The Fall of Darkclan, The Rise of Shadowed Steps

It's All in the Past

==Flashback==

"Good, now stretch out your front legs so your upper body is upwards." Orchidstorm crouched in front of Whitherpaw, her gaze set on the small tom.  Breezewhisper watched his apprentice closely. "It hurts!" Whitherpaw mewled out as his body stretched outwards, dragging his limp leg against the ground as he stretched. "Orchidstorm, has he been able to even move that leg yet?" The scarred tom padded over closer, gazing at the torn up leg. "No..he hasn't. Bring Stormscar and Nightstar in. I need to speak with them." She stood up, gently nudging Whitherpaw to the ground so he could curl up. 

  Fallen Feather and Mistgaze sat around a magpie, the two sharing the freshly hunted bird. "Whatever happens, Fallen, your family will still be here for you." She spoke between a mouthful of feathers, spitting them out with a cough. "I should've been faster! What if he will never be able to train again? What if he can't become a warrior?" "Then a warrior wasn't his destined path. The only thing you should've done, Fallen, was give Stormscar a few poppy seeds. As much as I hate his snoring, I'd rather that than him squirming all night!" Mistgaze chuckled a little, her gaze softening as she saw the wolf's fur bristle a little as he smirked. "He still makes noise even when he sleeps? Are you telling me no one gets a break?" The she-cat snorted, softly nudging Feather with her paw. "Exactly! He never stops!" The two made jokes throughout the meal, the tension in the air fading away with the wind. Mistgaze buried the bones and stood up. "C'mon, we need to get the rest of what we caught today before the sun goes down."

  "Isn't there some way I can keep training him? He can't give up on becoming a warrior now!" Stormscar meowed sharply at his daughter, his fur bristling on his neck as he listened. "Stormscar, I'm sorry but he can't." Orchidstorm brushed against her father gently in hopes to calm him down. "Breezewhisper agrees with me as well." "And what is Fallen Feather's opinion on this?" Nightstar finally spoke, her smooth voice cutting through the tension in the den. "Fallen Feather doesn't know about this-" "Well he should." Nightstar cut off Breezewhisper's voice. "He is training in herbs to become a medicine wolf, is he not? Is he not Orchidstorm and I's shared apprentice? He deserves a right to decide his clanmates future." The old tom flicked his tail irritatedly, his harsh gaze resting on his leader. "He has only begun training, Nightstar. It wouldn't be right to as the opinion of a newly made apprentice." "Yet he handled the rescue on his own, he gave out the orders. He saved that young cats life and you believe he has no opinion on how he can spend the rest of it?" Nightstar shot back. "I should have an opinion on what happens to him." The wolf pup walked in the den, Mistgaze following behind. "My opinion, is let Whitherpaw choose what he does." He spoke confidently, the eyes of the others burning into his pelt. "And what good will that do him, Fallen?" Nightstar questioned him. "It will make him feel like he's still in control of his life and future. Just because he's injured doesn't mean everyone else but him gets a say in what he spends the rest of his life. Clanmates stick together and help everyone achieve their dreams the best they can, why should we let Whitherpaw's situation be any different?" Mistgaze smiled softly at the wolf, her gaze resting on the black pelt that was familiar to her. "He's right. Whitherpaw deserves a future." She spoke up. "Orchidstorm, there must be some way he can continue to train, isn't there?" Fallen Feather looked to his guardian. "Well...I suppose Breezewhisper, Stormscar and I could figure out some way for Whitherpaw to slowly work on his training." Nightstar nodded in agreement. "Good. I expect you two to learn from this and make sure everyone involved gets a say in what happens."

  Mistgaze padded close behind Fallen Feather, her tail twitching a little. His pawsteps echoed in the dark cave. "Fallen, up next will be the main cave. Be careful." She was met with a silent response as a light shone through the rocks. She watched as the young wolf make his way into the opening. In front of them was a waterfall that flowed into a small pond. "What is this place?" Mistgaze snickered. "It's our camp. Well, it is if something happens to our main camp." He nodded a little, gazing around at the two other cave openings. He led Mistgaze down one of them. "It's so...pretty." Fallen Feather stood in the center of a larger cave. "There's a river down here, too!" He ran over, the she-cat following behind. "The pond probably has another waterfall leading down here." "It's cool. Thanks for bringing me here, Auntie." The she-cat stopped in her steps, watching him pad away.