The Wolf's Last Cry: A Warrior Cat Story

Chapter Thirteen

        {Sparkpaw’s P.O.V.}

        My mentor Sparktail had died. I missed him already; his calm personality, the ability to make a joke during a bad situation, and his patience that helped me through training. I saw that Blazefur was laying dead in the clearing with Flamestar beside him. She knows what I’m going through. I stood up and walked up to her. 

        “F…Flamestar?” I asked 

        “What?” She replied

        “Who will mentor me now that Sp…” I stopped unable to go on

        “I will think about it.” is all she answered only I knew that was not the question that I had intended to ask, but that was the only one that came out

        As I looked into her eyes I saw that they were bloodshot and looked very tired. I’m sure that’s how I look too. I thought to myself. I went back to my spot and kept my face buried in his fur. The next time I looked up it was almost moonhigh and Flamestar had stood up and jumped onto Tree Ledge 

        "Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather under Tree Ledge for a clan meeting.”  Flamestar yowled “We have lost two very great cats today and one might be on her way to Starclan as we speak." Most cats were looking around to see which warrior or apprentice was missing. “In other news, the deputy Blazefur was killed in battle. He died valiantly, protecting his clan. As it is almost moonhigh I say this before the body of Blazefur, my mate, that he and Starclan may hear and approve of my choice. Strongclaw will be the new deputy of Scarletclan.” 

        “Strongclaw, Strongclaw, Strongclaw!” The clan cheered

        I went back to the body of my mentor and just as I was about to settle down again my brother, Spazpaw, walked up to me. 

        “It’s been a long day, and you’re injured. You really need to rest. Come on, I’m sure that Sparktail will understand.” He nudged me toward the apprentice den and I didn’t object. I walked to my nest in a daze and laid down. I willed my self to believe that all of this was just one long, bad, dream. Tears started to flow down my cheeks again. I thought that I had long run out of tears. As I closed my eyes I felt a warm body wrap around my own. 

        “Sparktail?” I asked hopefully without opening my eyes or sniffing the air

        “No, sis, it’s me, Spazpaw.”

        “Thank you.” is all I said 

        I pressed into his fur. It was short and dark grey with a light grey chest, paws, inside of the ears, and on the tip of his short tail. Our mother had a short tail and Spazpaw inherited that from her. I drifted in and out of sleep and woke up at the time directly in-between dawn and sunhigh. Spazpaw was long gone. I assumed that he was put on the dawn patrol. I stood up and stretched my stiff legs. When I walked into the clearing I noticed that the bodies were still in the clearing. Flamestar came out of her den and walked over to me. She told me that she didn’t want to bury the cats without me there. Flamestar then called out to the elders and asked them to carry the dead to a hill by one of the many streams in our territory. Lostfang and Bramblethorn carried Blazefur, while Lizzardtooth and Snakeheart took up Sparktail. I walked with them to help them with Sparktail when they needed it and Flamestar did the same to help the cats with Blazefur. 

        When we arrived at the hill the elders set down the bodies and started digging the holes. The bodies were dropped into the hole. All of the cats stood in reverent silence as the dirt was scraped over them. The cats walked back into the clearing and sat down. Flamestar climbed up onto Tree Ledge There was no need to call the clan together because everyone was already together in the clearing.