Warriors: Rising Storm #1: Robin's Call

Chapter 5

Shadepaw let out a groan as she awoke, her vision slightly blurred. Then she remembered the dreadful fight against the rogue. She looked around, noticing she was in the medicine cat den in a nest aligned with soft feathers.

She began to sit up when she heard Addertail's voice say, "Don't try sitting, lay down."

Shadepaw sighed and plopped back down. 

A tail touched her shoulder softly. "Next time, don't jump into a battle you can't win," Addertail whispered softly.

Although the words hurt, Shadepaw knew it was true. She slowly turned to face Addertail, careful not to open the wound at her throat. "It's- it's just I don't want to be bullied anymore, not by my family, not by my clanmates, and not by any rogues." Shadepaw suddenly froze. "What happened to the rogue?" she asked, hoping he wasn't in camp threatening her clanmates.

Addertail hesitated, her claws raking the stone floor, making an awful scraping noise. "He's still in camp," she admitted, although it sounded like she wasn't pleased.

Shadepaw's eyes widened like an owl's. "What?" she rasped, sitting up immediately.

Her mentor lowered her gaze. "Eaglestar said he shouldn't be freed to threaten other cats."

Disbelief clouded in Shadepaw's amber eyes. "What about his cats?" she whispered to herself. Her heart felt like it was going to rip in two. Does he hate me too? She tried to shake the thought out of her head, but it kept coming back. "You have to let me start training again," she begged, her eyes pleading.

The medicine cat opened her mouth to protest, but then she quickly shut them. "You won't get out of your nest, I'll bring the leaves to you and you have to tell me what they're used for." Addertail disappeared, but then reappeared with a bundle of different herbs.

Shadepaw shifted, getting a better look at the herbs as Addertail placed them down. Shadepaw quickly spread them out so she could look at them all at the same time. She first looked at a plant with small, daisy-shaped flowers. "Easy," she purred, "feverfew!"

Addertail gave her a glowing look of approval, and pushed a different herb in front of her.

The herb had a long stem ragged leaves. "Parsley!" she mewed confidentially, pushing it away.

The grey-and-white she-cat purred, then said, "Correct!"

After a while, Addertail put the herbs away, saying it was getting late and they'd do the same tomorrow.

Shadepaw watched as Addertail crawled in her nest, placing her fluffy tail over her nose. When she heard her mentor start to gently snore, she lifted herself quietly out of her nest and padded out of the den silently. She looked at the bright moon and let out a sigh. She sat down and curled her tail around her paws. The cool night breeze went blew through her fur, making her shiver at the cold. 

A tail suddenly flicked under Shadepaw's chin, making her jump, shocked. 

Harsh laughing came from next to her as she felt fur brush against her. "What is a pathetic cat like you doing up at night?" The voice sneered.

Shadepaw jumped to her paws, she turned and face the cat, and with a frightening shock, it was the rogue prisoner. "W-what are you doing here?" she looked in his eyes, seeing amusement.

The rogue flicked an ear, "My lazy guard- Shatteredfang I believe -fell asleep." The tom let out a snort. "What a reliable cat!"

Shadepaw's pelt was still fluffed. "Who even are you?" she demanded.

The rogue flicked his tail. "My name's Eclipse," he replied, looking up at the sky.

Shocked at his sudden change, her fur flattened. "Why are you here?" she asked, curiosity replacing her fear.

Eclipse's eyes didn't move from the starlit sky. "I was capture on your land," he replied, though his voice sounded guarded.

Shadepaw tilted her head. "Don't you have a family?" She watched his face carefully. 

Eclipse finally lowered his head, his gaze clouding for a heartbeat, but it cleared away, replaced by rage. "Everybody does!" he snarled, lashing his tail.

"I don't," Shadepaw said, lowering her voice. "My mother hates me, and my father neglects me." She felt herself go on. "My littermates, they died! I could have somebody else with the same problem, and we could have worked it out together!" Her voice began to raise to a wail. "Eaglestar obviously hates me, I don't even know why." She went on as her vision blurred. "What clan leader watches their clanmates get torn about by a rogue? Even you would be a better leader than that fox-heart!" She began breathing heavily, trying to stop herself from wailing louder. "My mother wants to kill me!" she yowled as loud as she could. 

Silence met her words.

Finally Eclipse looked at her. "That's terrible," he muttered. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hurt you." He stood up and padded off to a small den in the clearing.

Shadepaw watched as he left, suddenly feeling disappointed. She could hear the wind as it whistled. She slowly padded back into her nest and drifted off.

...........................................................................................

Shadepaw stretched. She just woke up, the memories of the night before flooding through her. She looked over at Addertail's nest and saw that it was empty. Still not fully awake, she padded out of the den. It was a little past dawn. Swiftly glancing at Eclipse's den, she began walking over to Softsong until Robinheart beat her to it.

Robinheart seemed to notice Shadepaw and gave her a hard stare before talking to Softsong, who was listening intently, sometimes nodding.

Shadepaw growled softly and whipped around, storming across camp. She  sat down under her favorite tree and waited for Addertail to come back, occasionally casting glances at Robinheart and Softsong. 

The soft sound of paw steps made Shadepaw look up. She saw Flowersting and Duskwhisper.

Her eyes were dull as she looked at them. They were clearly happy. "Hello," she mumbled.

Ignoring her attitude, Flowersting purred, "I'm expecting Duskwhisper's kits!" 

Duskwhisper stepped forward, nuzzling his mate. "We can't wait," he said, giving his chest a couple of embarrassed licks.

Shadepaw forced a purr, remembering when she was a kit made it almost impossible. "I'm so proud for both of you, you'll be great parents," she congratulated. Unlike Robinheart, she thought bitterly.

Duskwhisper and Flowersting padded away, waving their tails good-bye.

Shadepaw sighed and stood up, and almost at the same time, Addertail walked in camp. Shadepaw sprinted over to Addertail, who was carrying tansy. "Need help?" she asked, wanting to do something.

Addertail spat out the herbs. "You're suppose to be resting!" she growled, flicking her tail with annoyance.

Shadepaw shrugged. "I feel fine," she mewed simply.

Her mentor let out an exaggerated sigh. "Very well," she said, giving up. "Take these to the den," she ordered.

Shadepaw obeyed, and at once she took the leaves in her jaws and darted off to the medicine den. She placed them down in the tansy pile and headed out of the den. Eclipse was outside, getting cold stares from her clanmates, his eyes were filled with undisguised rage... or was it fake? Shadepaw narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Why was he making a scene?

"If I wasn't here, I wouldn't need your prey!" he snarled, taking a vole from the pile.

She caught his eye and they flashed momentarily with fear. She watched as he quickly padded back to his den. She felt her fur prickle. Shadepaw saw Robinheart and Softsong still talking, now laughing! She snorted and sat down outside the medicine cat den. Someday I will make my mother like me.