Curlykit's Adventures

Chapter 10

Curlypaw padded out of the apprentices' den; he had gotten Spiderpaw a nest he could sleep in. He sat in the clearing for a moment, and sighed. I need to tell Breezestar the other main reason I'm going to stay in MoonShadow, Curlypaw thought, but will he think it's enough? Curlypaw looked around, realizing he wasn't alone. Mustachemuzzle had approached him, and sat down in front of him, waiting.
     "Oh, hi," he jumped, startled. Mustachemuzzle locked her gaze with Curlypaw's. "You get it now, don't you?" Mustachemuzzle sighed. Curlypaw dropped his gaze and nodded. "I'm sorry. I should've told you. Then maybe you wouldn't of wanted to stay in your new clan and break every cat's heart but your own." Mustachemuzzle's gaze was hard, and he winced at the hostility in her voice. "Mustachemuzzle, it's not your fault," Curlypaw tried to lighten the mood. "We should move this elsewhere," he added, waving his tail as he got up, motioning Mustachemuzzle to follow.
     He looked back, thankful to see Mustachemuzzle tagging along, a bit farther back than he had hoped. Curlypaw stopped at the training hollow, which was out of earshot of the camp. "So you're okay with breaking your true Clanmates' hearts?" she repeated. Curlypaw hesitated, then meowed, "you make it sound like I took a mate on purpose just so I'd have a reason to go back!" "What if that is why?" Mustachemuzzle challenged. "It's..." Curlypaw couldn't think of the words. "That's not why I stayed." "Then why did you?" Mustachemuzzle stared hard at Curlypaw. "The cat who killed my mother is in MoonShadow," he exclaimed, regretting it right after. Mustachemuzzle stepped back, surprised. "That clan exists?" "And there goes their cover," he muttered under his breath.
     "I thought they were just stories the Wise Ones told the kits," Mustachemuzzle gasped. "No, they're real," Curlypaw groaned, "and now I'll be in a lot of trouble for blowing their cover." "They stayed hidden on purpose?" Mustachemuzzle asked, confused. Curlypaw looked at her and nodded. "For their own protection. They do things differently than TimberPeak, MurkWaters, and HollowGrove." "How so?" Mustachemuzzle was sitting down now, interest sparkling her in eyes.
     Curlypaw explained the different apprentice dens, and how they train differently. He talked about the Swifts and how he was put in that den, the Waters, Earths, and Airs. "Which den is your mate in?" Mustachemuzzle meowed, her gaze fixed on Curlypaw. But there wasn't jealousy in it, he couldn't read her expression. All he knew was that she seemed to be interested in everything about this clan she was told didn't exist. "Her name's Nightpaw," he meowed, "she's in the Waters den." Mustachemuzzle seemed satisfied with the new information. "Just don't tell the others yet," he pleaded, "Spiderpaw wants to tell everyone all about his old clan." Mustachemuzzle nodded, understanding.

     Pale dawn light poured into his makeshift den. He rose to his paws and stretched, it had been a long night. Mustachemuzzle and Curlypaw talked for a while longer, and she admitted her feelings and that she was at peace to see that he was alive. Even though Curlypaw knew talking about his new mate hurt her feelings, she seemed happy that he had found happiness with a cat.
     Curlypaw padded to Breezestar's den and popped his head inside, calling out to him. "May I come in?" "Yes, you may," Breezestar meowed. He was laying in his nest in the back corner of the den. Curlypaw stepped inside and approached Breezestar slowly. He was alone. "I thought it would be better to tell you the other reason why I must return," Curlypaw started, but was cut off by Breezestar. "Your mother's killer is in the clan, I'm aware." Curlypaw sworn he heard his jaw hit the floor. "What?" was all he could meow, shocked. Breezestar looked up at him. "I knew this MoonShadow clan existed," Breezestar began, "and your mother would always look for them. She claimed a cat kept appearing in her dreams, talking about a clan named MoonShadow. She was confused at first, then tried finding it."
     Curlypaw was shocked. But Breezestar wasn't done telling the story, and Curlypaw was barely listening. "Your mother came to me one day, telling me that she found the clan. I went out hunting with her the next sunrise, I know I don't hunt often, but she wanted to talk to me about it and I agreed to hunt with her. We were attacked. The tomcat she saw in her dreams attacked her and killed her. We couldn't take him on together, he was too strong. He was only focused on her, and it made it difficult for me to save her. Another cat appeared and pounced on me, and I barely escaped. After I got free, I saw your mother lying there. The tom meowed something to his Clanmate, and they retreated. I tried to take her back to camp, but she was losing too much blood. I'm so sorry, Curlypaw. I couldn't save her."
     Curlypaw couldn't believe what he was hearing. He tried to wake himself up, clearly he was dreaming. He couldn't, because he wasn't dreaming. Curlypaw's jaws were gaped open, and shock, sorrow, and anger filled his belly. Curlypaw looked at Breezestar, his face was blank, but his eyes were filled with sorrow from the old memory. "I.." Curlypaw tried to speak, but he couldn't. There were no words he could speak. "Do Pantherpaw and Loudpaw know?" Curlypaw asked, surprised he found something to ask. Breezestar shook his head.
     Breezestar was looking down at his paws. Curlypaw got the hint. "Don't blame yourself, Breezestar. I don't blame you and neither do my sisters." Curlypaw dipped his head and padded out of the den.

