MCYT RANDOMNESS 2

Hermit cats pt 2

'Help! Help! Someone! Flowerfur!' I howl as I enter camp. The clan slowly appears, muttering and meowing questions. 'There- there was an accident on the thunderpath... Sparkheart and Mossfang were... were...' I try to fight the images in my mind. 'They were hit and...'

'What?' Cubflight bounds over. Flowerfur's disappears back into the medicine cat den before returning with a mouthful of leaves and berries. 'Where?'

'Th- this way.'

I lead the way out of camp, running as fast as I can despite my exhaustion... how long has it been? Are they alright?

Are they still alive?

Cubflight keeps overtaking, and in the end I give a vague description of the right area and let him race ahead, stopping on the edge of the thunderpath. I stay further back.

'SPARKHEART!' He yowls. I try to figure out which way it is from there, but don't need to as Swiftsnow runs into view.

'Is Flowerfur here?'

'Righ' here luv.' Our medicine cat's right with me, following Cubflight and Swiftsnow back to where the incident happened... 'What happened?'

'They were messing around on the thunderpath and a monster came. They were both hit but... but Sparkheart survived.'

'Mossfang's...?' 

'Dead,' Swiftsnow replies with a dull grief. I stop. Flowerfur's already next to Sparkheart, still lying at the edge of the thunderpath. Cubflight's there only moments later, crouching next to him. Mossfang's dead. He's- he's dead. One stupid prank and...

'H-hey...' Cubflight noses his friend, with a shaky meow. 'Sparkheart?'

'Ow...' comes a mumble back. I glance over, held back by the thought of seeing his injuries and getting in the way. Swiftsnow's curled up next to where he managed to 'save' Mossfang, silent. I'm left on my own, not sure what to do, until Flowerfur stands.

'I've done all I can now... we need to get him back to camp. I've given him a couple poppy seeds for the journey, but we'll still go slowly.'

We go very slowly indeed. The sun's falling by the time we get Sparkheart and Mossfang back. Cubflight and Swiftsnow are refusing to leave their friends' sides so I'm left to explain to Skystar what happened. He disappears to talk with Flowerfur, leaving me to return to the apprentice den. It's only being mentioned during Mossfang's death ceremony that gets me out. 

'As Sparkheart was hit and can't continue as a mentor for now, Cubflight will be taking over as Featherpaw's mentor. I'm sure you'll pass on everything you know to your new apprentice.' I see him give the smallest of nods before returning to the medicine den.

Guilt fills me as Skystar continues, an urge to apologise to Mossfang rising and refusing to go down. But I didn't know him as well as Swiftsnow or Lightningtail, nor was I family like Cherrypaw or his mother Bramblefang. But before I can decide, Cubflight approaches, leading me towards the medicine den instead.

'It's alright,' he murmurs as I glance back at the cats surrounding him. 'Starclan knows you did everything you could.' Sparkheart comes into view, asleep. His back legs are both covered in leaves and cobwebs. The blood's gone, but I still can't look at him. Cubflight lies next to him, inviting me over with a flick of his tail. I accept, lying with my mentor and slowly drifting asleep.

Life changes after that day. Half the time is spent training, fighting and hunting with Cubflight. The rest of the time is spent with Sparkheart, who's talking and laughing like his legs aren't still healing. Until I return one day from training with Bushface, Nightstrike and the apprentices to hear arguing.

'He'll get better!' Cubflight snarls at Skystar.

'He can't walk, Cubflight.' Skystar replies calmly. I creep closer. Bramblefang - Sparkheart's mother - growls, ginger fur bristling. 

'One of my kits is dead, and now you say the other will never be a warrior?!'

'Bramblefang, Cubflight, please... I know you're upset but...'

'I can train him!' Cubflight insists. 'Just let me try to teach him again! You know he'd be willing to try. And we can train Featherpaw at the same time.'

'Wh- what's going on?' I meow. They all turn to me.

'Sparkheart's injuries won't heal enough for him to be a warrior again. Cubflight... disagrees.'

'He'll get better.'

'You know he won't. His legs are healed as much as they will.' Flowerfur creeps from her den. 'You'll just cause him more pain. It's better for him to live in the elder's den with Oakfrost. Starclan has other plans for him.'

With one last snarl of grief, Cubflight turns, running from the camp. I'm left staring at Skystar until Nightstrike, with the half-moon scar over her eye, approaches him.

'Featherpaw! Featherpaw! I'm becoming a warrior!' Cherrypaw bounds over.

'Congratulations!' I reply with a weak purr, stuck thinking of Cubflight and Sparkheart.

'Thank you! Oh, Finpaw will be so proud of me!' She runs to the apprentice den. I just grab some fresh kill and enter the medicine den instead.

'Hey there, Featherpaw!' Sparkheart perks up immediately at the sight of me, even before I give him food, curling up next to him.

'Thanks, Featherpaw,' he purrs back 'You're a great apprentice.' 

'Has Skystar told you that...'

A nod.

'I'm sorry...'

'It's ok,: I reply, though it isn't. 

'It's my fault... one last request as your mentor.' I glance at Sparkheart. 'If I'm going to live as an elder, make sure I can see the sky. I've always loved the stars...' He stares at the sky above, sighing. Across camp, Skystar calls a meeting, and he returns to focus. 'Oh, can you help me over? I think my little sister Cherrypaw's becoming a warrior...' With a nod, I help Sparkheart slowly out of the den, lying down just outside.

'I Skystar, leader of Hermitclan, look call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice,' Skystar begins. 'She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend her to you as a warrior... Cherrypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life.'

'I do.'

'Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Cherrypaw, from this moment you will be known as Cherryclaw. Starclan honours your bravery and strength and welcomes you as a full warrior of HermitClan.'

'Cherryclaw! Cherryclaw! Cherryclaw!' We all call. Right then, Cubflight slips back into camp, sitting next to me and Sparkheart.

'What did I miss?'

'Cherryclaw's a warrior now.' I explain, quieting as Skystar continues.'

'But we have other news too... Sparkheart is unable to continue the life of a warrior, so Cubflight will continue as Featherpaw's mentor.' 

Cubflight sits closer, tail wrapping almost protectively around my legs at the quiet mumbles, as Skystar concludes the meeting.

There might be part 3 as well, but only if I come up with ideas