Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 15

Pinepaw is roughly shaken awake from his deep slumber.

"Huh?" The dark gray tom meows, opening his eyes to spot Acornpaw looking down at him.

"Milkpaw is awake! Silvertuft told me to go get you! Also, you've been sleeping in really late," Acornpaw announces excitedly.

"Milkpaw is what?!" Pinepaw meows, quickly getting up out of his nest.

"W-Woah, slow down there!" Acornpaw meows as Pinepaw jolts up.

"I have to go over, now!" Pinepaw responds. "There's no time to lose!" He adds, quickly dashing out of the apprentices' den.

"Hey, w-wait up!" Pinepaw could hear Acornpaw call out as he exits. He dashes over to the medicine cat den, pushing through the bramble thicket.

"Milkpaw!" Pinepaw immediately meows once he walks in. He could feel his heart full with happiness as he spots Milkpaw awake in her nest. However, she doesn't seem as excited to see him as he had hoped.

"Do I know you?" Milkpaw asks, giving him a strange look. Pinepaw could feel his heart sink at her words. He has nothing to say.

"She's awake, but I'm afraid she has lost a lot of her memory," Silvertuft shares. "She doesn't remember anything, sadly," she meows. "She just learned her name and that she's an apprentice training to be a ShadowClan warrior."

Acornpaw then bursts into the medicine cat den, out of breath.

"Pinepaw can run fast," Acornpaw meows, interrupting the moment. He doesn't realize he did until seconds later, though.

"O-Oh, sorry," The small pale brown tabby tom meows, sitting down and going silent.

"I'm Pinepaw, your best friend. We said we would be mates one day," The dark gray tom is able to meow to her, although Acornpaw's interruption did distract him a little.

"I don't remember you," Milkpaw meows. "Thank you for telling me, Pinepaw. I will know to spend time with you a lot from now on since you were such an important cat in my life," she meows.

"Goosecloud came in here earlier, poor she-cat was devastated when Milkpaw couldn't even remember her own mother," Silvertuft meows.

"I know she's my mother now though," Milkpaw meows. "I'm remembering stuff now."

"Will you recognize your littermate?" Silvertuft asks the cream-and-white she-cat.

"I have a littermate?" Milkpaw asks, looking over at the silver-furred medicine cat with wide purple eyes.

"Yes, his name is Spikepaw," Silvertuft meows.

"My littermate is Spikepaw... okay, I think I got it," Milkpaw responds.

"You will have to relearn everything you've
already learned as an apprentice, but I'm sure your mentor, Volenose, won't mind," Silvertuft informs.

"I'll help too," Pinepaw offers. "I would be ready to become a warrior any day now, but I decided to stay behind so we can become warriors together," he informs.

"That's so nice," Milkpaw purrs. "Now I remember why I liked you so much. Not only are you handsome, but you're so kind."

"Thank you.." Pinepaw responds, a little flustered.

"So, when do I get back to my warrior training?" Milkpaw asks Silvertuft.

"Whenever you're ready," Silvertuft answers. Milkpaw then glances over at Pinepaw and slowly gets up out of her nest.

"I'm ready," Milkpaw meows.

"That's great, speak to Volenose after you walk out to find out about when you're going to get back to training," Silvertuft meows.

"But, I don't know what Volenose looks like," Milkpaw meows nervously.

"I'll help you," Pinepaw volunteers, padding closer to Milkpaw.

"Thank you," Milkpaw meows gratefully. Then, the two apprentices pad out of the medicine cat den, exiting the bramble thicket. Pinepaw leads Milkpaw out.

"Woah," Milkpaw meows once she sees the camp. "So pretty."

"Let's go find Volenose," Pinepaw meows, leading the way. His green eyes scan the camp, looking for any sign of the brown tabby. Then, he spots him speaking to Rosedawn.

"I see him, follow me," Pinepaw meows, beginning to walk over to Milkpaw's mentor. She follows closely behind him. Once Volenose spots Milkpaw, he is ecstatic to see her.

"Milkpaw! You're awake!" Volenose meows happily. A lot of the Clan hears Volenose's cheer so they quickly gather over once they spot Milkpaw. Milkpaw clearly starts to seem overwhelmed. Pinepaw then notices that he needs to take action, wondering if the Clan would listen to an apprentice.

"Hey!" Pinepaw yowls, getting the attention of the rest of the Clan. "Leave Milkpaw alone, if you're not her kin or her mentor, then you can speak to her later! She's starting to feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable by the crowd! She has lost her memory!" He yowls. His Clanmates her silent for a little bit, but then Pinepaw's sudden news got them loud again.

"ShadowClan, silence!" Boulderstar yowls. Then, the Clan is silent yet again. "You heard what Pinepaw said. Leave her alone for now," he meows. Then, the crowd of cats begin to separate as they decide that it is best to give Milkpaw some space.

"We're sorry about that," Volenose meows to his apprentice. "But you lost your memory? That means we're going to have to go back to the basics with your training.." Milkpaw responds with a sad nod.

"We can start training tomorrow. For now, familiarize yourself with the camp and meet your Clanmates again," Volenose meows.

"Thank you," Milkpaw responds to her mentor.

This is going to be a very long few moons. Pinepaw thinks. But, I'm glad she's back. I just wish she remembered what she learned and the bond her and I had.