Warrior Cats Fanfiction- Ripples of Fear

Chapter 21

   Pawsteps.

"Are they awake?" A she-cat's regal voice echoed in Shadedpaw's empty mind.

"Not quite. They should be soon. It's the she-cat I'm really worried about." A tom's voice returned, worry edging his mew.

Shadedpaw opened her eyes slightly.

  Where am I...?

  Two blurred figures sat before her. She blinked again and her vision cleared, revealing a ginger, brown, and white she-cat and a tan and black tom.

  "You're awake!" The tom mewed, his yellow eyes brightening.

The she-cat's ears perked, and she lifted her chin, eying the young marbled gray and black tabby suspiciously.

Shadedpaw still couldn't feel her paws, but she attempted to lift them and raise her head to comprehend what was happening.

Then a groan sounded beside her. She turned her head wearily, and saw Beetlepaw laying there, one golden paw over his nose, and his eyes shut tight.

  "Wha...?" Shadedpaw whined, confusion clouding her eyes.

  "I'm Fishtail." The tom replied. "And this is Petalstar." He meowed, gesturing to the regal she-cat. Her orange eyes flashed challengingly, but she remained silent.

  "NO! NOT THE STAR-PLA-" Beetlepaw's yowl erupted from beside her. He broke off, eyes widening as he noticed his surroundings. "Oh, StarClan..." he breathed.

  "What in the name of StarClan do you think you were doing," Petalstar hissed, eyes narrowing to slits. "In CreviceClan territory, in the middle of the night?!"

  Suddenly, a wave of memory crashed over Shadedpaw. Bitter flowers, Beetlepaw screeching, fighting, teeth pulling her by the scruff, and then darkness. That was the last thing she could remember.

  "CreviceClan...?" She whispered, her tone of voice full of wonder. The medicine cats' den was drastically different than ReedClan's. Pale, soft sand covered the floor to the den, and sharp, jagged rocks formed the walls, instead of soft, springy reeds and leaves.

  "Yes." Petalstar muttered through clenched teeth. "Are you mouse-brained? Now, who are you?"

  Beetlepaw's eyes suddenly lit, glinting mischievously. "I'm Beetlepaw, the FireClan Medicine Cat Apprentice."

  Fishtail's face hardened a bit, and his tail-tip twitched uneasily. "I know." He muttered.

  "And you?" Petalstar whirled around to Shadedpaw.

  "I'm-I'm Shadedpaw. From ReedClan." She answered, staring at the CreviceClan cats.

  "Now tell us what you were doing." Petalstar demanded, fur bristling.

  "I was sick, and the only herbs that could heal me were here, and-" Shadedpaw began, bowing her head.

  "And I tried to stop her from stealing from you." Beetlepaw blurted, eyes shining.

  Shadedpaw blinked, bewildered. She turned to face Beetlepaw. "You were the one that told me to-"

  "To stop stealing them." Beetlepaw finished, flicking his ears.

  "But you gave me the herbs..."

  Beetlepaw was clearly willing Shadedpaw to understand something by his squinting eyes, angled ears, and swishing tail, but Shadedpaw obviously did not comprehend it.