Nightclouds Heartache

Chapter six

(Why the heck do I keep writing Dovewing instead of Nightpaw?! ARGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Nightpaw licked her chest proudly. We sure taught those fox-hearts not to mess with us! She looked around at her clan. Suddenly all the happiness drained out of her. Breezeheart was lying motionless on the ground. Nightpaw scurried over to her. Barkface had apparently seen her too, because he met Nightpaw there. Nightpaw watched as Barkface gently placed on Breezeheart's chest. Fear prickled her heart; she was scared of what Barkface would tell her. When Barkface turned around his expression was unreadable. I stood there waiting for him to reply, my heart felt like it would beet out of my chest. After what felt like a hundred moons, he spoke.
"Nightpaw, I'm sorry. She's.... She's...." Barkface bowed his head. "Dead." He finished. Nightpaw wailed in despair and shock. My mother! My dear mother! Sorrow bubbled up in her chest and she looked at her paws forlornly. Suddenly, she whipped up her head, rage burning in her eyes.
"Who killed her?!" Nightpaw yelled.
"I-I don't know. Some Shadowclan cat." Barkface stuttered, clearly shocked by her sudden anger.
"Yeah, some Shadowclan cat! Who would we be fighting, Windclan?! You should know who killed her! You weren't even fighting! The least you could be doing is watching!" Nightpaw roared, getting angrier by the minute. Barkface backed away shocked.
"What, scared to get your kitty-pet paws wet? Well my paws are wet, and do you know what there wet in? Blood! That's what!" Nightpaw meowed angrily then she had ever been.
"I-I I'm not a kitty-pet." Barkface meowed quietly. Nightpaw was about to shout an angry retort, when she was interrupted from Tallstar, who had been silently watching from behind.
"Nightpaw." he started calmly. "I know you are devastated and mad about your mother. I am too. But that does not give you the right to take it out on Barkface." Nightpaw knew better then to argue with the leader.
Not being able to contain the hatred in her voice, "I'm sorry you weren't watching our clan fight to the death." Tallstar gave her a stern look as if to say he was disappointed at her. Not thinking that she could contain herself any longer, Nightpaw stalked off. Laying down in the apprentice den, she tried to sleep. Grief tightened her throat. She closed her eyes hoping when she woke up it would all be a bad dream.
After a couple of days, the clan had given up on Nightpaw's new grumpy attitude leaving. On the night of Breezeheart's burial, Clearwind was the only one that didn't pay his respects. Clearwind had used it as a time to clean himself. But what was bothering Nightpaw more than Clearwind, was the mysterious disappearance of Crowpaw. He had disappeared the day after the battle. Underneath her new found bad mood, she was deeply worried about Crowpaw.
Nightpaw strutted into the camp a small mouse in her mouth. Before she could put it in the prey pile, she was greeted by an angry Pinetail.
"Maybe next time decide to lead a patrol of one, try to catch a bit more." Nightpaw flicked her tail in annoyance.
"I'm sorry for hunting for my clan." She meowed sarcastically. Nightpaw felt a twinge of sadness. Her and her mentor used to be so close, now it felt like they were from different clans.
Deciding not to continue the argument, Pinetail meowed briskly, "While you were out hunting, you missed the clan meeting. Tallstar said who would be going to the gathering. Suddenly feeling excited Nightpaw meowed,
"Am I going?" By the look on Pinetail's face, Nightpaw guessed the answer.
"No, not this time. Your guarding the camp. Shadowclan might want revenge."
"Why did you even bother telling me then?" Nightpaw demanded, annoyed. Pinetail merely shrugged and walked off. Annoyed and sulky, Nightpaw headed to the apprentices den. She curled up in her nest, the sent of Crowpaw fresh in her nose. His cent was just making her feel worse. He had finally noticed her and even started to like her and now he was gone. She sighed a heavy sigh. If Breezeheart were still here I could talk to her about Crowpaw.Ignoring the grief tightening her throat she drifted off to sleep.