Whispers and Echoes

Chapter 10

Echopaw had been in big trouble when they got back to camp, just as she had expected. But she didn't think it would've been as bad as it was. Every cat had stared at her as she passed, looking disappointed. Echopaw felt horrible.

Eveningstar was outraged, and Echopaw had hung her head so low during his scolding that it touched the ground. He growled about how she had disobeyed his order that no cat, unless they were a warrior, was to leave camp. Echopaw had become confused that Whisperpaw had been able to leave camp to help pick her up from NightClan, but didn't dare argue with her leader. Eveningstar had confined her to camp until Bronzepelt felt she was ready to train again. And she was solely responsible for taking care of the elders until the next Gathering; Whisperpaw didn't have to help. By saying this, Eveningstar had meant bringing them fresh-kill at dawn and at dusk, switching out their moss, and searching their coats for ticks.

After Eveningstar had declared her punishment, Echopaw had started to walk back toward the apprentices' den, where she felt she should go to be alone in her guilt, but was stopped by Rustypelt. He had told her to follow him, and they sat by the bramble bushes. He had saved his scolding until they reached camp. He growled about how DawnClan was now in debt to NightClan because they saved her life. Rustypelt hissed that because she had been so selfish and irresponsible to run away, now NightClan would expect something back from them.

"Good thing you didn't wash up on DayClan territory!" he had snarled, "They would have healed you up all nice and then asked for some of our territory! If we objected, then they would say that we owe them something, and that they wanted the payment in territory!"

Echopaw had realized he was right, muttered her apology, and started padding slower to the apprentices' den, feeling even more guilty. She now realized why the NightClan cats had been so nice to her. Echopaw sighed and had continued to walk to the apprentices' den, but was stopped yet again by her mentor. He explained how she had disobeyed Eveningstar, the leader, and that she ran away for no reason.

"You can't be upset that you were told you to take care of the elders today. It was your own fault you snapped at Fogtail. Now, because of your foolishness, you've got yourself confined to camp until the next full moon." Bronzepelt muttered, and Echopaw bowed her head, murmuring her apologies over and over again.

Her mother was angry, but mostly relieved. "You worried every cat to death! Imagine how I felt to hear that you had disappeared and that your scent trail had ended by the river. I thought you'd died!" Echopaw had felt even more guilty and horrible after hearing Sparktail saying this.

Echopaw had thought she would never feel happy again. She wondered how the Clans would ever listen to her when she told them the prophecy. Echopaw had felt useless. And now they would never listen to her.

Echopaw had sighed and dragged herself to the apprentices' den, expecting to be stopped and scolded again on her way there, but wasn't. As she stepped in, she saw Whisperpaw lying in her nest. Echopaw braced herself for the storm of anger that would come out of her sister's mouth, but it never came. Instead, her sister was ignoring her, giving no signs that she had even seen Echopaw. Echopaw hung her head low and muttered, "I'm sorry," and curled up into her nest. She had laid there, feeling tired, even though it was only just past sunhigh. She had closed her eyes and fallen asleep, still feeling guilty.

It was now the day after she had received her punishment. She had been woken up at sunrise by Bronzepelt to get started on the elders care. He hadn't sounded angry with her anymore, and Echopaw had realized he thought she got the punishment she deserved. Echopaw had seen no sign of Whisperpaw, and realized she had gone out training again. Eveningstar had announced, because of what the dawn patrol had reported, that apprentices and older kits may leave the camp now only if they were accompanied by a warrior or queen.