Whitefoots' Suffer

Chapter 5 - The Dream

WARNING! Long chapter ahead!

"D-dead?" Whitepaw stammered. 

"Yes." meowed nightshine sadly.

Cherryjaw, was Fernhearts mate, so in a way, Cherryjaw was his father. Well, foster father. Whitepaw wasn't sure if that was the reason Redstar appointed Cherryjaw, his mentor. But he was glad Cherryjaw was his mentor. He was the most experienced warrior! He was going to teach him so many cool things... but now, he's dead.

Whitepaw whipped his head aroound to Ravepaw, standing shocked at the edge of the sunning fields. "You! You...killed him!" Whitepaw shouted angrily. "If it wern't for you, Cherryjaw wouldn't be dead and we wouldn't be having a badger, roaming around!" Everyone looked a bit shocked at Whitepaws harsh behavior. He was usually nice, gentle, and was never angry. 

Whitepaw gave Ravenpaw a hating glare, and turned around to Cherryjaw. "Let's get him back to camp." Meowed Cloudfur. "And your punishment," Cloudfur turned his head to Ravenpaw. "will be decided, at camp." Ravenpaw hung her head low, and joined the back of the line.

The walk to camp was silent. It was becoming dark. Velvet and orange, streaked across the sky. Birds chirped, and Whitepaw could hear small footsteps running around. Only if I knew how to hunt. Thought Whitepaw.

Then Whitepaw remembered Darkstripe. He had helped him jump a big rock, and escape a badger. Be wiser next time. Darkstripes words, ringed in his ears. He was kind of mouse brained out there. He didn't do anything at all. He didn't race up to a tree right away. 

They entered the camp with Cherryjaws snow colored body. His red colored jaw gaping open. Everybody in the camp, gasped. They all ditched eating or grooming, or whatever they were doing, to crowd around the patrol. 

Redstar must have heard the commotion, because he walked out of his den. "What happened?" Asked Redstar. Lilyheart came up beside Redstar. Then she looked at Ravenpaw questionably. "And why is Ravenpaw with you?" She asked.

"When you were out on patrol Redstar, Ravenpaw came in the camp, reporting a badger." Explained Stormpelt. "Lilypelt organized a patrol to fight off the badger.-"

"Cherrjaw! My mate! What happened?" Fernheart came dashing through the crowd of cats. She took one glance at Cherryjaws body, that lay on the ground, and wailed. Whitepaw walked up to his foster mother. "Ravenpaw is the reason he is dead." Whitepaw stated. Fernheart cast a hating glare at Ravenpaw.  Ravenpaw hung her head low and guilty. "I didn't-" She started.

"Enough!" Meowed Redstar. "Continue with the story, Stormpelt" 

"Anyways. We went to go and fight the badger, and we almost killed it." Stormpelt quickly glanced at Ravenpaw. "But Ravenpaw must have followed us, because she came out of the bushes and,-" Ravenpaw cut in. "I saw three helpless Badger kits! They would have no mother, and they would die without her! I just thought-" Ravenpaw started. "You wern't thinking." Said Nightshine. 

"Well," continued Stormpelt. "That amount of time gave the badger a chance to strike. So, he- I mean she, slammed his paws down on cherryjaw, and..." Stormpelt stopped, and looked down at Cherryjaw. Whitepaw stomped his one white, left leg down. And now he's dead. Whitepaw thought. 

A couple of cats Carried Cherryjaw into the middle of the camp. Cats, including Whitepaw, Fernheart, Moonpaw, and Redstar, sat beside his cold, lifeless body. Ravenpaw tried to sit down by fernheart to mourn, but Fernheart hissed at her. Whitepaw felt a bit of sympathy for her, as she sadly walked off to her den. But he shrugged it off.

After a while, the only cats left, by Cherryjaw's body, was Whitepaw, Moonpaw, Fernheart and Redstar. Cherryjaw was Redstars' best friend, and was probabaly almost as sad as Fernheart. Fernheart looked up at the stars, and whispered somthing. Whitepaw tilted his head to the stars. You would have been a great mentor. Whitepaw thought. Was Cherryjaw looking down on them from Starclan, right now? Slowly, Whitepaw drifted off into a deep sleep.

*        *        *

 Whitepaw woke up in a forest. A different forest. He was in a small clearing. It was still dark, and it felt warm out. Where was he? He heard rustling behind him, and turned around.

"Hello, Whitepaw." Said a dark black, slee furred she-cat.  

"M-mom? Is that you?" Whitepaw mewed. Was it really his mom? Was he in Starclan?

Nightflower, Whitepaws real mom, walked up to him and nuzzled him. "I missed you." She meowed. "Me too." Whitepaw purred. "It's really you! Am I in Starnclan?"

"Yes." Said another voice. A stalky White tom walked out of the bushes. "Dad!" Whitepaw ran to his father, Snowshine. 

Whitepaw was so happy. He was with his dad and his mom. I wish Moonpaw was here. She would be so happy! Whitepaw thought of his sister. He never talked to her about her first time out as an apprentice. I will. 

Then he thought back to when is parents were alive. How his mom always comforted him, when he was sad. And how Whitepaw and Moonpaw pretended his dad was an intruder, and tackled with him. Snowshine would always play along.

Whitepaw shivered as he thought of their death. Nightflower was walking by the thunderpath. She had a touch of whitecough, and the medicine-cat Flowerbreeze had suggested that she go for a walk. Snowshine insisted that he go with her. They were walking beside the thunderpath, when a monster came by. The monster skidded on the icy thunderpath and crashed into a tree. A tree Nightflower and Snowshine was in front of. Later on, a patrol found their bodies, and brought them to camp. Whitepaw was shocked by all the blood and broken bones. But didn't relize they were dead. "Mama? Daddy? Are they ok? Why are they sleeping?" He remembered saying. 

"What are you doing here?- No, what am I doing here?" Whitepaw asked. 

Nightflowers soft gaze turned into a sympathetic look. Snowshine looked at Nightflower. "There is a prophecy" Snowshine stated. He looked back at Whitepaw.

"A cat of a clan who has suffered much pain, will shine bright as the stars above us. But if this cat is to chose the wrong path, it will cause pain to those it loves." Nightflower meowed. "I-it's about you, Whitepaw." Nightflower meowed. 

"Me! Am I really destined to shine bright?" Whitepaw was amazed. A prophocey about him!

"Yes. But, I must warn you. There are cats called Dark forest cats. They are evil, and munipulative. Be wise about your choices." Snowshine meowed with concern. His gaze turned soft as he looked at Whitepaw. "Take care." He meowed. "We will be with you through good and bad times. Goodbye, son. Tell Moonpaw I said hi." Nightflower grinned. Both Whitepaws' parents walked into the bushes, tails twined together. 

"Wait!" Whitepaw yelled, but everything faded to darkness.

*        *        *

Whitepaw jolted awake. It was dawn, and Cherrjaws body was gone. So it was a dream. But it felt so real! Whitepaw thought. Moonpaw walked up beside him. "How are you?" She asked. "Okay, I guess." Whitepaw answerd. I'm going to tell Moonpaw. But first... "Moonpaw?" He asked.

"Yah?" She meowed.

"How was your first day out training?"

This is the longest chapter I wrote! Am I never going to write a short chapter??? Well, I hope you enjoyed!