Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 13

Pinepaw opens his emerald green eyes, scanning the rest of the apprentices' den. He spots Spikepaw still sleeping in his nest, but Beetlepaw is gone. Pinepaw assumes that he is on dawn patrol. The dark gray tom stretches and yawns. He did not sleep well the previous night, due to the fact that his mind was too busy being filled with worries about Milkpaw. He slowly pads out of the apprentices' den. He looks around camp, hoping for a sign that Milkpaw has woken up, but the camp is normal and there is no sign of her.

Pinepaw begins to walk over the medicine cat den to check on Milkpaw, until he is stopped.

"Hey, Pinepaw," Hawktalon meows, approaching him.

"What is it?" Pinepaw grumbles.

"Leafshadow said she wants to speak to you," Hawktalon informs the younger cat. Pinepaw lets out a sigh.

"I'll go find her after I check on Milkpaw," Pinepaw responds. "But, for now, she's just going to have to wait," he meows, continuing to pad over to the medicine cat den.

"Are you alright?" Hawktalon asks the dark gray tom.

"I'm fine," Pinepaw growls, picking up his pace to get away from the brown-furred warrior. Then, he pushes through the bramble thicket, entering the medicine cat den. Once he pads in, he spots Milkpaw laying in a nest, still seemingly unconscious.

"When will she wake up?" Pinepaw asks Silvertuft, who is keeping her eyes on the apprentice.

"Only StarClan knows," Silvertuft answers. "She has a very major head injury, she's lucky she hasn't joined StarClan yet," the silver-furred she-cat meows. "She's a fighter, hopefully she will wake up very soon," she meows.

Pinepaw simply nods and pads closer to his crush. It pains him just to see Milkpaw unconscious. The lively, sweet, young apprentice he knows and loves is now unresponsive and as close to death as a living cat can be.

"Wake up soon, okay?" Pinepaw meows, giving her a gentle lick on her forehead. "I'll be waiting for you," he meows.

"You're so much like your mother," Silvertuft purrs. "You have her personality, although you look more like your father," she meows.

"Is that a compliment?" Pinepaw asks the medicine cat.

"Yes, it is," Silvertuft meows with a purr of amusement. "You have her kind personality," she meows. "Beetlepaw acts more like your father."

"Thank you," Pinepaw responds, beginning to head out the medicine cat den. "Goodbye, I'll be back again later," he meows.

"Goodbye," Silvertuft meows as Pinepaw pushes his way out of the bramble thicket.

"Pinepaw!" The dark gray tom hears his mentor call. The tone of the older warrior's voice makes him realize that she is not happy. Pinepaw hurries over to Leafshadow worriedly.

"I understand you're worried about Milkpaw, we all are, but you should come and talk to me when I want to speak to you. Milkpaw would've still be there after we spoke, especially since it's something very important," Leafshadow meows to her apprentice once he approaches her.

"Sorry," Pinepaw replies, lowering his tail.

"It's alright," Leafshadow meows. "Now, let's get to what I have to speak to you about," she meows. "Pinepaw, I think you're almost ready to become a warrior, and Russetblaze said the same about your brother. Beetlepaw said that you want to stay behind until Milkpaw becomes a warrior, is that true?" She asks the apprentice.

"Yes," Pinepaw responds. "I'll train for moons and moons if it means I'll stay with Milkpaw," he meows.

"That's cute," Leafshadow purrs. "Then, when Beetlepaw becomes a warrior, you'll stay as an apprentice. Are you okay with that?" She asks.

"Yes," Pinepaw responds. "I don't mind that."

"Alright, thank you," Leafshadow meows. "I just needed to make sure. Beetlepaw may become a warrior in the next moon or so, so I needed what you think," she confirms.

"You're welcome," Pinepaw responds.

"Anyways, let's go train, shall we?" Leafshadow
meows.

"Let's go," Pinepaw responds. Then, the mentor and apprentice exit ShadowClan's camp together, heading out to train.