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

Chapter 17

Wolfpaw's stomach growled stubbornly. He watched as Poundpaw stared at the RiverClan fresh-kill pile, his eyes full of hunger and wanting. Meadowpaw flicked her tail as she glared in to space, with no care of her surroundings.

Wolfpaw couldn't remember the last time he ate. But, fish wasn't the food he was supposed to be eating. He wanted a nice plump squirrel.

How long had the apprentices been in RiverClan? Was the Gathering tonight? Wolfpaw wanted to go home and continue training. Even if Glaregaze ordered him to stay in camp and care for the elders. Looking at Meadowpaw and Poundpaw, they were probably thinking the same thing.

Silverpaw and Harmonypaw were the only cats treating the apprentices with respect. All the others just ignored them, or cast sharp glances toward them. Silverpaw kept giving Wolfpaw food, but he kept burying the prey she'd bring. If his Clanmates wouldn't eat, he wasn't going to eat. Harmonypaw gave them poppy seeds to help them sleep, but most of them were given to Meadowpaw. The poor tabby was terrified of closing her eyes, fearing she'd never wake up again. Poundpaw was actually trying to make her feel better, but Meadowpaw was still terrified.

The brown tom walked up to the two, lying in the sun, his breath stunk of fish.

"Ew!" Meadowpaw cringed. "Did you eat fish?"

"I was hungry!" Poundpaw snapped. "I couldn't take it anymore! I had to eat something and that fish was the only fresh looking thing there!"

Meadowpaw continued with her disgust as Wolfpaw put his head down at his paws. When was the Gathering? He wanted to go home and eat all the squirrel he could eat. Would ThunderClan be happy to have their new apprentices back, or angry at them for getting trapped in the tunnels? Glaregaze was probably going to be furious with Wolfpaw, that was for sure.

I want Hazelnose back... Wolfpaw thought sadly. He could still smell her milk and familiar scent. Was she watching him from StarClan now with Foxkit? Or did StarClan only watch over the cats from their Clan, while they were there?

Wolfpaw wanted to fall asleep and dream of the she-cats he loved coming to help him in his dreams. All he got was a sleeping darkness. Poundpaw and Meadowpaw showed no sighs of having dreams from StarClan, which Wolfpaw wish they would. Then he wouldn't feel like an outsider to his Clanmates. Why was he the chosen cat to be leader of ThunderClan? There had to be other cats who were a much better choice.

The silver tom went through the list of the respected warriors, who could be much better leaders. Bramblestripe was Berrybush's kin, they both shared the loyalty and determination of leaders. Dustytail was well respected among the warriors. Stripeclaw was the fastest climber. Littlestone was liked in all the Clans. Poppystream was the best hunter. What did Wolfpaw have? He was the last surviving kit in his litter, his mother died in a fire, his own father didn't acknowledge him and he was in love with a WindClan she-cat, and now, he was responsible for the death of a brave young warrior and why they were trapped in RiverClan. What did StarClan see that Wolfpaw didn't?

Suddenly, a familiar scent flooded Wolfpaw's senses. A scent that every kit in ThunderClan smelled when they were born. Wolfpaw shot his head up to see Halfmoon and Lightpaw walk in to the RiverClan camp. The medicine cat and her apprentice both had stern looks as the RiverClan cats turned to glare at the two ThunderClan cats. Harmonypaw and Rollingrock poked their heads out the medicine den to see the new comers. Snappingtongue flicked her tail as she made her way to Minnowstar's den.

Wolfpaw could hear the growl come from the leader's den before the dark grey leader stepped out with his deputy.

"Halfmoon, what are you doing here?" Minnowstar growled at the white she-cat.