Heartstar's rise : Book one

Ch. 39

Heartpaw awoke with a chill. He opened his eyes to see Honeypaw gone. Wondering what time it was, he hurried outside. The sun had long gotten up. With rising panic, he looked around for Pinestar. He was so late. Suddenly, Cinderpelt trotted up to him. 

              "Pinestar said you wouldn't have lessons today. He told me to put you on a patrol whenever you were awake," Cinderpelt told him. "There's a hunting patrol..., they won't be going to the Carrionplace, now, would you like to go, or to the later one? They're going on border patrol. Windclan border."

              "I'll take the border patrol," Heartpaw said quickly, not realising why. Then, as Cinderpelt padded away, he realised why. Because Ivypaw. Ugh. Why was everything Ivypaw? Yes, she was nice and funny but he had met her once and she was from a different Clan. But he also like seeing the moor, stretching wide where Windclan cats could run free with the wind on their pelts. At least, that was how he imagined it. Not feeling hungry, Heartpaw wandered around camp with no purpose then thought about visiting the elders. He trotted to their den. They were talking quickly. He peered into the dim den. Whitecloud lay on the ground, her chest heaving. Riverclaw and Crowtail were talking to her urgently. They looked up to Heartpaw. He looked at Whitecloud worriedly. Should he call Lionbreeze or Eagleflight? 

               "Does she need Lionbreeze? Or Eagleflight?" he asked. 

              "No," rasped Whitecloud with an effort. Heartpaw frowned, she certainly looked and sounded like she needed a medicine cat. 

             "Whitecloud," said Riverclaw urgently. "Come on, you can fight it." Whitecloud smiled slightly. 

             "No, Riverclaw," she breathed. "It's my time to go. Starclan is calling me." Heartpaw's eyes went wide with worry. He raced to find Eagleflight or Lionbreeze. Eagleflight was in his den but not Lionbreeze. 

              "It's Whitecloud!" cried Heartpaw. Eagleflight got up wobbly and followed Heartpaw to the elder's den. 

               "Whitecloud," said Eagleflight. He crouched near her, his face softening. "Relax." Whitecloud smiled blissfully. 

               "Whitecloud, you're going to be ok," whispered Crowtail. 

               "Aren't you going to do something?" asked Riverclaw, looking at Eagleflight expectantly. Heartpaw agreed with him. 

              "Whitecloud, is it your wish to join Starclan? Are they calling you?" Eagleflight whispered softly. Whitecloud nodded slowly. 

              "Then, we will miss and mourn you but we hope for you to have good hunting in Starclan," whispered Eagleflight. 

              "Thank you," whispered Whitecloud, gazing at Crowtail and Riverclaw a last time then took a ragged breath and her closed her eyes.

              "She's gone," breathed Crowtail sadly. Riverclaw looked away, his eyes sad. Heartpaw let out a breath he'd been holding. Whitecloud was gone? But she had always been there. Yes, always with a raspy breath and mostly sleeping but she was there. And now, she was gone. 

              "She hunts with Starclan now," said Eagleflight. Riverclaw and Crowtail nodded sadly. 

             "Heartpaw! Border patrol!" came Cindertail's voice. 

             "Go," said Crowtail. "But don't tell them yet. I want to be able to tell them myself, with Riverclaw." Heartpaw frowned but nodded. He raced to the camp entrance where Mousewhisker, Birchstep and Thistlenose were waiting. They nodded to him and ducked out of the camp. Heartpaw followed them, numb. He didn't know what he was feeling. It seemed as if all the noises were distant but it wasn't the overwhelming hopelessness like when he knew he would never see Stormpelt alive again. It was different, like something that he had expected to always be there, never really gave it any thought, was suddenly different, gone. He sighed, it was hard not to break the bad news to his Clanmates as the chatted happily among themselves. Mousewhisker glanced at Heartpaw. 

             "You're not very talkative. What's the matter?" Mousewhisker asked. 

             "Nothing," mumbled Heartpaw. They reached the Windclan border. The moor stretched wide before them, the long grasses swaying in the wind. Heartpaw gazed longingly at the moor. He wished he could be running free there. He didn't notice as Mousewhisker and Thistlenose marked the border. He didn't even think about Ivypaw. He smelt the scent of warm wind and the scent of warm different places which the wind, and Windclan cats carried. It calmed him. Finally, his Clanmates turned back towards camp. He followed them as if in a dream. He knew when they got back, it wouldn't be the same. The camp would feel more..., empty. They ducked back into the camp. The patrol had gone quickly to Heartpaw. But when they got back, all cats had their heads bowed and were mourning Whitecloud. Mousewhisker frowned. 

             "What happened?" he asked. Sorrelclaw looked up. 

             "Whitecloud is dead," she said. 

              "Oh no...," murmured Birchstep sadly. Thistlenose and Mousewhisker hung their heads, numb. Heartpaw slunk back into the apprentice den, feeling suddenly angry that Starclan had taken Whitecloud. She had always been there. She was gentle and she would always rest or sun near the elder's den. It wasn't fair that Starclan had taken her. 

             "She was too old," came a soft voice. Heartpaw looked up. Lionbreeze had padded in. 

            "But..., she's gone," said Heartpaw.  

            "I know, but now she's hunting with Starclan," Lionbreeze said. "Don't worry." Firpaw joined his brother's side. 

            "Where's Honeypaw?" asked Firpaw. 

             "She went for a walk, she's really sad," Lionbreeze sighed. Firpaw frowned, clearly worried for his sister. 

            "Where'd she go?" he asked. 

           "I don't know. Probably to the middle of the forest," said Lionbreeze. 

            "I'm going," Firpaw said, glaring at Heartpaw as if he had done something wrong by just being there. Then he stomped off. Lionbreeze followed his brother out, leaving Heartpaw alone. He shoved his head in his paws and closed his eyes. Maybe the sleep would numb the weird feeling of dazedness and numbness he felt.