The Apprentice's Curse (A Shrouded Path book 1) {COMPLETE}

Chapter 20

Minnowpaw stared in horror at Shadebelly. A thin stream of blood spilled from his head onto the rocks, trickling downhill towards the river. Her deputy's clouded eyes gazed sightlessly at the clear blue sky. The world around Minnowpaw fell silent.

    No, was all she could think. No, he can't be dead!

    Around her, the fighting stopped. Cats from both Clans cast their eyes towards Minnowpaw as she gaped at Shadebelly's body, frozen in place. Most of them had seen what had just happened. Minnowpaw couldn't form a complete thought. She stared at Shadebelly's flank, ripped and torn and bleeding from battle, and willed it to rise. But it didn't. Her deputy was dead.

    And she'd killed him.

    "Minnowpaw!" Tawnyclaw's voice cut through the silence and she looked up. Her mentor was pushing through the crowd of cats, limping as he approached her. "What--" he took in the sight of Shadebelly. "What happened?"

    "I-- he jumped out in front of me," Minnowpaw managed, choking on a sob. Oh, no, StarClan, no! "I killed him," she whispered, wincing at the realization.

    No cat spoke a word, but they all heard her. Only Tawnyclaw said, "No, it was an accident." His words were meant to be soothing, but his voice was flat with shock and disbelief.

    "But he's dead," Minnowpaw murmured, grief washing over her. "He's dead and it's my fault!" All the excitement Minnowpaw had felt over this battle had been drained away, and suddenly she wished she'd never come at all. But it was too late.

    Minnowpaw was finally able to look up. Her Clanmates' eyes were wide and horrified as they looked straight at her. ThunderClan looked shocked as well, and oddly solemn. The fighting cats had broken apart, and stood panting and bleeding around her. Every cat from both Clans was looking right at her, and she couldn't get away from them.

Ashstar padded forward slowly, his gaze fixed on his deputy's body. "Shadebelly," he whispered in disbelief.

    Suddenly Mosswhisker stepped forward. His gray pelt was terribly torn; clumps of fur clung to him, sticky with blood, and blood dripped from his one white forepaw where he'd torn a claw. "This battle is over," he announced, but his expression was impossible to read. "No more blood will be spilled over these rocks today. Go home, and lay your deputy to rest with dignity." Turning away, he flicked his tail for his Clanmates to follow, and they did, even Copperfoot. Minnowpaw stared in silence as they disappeared into the forest.

    Now it was just RiverClan, and both battle patrols were rooted to the spot. Ashstar was still staring down at his deputy with a grief-stricken gaze. "Come on," he announced to his Clanmates. "Let's take Shadebelly home."

    Minnowpaw was barely aware of the trek back to camp. Her mind was as numb as her body; she couldn't feel any of her wounds, though there were so many, and she could hardly think. The only image in her mind was Shadebelly's amber eyes, wide and alarmed, and the blood running from his head. She'd killed him. He was dead.

    Not paying attention, Minnowpaw stumbled over a small hole in the ground. Immediately Tawnyclaw was there, wordlessly offering his shoulder for her to lean onto, even though he was limping from his wounds. Minnowpaw couldn't even form the words to thank him.

    The cats who'd stayed behind bombarded them as soon as they reached the camp entrance.

    "You're back!"

    "Did you win?"

    "How was the battle?"

    And then the entire camp fell silent as they beheld Ashstar and Birchclaw, Shadebelly's body carried between them. They laid their fallen deputy in the center of camp, and Minnowpaw watched Cherryheart pull her kits closer to her with a paw. But even the kits had no words.