Burrfleck's Demise

Chapter 4

Burrpaw was fast asleep in his nest, curled around himself and breathing softly. It had been about three moons since he had become an apprentice, and... it really wasn't everything he'd ever imagined. Nevertheless, he enjoyed his new role in the Clan. Arguably, anything was better than sitting in the nursery all day and night without a thing in the world to do.

Suddenly, a droplet of rain fell on Burrpaw's nose. Then another, then another. The grey tabby stirred in his nest and lifted his head, flinching as another droplet of rain fall on his head. "Willowpaw..." He muttered, turning his head and prodding his sister awake. The small white-and-grey she-cat lifted her head groggily, turning to look at her brother.

"What?" She groaned, opening her pale eyes slowly to look at Burrpaw. "The moon is still shining, Burrpaw! What is i--" She was cut off as a drop of rain hit her right on the head, and she scowled in annoyance.

"The den is leaking," Burrpaw told her, and she just rolled her eyes.

"As if I didn't already know."

"Whatever! Let's just wake up Stormpaw and Frostpaw and tell Redclaw so we can get this fixed." Burrpaw shook out his pelt and slipped out of the apprentices' den while Willowpaw shook Stormpaw and Frostpaw awake. The grey tom looked around for Redclaw, but the deputy was nowhere to be seen. Where had he gone?

Just as Burrpaw was about to check the warriors' den for the russet tom, a shadow blocked his path. He looked up to see the shape of his father, Dancingleaf, looking down at him thoughtfully.

"U-uh, hi, dad," Burrpaw said anxiously, glancing back at the apprentices' den where Frostpaw and Stormpaw stared at him. "What do you need?"

"Oh," Dancingleaf said and smiled, "I just saw you out here in the rain and wondered what you were up to. We haven't spoken since you became an apprentice, it feels like! How's my little Burr been doing with his training? Willowpaw tells me you could use some work on your hunting skills. Is that right?" Dancingleaf began to groom Burrpaw's head, flattening the piece of fur that always stuck up between his ears. Behind them, Stormpaw let out a soft snicker.

"Dad, do we have to do this right now...?" Burrpaw muttered in annoyance, but Dancingleaf didn't seem to hear. "Dad.. do we have to do this now?" Burrpaw hissed a little louder, to which his father stopped grooming him and leaned back to look at his son with a confused expression.

"You used to always ask me if I could flatten that tuft of fur on your head. I thought it might make you happy--"

"Well, I'm not a kit anymore! Can you please go away?"

"Go away? Burrpaw, I just wanted to catch up--"

"I don't care! Just go, okay? I'm not a kit anymore! You don't need to baby me!" Burrpaw's stinging words were louder than he intended, and his delicate father took a few paces back, hurt shining in his eyes.

"Okay," He whispered, "I won't bother you anymore. I'm sorry, Burrpaw." Dancingleaf's stare lingered on the grey tom for a moment longer before he turned and made his way back to the warriors' den. The rain began to ease slightly as Burrpaw turned around and jumped as he met Willowpaw's angry gaze.

"What's wrong?" Burrpaw asked with a tilt of his head. Willowpaw let out a snarl and thumped her paw on Burrpaw's muzzle, to which he flinched and rose a paw to rub where she hit. "Hey! What was that for?"

"It's what father should have done to you!" Willowpaw hissed, narrowing her eyes. "All he wanted to do was check up on you. Actually, all he's ever wanted to do since we became apprentices was check up on you. But every time he tried before, you pushed him away and told him you were busy! Now look at him, Burr! You're his son -- he just wants to see you happy!" Willowpaw let out a loud sigh of annoyance and turned away from him. "Whatever. I'm going out with Stormpaw and Frostpaw. We already told Redclaw about the den while you were being a little brat to dad. He told us to go collect more materials to reinforce the den ceiling. While we're out, you better make yourself useful -- and you better consider apologizing to dad." With that, the grey patched she-cat made her way towards the camp entrance, where her, Stormpaw, and Frostpaw disappeared behind the vines.

Burrpaw kicked the dirt out of frustration as he watched his sister leave the camp. How stupid! Not only did his father embarrass him in front of his fellow apprentices, but he also happened to make Willowpaw angry in the process. The grey tabby shook his head angrily and stormed back to the apprentices' den, curling up in his nest and closing his eyes as the droplets of rain continued to fall around him.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this one, everyone! Ever since school started back up I've been extremely busy and if I'm honest, I sort of forgot about this book. But now I'm ready to start it back up again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!