Sunflower's Past

Chapter 11

Sunpaw padded up to where the bodies of Oakclaw and Cloudfern were, centered in the middle of camp. Sticktail had made it look like they were only sleeping, their fur brushed down and fluffy. A loud cough echoed through camp as Twigfoot coughed in the medicine den. Forestpaw sat still and ridged next to Sunpaw, her eyes hollow looking. With a jolt, Sunpaw remembered that Cloudfern was Forestpaw's sister from the first litter.

Fernstar came out of the leader den with Hollyflower next to him, matching his step. They stopped at where Cloudfern and Oakclaw laid. Hollyflower bent her head and murmured something to Cloudfern as she nosed her nose into her fur.

"It's awful, isn't it?" Forestpaw meowed. Sunpaw nodded in agreement and Forestpaw lifted her head to the sky. "Sometimes I think that maybe StarClan should just live with us, so we'll never be apart."

"You mean..but they are happy there! No more foxes or badgers." Sunpaw meowed, trying to see what she was meaning. Forestpaw turned herself to Sunpaw with a darker shade in her eye.

"They are far away though." Forestpaw meowed convincingly. Sunpaw made no effort to continue their conversation, but instead stayed quiet and listened to the other cats.

Lilaceye's soft voice came from behind the two apprentices. Sunpaw looked behind to see her next to Sticktail, meowing away.

"Its not right! You know as well as I do, Sticktail," Lilaceye argued to Sticktail, her lilac coloured eyes flashing. Sticktail's straight tail flicked down and he replied in an irritable meow.

"Lilaceye, we don't want to worry the clan..." He meowed uneasily, shifting his weight and not meeting Lilaceye's eyes. The grey she-cat narrowed her eyes.

"So you agree," She meowed in a tone of voice that would have made Sunpaw purr in laughter if she wasn't in the current situation. Sticktail wisely chose not to answer back, and got up and made his way to the medicine den, where Twigfoot's coughs were beginning to sound weaker.

"Sunpaw," Lilyheart called from the warriors den. Sunpaw turned to see Lilyheart with heavy paws, but the same spirit in her brown eyes. "Sunpaw, I'm taking you and the other apprentices out to hunt." 

"Hunting?" Forestpaw meowed, the sadness seeming to wash away from her eyes as she leaped to her paws and stretched. Weedpaw and Treepaw seemed to brighten too, and Sunpaw let out a small purr of delight as she saw everyone looking better.

"Lets go then!" Weedpaw meowed, and Treepaw followed him closely with the she-cats padding slower.

"Sunpaw, want to partner up with me?" Forestpaw asked Sunpaw.

"Sure." Sunpaw meowed back, and the two split up with the others.

"I smell vole," Forestpaw announced as she sniffed the air. Sunpaw lifted her nose and sniffed too. That was definitely the scent of vole drifting from behind that tree. Sunpaw got into position as Forestpaw prepared to flush it out.

A loud barking broke the two apprentice's careful concentration as a black animal rushed toward the two cats. Sunpaw leapt onto a tree just before the dog caught her. Foretspaw wasn't so lucky. "Sunpaw!" Forestpaw meowed in terror, as the dog turned on her. Sunpaw's legs burned as she jumped off the tree and landed hard.

"Forestpaw!" Sunpaw screeched loudly. She raced after the dog, hearing Forestpaw's wails coming from ahead. Stopping, Sunpaw saw that Forestpaw was trapped against a tree while the dog advanced slowly, leaving no room for Forestpaw to climb the tree.

"Move, fleabrain!" Sunpaw hissed as she scratched at the dogs tail. The dog let out a low whimper before turning to Sunpaw with dark, wild eyes. Sunpaw fled, half hoping the dog would follow her. The heavy pounding behind her confirmed her fear, and she ran even faster, powered by fear.

Ahead of her was a clearing, and a small grey tom was there, picking herbs and muttering under his breath. Sunpaw realized that it was Mosspaw, know what she had to do. Turning around, she ran straight at the dog and clawed his face. The animal whimpered as blood came out of the wound. It fled away from the two cats, and Sunpaw could only hope that it didn't find anymore cats.

"Sunpaw!" Mosspaw exclaimed loudly, his face right in front of Sunpaw's. Sunpaw shook her head and tried to calm down. A thought streaked through her head.

"Forestpaw!" She gasped, trying to catch her breath. Mosspaw looked confused as Sunpaw tried to explain.

A loud rustling came from the bushes and Mosspaw stood bravely over Sunpaw, expecting the dog to rush out. Inside, a familiar she-cat did, shaking hard.

"Sunpaw! Thank you." Forestpaw meowed gratefully. Mosspaw looked at the two of them and quickly came to the thought that both of them would need healing.

"Back to camp everyone," He meowed in a strong voice. The two she-cats meekly followed him as he led the way.

In camp, Sticktail looked them over but barely attended to them. The other apprentices listened with wide eyes as to what happened, while Mosspaw spread poultices over their wounds. After the story, the two she-cats blearily went to their den and fell into their nests with relief, welcoming sleep gratefully.

-Guess what I'm going to say. SORRY for not updating! I feel bad and lazy for not for doing it. Plus...I had writers block and school. And the password wasn't on the computer. So I had some excuses. I'm thinking, maybe an update a week? Not sure which day, but Saturday I do have the most time...But at least expect a chapter a week. Write to you next time!-    Moonflier