Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 17

Pinepaw slowly gets out of his nest. He turns his head to spot Spikepaw and Milkpaw still asleep in their nests. Milkpaw has been making progress with relearning, which makes Pinepaw happy. He and Spikepaw has helped her when Volenose could not, and it has been making a difference.

Pinepaw was chosen to go on dawn patrol, so he picks up his pace before Leafshadow comes to nag at him. He gives himself a quick stretch and yawn before padding out of the apprentices' den. When he steps out, he is immediately greeted by Leafshadow.

"I was about to come get you!" Leafshadow meows. "Let's go," she meows, turning around and padding over to the rest of the patrol, who are waiting by the entrance of the camp. Pinepaw follows closely behind her. Once Leafshadow and Pinepaw approach the rest of the patrol, Bluepelt speaks up.

"Is every cat ready?" Bluepelt asks. After hearing sounds of approval from he rest of the patrol, she speaks up again. "Let's go then," she meows, beginning to lead the way out of camp. The rest of the patrol follows closely behind, but Pinepaw follows behind the rest of the patrol, wanting to be in the back. The patrol begins to head over to the RiverClan border. A strong wind blows the trees and leaves a chill through Pinepaw's spine. Leaves fall from the trees surrounding the patrol.

"It's cold," Pinepaw complains, catching up to the rest of the patrol.

"It seems like it's almost leaf-bare," Deerwhisper meows. "Hopefully Silvertuft and Acornpaw are preparing for possible greencough cases," she meows.

Greencough. Pinepaw thinks as a shiver goes down his spine at the thought of the illness. Pinepaw knows it as the most common cause of death for Clan cats. They got lucky last leaf-bare, so Pinepaw hopes they get lucky this leaf-bare too.

Bluepelt, who is leading the patrol, quickly skids to a halt. Pinepaw, not paying attention to what's in front of them, runs right into the senior warrior's behind.

"Sorry," Pinepaw quickly meows.

"You need to watch where you're going!" Bluepelt scolds in a whisper. "Do you hear that?" She asks the other cats. Once the patrol is silent, Pinepaw could hear the sound of faint meowing from nearby.

"Another cat?" Leafshadow asks. "It sounds young," she meows.

"It sounds like it might be in danger!" Bluepelt meows worriedly.

"Then, we have to follow the sound," Deerwhisper meows.

"We're going to go investigate then," Bluepelt meows. "Follow me closely, we have no idea what we're getting into," She tells the rest of the patrol. She begins to pad in the direction of the sound as the rest of the patrol follows closely behind. The meowing sound gets louder and louder as they continue to follow the sound.

"Stop," Bluepelt then meows, skidding to a halt once she spots it. The rest of the patrol does the same. The rest of the patrol then notices what Bluepelt saw. A small black-and-white cat, clearly near apprentice age, is meowing loudly. It is seemingly trying to find help, as it is so skinny that its ribs can be seen sticking out from its fur.

"Stay here," Bluepelt meows to the rest of the patrol. Bluepelt's motherly side kicks in as she approaches the young starving cat. The young cat lets out a squeak once it notices Bluepelt approaching it.

"Don't eat me!" The black-and-white cat squeaks.

"We don't eat you, dear," Bluepelt meows, pity in her voice. "You're in ShadowClan territory," she explains. "We can take you back to our camp and make sure you get something to eat, you seem like you're starving," she meows.

"Thank you," The young tom responds desperately. Bluepelt then turns her head to look at the rest of the patrol.

"Pinepaw, take this young cat back to camp and make sure he gets something to eat," Bluepelt meows. "The rest of us will continue the dawn patrol." Pinepaw responds with a nod and looks over at the cat, who is seemingly younger than him. The young tom then bounds over to Pinepaw, a little bounce in his step.

That's cute. Pinepaw can't help but think.

"Let's take you to camp," Pinepaw then meows. "Follow me."

"Okay," The tom responds, following Pinepaw with a bounce in his step as they begin to walk.

"Do you have a name?" Pinepaw asks the black-and-white tom as they head to camp. The young cat responds with a shake of his head.

"I don't know," The tom responds. "If my mother gave me one, then I don't remember it," he meows.

He doesn't even know his name. Pinepaw thinks, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart.

"If our leader, Boulderstar, is okay with it, you can stay with us and he will give you a name!" Pinepaw meows, trying to get the new cat excited about the possibility of living Clan life.

"Really? I would love that," The young tom responds. Once the two cats enter camp, a few meows of confusion can be heard from the rest of the Clan that's awake.

"Who is this cat that you brought back with you and where is the rest of the dawn patrol?!" Boulderstar then asks his son, padding over to them.

"That's Boulderstar," Pinepaw whispers to the black-and-white tom.

"While on patrol, we ran into this young cat. He is so hungry that you can see his ribs and he doesn't know his name. Since Bluepelt felt so bad for him, she sent me back to camp to make sure he gets something to eat. The rest of the patrol is still checking the borders," Pinepaw explains to his father.

"Bluepelt is always the one finding strange cats from outside ShadowClan and wants them to be a part of ShadowClan life," Boulderstar growls. "Goosecloud, Snowpetal, Rosedawn, Russetblaze, and now him."

"She doesn't want him to join the Clan, she just wants him to eat something," Pinepaw protests.

"Why can't he catch his own food? He's grown enough," Boulderstar responds with a flick of his ear.

"I don't know how to catch anything," The young tom stands up for himself. "I sometimes chase prey, but they always get away."

"It's not that hard. ShadowClan already has enough mouths to feed, especially since leaf-bare is coming soon," Boulderstar protests.

"Boulderstar!" Lizardtail speaks up. "Let the poor cat eat something. You can see his bones! Say what you want about Cherrystar's decisions to let Goosecloud, Snowpetal, Rosedawn, and Russetblaze join ShadowClan, but they grew into fine warriors, didn't they? If this young tom wants to join ShadowClan after eating, then he can," the deputy protests.

"I guess you do have a point, Lizardtail," Boulderstar responds. "I knew I made the right decision by choosing you as my deputy. Feed the young cat," he meows.

"Thank you," The black-and-white tom responds gratefully as Pinepaw begins to lead him to the fresh-kill pile.

Later that day, the tom made the decision that he wants to join ShadowClan, grateful to the cats who saved his life. He was made an apprentice, given then name Frogpaw due to the way he bounces around. He was given Hawktalon as his mentor.