✔️ Warriors | On the path | Book #1

Chapter 6

Badgerpaw stared after Brightpaw, watching her leave. Had he said something wrong? The she-cat seemed devastated and sad all of a sudden, Badgerpaw felt his heart ache with sadness as he watched Brightpaw leave, her head was hung down and her tail to the ground. He wanted to go after her and to talk to her, telling her that he's sorry if he upset her, but she was already gone. Badgerpaw still stared at the entrance, but he gave up with a disappointed look, staring at the ground. Brightpaw won't return back, she left the camp already. "Badgerpaw!" Badgerpaw raised his head, he could see Echokit from distance and his pelt fluffed up but he tried his best to keep it smooth. Echokit noticed his pelt rise up in hostility and he halted to a stop, few steps away from the black and white apprentice.

"Badgerpaw? It's me, Echokit... I returned." Echokit meowed, he seemed confused on why Badgerpaw was showing hostility to him, but either way Echokit walked over to Badgerpaw and looked him up in the eyes. All Badgerpaw could feel for the little kit was anger and annoyance, he was just too angry to talk. 'How dare he just take Shiningpaw's attention! He may be a kit but those two can't even be separated for two seconds!' Badgerpaw began to lash his tail back and forth, staring at the kit with a growl in his throat. Echokit curled up in a ball and stared at Badgerpaw with wide and fearful eyes, his mouth a tiny bit opened. "B-Badgerpaw...?" Echokit asked, Badgerpaw stopped and he stared at the kit, realizing that he's scaring him.

What's gotten into him? The jealousy is taking the best of him, he needs some air. "I-I need to get some air." Badgerpaw meowed, trying his best not to snarl at the kit. Walking away, Badgerpaw started to walk through forest, his mind racing. Echokit took all Shiningpaw's attention, and because of that Badgerpaw got jealous and he wanted more than anything to see the kit gone or claw his ears off. Badgerpaw looked at the sky sadly, but the sky was clear and the sun was brightly up. His anger is taking the best of him, but he can't help feeling jealous and angry. Shiningpaw doesn't even pay much attention to him and she doesn't realize how much Badgerpaw loves her. Badgerpaw stopped in front of a small flowing river, he gazed down at the water.

What should he do? Badgerpaw frowned, but he suddenly heard rustling of the bushes and he jumped to his paws, alarmed. "Who goes there!?" Badgerpaw meowed, alerted. After a few seconds, a cat Badgerpaw knew popped up from the bushes, it was her mentor Flinchpelt. Badgerpaw relaxed, his fur growing smooth again and he stared at his mentor as Flinchpelt made his way over to the young apprentice. "Hello Badgerpaw. I didn't expect to see you here." His mentor meowed, he sat down beside Badgerpaw and Badgerpaw looked down, not saying a word. Badgerpaw settled himself on the soft grass as well, he gazed down at the rushing water in silence. "I saw what happened. What was that?" Flinchpelt asked, he sounded worried but Badgerpaw didn't really want any cat to know this.

"I don't want to talk about it..." Badgerpaw said, and to his relief his mentor dipped his head in understanding, not pressuring him to answer his question. "I understand. But please, be gentle with Echokit. We don't want to traumatize him." His mentor meowed, half joking but Badgerpaw didn't laugh. Flinchpelt got on his feet and looked up at the clear sky. "It's a nice day for hunting. How about we go hunt?" Flinchpelt offered and Badgerpaw gave his mentor a smile in response, he really wants to take off his mind about Echokit and Shiningpaw, but he was still confused on why Brightpaw was so disappointed and sad, his heart hurt just by seeing her like that.

...

