Runningfoot's Backstory

Chapter 8

"Want to come on a training session with me?" A voice awoke Dreampaw from her sleep. She opened her eyes to see Bluepaw standing by her head. "Sure," she she replied sleepily, "let's eat first." "If you wake up that is. Sleepyhead." She shot up and nipped his ear playfully. He yelped in surprise. She purred in amusement.

"What about Cloverfrost?" She wondered out loud. "I've asked Darkfeather already. He thought it was a good idea, he said it would be good for her to stay here and shake some of that grief off." Dreampaw nodded, Tinyears had unexpectedly passed on last night, joining StarClan. Cloverfrost was her daughter, and was very sad.

They padded out to the clearing to eat. She picked out a small fat silver fish and devoured the delicious warm flesh. She licked her whiskers and slipped to Bluepaw's side. "So what are we doing today Darkfeather?" "Well, I thought we'd start with some battle moves, do a quick border patrol on the RockClan border, and hunt if we have time." They both nodded. She tried to ignore the 'I told you so' and 'I knew it' looks that Briarpaw and Owlpaw shot her.

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They had finished practicing fight moves and were nearing a fence on the RockClan border. Darkfeather said that they had learned quickly. On the fence sat a tall black and white tomcat who looked older than he probably was. His mismatched yellow and blue eyes dull with what appeared to Dreampaw, grief. He seemed to be staring at nothing. "This is Matchbox." Darkfeather said to them. Matchbox seemed to snap out of his unlively state. "Hello," he said quietly as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

Something must have happened to shake the poor cat, she thought of Matchbox and wondered if Darkfeather knew what was wrong with him. She waited until they were well past the spot where they had first seen him.

"What was up with him?" Bluepaw asked her question first. "Who? Matchbox?", Darkfeather said, "Well, you both know that Thunderpaw and his siblings' mother was killed by a rogue cat right?" "Cherrydawn," interrupted a voice.

They looked up to see Matchbox standing above them on the fence. "Cherrydawn," he repeated, "she was a beautiful cat I tell you, she had the prettiest purr, and most gorgeous eyes I'd ever seen. I guess one day we met when she was on a patrol like this one. She was alone, we'd talked and became friends. We soon fell in love. I guess my half brother Rod, must have spied on us, for one night when we were meeting we had fallen asleep he, he tried to attack us. I chased him off and she left for her camp. I hadn't seen her for a while when she came up panting. I calmed her down and she said that she had had kits, two of them kind of looked like Rod. And I had a bad suspicion. I got mad and called her a traitor to me. She got upset and ran off. I realized she was telling the truth and found my way to your camp. I talked to her and we got over it and focused on raising the kits. She showed me the kits, five beautiful kits, I didn't care that two probably weren't mine. I loved them. She tried to ask me to join the Clan. But I had to say no, they would never have accepted me. I was halfway back to my home when I heard a cry and rushed back to find Cherrydawn, almost dead, torn up and bleeding. I cried out for her. 'I will find you in StarClan my love.' Were her words. I knew they were true. But she died before she could tell me who did this to her. I looked up to see Rod standing with the kit that was his, the white one with the ginger tail. His eyes glaring maniacally at me, blood stained his paws. Out of rage, I lunged at him. I lurched and grabbed the kit, nearly missing dagger claws. We fought hard. Cats were gathering around watching in shock. He had pinned me down, jaws over my neck, pulse throbbing in my ears. I had never felt this weak. Maybe it was my time, I thought. Then I saw the kit on the ground, staring at me large scared eyes. Then I felt something strange in me, I had to end this fight. For my kits, for Cherrydawn. I spun on him claws gripping his shoulders, I pinned him. And prepared the final blow, and snapped. I stood panting, it was done. The cats thought I had killed Cherrydawn and were circling me. I explained everything. And felt horrible. I stayed only to sit vigil with Cherrydawn. Then I left. I've been hoping to see my kits pass by, especially the one with the bushy tail, he had fallen ill last time I heard."