating snow would only dehydrate you even if you try to melt it in your mouth. He was not sure if he was falling asleep or hallucinating. Was there a difference? He kept seeing things each time he glanced up at the fence. His mother was the first one, then his brother who had passed away on the journey to the clans, then just random animals. But all of a sudden he felt tiny paws pushing against his tummy. "Hey, can you here me stupid fur bag?" It was such a soft and calm voice, with only a bit of sarcasm in her words. 

"Dawnpaw?" Soaringpaw asked softly.

"Who else would it be silly?" Soaringpaw looked over, it was her. She was sort of shadowy and dark, but she was there.

"Are you really? Am I seeing things?" 

"You are not crazy Soaringpaw! How real do I seem to you?" She reached over and flicked his ear.

"Hey!" Soaringpaw whispered as he moved his paw up to rub his ear. When he looked back to her she had a playful smile on her face and there was no way Soaringpaw could not smile back.

"Sorry you are stuck here, you will find a way out. I raced ahead of the other cats to get here. They will be here any minute, but I just wanted to spend an extra moment with one of my favorite brothers!" She looked over at Grizzlypaw and Sunnyside and turned back to see my frown. "Don't worry about Grizzlypaw, Soaringpaw. He will be fine. Just got a bit of a knock to that big skull of his! Sunnyside will get better too. I am sure she is glad you are here for her like she was for you!"

As Soaringpaw turned around she felt other presences. His eyes met the same, sort of shadowy forms as Dawnpaw. The first one to pop out at him was Ruinstar and he leaped forward and wrapped his front legs around her neck. Ruinstar licked his cheek. "Hi little one!" She purred. As Soaringpaw took a step back in awe the other two cats standing before him he could not quite place for a moment. They were familiar to him. They were very familiar. He knew them better than he thought. The scent of them is what brought back memories. It had been moons since he had seen them.

"Nightwatcher." He meowed, greeting the dark tom with the pale white ears. Nightwatcher nodded his head from where he sat next to Ruinstar. They were siblings, Ruinstar looked very happy to be with him, and happy to know that her brother was so familiar to Soaringpaw. "And Risenstar." Risenstar padded forward and embraced Soaringpaw.

"You are strong Soaringpaw, so strong. Stronger than I ever believed you could be when I met you so many moons ago."

"Thank you." He purred. He recalled when he first met them. He was so afraid before he realized how friendly and loving these cats were. He remembered the visions of them, so real in his mind when he went to ReflectionLake and met Risenstar, Nightwatcher, Blueberry, and Claypool. These ones were the most real they had ever been. He could hear them, touch them, see them, smell them. It was no doubt that they were here. 

"Wake up Sunnyside and Grizzlypaw for me, would you Dawnpaw?" Risenstar said to the apprentice.

"Yes sir." Dawnpaw purred and padded over to wake Sunnyside and Grizzlypaw with soft licks and whispers. They woke with ease to Dawnpaw's soft touch and Sunnyside could tell what was going on right away. She greeted everyone with hugs and happiness to see them. 

"You are all so much more real then in my dreams."

"Of course we are!" Ruinstar purred.

Sunnyside seemed to have met them all before, just as Soaringpaw had. Grizzlypaw was so scared. He was not sure who they were in his panic as he tried to back away.

"It's okay Grizzlypaw, it's your ancestors." Sunnyside purred as she lured Grizzlypaw over.

Nightwatcher leaned down to greet Grizzlypaw sweetly. "Hello little one, no need to be afraid of us. I am Ruinstar's brother."

"H-hi." Grizzlypaw said.

Grizzlypaw's reaction was not to different than his own first reaction to meeting StarClan. After everyone introduced themselves to Grizzlypaw he found himself comfortably sitting next to Sunnyside while Dawnpaw licked his ears.

"I know it may seem secondary in your minds, but, you guys need to save those kits." Risenstar said.

"We have no clue where they are Risenstar!" Sunnyside said.

"We know though. It's defiantly not a place you would have ever suspected. CoastClan has taken them. They are safe, but their ancestors disagree with what they have done and they need to be returned home before you are able to clear your names and get Hallowstorm out of RisenClan." Nightwatcher meowed.

"We can do that if we can get out of here." Soaringpaw said.

"I am afraid you are underestimating them Soaringpaw. CoastClan has named Toadkit and Sketchykit apprentices, there numbers are low, but there are still only three of you. They wanted those kits for their own to raise as CoastClan warriors. Some of them have been forced to forget where they have come from. It will not be easy to take them all home. CoastClan will put up a fight to keep them here, but do not be afraid. Your ancestors have your back." Ruinstar said.

"Very well, but we still cannot get out of here!" Sunnyside meowed.

"If you think that is an issue than you have seriously doubted StarClan." Risenstar laughed. He flicked his tail and suddenly they were all directly out of the hole.

"Woah." Grizzlypaw said. "If you can do that, can't you just snap those kits back into RisenClan?"

Risenstar laughed. "That's a very smart idea Grizzlypaw, but unfortunately our magic does not work like that. We better be off and so should you. Oh, but I figured I would let Grizzlypaw and Soaringpaw know that Putsu is safe and has found shelter with LostClan." Soaringpaw was confused as how to Grizzlypaw knew Putsu, but Soaringpaw was glad his loner friend was safe.

"We have faith in you three." Dawnpaw said as she touched her nose to Soaringpaw's. "I love you." She told Grizzlypaw and Soaringpaw. "And thank you." She said to Sunnyside.

"Thank all three of you." Ruinstar said as Dawnpaw came over and interlocked tails with her and as quick as they came they were gone and the mission had begun.