Alive

Chapter 5

Published October 16, 2016.

"If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?"
-William Shakespeare

Hawkstripe failed to see Birchcloud's appeal.

The other tom was starkingly unremarkable - his black-and-white pelt wasn't particularly soft or fluffy, and his eyes were a flat green. He was patient and kind, earning him his 'cloud' suffix, but his mind and his claws were as dull as his eyes.

    And yet, Doe rested her head on Birchcloud's shoulder in the warriors' den as the two watched the rain, splattering like tears onto the sodden grass, still spilling from the sky in the evening.

    Hawkstripe swallowed his jealousy. Doe's just forgotten about her past life. She'll come back to me soon, once she remembers.

    Blizzardstar's clear voice interrupted his thoughts. "Attention, all TreeClan members."   

He turned his head to the Rockpile, a crowd forming in the clearing below. Blizzardstar stood upon the Rockpile proudly. Her white fur had turned gray because of the rain, yet she seemed undaunted. Buzzardfang stood at the base of the Rockpile, gazing at Blizzardstar enviously. Hawkstripe grinned in spite of himself.

"Sorrelpaw, come here."

Of course, Hawkstripe thought. A warrior ceremony. 

Sorrelpaw padded up to the Rockpile, stoic as always. The tortoiseshell she-cat had barely cracked a smile since her mother and siblings had died at a young age. Blazetail followed his apprentice, beaming proudly.

"I, Blizzardstar, leader of TreeClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.

"Sorrelpaw," Blizzardstar said, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Sorrelpaw replied.

"Then, by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sorrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sorrelfrost. TreeClan honors your intelligence and skill, and we welcome you as a full member of TreeClan."

Blizzardstar laid her muzzle on Sorrelfrost's head, and Sorrelfrost licked her leader in reply.

"Sorrelfrost! Sorrelfrost!" TreeClan chanted, Blazetail loudest and most enthusiastic of all. For a rare moment, a warm smile unfurled from the new apprentice. She dipped her head in gratitude, her eyes shining in delight.

As the crowd dispersed Laurelpaw padded up to Sorrelfrost. "D'you wanna go hunting?" the apprentice asked shyly, her green eyes round with admiration.

Sorrelfrost nodded. "Where's your mentor?" she asked.

Laurelpaw angled her tail near the Rockpile. "Over there - I have Buzzardfang. He won't mind if I slip away - he says I'll be getting my warrior name in less than a moon."

"Okay." Sorrelfrost turned to Hawkstripe. "Can you come with us?" she asked, her voice sounding more like an order than a question.

"Of course," Hawkstripe said, bewildered. He barely knew the young warrior - they had interacted few times before today.

He followed the two younger she-cats as they bounded into the forest. Sorrelfrost, he noticed, lagged behind slightly. She cornered him near two bushes and hissed, "I need to talk to you. Privately."

"About what?"

"Deerclaw."

Hawkstripe tensed up, his fur bristling.

"What about her?"

"I think...I think a fox didn't kill her."

"She didn't die," Hawkstripe corrected.
"What do you call it, then, when a cat's heart ceases to beat and their eyes are blank?"

"She couldn't die - StarClan would never rob such a perfect, magnificent cat from TreeClan."

Sorrelfrost flattened her ears. "Fine - I don't care. Believe want you want to believe. But I don't think she was attacked by a fox."

"But - fox fur was found on her body. She couldn't have been attacked by a badger."

"No, red fur was found on her body," Sorrelfrost replied. "And - don't say anything - but -,"

Sorrelfrost leaned in, whispering into Hawkstripe's ear.

"I think it was a cat. And I know which one."

Hawkstripe jumped back, gasping.

"Who? Which cat?" He unsheathed his claws. "I'll kill them!"

"Do you know of Redblaze, from  ValleyClan?" Sorrelfrost whispered.

"I...I think so. Tell me about them."

"He's massive - he looks like a lion. He has stormy amber eyes and sharp fangs. He has thick red fur. It's the exact same shade as a fox's."

"So Redblaze did it." Hawkstripe murmured to himself. He raked his claws across the ground, imagining it was Redblaze's throat.

"TreeClan was in a border skirmish with him ValleyClan recently. I fought him personally - he's terrifying. We won, but it was bloody. I think he did it in revenge.

"We have a Gathering coming up soon," Sorrelfrost added. "So you can confront him. But don't do anything mouse-brained." she warned, surveying Hawkstripe with a warning glare.

Hawkstripe's eyes burned murderously. "I would never."