     Spiderpaw bounded up to Curlypaw as he emerged from Breezestar's den. "The apprentices here are so nice! I think I'm going to enjoy living here." Curlypaw nodded, clearing not paying attention. "Curlypaw, are you okay?" Curlypaw snapped back into reality as Spiderpaw asked the question. "What? Oh, yeah, I'm okay," he lied. He has been lost in his thoughts since he left the leader's den. Had Breezestar really been there for his mother's death? Should he blame Breezestar for not saving her? Was she beyond saving?
     "Did you hear what I said about the apprentices?" Spiderpaw asked, concern glittering in his eyes. "No, I didn't, sorry," Curlypaw meowed apologetically. "It's okay," Spiderpaw's tail drooped. "I said they're great and that I think I'm going to like it here." "You really will, Spiderpaw. I promise," Curlypaw meowed, forcing himself to sound happy. Spiderpaw smiled and dashed off.
     Should I tell Loudpaw and Pantherpaw what Breezestar said? Curlypaw was lost in his thoughts again. She is their mother, I think they deserve to know what happened. But they don't want to speak to me. How would I tell them? As if his thoughts summoned them, Pantherpaw and Loudpaw slowly dragged themselves across the clearing. "Loudpaw, Pantherpaw," Curlypaw called, "I need to speak to you." They seemed hesitant, the way they looked at each other for a moment before they walked over to him.
     "What do you need?" Pantherpaw asked, twitching her tail in annoyance. "I know what happened to Nightsky," Curlypaw meowed hastily. "Follow me, I'll tell you." Exchanging a glance, Pantherpaw and Loudpaw nodded agreement and followed Curlypaw out of the camp and into the undergrowth.
     He lead them away from the camp, and past the training hollow. There were apprentices there. They asked where the three littermates were going, and Pantherpaw flatly told them they were going hunting. They came up on a narrow and quiet river, where Curlypaw stopped and sat down. "I was in Breezestar's den this morning," he started, "and he told me that he knew the other reason why I wanted to stay in MoonShadow besides my mate." Loudpaw tilted her head in confusion. "I know mother's killer is in MoonShadow. It's the clan that I've been at for the past few moons. Breezestar basically read my thoughts, then told me he was there when mother was killed." Pantherpaw seemed interested now, and Loudpaw understood. Her head wasn't tilted anymore.
     "What did Breezestar tell you?" Pantherpaw meowed. Curlypaw told his sisters the story that Breezestar told him and explained that he had seen the tomcat in his dreams as well, and he was the one who kidnapped him. Loudpaw's eyes were wide with shock, and Pantherpaw's ears flicked up in alert. When he was done, he added, "and that's why I must return. I haven't seen the tom yet, but I know he's there. I want to confront him." "If he is as strong as Breezestar says, he'll rip you to shreds too! And then you'll end up just like mom. Dead!" Loudpaw exclaimed.
     "Well, if he wanted you dead, wouldn't he of killed you already?" Pantherpaw meowed above her sister. Curlypaw put his tail on Pantherpaw's shoulder. "That's my point," he mewed. Loudpaw settled down, her fur slowly lying flat. It raised while she was talking about how Curlypaw would end up dead just like their mother. Hearing Loudpaw say those words stung, it seemed she didn't believe in him. "Let him try, Loudpaw. It'll work out. Curlypaw's a strong cat and he can learn to fight like this mysterious tomcat." She narrowed her eyes in a way that said she wasn't happy backing Curlypaw up, but she would to calm Loudpaw down.
     Curlypaw looked at Loudpaw. "I understand your concern. If I take care of him and live, I will come see you two so you know I'm still alive. Until then, don't expect to see me." "You're planning on fighting him?!" Loudpaw gasped, shock filling her gaze again. "If it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he'll get." Curlypaw meowed, looking at his sisters. "Tell the others I've left. I hope I see you again soon." He rubbed his muzzle against theirs, turned tail, and fled.

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AN:
Sorry I haven't been keeping up with releasing chapters like I said I would. I'm going to start getting more into the habit of writing, which I haven't been doing often. Thank you for the support!