Warriors Deadly Echoes: A Dangerous Hour

Chapter 17

The vigil for Pikestalk was long and silent. Poolhawk buried her nose in his white and ginger fur. Kinkstem rested her tail on the cream queen's shoulder. "He died trying to save your kits from Darktalon." She mewed. "I'll never leave Pikestalk. I should have been with him. Oh my love, what you did for our kits will be told." She mewed softly. "I love you.." She looked at him one last time before going to her kits who were mewling for her. Nettlepopy, his former apprentice, was beside his unmoving body. Bravestar stood on the Low Branch. "Pikestalk walks with StarClan. Because of the deed he has done for us today." He meowed hoarsely. This was the second Clanmate TimberClan had lost since Nightdusk. And her tragic death was so long ago.
"But his spirit is no use to me.." Poolhawk murmured almost to herself. Hollowpaw winced at the soft and saddened grief in her voice. She stared up at the stars. Which star was Pikestalk? The young apprentice wondered.
"May StarClan light Pikestalk's path. For he now walks with Nightdusk." Bravestar meowed finally as he padded to join the cats sitting around Pikestalk's body. Hollowpaw watched as looked into the trees. A starry outline of two cats. A white and ginger one and a black and white cat..
Pikestalk.. Nightdusk. Why did you have to leave TimberClan?
The quiet in the trees was broken by a muffled sob. Poolhawk was crouched on her belly. Her kits, Chestnutkit and Acornkit wouldn't have their father.

The TimberClan cats returned to their dens. Heatherfur padded to put a paw on Poolhawk's shoulder. "You should get your sleep," She mewed to her nursery denmate. "Your kits need their mother." She gently guided Poolhawk to her nest in the nursery, her eyes dark with sadness. The two mates had trained Nettlepoppy and Feathertuft together. Which as a result, formed their relationship to being more than friends with each other. They had talked about kits, but it was until now that they finally had a pair. But now, Pikestalk was dead. Feathertuft and Nettlepoppy walked side by side into the warrior's den. While Hollowpaw trotted into the medicine cat's den, before giving one last look up at the stars in the night and curling into her nest. Darktalon was to blame;if he hadn't of taken his kits and threatened to put them on the Thunderpath, and if Boarclaw hadn't have clawed him causing him to stumble onto the Thunderpath, Pikestalk would still be alive with them and not dead and scarred with claw marks across his face in the center of the camp. Poolhawk would still have her mate. Their kits would still have their father. But they knew Pikestalk would be with them in spirit. However to Poolhawk, it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough for her at all. And her Clanmates knew that. But there was nothing they could do but comfort her. Hollowpaw slowly began to close her eyes and give into sleep before opening one eye to look at Barkpelt. Her mentor's back rose and fell as he slept in his nest, curled in a tight ball, his shredded brown ear twitching. She at last drifted to sleep in her nest her tail over her nose. Hollowpaw had hoped that tomorrow would be a new dawn. A dawn that didn't have such a tragedy such as this.