Flamepaw's Destination

Chapter 7

            "Flamepaw, Flamepaw," came a familiar voice.
            Flamepaw glanced up, recognizing the familiar calm tone of her mother. And there, right in front of her, stood her mother, with her gleaming golden pelt. Her father, Brownpelt, stood right beside her, grinning.
            "Mom! Dad!" Flamepaw shouted, running to her parents. Her mother embraced her warmly by wrapping her tail around Flamepaw, but the sensation felt different somehow.
            "What's happening? Where have you gone? Are you hurt?"
            "We've been here the whole time," Brownpelt explained.
            "We've all been here," her mother added.
            Flamepaw watched as suddenly the entirety of RiverClan came into view. There was Goldstar and Troutfin, Rosepettle and Spotteddusk, and even Mothwing with her little apprentice, Spotpaw.
            Why did I think they were missing? Flamepaw wondered. They're all here, right in front of me. Everyone is safe.
            And with those thoughts, she watched as the cats began to fade, and she was shaken awake by Barkpaw.
            Flamepaw gasped in surprise, watching as the cats were replaced by the empty apprentice den. Barkpaw stood alongside her, concerned.
            "Are you okay?" he wondered, rays of the morning sun gleaming off his pelt. "You were muttering in your sleep."
            It had all been a dream.
            "I-I'm fine," Flamepaw stammered, still trying to get over the shock. She had felt so close to all her clan members, she had been assured they were all safe and standing near her. And then, in a moment, they were gone, just like when she and Barkpaw had returned to find the clan gone.
            "Bad dreams?" Barkpaw asked.
            "No, I was just..." Flamepaw's voice trailed off, and she glanced past him, refusing to make eye contact with him. Her eyes instead focused on the fresh-kill pile outside the den that was growing smaller and smaller by the day. Her stomach rumbled, and she supposed breakfast would be the best option.
            "Hungry?" Barkpaw asked.
            Flamepaw nodded, and together, they exited the apprentice den.
            It was their sixth sunrise, marking only two full days left before they'd set out on their own to uncover the mystery surrounding RiverClan's disappearance. While Flamepaw was somewhat relieved to finally be able to leave the camp, she was also nervous, wishing RiverClan would just appear so they wouldn't have to take such extreme measures.
            "How about a rabbit?" Barkpaw wondered.
            Flamepaw let out a small groan but nodded. The fish had run out long ago, and while they could still fish on their own, they still wanted to make use of the fresh-kill pile before all the prey went bad.
            Barkpaw brought the rabbit over to Flamepaw, and together, they bit into it, enjoying their meal in silence. Barkpaw had been keeping his distance some from Flamepaw, not because he was frightened of her or upset with her, but because he understood the pain Flamepaw was going through and was trying to give Flamepaw space. And though Flamepaw enjoyed this, she didn't like feeling too distant from Barkpaw. She wanted them to be close to each other, especially if they were to be traveling together in a matter of days.
            "Not bad," Barkpaw remarked as he continued to eat his rabbit.
            Flamepaw nodded, glancing up at him.
            "Thank you," was all she said.
            "For what?" Barkpaw wondered, suddenly confused.
            "For all of this," Flamepaw confessed. "You've been so calm and collected this entire time, coming up with ideas and thinking of clever ways we can survive. Meanwhile I've been sulking and sobbing. I-I wouldn't be anywhere without you. Thank you for being such a good...friend," she said.
            Barkpaw smiled. "Flamepaw," he said quietly, approaching her. "You have been a great help since this happened."
            Flamepaw smiled weakly, though tears were gathering in her eyes. She felt a sense of comfort as Barkpaw wrapped his tail around her. A strong feeling emerged inside her, and she buried her head into his warm chest.
            "I know this is a lot to go through. I wasn't with you at the beginning of your original quest for Goldstar. But I promise we'll get through this together, both of us, and RiverClan will be saved. Don't think you've been making me upset or slowing us down. What you're going through is completely normal. I experienced it with my clan," Barkpaw explained.
