🍁🍃Warriors: A Poisonous Path🍁🍃

Chapter 11

As fast as her legs could carry her, Emberpaw scrambled out of the den, ignoring Pikepaw's surprised murmur as he returned with the herbs. When she got out, she heaved a deep breath and ran to the apprentices den, glancing around to see if anyone had spotted her strange behaviour. In the apprentices den, she curled up. But sleep wouldn't come. Thoughts of her best friend, plastered with cobwebs and blood still trickling out of his wounds, invaded her mind brutally. Her sides heaved. She stared into the darkness, not even noticing Mudpaw and Haypaw sleeping peacefully beside her. Oh my, please let him be okay! Thoughts flashed in her mind, of Badgerpaw, getting buried. Brindlestar, announcing he was gone. She shook her head in horror. StarClan, help him... Her thoughts abruptly stopped with a jarring halt. StarClan? StarClan was worthless. If they were truly able to help the Clans, why let them suffer? Or can StarClan do nothing, and are ashamed of what their prophecies have done to the living world? Her thoughts rushed even faster than before, whirling into a mass of words and spiteful mocking towards the starry cats. Emberpaw suddenly felt a tail on her shoulder, snapping her out of her whirlpool of panic. She turned her head to see a matted brown she-cat, who lowered her tail when she got Emberpaw's attention. "Listen closely now. 'two will be-'"

"No!" Emberpaw snapped ferociously, showing her long teeth and bushing up her sleek red fur. The StarClan cat flinched, staring at Emberpaw with wide eyes. "No more prophecies. Let the actually alive cats deal with the problems beside the lake." Emberpaw lifted her chin. The StarClan cat shrank back.

"They said you are wise." Was all the sparkling cat said, dipping her head and slowly fading away. 

As soon as she was gone, weariness enfulged Emberpaw. She quickly lay down and fell asleep, despite her worries about Badgerpaw. In the predawn, someone woke her with a short, sharp hiss. Emberpaw's head shot up to see Mudpaw leaning over her. The older apprentice's eyes were troubled. "Hey Emberpaw..." She trailed off, turning her head. 

"Hello, Mudpaw," The vixen frowned. "Is it... about Badgerpaw?'' Hesitantly, Emberpaw spoke her thoughts. She confirmed her guess was right as the brown apprentice turned her head back to her with wide eyes, then relaxed. 

"You know. How?" Mudpaw asked quietly.

"I peeked...I wish I hadn't though," Emberpaw almost choked on her own words. She glanced at Mudpaw.

"Pikepaw told me. He's my littermate, if you didn't know." Mudpaw answered the unspoken question. 

"Oh," was all Emberpaw said.

"You know, Badgerpaw used to be my best friend before you came." Her mouth twisted in a wry smile. "He adored me when he was a kit," her face drooped. She likes him! For a moment, hot jealousy flooded Emberpaw. Then she scolded herself. What does it matter if Badgerpaw gets a mate? A cat mate? She took a deep breath. 

"You aren't friends anymore?" Emberpaw tried to get her mind off of her thoughts.

"Nope. You coming changed everything." Came the reluctant answer.

"Sorry," Emberpaw murmured before turning around, and without a word, falling asleep.

A loud yowl sounded from the clearing, waking Emberpaw for the second time. 

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" The now familliar call rang out against the smooth walls. Emberpaw heaved herself to her paws, groaning at the stiffness in her muscles and untreated wounds. She padded heavily out of the den and started to groom herself at the base of Highledge. Brindlestar was perched up on the top, and scanned the crowd. Her gaze landed on the medicine den, and she stiffened, just for a second before straightening once again as the rest of the Clan began to emerge. Obviously, she knew about Badgerpaw. As Brindlestar looked down on her Clan, waiting for them to assemble, Pikepaw timidly made his way towards her with a bundle of herbs. He hesitated, before approaching and setting the herbs down to speak. 

"I've come to treat your wounds, since yesterday..." He trailed off, and Emberpaw nodded. Without a word Pikepaw chewed up a poultice and began applying it. To get her mind off of the stinging, Emberpaw watched the meeting. Brindlestar was about to speak. "Yesterday, we were without warning attacked by WindClan. However, we managed to drive the attackers away and therefore claim victory!"  She waited for the cheers to die down before continuing. "And now, I have the right to the honor of making warriors. Emberpaw, Haypaw and Mudpaw, step forward." Emberpaw gasped. This couldn't be happening. Not without Badgerpaw. But it was. She broke off from Pikepaw and stood up self-consciously. The warriors stared at her in slight respect, and Emberpaw knew that if she refused now, she would lose the little respect she had earned from this Clan. Against her will, she padded forwards to stand next to Mudpaw, who gave her a friendly nod, and Haypaw, who narrowed his eyes at her. Brindlestar began yet again:

"I, Brindlestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." 
Brindlestar paused, looking at Emberpaw in pride, before continuing."Emberpaw, Haypaw and Mudpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"Emberpaw cleared her lungs before saying loudly and clearly: "I do." Hardly aware of the other two joining her. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Emberpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Emberheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and commitment, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan!" Emberheart was stunned in shock, mixed with a thread of pride. She listened closely as Haypaw became Haywhisker and Mudpaw Mudflower. When the ceremony was over, Brindlestar rested her chin on the three former apprentices' heads one by one and they licked her shoulder in response. 
One of the first to congratulate her was Rainwish. The blue-furred tom purred loudly as he licked her ear. The other warriors said their congratulations and Emberheart wondered what to do. Haywhisker and Mudflower lined up beside her self-consciously as they all stared in confusion at the rising sun. Emberheart turned her wide head to see Brindlestar striding towards them. The vixen nudged Mudflower lightly. Brindlestar cleared her throat and said: "Since it is not yet dusk, not time for you to start your vigil, you may as well enjoy the feeling of being a warrior. You three can go hunting. I'll tell Dovedawn." She twitched her tail dismissively, but before she could leave, Emberheart whispered into the leader's ear: "May I... go see Badgerpaw first?" she asked hesitantly. Brindlestar's eyes flashed sadly.

"You may,"

Woohoo! A chapter with over 1000 words! *proud noises*