Returning to the camp, Badgerpaw placed his prey on top of the fresh-kill pile with the other bunch or prays puddled together on top of each other. Badgerpaw sat in the camp, licking his fur clean for a couple of seconds before he looked around the camp, he spotted Shiningpaw from distance. Feeling happy once again, he picked a rabbit and hurried over to Shiningpaw, dropping the prey at her paws. Shiningpaw looked down at the prey then at Badgerpaw, Badgerpaw sat down in front of her and smiled shyly at her. "Do you want to share this prey with me?" Badgerpaw offered. Shiningpaw hesitated, she looked at her mentor Owlstar who was a few paw-steps away, waiting for his apprentice. Badgerpaw grew confused, not sure what's going on.

"Maybe later, I need to train now." Shiningpaw said, she pushed the prey back to his paws and without saying a goodbye, Shiningpaw walked over to her mentor and Badgerpaw stared after her sadly, his heart felt like it could break in two. Sighing, he looked down at the prey, he was really, extremely sad and hurt but he tried his best not to show it. Badgerpaw started to doubt did Shiningpaw even like him, she's a nice cat but she just treats him like any other Clanmate. "I'll share with you." Looking up, Badgerpaw stared at the cat that was in front of him now. Turtlepelt was staring at him with sad eyes, she probably saw Shiningpaw rejecting him by going off with her mentor. Badgerpaw gave her a grateful yet sad nod, he took the first bite of the prey and pushed it to Turtlepelt.

She watched as she took the bite of the prey and pushed it back to him, swallowing the bite. Badgerpaw leaned down to take another bite as he listened Turtlepelt talk. "I know it's hard to accept that someone you love doesn't love you." Turtlepelt started, she stared at Badgerpaw with warm eyes. "But Shiningpaw had to go, her mentor ordered her to. If it wasn't for Owlstar and she didn't had to go, she'd be sharing the prey with you." Turtlepelt finished, Badgerpaw swallowed the bite he took and he pushed the rabbit over to Turtlepelt, she bend her neck down and took a bite as well. "But Shiningpaw pays more attention to Echokit than me..." Badgerpaw meowed sadly. "We're not close as we used to be." Badgerpaw said, Turtlepelt pushed his the rabbit back. It was almost fully eaten now.

"Shiningpaw likes to play with Echokit, she sees him as a brother. And if she doesn't like you, there will be more she-cats in the future." Turtlepelt added, purring with laughter. Badgerpaw doubted it, no one can change Shiningpaw. Shiningpaw is a cheerful, amazing and skillful cat, but over all she holds the best smile. "You can finish it. I'll go back to my nest." Turtlepelt said, she got up on her paws and walked over to the warriors den, disappearing out of his sight. The full moons gathering should be in a few days, which means Badgerpaw must not get himself injured like last two times. He really wants to see the great gathering where the two leaders sit on two huge rocks, while they look down on their Clanmates. It must look awesome from up there, Badgerpaw wondered how it looks like from the high rock's point of view.

The night was approaching slowly, every cat was in the clearing sharing tongues. Cherrypool was in the nursery with Echokit, the queen was so worried for the kit and she's been anxious all along until he returned. When Echokit returned, Cherrypool's face washed with huge relief. Badgerpaw finished his rabbit, looking around the cats he spotted Shadeclaw talking to Flinchpelt, the two tons were quiet and they seemed to talk about a serious topic. Flamestreak was with Deerspirit, the two cats were talking to each other happily while their deputy Shadeclaw glanced to the two cats from time to time. Badgerpaw understood him, he knows how it feels like. But at least Flamestreak talks to Shadeclaw unlike Shiningpaw does to Badgerpaw.

Badgerpaw looked around to spot Shiningpaw but then he remembered they're training. MoonClan's special ability is fighting in darkness, knowing how to trick your enemy. Darkness is your friend in the battle and it will guide you, make you see in the night. Badgerpaw doesn't know what DawnClan's skill is, and he can't really guess one. Getting to his paws, Badgerpaw pushed through the apprentices den and curled up in his nest, resting his tail on his nose as he closed his eyes. Hopefully everything will be better tomorrow, and I might get the chance to talk to Shiningpaw without Echokit being there...