Warriors - The Lost Clan - Book 1: Lilypaw's Guilt

Chapter One

Lilypaw stared out at the lake, sitting at the edge of the water, tail wrapped neatly around her paws, lost in thought. "Lilypaw."

She turned to stare at her mentor, Longfur, as she shook herself from the thoughts clouding her mind. "Yes, Longfur?"

"What are you doing out here?" He settled himself down next to her, looking down at her with worry in his eyes.

She shrugged and turned back to the lake, watching the water as the gentle wind blew across it. "Just thinking."

"We are needed back at camp. Silverfur wants to talk to you."

She turned back to watch him, eyes narrowed carefully as she dug her claws into the soft forest floor. "What is it about?"

He shrugged and got to his paws, padding off into the woods, towards the camp. She glanced at the lake once more, before she stood and shook her fur out. "Hey, Lilypaw!"

"Hi Cedarpaw." She glanced at her brother, knowing it would be him even before a word had left his mouth, then continued the way Longfur had gone, keeping her silence as she continued her line of thinking, ignoring her littermate.

He padded next to her, then paused as they neared the entrance to the camp. "Lilypaw, what's wrong?"

She shrugged and took a step forward, but Cedarpaw moved in front of her to block the path into the camp. "Tell me," he meowed firmly, meeting her gaze.

She growled and narrowed her eyes at him, digging her claws into the ground. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine."

"I don't believe you."

She sighed, "It's nothing." She looked down, pausing. "I was thinking about the accident."

"I'm sorry. I-"

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Lilypaw meowed, pushing past him and padding into the clearing. ignoring the guilt in his voice as best she could.

Lilypaw's tail drooped as she made her way over to the Medicine cats den, her paws dragging as she dreaded the thought of what was ahead. "Silverfur?"

"Yes," the silver shecat meowed, before turning to face the younger cat. "Lilypaw? There you are," she nodded, eyes narrowed carefully.

Lilypaw nodded as she stood in front of Silverfur, tail tip twitching slightly. "Longfur said you wanted to speak with me."

Silverfur nodded, shuffling her paws as she blinked, then continued to watch Lilypaw. "Yes, I need to talk to you." She sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws.

Lilypaw shuffled her paws nervously and sat down. "What about?"

"The accident."

Lilypaw held back a growl at the words, but dug her claws into the ground, wishing she could dig them into Silverfurs face. "Why?"

Silverfur glanced towards the entrance to the den, then back at Lilypaw. "Oakstar wishes to make you and your brother warriors, but he is concerned about you. It is not your fault that Fernpaw and Brakenpaw are no longer with us."

Lilypaw stared down at her paws. She didn't want to keep her brother from becoming a warrior, but she didn't feel she deserved to become one, not after what had happened. "Lilypaw?"

She glanced up at Silverfur, then looked back down and mumbled. "You don't know."

"Lilypaw. It is not your fault." Silverfur meowed firmly.

Instead of answering, Lilypaw jumped to her paws and ran out of the den. She ignored Silverfur calling after her, and ran out of the clearing, fleeing towards the lake. It was her fault, she knew. And nobody could convince her of anything else. Her littermates and her mother were dead because of her.