Maplepaw's Redemption

CHAPTER 18

Mapledawn ran.

The shadows followed.

Brambles snagged on her pelt, branches whipped her face, and sleeping birds exploded in fright as she sped past. Her muscles screamed for her to stop, but she ignored them as much as the shadow voices begging her to turn back and take her revenge. They won't stop. Hadn't she proved she wasn't that cat anymore? Hadn't she shaken their hold? Yet the shadows whispered, and Mapledawn was for once glad no one else could hear what they were yowling.

She didn't know where she was going. She didn't care. Redpoppy, Wrencatcher, Thrushflight, her new brothers and sisters, they were all behind her, back in the safety of Thunder's dappled trees, and she'd never see them again. Never. How could she ever go back? They'd never believe me. They didn't know what she was. Who she was. Who she used to be. Who Frecklefang was. The only thing they ever saw between us was denmate rivalry. Not a generations-old feud. Blood and lies and dead kits.

And now she was alone.

Going nowhere.

She paused, panting, and glanced around her. The ground was unfamiliar. She looked behind her, shocked to find she couldn't get her bearings. But soon she spotted the Moonpool behind her. She'd barreled through FireClan and TallClan territory, and now she was beyond the Clans, she was in unmarked territory where rogues and loners lived. I guess I'm a loner now. A hill swelled before her, sweet with the scent of heather and wild daisies. She crested it and stopped again to stare out at the world, teeming and alive and wide and so different from Thunder forest (or even ThunderClan... I remember ThunderClan. I remember the Great Sycamore, the river, Fourtrees. Mountains in the distance, too far to touch). Fading moonlight washed the distant fields gray and blue.

It looked empty. She was too far outside of the moors to taste TallClan scent on the wind. She padded cautiously forward, her paws starting to tremble. Keep it together, she chided herself. But what was the point? Gray Wing's stars were fading above her. What's the point? All I have now is my survival. Why struggle for it alone, with no one to live for? She spat at Silverpelt's fading glimmer. Where's your meddling now, StarClan?

Shaking her head, she stumbled down the hill, found a secluded spot between some thickets, and lay flat on her side, not even bothering to pick out the thorns from her makeshift nest.

***

"Did you know you're bleeding? Hey, kitty. Cat. You. Hey. Wake up. Did the forest cats do this to you? They're such brutes, ugh, Great Star above, you gotta learn how to avoid them. Hey. Hey."

Mapledawn blinked open her eyes slowly. Everything hurt. Where am I? This wasn't the warrior's den. This wasn't FireClan.

Then she remembered. Oh. She slumped back against the grass, ignoring the strange cat still mewling incessantly above her.

"No no nooo, you need to wake up you big red lump of fur. By the Great Star get up! You'll bleed to death."

"Leave me alone," Mapledawn grumbled. Just let me die in peace.

"I'm not doing that. Those forest cats must be cruel if they'd leave you like this."

"They didn't do this to me," snarled Mapledawn into her fur. "I did this to me. It's my own fault."

"Nonetheless. Let me help you."

Don't spurn kindless, even if it comes from an unlikely place. Myler's portentous words echoed in her head. She growled aloud. This is a test, too, isn't it? Even here she couldn't escape StarClan's meddling! She cursed and spat and sat up--and fell back down, stars exploding behind her eyes.