Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 15

Clouds drifted over the half-moon that hung in the pitch black night sky. Stars twinkled here and there in the sky and the camp was silent except for a few crickets buzzing. It had been a moon and a half since the battle either the rogues. Sharppaw had been so badly injured that he'd collapsed, and Smoky had died shortly after due to his injuries. 

Sharppaw rested his chin on his paws. And Monarchpaw hates me now, blaming me for her father's death. He swept his tail closer to him. Stormpaw was in a deep sleep beside him, her flank slowly rising and falling.

Lightpaw was curled up with Monarchpaw near the den entrance, while Stalkpaw was snoozing alone in a moonlit patch in the corner of the den. 

The den seemed a bit empty without Frostpaw, who'd left to join the rogues, and Echopaw, who had earned her warrior name, Echostrike, and moved to the warriors' den. 

A branch suddenly snapped. 

Sharppaw lifted his head. He couldn't sleep. He got to his paws and crept from the den quietly, his shoulders feeling heavy. He sat down, looking at the sky. Time was slow as he watched the clouds drift across the moon. Then a large cloud pass over the moon, and no more crossed into the shimmering ball of light. 

A cold breeze traveled in the strong wind, ruffling Sharppaw's fur. Snow had fallen the night before, and Sharppaw was hoping that snow wouldn't come again. Palewhisker had also given birth to Sparrowkit, Beechkit, and Rookkit, but Sparrowkit had died overnight due to the harsh cold.

"Sharppaw?" 

Sharppaw snapped around, wondering who'd called his name. Straining his eyes through the darkness, he spotted Squirrelstar sitting on the high-rock, her tail high. Sharppaw padded over to her. Coldness pricked his pads like a sharp claw. 

"Why are you up so late at night?" Squirrelstar asked, her tail curling around her paws. She sat down as Sharppaw sat down next to her.

"I can't sleep," Sharppaw admitted, his body shivering. 

"Why?" Squirrelstar asked.

"I miss my mother," Sharppaw whimpered. Looking down and flexing his claws, he added, "I never got the revenge I wanted."

Moving her tail from around her paws, Squirrelstar let it rest on Sharppaw's shoulders as he hung his head low, closing his eyes. "I know you miss her, but it's just a part of life, to die. No cat lives forever."

Sharppaw avoided her gaze. "I feel like no other cat cares about me more than she did. She loved me," he murmured. Feeling like he couldn't stop, he continued without waiting for his Clan leader to reply, "I feel like everything has been just so messed up lately! A-and I feel like I'm the problem! And every one of my Clanmates hate me! And I can never get enough sleep, and I just... I just..."

Squirrelstar huddled closer to him, pressing her warmth on him. "Relax, Sharppaw. I know how it feels to lose cats who deeply care about you. But for the caring cats who are still alive, I'm sure that they wouldn't you to feel like this," she whispered.

"That's not just all. Lightpaw feels like Monarchpaw is more important than me. He never has time for me. Stormpaw is my only friend ever since Jaywing lost interest in me," Sharppaw growled, feeling his heart pound in his chest. 

Squirrelstar looked as if she didn't know what to say. "Be happy for your brother. Get some rest, Sharppaw, and maybe you'll feel better in the morning," Squirrelstar suggested before getting up and walking back towards the High-Rock. 

Sharppaw got to his paws, trudging back to his den. He curled up beside Stormpaw, who was still asleep. Darkness covered his vision. I guess things will be better in the morning.