Heartstar's rise : Book one

Ch. 55

Heartpaw lunged and raked his sheathed claws onto Clawpelt's side. Clawpelt side stepped and pushed Heartpaw down. Heartpaw gasped for breath. 

            "I'm stronger and bigger, remember that, use your speed and agility," growled Clawpelt. Heartpaw nodded dizzily. His muscles were tired from a long day of training. He had never trained this much with Pinestar but it was refreshing. 

Finally, Heartpaw collapsed in his nest, eyes drooping. The apprentice den felt strangely still and lonely. It was too silent. He forced his eyes open. The apprentice den felt empty but that wasn't the only thing strange. Suddenly, a yowl rose up. Heartpaw was on his feet at once. He raced to the apprentice den entrance and peered out. Dustbreeze skidded to a halt at the camp entrance. 

              "ThunderClan is coming through our borders!" he screeched, rising the whole Clan. Shouts and growls came up and soon, the whole Clan was awake. Heartpaw raced to the leader's den but stopped at the nursery. He heard Roselight and her kits. He peered inside. 

              "Stay put," he told them, then noticed there were only two kits. "Where's Briarkit?" Roselight looked at him with worry and fear. 

              "I just woke up..., and she was gone!" Roselight cried. She got up, her kits scrambled after her. 

              "No, I'll look for her," Heartpaw assured.

              "No, I'll find her," she said. 

              "No, you need to protect your kits. I'll get Briarkit," Heartpaw said firmly. Reluctantly, Roselight nodded. Heartpaw raced to the camp entrance. Cinderstar was making different groups. 

               "Dustbreeze, Clawpelt, Goldenheart, Shadefern, Nightcloud. Go to the tunnel now!" ordered Cindertail. "Skytail, Firfrost, check the Windclan border. Weaselscar, Rabbitleap, Oakfall and Honeylight, get to the ThunderClan border to see if they passed through the Thunderpath. If Clawpelt's patrol needs help, help them!" 

               "Duskblaze and Darkspeck, go through ShadowClan, make sure ThunderClan is going in from somewhere else," Cindertail said then turned to the rest of the camp. "Spiderfur and Spottedwhisker, stay outside near the entrance and warn us if any cat comes near. The others, I want you here to protect camp." 

                "Cinderstar! Briarkit is missing," Heartkit said but Cinderstar was talking to Thistlenose.

                 "Heartpaw, stay put. I'm sure Briarkit is in camp somewhere," Cinderstar said and she raced out of camp. Heartpaw huffed. He looked around. Cats were prowling around camp, listening or practising to fight. Without anybody noticing, he slipped out of camp. Spiderfur spotted him but didn't say anything, his orders were to keep hostile cats out not ShadowClan cats in. Heartpaw slipped away and sniffed the air. He couldn't smell anything. He followed his instinct. Towards the river. The air was still and quiet. He peered through a bush and heard some rustling. He looked down and spotted a bit of fur, Briarkit's fur, on one of the branches of the bramble bush. He smelt it then tracked her faint scent to the river. Suddenly, he saw her. She was scrambling on the ice of the river. 

                  "BRIARKIT!" yelled Heartpaw. 

                   "Mummy! Roselight?" cried Briarkit. Suddenly, the ice broke. Only the middle of the river wasn't frozen and the current ran quickly and strong. Heartpaw sprung forward. Briarkit was pulled by the current, downstream. Heartpaw ran after her. He raced harder, keeping his eyes locked on her small body. 

                   "Stay above the water!" he yelled. Briarkit flailed wildly. Heartpaw finally overtook her and leaned forward. As the current pulled her past him, he reach out and grabbed her scruff. He hauled her up and out of the water. She shivered from the cold.