The Roaring Winds

Chapter Nine: Darkness and Light

Chapter Nine: Darkness and Light

Rosepaw paced the clearing continuously, unsure of how to spend her time. Her eyes were starting to droop with tiredness, and each blink seemed longer than the last. She aggressively shook her pelt, in the attempts to stop herself from drifting off. She stretched her forepaws, her limbs quivering slightly as she flexed them. A large yawn escaped her jaws in the process.

"You must stay awake. Do you want to let down your Clanmates again? You're already weak and pathetic, you don't have to go the extra mile and fall asleep on them! If anything happens during the night, it's all your fault." Once again, the negativity was back at her mind, and, of course, it was always right.

Don't fall asleep. Don't fall asleep! You can't let down your Clanmates more than you already have! Rosepaw scolded herself as she unconsciously slid out her claws into the ground. Her eyes were starting to close yet again, so she stared up at the sky, hoping to keep her eyelids open.

The stars above her betrayed nothing. Their light was present within the sky, and they occasionally twinkled. No clouds were present in the sky whatsoever, and the moon was glowing. ShadowClan, while murky and dark, still had a faint amount of light dotting the floor of the marshy camp. Rosepaw looked back down at the landscape around her.

"You look awfully tired, Rosepaw," Frostpelt commented yet again. She had been serving as camp guard for the passage of the night, and she always had one eye on the pacing apprentice.

"I'm fine, Frostpelt. This is nothing," Rosepaw responded quickly. She stopped besides the white-and-gray she-cat. "Besides, every cat at the Gathering is still awake, and they aren't falling asleep on their paws. I'll be fine, I promise."

Frostpelt frowned, and she took a few steps toward the younger she-cat. "Rosepaw, I honestly doubt your words. Your eyes have lost all their natural glow, and your pawsteps grow more ragged with each step that you take! Rosepaw, why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Because! I need to take care of my Clan, Frostpelt! I'm the medicine cat apprentice, and since Oakstump is gone at the Gathering, I am the sole cat responsible for everyone's health. If anything happens, it's all on me. I can't go to sleep, in case something happens," Rosepaw's voice cracked with despair and her ears flattened.

"Oh, Rosepaw..." Frostpelt softened. She licked the ginger-and-white tabby's ear. "You put so much pressure on yourself each and every day. Sometimes, you have to accept that they are other cats who are willing to help you. I'm the camp guard, so I will be able to detect any trouble going on outside and inside the camp walls. If any cat is hurt or ill, then I'll wake you up."

"Frostpelt, I appreciate your offer, but I have to decline. It isn't your responsibility to look for any cats in need of healing. It's my primary role to heal and look out for my Clanmates, not yours," Rosepaw responded, shaking her head.

Frostpelt narrowed her gray eyes, which were now cold. "Rosepaw, I insist that you get some rest. You have pulled yourself through so much strain throughout the entire day, and you've been up since dawn! Every cat who left for the Gathering slept in until sun-high. It is completely normal and acceptable for you to go to sleep right now. And, before you object, I also have a responsibility to take care of our Clanmates. Warriors protect each other, and look out for the weaker members of the Clan. As my responsibility, I will observe camp until moon-high and make sure that every cat is fine. So, Rosepaw, if you don't go into the medicine-cat den and get some rest, then I will drag you there myself!"

Rosepaw flinched at Frostpelt's harshness. She didn't meet the warrior's eyes, and instead, she trailed her gaze down to her white paws. Quietly, Rosepaw made her way back toward the medicine-cat den without looking back. She heard pawsteps quickly following her, and Rosepaw slowed her pace.