Horsemoon's Silence

Chapter 12

Horsepaw and Whirlpaw stood up quickly. "What's going on?" Gasped Whirlpaw.
  
"I don't know. Let's go see!" Horsepaw mouthed, with a scared expression on her face. They raced to the Elder's den.
  
When they walked in, it was full of cats. Horsepaw recognized Creamleaf, Stormstar, Crowpelt, and many more.
   
"What's wrong?" Horsepaw mouthed to Acornpaw.

He turned to her. "Hazelpelt's hurt real bad. She was shaking uncontrollably and can't breathe. Creamleaf thinks it's time for her to join StarClan." He looked depressed. Hazelpelt was the apprentices' favorite elder. She always told stories to the kits and played with the apprentices.

"I'm so sorry." Horsepaw mouthed back. She knew that she was Acornpaw and Amberpaw's mother's mother. She loved all the apprentices and kits very, very much.

Creamleaf looked up to the crowd of cats. "Hazelpelt has joined StarClan." She waited until the gasps and wails died down. "We'll sit vigil for her." She turned to the hazel colored elder. "May StarClan light your path. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep. Farewell, good friend." She licked Hazelpelt's shoulder.

A few warriors began to drag her out of the Elder's den and into the center of camp. Stormstar turned to the other cats, after talking with Creamleaf and Honeypelt. "After this sad tragedy, we are receiving new life in the clan. Honeypelt is carrying Barktooth's kits, and has decided to join the Nursery." He smiled as everyone cheered for the new mates. "We will now sit vigil. So if you're sitting vigil for Hazelpelt, get situated. If you are not, please continue your duties." He dismissed the clan and the cats went to which ever they were going to do. Horsepaw decided to sit vigil for the elder. Whirlpaw did too.
   
The two apprentices padded out the Elder's den, and sat down near the dead elder's body. They were joined by Acornpaw, Amberpaw, Frogclaw, Raccoonpaw, Creamleaf, and Snakepaw. The cats got comfy for the long night of silence and grief.
<•>
The next day, Horsepaw got up and stretched her limbs. She was lucky she didn't fall asleep, because she heard from warriors gossiping of patrols, that if you fell asleep during a vigil, you would die a few days later.
   
She got up and padded to the fresh-kill pile, and took a small rabbit to eat. Whirlpaw, of course, joined her. They ate silently, tired from last night's vigil. When they finished, Whirlpaw went to practice battle training with Grassfoot. Horsepaw waved goodbye.

A cat walked up to her. Horsepaw turned to see her mentor. "Come," Bounceheart said gravely. Horsepaw obeyed, scared for what she did wrong.

Bounceheart lead her to the edge of camp. Frogclaw, Raccoonpaw, Eagleeye, and Snakepaw were also there. They all looked grave, too.
   
Bounceheart then laughed. So did the others. "Don't worry! I was just going to tell you we're joining a border patrol! Did you see the look on your face?" She thought she was hilarious.
   
"So funny." Horsepaw mouthed sarcastically. "I really thought I was in trouble." She couldn't help the smile, though.
   
"Okay, let's go." Frogclaw said. He began the long trek to the borders. The others followed. He'd make a good deputy. Horsepaw thought. She followed close by Bounceheart.

When they got to the border near the Thunderpath, Frogclaw stopped. He turned. "Bounceheart, Horsepaw, and Snakepaw, patrol this border. Eagleeye, Raccoonpaw, and I will go to the river border." His cats padded away to patrol the border with RiverClan, while he left the others to patrol the ShadowClan border.

"So, how's training going, Snakepaw?" Asked Bounceheart, while she was marking a tree.

"Well, I think it's going good. That's what Deerstrut says, at least. He said my final assessment isn't too far away!" Snakepaw answered excitedly.
   
"That's great!" Horsepaw mouthed to him. He glared at her. Then he smiled at Bounceheart.
   
Horsepaw was taken aback. What did I do? I guess someone put dirt in his fresh-kill. Maybe he's just having a bad day, so he's taking his anger out on me. But why me?... Horsepaw thought, confused.
   
Bounceheart stopped. "You guys finish marking. I'll meet you back here. I'm going to check if there's any fox scent near the old den where we chased out the fox a few sunrises ago. I'll be right back." She bounded off happily.
Don't leave me with him!... Ugh. Horsepaw wished that she could talk right now, or this was about to be awkward.
   
"I don't like you. You probably know that already. Or not having a voice means you don't have a brain anymore, rabbit-brain!" Snakepaw snarled. "You stole the mentor I wanted, you get all the attention just because you're disfigured, and Stormstar likes you the best!" He leaped on Horsepaw.
   
Horsepaw tried to shriek for help, but no one came. The two cats battled, biting and scratching. They rolled on the Thunderpath. Horsepaw pulled apart.
   
"Monsters! They're going to hit us!" She mouthed wildly to Snakepaw.
   
He grinned with malice. "Oh no, they're going to hit you." He pushed her father on the Thunderpath. She scrambled back to the grass. Snakepaw tried again. Horsepaw dodged his shove, and he tumbled forward onto the Thunderpath.
    
"Ahhh!" He screeched as they heard a monster rumbling down.
    
"Give me your paw!" Horsepaw mouthed, but sadly, Snakepaw wasn't looking at her. He was staring like a deer in headlights at the monster coming fast.
    
Horsepaw shut her eyes tightly as she heard a sickening crunch, and the monster's wheels screeching across the acrid black Thunderpath.
   
Horsepaw opened her eyes to see the fellow apprentice, laying ominously still on the Thunderpath.