Streamtail's Desicion

Chapter 7: An Unspoken Horror

"This is what you deserve you cowardly excuse of a warrior!" the shadowy cat shrieked, as he prepared to rake is claws across Streampaw's flank. Streampaw turned to flee, but all there was around her was a haunting darkness. "Help! Someone help!" she cried out. She felt a the shadowy cat's paw strike her side and sent her flying through the air. Streampaw gather the last bits of courage she had left and pounced at the cat, claws outstretched. She landed a tail-length in front of the shadowy cat. "You call that a battle move!" he taunted. Streampaw watched in utter horror as the cat came closer and closer. "Help someone please help me!!!"

Streampaw let out a shriek as she jumped out of her nest. Her legs were shaking and she was panting. "Hey, what's the big idea!" Lightningpaw yowled. Her eyes widened as she saw Streampaw trembling in the corner of the den. "Great StarClan are you OK?" Streampaw didn't answer. Her mind was racing. It was just a dream... Its was just a horrible-horrible dream, she told herself.

Robinpaw and Sand paw were soon awake and at her side. "Don't worry. Tell us what's wrong." Robinpaw whispered. Streampaw shook her head. She couldn't tell them about the horrid nightmares she had been having. Ever since her accidental encounter with Oakclaw and the ThunderClan patrol, a half-moon ago, she had been having dreams of her own Clan being attacked...and Streampaw wasn't able to save them.

"I'm fine... It was just a dream." she whispered back to the three apprentices.

The brambles at the entrance of the den shook as Lionclaw pushed his way through. "What's happened! It sounded like one of you saw a badger the moment you woke up!" he said. Streampaw looked down at her paws. "I had a really bad nightmare." she mewed pitifully. Lionclaw looked at her, as if he weren't sure of what he could do to help. "Well, it's over now. You all may as well come out and go to your mentors. You certainly look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!" he said breathlessly. Streampaw nodded and padded out of the den. She was aware of the other apprentices staring at her as she walked out. Her heart was still pounding, and she was still trembling.

"Streampaw? What's the matter?" Streampaw looked to see Fawnleap staring at her questioningly. "I had a nightmare," she mewed softly. "But I'm fine now!" she added quickly. Fawnleap narrowed her eyes at her and nodded slowly. "Alright then. Come on then, we're gong to do some battle training today with the other apprentices." she said as she got up and walked towards the camp entrance. No- anything but battle training, Streampaw thought in utter horror.

Fawnleap led Streampaw towards a sand stretch of land just a few fox-lengths outside of the camp boundary. The wind whistled in Streampaw's ears as usual; but the sound of it calmed her down. Robinpaw, Sandpaw, and Lightningpaw were all there with their mentor already practicing the tricks they knew.

"Alright everyone, settle down. Sandpaw and Robinpaw, both of you go and demonstrate the proper play dead technique." Rabbitfoot, Robinpaw's mentor, mewed willingly. The two apprentices nodded and pounced at each other. Streampaw felt her heart stop. She saw Sandpaw let out a frustrated growl as Robin paw pinned him, and he let himself go limp. Robinpaw relaxed her grip on the young tom, but Sandpaw used his back legs and sent Robinpaw flying through the air. She let out a yowl and landed with a thud on the sandy floor.

Just as Robinpaw got on her paws and was a bout to leap again, there was a high pitched cry. "Stop! Stop fighting I can't take it!" Streampaw screeched. All the cat around her froze as Streampaw let out a wail and curled up on the ground trembling. Images of the cats attacking her and her clan mates in her nightmares flashed through her mind. The last image was of Oakclaw pinning Streampaw to the ground and raking his claws across her silver tabby pelt.

The last thing Streampaw heard, were the worried yowls of her clan-mates rushing to her side, and everything went black.