Owlpaw's Prophecy

Chapter 17

"Wolfspark! Wolfspark!" Littlepaw called as he raced up to him, Rennpaw on his heals.

Wolfspark turned his head, eyes narrowing in concern. "We saw Fallingecho!" Littlepaw huffed coming to a stop.

"What?" Wolfspark exclaimed wide eyed. "Where?"

"Near the Sorrel Ring in the Training Hollow."

"What did he say?" Wolfspark pressed. "Did he go back to Snowclan?"

"I don't know, but he said if you and Greyfrost had a problem, you should take it up with him. He said to give up on the prophecy cats too— because you know Starclan spins lies?"

Wolfspark stood up straight abruptly, eyes unreadable. "Bring the herbs back to camp. I'm going to warn the border patrol."

"But Wolfspark—," Rennpaw hesitated speaking up for the first time, before being abruptly interrupted.

"Go." he replied sternly not waiting to hear what she had to say.

Rennpaw sighed picking up the herbs with Littlepaw, wordlessly heading back to towards camp. Wolfspark almost felt bad, but he pushed the feeling down as he pressed on to the Snowclan border.

It didn't take him long to reach the patrol. Sunnysong was at the head, Redwaves a few pawsteps behind. Their apprentices, Shinypaw and Reedpaw, hung back excitedly nattering.

"Sunnysong!" He called out coming to a stop besides the patrol.

"Wolfspark." She greeted surprised. "Is something wrong?"

"Rennpaw's seen Fallingecho." He informed her. "Have you seen anything?"

"No." Her shocked mew was stern. "We better check, huh? Do you know why he was here?"

"No. Who knows what Darkmoon's set him up to. They saw him by the Training Ring, so he's probably further up the border." Wolfspark snarled.

Sunnysong nodded turning briskly to the apprentices.

"Renew the border marks and when your done, tell Bluemoon we've seen Fallingecho. We don't need Back up but she needs to know."

Shinypaw's eyes widened in surprised as Reedpaw nodded.

"Come on." He beckoned to his denmate backtracking a little. Shinypaw nodded snapping out her trance. Satisfied the trio raced across the clearing.

Wolfspark tried to shake the hope and nostalgia out of his mind. It didn't matter. It wasn't real. He had to focus on the prophecy and keeping the clans safe. That was important, not his petty family feud—

Wolfspark stopped suddenly snapping his head towards the border. Redwaves and Sunnysong came to a stop a few tail lengths away.

"He's been here." Wolfspark murmured eyes clouded. "He's gone where we can no longer follow."

"Mouse-dung!" Redwaves cursed.

"I'm sorry, Wolfspark." Sunnysong started. "We—."

"No. Don't be." Wolfspark responded eyes fixed on the horizon. "It's not your fault."

It's his.

"Are you okay?" Redwaves asked taking a hesitant step forward.

"Yes. Carry on the patrol if you'd like. I have to get my herbs. I'll only be a minuet, promise." He replied following the small ghosts of a rowdy apprentice and a pair of equally rowdy cubs, irritating their tired mother as they went to visit her mate.

You're wrong about them. He told the apprentice disconnected from the memory before him. Your faith is misguided. All I need to do is prove it.

He stood up a strange feeling dropping in his stomach as he padded back to camp, still feeling a strange distant detachment from the forest around him. He entered his den silently, going around the back again to avoid his brother and his questions. Feeling like he had nothing better to do, Wolfspark checked the herbs had been properly put away, mostly by Rennpaw, before settling down in his nest, an uneasy sleep gripping him. The only thing he dreamt of that evening was the shell of what used to be his closest friends, his eyes dark as he walked into the shadows.