Warriors: Finding Home

Chapter Fifteen

     Nightleaf prodded Sootpaw with a paw and he jumped in surprise. She hissed slightly and allowed her son to get to his paws. She turned to him and pushed her muzzle next to his ears and whispered, "You have found your place now."

     "You mean in SunClan?"

     Nightleaf avoided the question. "But there is still something you need to pay attention to. The prophecy, of course. StarClan can't tell you what to do. You need to figure it out for yourself. I suggest you get help."

     Sootpaw nodded eagerly. "I'll tell Ratstar tomorrow. Can I wake up now?"

     Nightleaf sighed, but willingly walked away. Her black pelt disappeared among the lush green ferns. Her black-furred son closed his eyes and felt a bothersome poking in his side. He opened his eyes and let them adjust to the sudden darkness. He was in his nest. Sootpaw stood and shook his pelt to clean any debris from it and laid back down. It was cold, almost unnaturally cold. Looking around him, he saw his denmates thrashing around wildly in their sleep. All of them. Panicking, he hipped out of his nest and out of the den. He half walked half ran to the medicine cat den and poked his head inside.

     Buzzardwhisker and Nectarpaw were just like the other apprentices. Spasms raked their bodies like waves and Sootpaw turned tail and ran to the warriors den. The older cats were the same. Ivyfang was near the front and Sootpaw could see her writhing wildly. Sootpaw trotted nervously to the elders den only to get the same result. He only hoped that Ratstar was okay. He took a deep breath and walked through the leader's tunnel. Ratstar was just like his clanmates. Clumps of moss scattered the ground and Ratstar's claws were unsheathed. The SunClan apprentice prodded him with a paw, and then shook him violently. With a jerk, the brown tom opened his eyes. His breath was ragged and harsh, but he was okay. Realizing what was going on, the leader sped out of his den and into the warriors den. Assuming that he was waking the others, Sootpaw ran to the elders den to awaken them from their dream. The two she-cats were startled, but alright, as were Buzzardwhisker and Nectarpaw.

     Entering the apprentice's den, he saw that his clanmates wriggling had died down to occasional twitches. He woke Marshpaw and Nightpaw first, then moved onto the others. Riverpaw was the last one still sleeping. Sootpaw tried shaking him, starting slowly then moving faster. The silver tom remained still and silent. His body no longer thrashed. After Sootpaw had finally given up, Riverpaw's body convulsed once, twice, then stopped altogether. Sootpaw knew what that meant; Riverpaw was dead.

     Sootpaw howled up at the sky in grief, and padded slowly out of the den. The whole of SunClan were huddled in the clearing, looking up at the black apprentice which dragged a body behind him. Sootpaw took Riverpaw by the scruff and pulled him in front of his clanmates. His mother Cherryfur raced forward and pushed her muzzle into his already cold pelt. She wailed mournfully, and turned back to Sootpaw with tears in her eyes. Her sadness was quickly replaced by fear and anger.

     "What are you? Things were fine before you got here and now you're going to kill is all!" Turning to her clanmates, she tried to convince them of her claim. "Don't you see? He's dangerous. All of you may be blind to his tricks, but I am not!"

     The ginger she-cat got to her paws and shoved Sootpaw yo the ground. Her front paws were clutched over his throat, claws extended to grip his fur. Shock raked his body and black dots clouded his vision. All air was cut off from his body and Sootpaw writhed beneath Cherryfur's grasp. Then, when Sootpaw was on the verge of blacking out, the weight was lifted. Blinking to clear his head, the black tom rose to his paws and leaned on Marshpaw, who offered his guidance. Ratstar and Duskfeather were guarding the apprentice while Bumblescar held her back by the scruff.

     When she stopped resisting, she was let go and Cherryfur remained her post next to her deceased son. More had joined in the vigil, including Eagleclaw, Sunpaw and Marshpaw. The others kept their distance, letting the family grief for the lost. The young cat would be buried by the elders after everycat left for a patrol. Nocat wanted to be around for that.