Warriorcats #1: Vengeance

Chapter Fourteen

Tallpaw gasped as light tore at his retinas, clenching his eye lids tight as he broke back to reality. Skypaw was beside him, motionless on the floor. Her glossy flank was ruffled in some places, her breathing shallow and distorted. Tallpaw almost leapt out of his fur as SkyOtter's voice erupted from behind him. "Tallpaw, what happened?!" The she-cat's green eyes were blazing with curiosity, worry edging her tone. The apprentice's neck fur rose slightly as Skypaw flinched in her spot. Her paws unsettled dust as they thrashed through the air, blood trickling from her injury. Immediately, Duskgaze was at her side, gazing down at the young apprentice with concern. "Forget about that, SkyOtter." He murmured, half to himself. He was focused intently on the youth. "We've got more to worry about than what happened to him. It's what's happenning to her."

SkyOtter bit back a sharp retort, her tail lashing behind her. But she knew how DuskGaze was feeling, and he did have a point. Skypaw looked as pale as a Starclan cat, and her wild actions didn't help comfort her anxious spectators. Cloudstar, who had been watching solemnly from the entrance, brushed up beside Tallpaw. His bright blue gaze was locked on Skypaw as well, matching the other's as they awaited the fate of the apprentice. "This is what happened to Tallpaw." He meowed, his voice hollow. "They both drank from the water. I bet this used to be a moonstone." Birchfeather glanced up quietly, his eyes wide.

"Only medicine cats have the priviledge to drink from that water and recieve a visit from Starclan. If you're not one, I was told to believe that it was basically just like drinking normal water." Birchfeather's voice shook as SkyOtter flashed him a furious glare. Tallpaw flinched as his friend let out a petrified whimper, turning away in shame. This is all my fault. He flexed his claws into the ground with shame, his thoughts speculating the strange behavior of Skypaw. I'd thought this place was meant to be good for the prophecy, but so far nothing has been achieved through this... Except more riddles. Seeing the young tom's dismay, Duskgaze gently laid his tail along Tallpaw's back. His gaze swept calmly over the tom, but hints of concern crept throughout his speckled pools. "Tallpaw, you've done more than any warrior should ever have done in their lifetime." His voice was gentle, like a father speaking to his son. But there was a certain bitterness in his tone, made crisp by the claws of age. Tallpaw suppressed a long sigh.

"Rabbitpaw and Snowpaw probably could've done better than this." He replied, waving is tail submissively at the tom. "I know this is cliche, but I honestly don't like going on these special missions." Duskgaze ran a slick paw over his ear, his whiskers twitching absent-mindedly. "You shouldn't be that way." He meowed, cocking his ears slightly as the apprentice let out a snort. "You have friends back at camp that would do anything to be here. To speak with a Starclan cat would be a dream to them, and not just literally." Tallpaw didn't budge. This wasn't the type of encouragement he needed. If he's going to rattle me about what I should or should not like, right now isn't the time to do so. He gulped down a sour taste as he heard a gasp from Skypaw. Instantly, he was on his paws. Cloudstar was crouching beside her, his blue gaze flecked with relief.

Tallpaw's pads lifted by themselves until he was right beside Cloudstar, watching as his fellow apprentice opened her eyes. They were full of amazement, with a new charm that came from experience gleaming through her brilliant gaze. Her breaths came out at normal intervals, her flank resuming a normal rise and fall. Cloudstar instantly touched noses with her, as did SkyOtter and Birchfeather. "What happened?" Duskgaze's voice came from the back of the den, curiosity brimming his gaze. Skypaw opened her mouth to speak, but was cut short by SkyOtter.. "Duskaze, let's give Skypaw some time to recollect her bearings." She meowed, herding Birchfeather and Cloudstar away from the apprentice. By now she looked as flustered as a kit at her apprentice ceremony.

Tallpaw didn't want to leave yet. He wanted to figure out what was going on with his friend. SkyOtter seemed to understand. Flexing her claws into the ground, SkyOtter hesitantly brushed past the young tom and began shouting orders to her clanmates. "Duskgaze, why don't we go hunting?" Her voice was crisp and final, as if there was no questioning her decision. Duskgaze had no option, whether or not his paws were tired. SkyOtter's fiery green gaze fluttered briefly over Birchfeather. "We'll be right back." She meowed, disappearing behind the stony entrance. "Cloudstar, Birchfeather. You two should stay and watch Skypaw. If anything happens, we'll be back at the old clearing." Duskgaze took a deep breath and pinned his ears back, quietly making his way behind his deputy.

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Tallpaw leaned against the cave wall and watched as Skypaw weakly tucked her paws under her chest. Despite her loss of strength, the she-cat's eyes were still bright and full of excitement. Tallpaw was deeply impressed with her resilience. Once she was settled in, Tallpaw met her gaze. "Are you okay, Skypaw?" Concern edged the tom's voice. Skypaw ran a slick paw over her ear, too tired to groom her fur. She was still recovering from Cloudstar's very thorough precautions. The worried leader had drilled her on the warrior code countless times, making sure she wasn't going delirious. Pausing, Skypaw glanced over at Cloudstar and Birchfeather as they quietly lead a discussion. She wished that she wasn't the one that had suffered the major blackout. "I'm fine, Tallpaw." She assured him, her tail swaying calmly from side to side. Tallpaw pawed at the ground in annoyance, irritation glowing in his gaze.

"You don't sound fine." He meowed, sitting back on his hips as he began to relax his muscles. Skypaw shrugged. "Tallpaw, if I had witnessed anything special I would have told Cloudstar by now. You would have known." She glanced uncertainly at Cloudstar as he let out a massive yawn. "Well, maybe I would have told you first." Tallpaw's neck fur bristled slightly. She's being so discreet. Skypaw is never discreet. "Why did you black out? And how did it happen to be at the same time as when I blacked out?" His voice raised slightly as frustration began to take hold of his emotions.

"I don't know." Skypaw snapped, emitting a low growl. "This is all strange, Tallpaw. I'm tired and confused." Tallpaw frowned. He wasn't going to accept this. If Skypaw was going to suddenly black out all of the time, he would need to find some kind of cure. "So, you're telling me that you just randomly blacked out? Do you think I'm mouse-brained enough to believe that?!" He dug his claws into the ground with exaggerated force. Skypaw pinned back her ears defensively. "I don't think you're mouse-brained at all, Tallpaw! I thought you would be the one that actually believed me." Her voice wavered slightly. Tallpaw glanced away and shook his head. "How can I believe you when you won't even tell me the truth?" Skypaw didn't respond. She was done with Tallpaw for a while. Resting her tail across her paws, Skypaw briskly turned around and made her way over to Birchfeather.

Tallpaw sighed. There is nothing in Starclan that could be better than hearing the actual truth every once and a while. He thought, wiping the bitter idea clear of his mind. Of all the times he and Skypaw have had to fight, this was officially the worst. Stormclan needs me. Ashclan needs me. If I'm going to be able to win this battle, I'm going to need to put aside any obstacle that gets in my way...