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

Chapter 16

Wolfpaw jolted awake from his series of nightmares. A silver storm was chasing him as cats fell around him. They were all dying as silver streaks of lighting hit them. Water was beginning to flood the grass as Wolfpaw padded through. His eyes stretched wide as the wind picked up, the sky turned black, shadows began building around him. The water was touching his belly fur and the silver tom was going to have to swim to get away. StarClan cats stood on high ledge looking down on him as he swam to the highest ground. He looked back to see three figures of cats chasing after him. Two were shadow like, pure black with cold eyes. The other was made of the water, it's blue eyes cutting deep in to his soul.

When Poundpaw and Meadowpaw started twitching awake, Wolfpaw relaxed and saw it was just another dream. He looked down to see the squirrel from yesterday, still lying where he left it, soaked with morning dew. Not wanting to hurt Silverpaw's feelings, Wolfpaw dug a hole and dropped the squirrel I it, covering it with it with the muddy soil.

A patrol was heading out, led by Reedclaw. Warriors were casting shooting glares toward the ThunderClan apprentices. Wolfpaw lowered his ears and looked to his waking companions. Meadowpaw looked around as if she forgot where she was, then lowered her ears sadly. Poundpaw opened his eyes and sneered.

"StarClan's kits, I'm hungry," Poundpaw growled, "and these fish faces have the nerve to think we'll eat their food!"

"Be glad we're even feeding you!" Wolfpaw looked to see Applepaw and Antpaw glaring down at the ThunderClan cats.

"We want to go home!" Meadowpaw stood up, her fur standing.

"That patrol is going to speak to some ThunderClan cats," Antpaw answered, flicking his tail to the patrol, which was leaving. "They're going to see if they can negotiate your fates."

"You can't decide our fate!" Poundpaw hissed, getting to his paws.

"Watch us!" Applepaw snarled in the brown face.

"Hey!" Applepaw and Antpaw froze and slowly turned to face Silverpaw. Her blue eyes scorching in to her denmates. "Applepaw, Antpaw, don't you two have training to do? You're both lousy at your hunting crouch!"

"Right... Sorry, Silverpaw..." Antpaw lowered his ears as he and Applepaw starting walking away, dragging their tails.

"We don't need your help!" Poundpaw growled, sheathing his claws. Silverpaw rolled her eyes before glancing at Wolfpaw and trotting away.

"Why does she always look at you like that?" Meadowpaw turned to the silver tom.

"I don't know and I don't care," Wolfpaw flicked his tail, "just hang in there a little while longer, ThunderClan has to come and get us soon."

"I can't wait all day for them!" Poundpaw complained. "I'm hungry and I don't want to eat that stuff these fish faces call food!" 

"Then wait," Wolfpaw put calmly and simply, "Adderstar has to find a way to get us back soon."

"He probably doesn't even want us anymore," Meadowpaw lowered her ears, "after what happened to Berrybush, I don't think he'll be happy to see us..."

"What happened to Berrybush wasn't anyone's fault," except mine. Wolfpaw thought sadly. "She saved us from getting crushed and was a well respected warrior, Bramblestripe isn't going let Berrybush die for nothing."

Poundpaw and Meadowpaw shared a sad look before lying down and wrapping their tails around their paws. Wolfpaw lowered his head to his paws, looking up at the sun rising sky.

When sun high approached, the patrol returned. Wolfpaw got up and perked his ears, hoping to hear ThunderClan cats. He opened his mouth, then lowered his ears. There were no familiar ThunderClan scents. Only the stinky fish scents of RiverClan. Poundpaw chewed at a stick, still starving and Meadowpaw just stared off in to the distance.

Wolfpaw watched as Reedclaw headed in to Minnowstar's den. The rest of the patrol went to the fresh-kill pile, glancing at Wolfpaw and his companions with pleasing eyes. The silver tom almost wanted to yowl for them to let them go, but he kept his mouth shut, in fear they might shred his ears off.

Finally, Minnowstar stepped out and climbed up on to the stone. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the rock!" The leader called out. Cats came out their dens and turned away from their food to gather beneath their dark grey leader. "We have reached an agreement with ThunderClan."

Wolfpaw, Meadowpaw, and Poundpaw listened intently. Wolfpaw's heart beat hard against his chest. He wanted to go home back to Sparrowwing, Hazeleyes, and Bramblestripe. They were the only cats that didn't seem to pity him all day. Glaregaze was just a pushy mentor, who seemed to both hate him and pity him. Wolfpaw also wanted to apologize to Bramblestripe, Dapplefeather, and Shinerock for having their kin get killed.

"Until the Gathering these apprentices are stuck here until I speak to Adderstar at the Gathering!" Wolfpaw's heart sank at Minnowstar's words. RiverClan laughed and spoke about how embarrassing it would be for ThunderClan to retrieve their lost apprentices in front of all the Clans. Poundpaw and Meadowpaw got to their paws.

"You can't do that!" Meadowpaw wailed.

"Let us out of here!" Poundpaw yowled.

"Silence!" Minnowstar spat. "A leader's word is the warrior code!"

"You're not our leader!" Poundpaw snapped.

"Until the Gathering you are!" with that, Minnowstar jumped of the rock and stormed in to his den.

"Fox hearted fish faces!" Poundpaw shrieked.

"I want Lambpelt!" Meadowpaw wailed.

"Show some backbone, Meadowpaw!" Poundpaw turned on his sister.

"Shut up the both of you!" Wolfpaw snarled, getting to his paws. "Poundpaw if you're so hungry stop griping, or I'll make sure Russetclaw works you to death. Meadowpaw, we're going to be fine, it's not like their going to kill us! Show these fish faces ThunderClan isn't full of whining kits!" Wolfpaw felt bad for snapping at the younger cats, but so far it felt like they were making ThunderClan look bad. No wonder they're waiting until the Gathering to return them home. They want all the lake to see ThunderClan as a bunch of weak wailing kits.

"W-We're sorry, Wolfpaw..." Meadowpaw shook, her body close to the ground and Poundpaw pressed up against her. "But... But we're scared and hungry..."

Wolfpaw lowered his ears and softened his glare. Letting out a sigh, Wolfpaw layer back down. "I know... I'm sorry," Wolfpaw felt like he had turned in to Glaregaze and he hated it. "but if we want Adderstar to be proud of bringing us back, we have to show these poor excuses for cats that ThunderClan isn't afraid of anything."

"That's why you haven't tried fighting your way out of here!" Antpaw's voice purred from behind Wolfpaw. Irritation controlling him, Wolfpaw spun around and raked his claws across the black tom's face. Antpaw fell back with a painful yowl, Applepaw's eyes wide in shock.

"If I smell your fish breath at the back of my neck again, I can promise you I won't miss your eyes next time!" Wolfpaw snarled, baring his teeth. Antpaw scrambled to his paws and ran off with Applepaw close behind. Wolfpaw turned to see Silverpaw and Harmonypaw watching him from the medicine den. Wolfpaw flicked his tail and turned back to his Clanmates. Both their eyes shone with administration. Wolfpaw's fur burned. He didn't want to be admired, he wanted to show everyone that ThunderClan wasn't afraid of anything. Not even of cats that could swim. Though, he had to admit, he did feel pretty strong.