Warriors: Black Rain

Chapter 24

         Scarpaw pushed her way back inside the shady den, Leopardpaw just waking from a nap. The storm never ceased it's relentless raging, and the apprentices huddled close together as night fell on the marsh. The familiar sound of cicadas and birds were far away, drowned out by the encasing sounds of nature's fury; the dens were beginning to fall apart, and it took every able cat in the camp to keep them together. Scarpaw sighed, pelt soaked, as the rain found even more holes to pour down inside the den.

      Twitching her ears at the sound of rustling, Scarpaw turned to see Woodpaw making his way past the sleeping forms of the other apprentices, approaching her at the den's entrance. He cast a weak smile, waving his tail.

      "I'm going to try to find some more covering for the den; at this rate, it's going to fall apart." Scarpaw blinked, meeting his pale gaze. 

      "I'll go with you. I don't think I can stand being stuck in here any longer."

      "Are you sure? This rain isn't letting up anytime soon."

      "Of course," Scarpaw mewed, "we can check around the camp's entrance."

      Woodpaw only hesitantly nodded, following her out into the rain. Scarpaw could tell he was hoping to sneak out of camp, but she couldn't let him; she had to figure out what he was up to. Waving her tail for him to follow, she padded through the camp's entrance, ducking under the large mangrove root and emerging out into the marshy wilderness. Destroyed patches of bracken lined the ground, and she began picking up as much as possible, wincing at the mud and leaves in her mouth but keeping a close eye on the smaller tom. He was standing uncomfortably behind her, a pained expression hidden in his eyes, but immediately began grabbing as much as he could when Scarpaw caught his gaze. She blinked, dropping her twigs at her feet to speak, narrowing her eyes.

      "Woodpaw, is there something the matter?" He stopped, twitching an ear, not meeting her gaze.

      "What do you mean?"

      "You've been acting strange ever since the gathering," she called over the howling wind and rain, "I'm worried about you; we all are."

      He stopped collecting twigs, slowly placing them at his paws as the rain pelted his frail form. Taking a shaky breath, he shook his head. "No one's worried about me; and that's how it should be. Please, don't try and get involved, Scarpaw. It's nothing, okay?"

      Scarpaw gulped, blinking against the rain, taking a slow step forward. "Woodpaw, please, what is going on? Is Venomsight making you hide something?" When the tom flinched, she took another step forward. "You know what's going on, don't you?"

      The young tom was shaking now, ears flat. He crouched threateningly, a mixture of fear and pain reflecting in his eyes. "Please, Scarpaw, stay out of this."

      "You don't have to push me away," she yowled, desperately trying to speak above the wind. Thunder boomed in the distance. "I can help if you just tell me, Woodpaw! What are you hiding? Is Venomsight behind your mothers death?"

      Lightning cracked in the sky above, outlining his small form as he leapt, claws unsheathed, towards the she-cat. Scarpaw went to dodge, finding only slippery mud, falling with a splash as she braced herself for a pounce, closing her eyes against the pelting rain. She heard a loud thud followed by vicious yowling and hissing, opening her eyes to see a flurry of silver and brown fur thrashing on the ground. Leopardpaw was trying desperately to pin the smaller tom, but despite his lack of strength, he moved swiftly in the slippery mud. Scarpaw watched as he landed a blow on her cheek, sending droplets of red through the air, causing Leopardpaw to lose her grip and sending Woodpaw sprinting off towards the lake. She stood with a hiss, and Scarpaw rushed over, breathing heavily.

      "Leopardpaw, are you alright? What are you doing here?"

      "Saving your flank," she spat, blood dripping down into her mouth from a nasty cut. "I heard you two leaving and got a bad feeling. I came to make sure nothing happened, and good thing, too; I knew that flea-bag couldn't be trusted."

      Scarpaw shook her head, still in shock from the situation. "He's hurt and confused; he doesn't know what he's doing."

      "Scarpaw, he leapt on you, claws out. If I hadn't stepped in, he would've torn you to shreds!"

      "We have to find him," Scarpaw whispered, gazing towards the patch of undergrowth where he disappeared to. "We don't have much time."

      "We're coming too." Sparkpaw's mew sounded from behind the two she-cats as they spun, watching as he and Maskpaw both padded into the clearing from a nearby shrub. They looked miserable and soaked, but their eyes glowed with fierce determination. Sparkpaw stepped forward, flexing his claws. "I don't understand whats going on here, but if Woodpaw was pushed to the point of attacking you, something is definitely wrong." 

      Maskpaw nodded, with shoulders hunched. "Yeah, he wouldn't do that; ever."

      "Well, he did," Leopardpaw growled, "and we're going to find out why."

      "It's Venomsight," Scarpaw hissed, "he's behind all this somehow. We have to find them."

      "Well, what are we waiting for?" Maskpaw stalked towards the spot Woodpaw ran off to, growling. "It looks like he's headed towards the stream."

      "Then thats where were going." Scarpaw padded to his side, exchanging a glance with the prickly tom. His eyes glowed with frustration, but for once, he gave no condescending remark. Thankful, Scarpaw took off, the other apprentices not far behind. When another flash of lightning boomed overhead, she almost thought she could feel the presence of another cat running alongside her, giving her strength; she pushed past all her weariness and exhaustion, eyes trained ahead. Woodpaw needed her.