            "Really?" Flamepaw wondered, her throat scratchy from holding back tears.
            Barkpaw nodded and nuzzled her, causing butterflies to erupt in Flamepaw's stomach. She loved Barkpaw she realized now. He was more to her than a friend, but possibly a soulmate, someone who would always be there for her. But she couldn't tell him right now. Not with everything that was going on...
            "Barkpaw, I..." Flamepaw began, then stopped.
            "What is it?" he asked, pulling away from her.
            Did he feel the same way that she did? Should she confess this new feeling? Perhaps she was just overreacting.
            "Why don't we patrol the border now," she suggested.
            "Good idea," Barkpaw replied.
            And then the moment quickly ended. The remains of the rabbit were left behind, and Flamepaw instead followed Barkpaw out of the barren RiverClan camp into the forest. She knew these patrols were seemingly useless now, as they'd gone on several and had still managed to find no trace of RiverClan scent. Still, Barkpaw suggested they keep it up, and Flamepaw couldn't argue. Maybe they would run into some new scent someday. After all, Troutfin had appeared briefly, hadn't she?
            Together, Flamepaw trotted with Barkpaw through the woods, chatting quietly with him. It felt nice to have a pleasant conversation going, even if it was sort of meaningless. They were discussing their favorite types of fish to eat, and while the discussion made Flamepaw hungry for fish, it kept her mind off the whole RiverClan ordeal.
            Both Flamepaw and Barkpaw kept their noses lifted as they scoured the territory, following their familiar route. A faint breeze scattered across the forest, chilling Flamepaw. She almost missed those unbearably warm green-leaf days.
            "Anything?" Flamepaw asked as she watched Barkpaw sniff the air.
            He sighed, answering the question for her.
            "I should've known anyway," she murmured.
            "I'm sorry, Flamepaw," Barkpaw confessed.
            Flamepaw shook her head. "It's okay. We'll be leaving in a few days, won't we?"
            "Let's not think about that right now," Barkpaw told her. "Maybe we'll have some run-in with RiverClan before them."
            Flamepaw nodded, though she found his thinking unreasonable. She was glad Barkpaw was still hopeful and trying to keep her spirits up, but it had become a bit obvious that wherever RiverClan had gone, they weren't coming back on their own, not without force anyway.
            "Don't you find it strange that none of the other clans have come into our territory?" Flamepaw asked as they came near the ThunderClan border. The border had been left exactly as it had been found. There were no scents of trespassing at all.
            "It is odd," Barkpaw remarked. "I would've thought the other clans maybe would have been investigating too, but considering they haven't even come over here...I mean, it's not like they still think RiverClan is here, right?"
            "Right," Flamepaw agreed, aware that something suspicious was going on.
            "Well, we've made an entire lap," Barkpaw announced as they continued walking. "And nothing new except some stale scents of prey and other animals. Want to make another lap?"
            Before, Flamepaw would've immediately agreed, but now, as time passed, her hope seemed to fade more and more, and she shook her head sadly.
            "Let's just head back to the camp," she decided.
            Barkpaw nodded, and together, they padded through the RiverClan forest, the gurgling river echoing in the distance. Flamepaw sighed, memories flooding back of training with Duskpelt near the river. She hoped that her clan, wherever it was, would be able to hear the familiar sound of the river soon.
            Finally, Barkpaw and Flamepaw stepped back inside the RiverClan camp, still finding it completely deserted. Flamepaw always hoped that when she returned, there'd be some member waiting there for them. It didn't even matter to Flamepaw who it was. It could be a young kit of the clan for all she cared. But unfortunately, this was not the case, and Flamepaw resolved to laying out in the weak sun with Barkpaw for the remainder of the morning, possibilities flowing in her head as she wondered where RiverClan was, why it had not returned, and when she and Barkpaw would be able to find their clanmates and feel a sense of belonging once again.