Warriors: Heronpaw's Secret (Complete)

Chapter 3

 A week passed since Meadow and Hiron played hide and seek by the gorge. Meadow still didn't come back, and Hiron's parents were treating him as if he was just a lost kit they found and they were forced to take care of him.

 Hiron sat in a corner of his den, shaking, and looked at his paws. They weren't even white anymore. His formerly white paws were now a dirty, gray color. His fur was all ruffled up and full of dirt. His mother didn't wash him every day like she used to, and he was too scared and confused to wash himself. His parents didn't even bring him food anymore. He had to hunt for himself.

 Hiron raised his head as he heard paw steps, and saw his father enter the den with a rabbit in his jaws. He looked at it, hungry, but Rattlesnake just growled at him and approached Nectar with the prey. 

 Hiron sighed and got up. ''I'll go hunt for myself.''

 His parents just snorted and quietly talked to each other, which hurt Hiron, but he just padded outside, his heart aching. But I don't understand what I did! Or where Meadow is.. I was done with getting called a scaredy-cat by her, but.. I miss her..

 Hiron let out a wail, but sprinted away from the entrance to the den. Every time he wailed, his parents told him that he shouldn't be grieving, and called him a murderer. But I'm not a murderer! I didn't kill anyone.. Meadow, where are you? Please, come home!

 Hiron then looked past the Thunderpath, toward the place where the gorge was. Maybe Meadow was still hiding somewhere, waiting for Hiron to find her.

 Suddenly, he turned around and ran on the Thunderpath toward the other side. He didn't care if his parents would be mad, all he wanted to do was find Meadow and bring her home.

 Once he stepped on the other side, he looked around. He saw the building in the distance, the fallen branch in front of him, and heard the water flowing from the gorge. It's exactly how it was when me and Meadow came here.

 ''Meadow?'' He called his sister's name and ran toward the gorge, flowers brushing against his fur. ''Meadow, where are you? It's me, Hiron! Come home, please! The game ended a while ago!''

 But what if she left her hiding spot to come looking for me, and got lost? What if something found her and killed her? Grief seemed to claw Hiron's heart. Oh, Meadow, I'm so sorry if anything happened to you! This is all my fault!

 He ran toward the place where he last saw Meadow and jumped on a rock, looking down. The gorge was still flowing peacefully, and there was no movement near him. Hiron sniffed the air, trying to catch his sister's scent, but to no avail. His belly rumbled, but he ignored it. Finding Meadow was more important to him than catching prey. I'll just hunt later, I guess. Or eat berries again.

 Suddenly, he heard paw steps behind him. He perked his ears and turned around. ''Meadow?! Meadow, is that you? Meadow!''

 A tall white she-cat jumped out of a bush and looked at Hiron, confused. ''Are you lost, little kit?''

 Hiron dropped his gaze and shook his head. ''No.. I'm sorry, I was looking for someone.''

 ''And for who, exactly?'' The she-cat tilted her head.

 ''Meadow, my sister.'' Hiron meowed and looked up, hurt. ''I haven't seen her for a while, and my parents say she died and that I pushed her in the gorge, but I know she's not dead! This is a misunderstanding!''

 The she-cat pawed the ground anxiously. ''Where did you last see her?''

 ''Over there.'' Hiron pointed with his tail toward the rock where he and Meadow were about to play hide and seek.