Warriors: Shooting Star Book #1 A Star Is Born (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 14

"Berrybush! Berrybush, please answer me!" Poundpaw wailed as Wolfpaw shoved of the last piece of rock from the tan warrior's body. "Berrybush, you can't be dead! You just can't!"

"You were going to be our deputy one day!" Meadowpaw cried, burying her face in Berrybush's fur.

Wolfpaw looked down at the limp body of the young respected warrior. She was going to do great things and she had to go and get crushed trying to save them. He realized it was his fault, he never should have brought the younger apprentices down to the caves. If he hadn't, Berrybush would still be alive! Why didn't StarClan take him instead. It was all Wolfpaw's fault and he couldn't take it back!

As if having another warrior die in front of Wolfpaw wasn't enough, the water suddenly began to rise. Meadowpaw and Poundpaw jumped away and pressed themselves close to the older apprentice. Wolfpaw quickly grabbed Berrybush's body and swung it to where the rest of the rubble sat.

The water was rising! They'd have to leave with out Berrybush. They couldn't drag her away from the water. Wolfpaw held back a frustrated yowl and pushed Meadowpaw and Poundpaw toward some ledges. Meadowpaw wanted to stay and bring Berrybush, but Wolfpaw shoved her on. He then pushed past the brother and sister and began running to one of the tunnels. He felt Poundpaw and Meadowpaw hot behind him as he used his senses to find a way out.

Then he saw the grey tabby at one tunnel. Wolfpaw quickly bolted toward him with Meadowpaw and Poundpaw close by. Poundpaw and Meadowpaw didn't seem to see the small StarClan cat. Wolfpaw continued looking back to see the water was rising faster than he thought. Meadowpaw was kicking some drops in the air with her back legs as she ran.

When Wolfpaw looked back, the grey tabby tom was standing at a tunnel high above the water. He ran to where the tabby stood and waited for Poundpaw and Meadowpaw to run ahead. He followed after and looked back to see the StarClan tom was gone. Water was beginning to flow up the tunnel. Wolfpaw looked back and saw the tunnel lead to a small den. Wolfpaw began to panic when he saw the way out lead to a Twoleg nest. If they went out, Twolegs would catch them, or a band of kittypets. Wolfpaw stood over the younger apprentices, preparing for water to overcome the den.

When nothing happened, the silver tom turned to see the water stopped at where they came in. Rain poured outside as Wolfpaw moved away from Meadowpaw and Poundpaw, who cowered close to each other. Wolfpaw lowered his ears and his tail dropped. He had to get back to camp. Glaregaze would have his tail and Adderstar would probably be so angry he'd postpone his warrior ceremony!

The rain fell hard and Wolfpaw rolled his eyes when he saw Twoleg kits playing outside. Twolegs were crazy!

"We're going to have to stay here until the rain stops..." Wolfpaw finally told the younger cats. "Those Twolegs could catch us and I think the rain is responsible for flooding the tunnels."

"But I don't want to stay here too long!" Meadowpaw wailed. "I want to go back to camp and feel Lambpelt's soft pelt!"

"Stop complaining!" Poundpaw hissed. "There's no other way out! We're stuck here until that water goes down!" The brown tom's amber eyes glared down at the hole where the water rippled, but, thankfully didn't rise any more.

Wolfpaw wrapped his tail around himself as he lied down, putting his paws underneath him. Poundpaw and Meadowpaw sat on two different sides of the small den. They didn't seem to pleased with one another at the moment. If anyone was to be unpleased with, it was Wolfpaw. He's the one who got them all in to this mess! If he hadn't shown them the tunnels, Berrybush would still be alive, Poundpaw and Meadowpaw would be safe, and Wolfpaw wouldn't be in this predicament.

Was StarClan showing him what would happen when he became leader? Did Adderstar have to go through tests like these as a warrior? How many cats had the leader lost? How many lives did he have left? What was Wolfpaw's leader going to use his last life on?