Warrior Cats Fanfiction- Ripples of Fear

Chapter 23

   "Fallingpaw, you'll never believe what happened at the Gathering last night!" A young tom-cat mewed.

  "Yeah! Those fox-hearted FireClan cats were trying to get their mouse-brained medicine cat apprentice back!" A she-cat squealed.

   "And ReedClan tried to take back Shadedpaw too!" The tom added. "There was a huge fight!"

  "I wish I had been known there. " Fallingpaw sighed. "Mallowpaw and Berrypaw, you two are so lucky! I can't believe that Violetstep wouldn't let me go!"

Berrypaw blinked, his face suddenly hardening. "But did you hear about what happened to Warmheart?" His voice was hushed.

  "What happened?" Shadedpaw appeared at the mouth of the den, blinking blearily. She hadn't coughed ever since she came to CreviceClan, and her incurable sickness suddenly seemed to have disappeared.

  All three cats turned their heads.

  "Shadedpaw! You're awake!" Fallingpaw flicked one ear.

  Berrypaw swished his tail, standing. "There was a huge fight!" He told the she-cat. "Lots of cats were sent to the Medicine Cat's den, and-"

  "Wait, a fight?!" Shadedpaw gasped. "Over what?!"

  Fallingpaw and Mallowpaw exchanged a glance in the background, and Berrypaw lowered his head. "You and Beetlepaw." He admitted.

  Shadedpaw lowered her gaze. "Oh... I... I'm sorry..."

  "It's okay." Berrypaw reassured her, giving her a slight smile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Tall-Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Petalstar's yowl interrupted the conversation.

Berrypaw and his littermates scampered off without another word, exchanging bewildered glances, while Shadedpaw watched, wide-eyed, as the other CreviceClan cats padded into the center of the camp, all tilting their heads in confusion.

Beetlepaw appeared at the mouth of the Medicine Cat's den and glanced around, catching Shadedpaw's gaze for a moment before he darted into the crowd of other cats.

"Shadedpaw! Come on!" A voice mewed. She turned to see Waterpaw trotting past her, waving his tail for her to follow.

They crossed the clearing, sitting beside Woodspots, and staring up at Petalstar.

The ginger-splashed she-cat stood at the edge of a jagged ledge, which was above her own den.

"Clanmates, you all know what happened last night." She began.

Angry murmurs rippled through the group of cats as they recalled the battle over the two apprentices.

"And now, I have decided to do this. Shadedpaw, step forward."

The marbled tabby apprentice gave a small gasp. Was the CreviceClan she-cat sending her back home? She rose to her paws and padded towards the front of the cats, her pelt burning as she felt their stares on her.

"Do you wish to join CreviceClan?" Petalstar meowed, looking down at the young apprentice.

Join CreviceClan? Shadedpaw thought, her heart dropping.

"Join CreviceClan?!" A tom shrieked. "After that battle?!"

"ReedClan wouldn't dare attack us." Petalstar returned. "This is my decision. I will not change it. Shadedpaw, will you join us?"

Shadedpaw glanced desperately at Beetlepaw, who was pawing at a beetle on the ground instead of paying any attention, then at Woodspots and Waterpaw. They were nodding encouragingly at her, eyes bright.

"Er... I... yes...?" She regretted the words the moment they escaped from her mouth. Joining CreviceClan?! She would never see Echostep, Rosepaw, or Silverpaw again!

"Brokenface will mentor you." Petalstar announced, giving her fluffy tail a contented flick.

The tortoiseshell she-cat stood slowly, eying her new apprentice disapprovingly. Shadedpaw remembered her from her first day in CreviceClan, when she was in The Warriors' den with the other pale gray she-cat. Her scarred, smashed face distorted for a moment in doubt, before she padded through the cats until she stood beside Shadedpaw. The new CreviceClan apprentice couldn't help but wince as she saw the she-cat's broken countenance before her, and her one green eye scanning her from ear-tips to paws.

She reluctantly touched her nose to Brokenface's, then turned to stare at the crowd.

A heartbeat of silence greeted her, before Woodspots began cheering her name, joined quickly by the apprentices, his sister, and the others.

"Shadedpaw! Shadedpaw!" Her name sounded odd here in this strange camp.

Great StarClan, what have I done? Shadedpaw thought despairingly, cringing away from the few cats that bounded forward to congratulate her. I wish I could go home!

Woah! That was a short chapter! And it wasn't that exciting, but... you have no idea what I have planned for later 😈 lol. Anyways, have an awesome day or night or whatever!!!!! I'll see you awesome peoples later!!!!!!! Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!