Tale Of Waterclan; Cloudstar's Fate || Book 2

Chapter 6

They walked around camp.

"This is the warriors' den...where the warriors are. Being a warrior is a big responsibility, and you have to take it seriously." he growled, smiling. A she-cat twisted her head to look at them. 

"Longleap, be quiet..." she yawned. Longleap nodded,

"Sorry..."

"Yes...sorry..indeed-" 

She fell asleep. Orepaw smirked. 

"Lets keep going." They stared to the apprentice den. "This is where the apprentices' sleep. Which is only Mousepaw." he looked down at the ground. 

"Why?" asked Orepaw. Longleap looked at him. 

"Dogs, foxes, and eagles, taking them away!" he growled. He smoothed his tone. "Sorry..." he whispered. He turned to the next den. His expression lighted. "This is the elders' den; hello father!" he whispered lowly. The tom turned. 

"Hello," his deep voice grumbled. "I'm happy to see you, oh..." he turned his head to Orepaw. His eyes looked into his and lighted. Orepaw's too. 

"BROTHER!" they both shouted and Orepaw jumped on him. 

"I'll leave you two alone.." said Longleap, and left the Elders' den. Orepaw moved away from him. 

"What happened? When I was a kit, you left...why?" asked Orepaw. "And what is your name?" he added. He laid down and stared at him. The old tom swallowed. 

"You-You know the attack of Deathclan, when we had less cats in Summerclan?" he began. Orepaw nodded. "Well....I was taken by the deputy..Killclaw--" Orepaw stopped him,

"Star, he is a leader now. Oops, continue." 

"-So, Killstar. He snatched me from our mother. I saw you, staring in agony." he growled, "He took me away from both of you! But, I found a way out of his jaws; I leaped out and ran away from him. I managed to reach Springclan camp, and I lived here. The whole time, and I thought I'd never see you again...but here you are!" he licked Orepaw's chin. Orepaw purred. "Well, I need to rest." and Orepaw's brother slept. Orepaw left the Elders' den. 

"Longleap!?" he shouted, "Longleap, where are you!?" He sniffed the air. No scent... he leaped onto a tree. As he landed on a branch, a bird flew out. "Longleap..this isn't funny. Come out!" he growled. Still no sight of Longleap. Has he left him? Orepaw jumped of the branch, landing with a thump.

Cloudpaw awoke. 

"M....Orepaw? Good moon...." she said. Her eyes widened. "Orepaw? Where are you?" she got out of the den. Seeing him on the floor. Blood surrounded him. "I need a medicine cat! Now, please!" she yelped, running to Orepaw's side. She sat and laid down. "Orepaw, talk to me...I'm here, Cloudpaw. I'm here for you.." as he didn't get up, Cloudpaw licked him. His eyes opened slightly. 

"C-C-C-C-C-Cloudpaw? I-Is that, really"-he coughed.-"you?" he stammered. Cloudpaw nodded. 

"I'm here, help is coming...don't go..I'll be alone.." 

Orepaw smiled, 

"I'll never go, I promise." 

"Promise? Really?"

"Yes," squeaked Orepaw, "A promise...from me..okay?" 

Cloudpaw nodded. Soon, a medicine cat and Longleap with Lovestar, came rushing to them. Cloudpaw swelled up tears as they grabbed him away.

"Promise?" whispered Cloudpaw so only Orepaw can hear.

"Promise, I won't go.." he paused. "I--" he coughed and stopped talking. Cloudpaw bit her paw, then licked it. Promised.. she thought carefully. 

"Can I follow?" she asked the medicine cat. The medicine cat thought for a second. 

"Sure.." meowed the medicine cat. They walked inside the den, when they heard a cry. 

"RUN!" shouted Lovestar. They walked out to see the problem. Their eyes widened. Water was coming, it made a sound of a monster but lower. Cloudpaw told Longleap to carry Orepaw. Then, all of the cats ran. 

"A-Wait!" 

Cloudpaw turned, it was a queen, she needed help with her kits. 

"Coming! I'm coming!" screeched Cloudpaw, she leaped to the queen's side, and carried two of her kits as the queen carried one. They ran. The water hit the weakest trees, then landed in Springclan's camp. Cloudpaw lead a small mew of disappointment. She saw the others leap on trees. 

"Hurry!" they shouted to her and the queen. The queen leaped on a tree, and so did Cloudpaw. But, there she saw. 

"Orepaw! I'm coming!" she called. Orepaw was on the ground. As Cloudpaw jumped down, she  hit a rock. Making her lay next to Orepaw. The water came, scooping them up.

"No!" cried the cats as Orepaw and Cloudpaw were taken away by the rushing water. Cloudpaw woke up, damp and cold. She shakes her fur and gets up. She turns to see Orepaw walking to her holding a dead rabbit. He drops it. 

"Eat..." he whispered. Cloudpaw nipped at the limp prey and shakes her head. "I said EAT!" he scowled. Cloudpaw's fur went up and she started eating it. Orepaw sighed. As he was about to sit with her, she moved. "Look," he started, "If your not okay with me being with you--" 

"Because of the way I scowled at you, leave?" Cloudpaw finished. Orepaw nodded. Cloudpaw giggled. "Next moon, we are becoming warrior..lets go home." Orepaw blushed.

"We are home...we are in the apprentice den." he stammered. Cloudpaw looked around. He was right. 

"You-You got us home.."

"Yes, whats wrong?"

"N-Nothing...you know what..I'll tell you later, at Moon-rise." Cloudpaw squeaked. Orepaw nodded and curled up as a ball. Cloudpaw looked up at the sky.

"Oh Starclan, please protect Heart and my clanmates...I know you'll do your best. Right?" she asked, whispering. The only reply was a cloud, or a big one. "Wait a second--" A bunch of cats ran.

"Flood! A flood is here!" they screeched. Cloudpaw woke Orepaw and all the apprentices ran as the flood took debris with it. 

"Help!"

Cloudpaw turned. She saw Lightpaw's back leg, stuck by a thorn. 

"Coming!" she cried and rushed to him. She pulled him and ran with him in her jaws. Orepaw yelped at Cloudpaw,

"Featherstar said, 'Climb on a high rock!' Hurry! It is coming close!" Cloudpaw quicked her pace. Not this moon! She jumped the rock where Orepaw was. She dropped him and passed.

She woke up at sun-high. It was raining gently and cats were gathered around a body. Cloudpaw jumped off the rock and came towards the crowed. When she was the cat she gasped. It was Thunderpaw, her sister. 

"What happened?!" she cried to Thunderpaw. Thunderpaw looked at her and answered slowly.

"F-Feather--" she shaked a little then fell limp. Feather is all Cloudpaw knew. Then she turned to her leader. 

"Did you do this?" she growled.