Warriors: Secrets Beyond the Stars: The Prophecy

~Chapter 29~

"I knew I would find you here." Snakefang sighed, Nightpaw curled closer to the broken pieces of earth that was Amberheart's grave. His eyes fixed on his mentor, but he looked back into the grave. "I have excused you from your training for the past two days, but this is long enough. You have to move on."

It was the morning after the battle with LeafClan, the sun scorching the sky, staining it with a beautiful orange color along with the fluffy pink clouds that float above. Nightpaw padded beside Russetspots as the tom carried Amberheart's body to where her resting place would be, padding in front of them was Scorchwhisper and Snakefang. They padded out of the shadows and found themselves by the pool, which was frozen over, that conected to the river, the Darkpool, it got it's name by how the bottom is as dark as midnight. Standing on the edge of the Darkpool was Burningbranch, Littleslash, Duskpaw, Blazingshade, Bluefrost and Leafnose. In front of them laid a hole the size of a cat, Amberheart's grave. Scorchwhisper and Snakefang trotted over to sit beside Blazingshade and Littleslash, Russetspots started to slow his pace. Nightpaw looked at the tom, then went to go sit by his mentor.

The russet tom slowly lowered the dead warrior into the grave, making sure that every last piece of fur was in her grave, than he began to bury her. Nightpaw watched with pain and sorrow developing deep in his chest, he pricked his ears to the mumbling of Littleslash to Blazingshade, but it was too quiet to make out any words. He looked sideways at the two warriors, Blazingshade was slowly shaking his head, along with Littleslash. What were they talking about? Was it about Amberheart? Nightpaw looked back at Russetspots, the warrior has just finished burying the warrior, and he went to sit beside of Leafnose. The deputy closed his eyes and looked straight down, followed by Scorchwhisper and Russetspots, than Burningbranch and Littleslash, then Snakefang and Blazingshade and Duskpaw, Nightpaw gazed at all of his Clanmates, then he closed his eyes and looked straight down.

Nightpaw found himself standing in a field, a few fox-lengths away sat a cream cat, she was facing away from him so he couldn't see her face. He slowly neared the she, as he got closer and closer, the cat became more familiar and familiar. He was standing directly beside the cat, he peered around her side to get a good look at her face. Blurry. Her face was blurry. Just like the cat in his dream. She was staring ahead of her, Nightpaw followed her gaze but nothing was there. What was she looking at? He turned back to the she, he jumped back in surprisement to see the cat was staring at him. Her face wasn't blurry anymore, her eyes were a beautiful sky blue and her pelt glowed as the moonlight shined on them. "Why are you always in my dreams?" Nightpaw asked, the she slowly smiled and said "Thank you." The cat began to grow brighter and brighter until she was a blinding light, then she became a star and shot up towards Silverpelt.

Nightpaw awakened, his Clanmates were starting to open their eyes and look back at Amberheart's grave. He had been asleep for just a few heartbeats? But it felt like a few moons. He noticed that Blazingshade, Leafnose, and Snakefang were leaving, and all that was left was Littleslash, Russetspots, Bluefrost, Burningbranch, Duskpaw, and himself. Littleslash dipped her head towards the grave and pressed her muzzel on it, "I will miss you..." then she walked away. Next, Russetspots padded over to the grave. He dipped his head and pressed his nose to the edge of the grave, then he padded to Duskpaw and sat beside her. The dusky grey apprentice slowly dragged herself up to the grave, Nightpaw could see that she was about to break down any moment. The apprentice dipped her head and rubbed her muzzle on Amberheart's grave, "I will miss you the most." she whispered, Nightpaw could hear a cry gurgaling in her voice as she stared blankly at the grave. "Come on Duskpaw, we have to leave." Russetspots calmly said. "It's not fair!" Duskpaw whined, "She promised that she would train me till I was ready to become a warrior! She promised!" Nightpaw felt like cuffing her ear with his paw, doesn't she know how he feels too? But Russetspots was taking a pawstep towards her, he pressed himself against her flank. "Some promises are broken, but not intently. Come on, back to camp." the russet warrior licked her shoulder. Duskpaw still stared blankly at Amberheart's grave, then she pelted past Russetspots and after Littleslash.

"Nightpaw, are you listening to me?" Snakefang said firmly, snapping Nightpaw back to reality. He turned his head towards his mentor, but his eyes still on Amberheart's grave. "Nightpaw," the brown tom sighed, "I know how it feels to lose a loved one." Nightpaw picked his head up and looked at his mentor, "You do? Or are you just trying to make me feel better?" he asked. Snakefang padded towards him and laid down beside him, tucking his paws underneath him. "Yes, I did." He said with a nod, "Her name was Robinchest, she has a beautiful black pelt with a ginger patch on her chest." He smiled, "She was everything to me, I didn't think I would live without her." He chuckled, "One time when we were on a dusk patrol, she was marking a bush when a group of fireflies appeared from the bush. She was so scared that she hid behind me." then his smile slowly vanished. "Then... one day, she started kitting. Quietspots said she was losing too much blood after the two kits were out. She died after the third kit was born, but only one kit survived the kitting. After that night he died in the morning." Snakefang looked at the grave, his tail drooping. "What were their names?" Nightpaw asked, "The she was named Robinkit, because she looked like my mate, the two tom's were named Brownkit and Brokenkit. Brownkit because he was all brown and Brokenkit for my broken heart."
Snakefang eyes started to sparkle with dreed. I never knew my mentor had a mate, or kits. Nightpaw thought, the brown warrior shook his head and stood up. "You miss Amberheart. But you can't grieve forever. Your Clan needs you. Focus on that." the apprentice stared at his mentor, he looked back at the grave. He sighed, "You're right," he got up, "laying here isn't going to bring her back." He shook his pelt, than gave his leg a quick lick. He faced Snakefang, "I'm ready to continue my training Snakefang."

"Good." the warrior nodded, his flicked his tail. "We will start at dusk." then he vanished through the undergrowth. Leaving Nightpaw alone again with Amberheart's grave, he pressed his nose to the edge of the grave. "Goodbye Amberheart, I will never forget you."