Featherstar's Destiny

Chapter 10

"He was a great father", Silvercloud meowed.  

The preparations had been made for Graypelt had been completed and the Clan was now  beginning the mourning ceremony.  Featherpaw, who was sitting  beside Silvercloud, looked up when her mother spoke up.  As she gazed at the dead gray elder in front of her, she felt sadness rush through her.  Letting out a whimpering cry, she pushed her face into her mother's silvery pelt.  Her ears pricked up  and she looked up when she heard Darkclaw speak up.

 "He was a great mentor", the dark tabby tom sighed. The usually grumpy tom had a look of sadness across his dark face.  

"He helped me when I was grieving for Rootclaw", Meadowlark meowed.  The tortoiseshell elder had padded up to Graypelt's body and pushed her nose briefly into his cold pelt. 

Featherpaw stepped back and let the rest of the Clan say their final farewells to the dead tom.  She stumbled wearily towards the apprentices den and bumped into Smokepaw. The pale gray tabby tom backed up and went to speak to her, but Featherpaw brushed past him without a glance in his direction. 

"Stop", he finally meowed.

 Featherpaw whirled around and looked up at the apprentice.  The smoky tabby placed his tail over her shoulder and guided her gently towards her nest.  Featherpaw stumbled to her nest and curled up in a ball without saying a word.  Smokepaw let out an affectionate sigh and began to lick the silver apprentice's fur.   She let out a purr and laid there for a few heartbeats before finally letting sleep wash over her.  It felt as if she had barely fallen asleep when she felt a paw prod her on the side. She looked up to see Lionfur standing in front of her. 

"I want you to help guard the camp", the golden tom meowed. 

 Featherpaw lifted her head to see if Smokepaw was still there, but the gray tom was gone.  Dipping her head to Lionfur , she headed out of the den and made her way outside of  the camp. She sat down with a sigh and looked out across the forest.  She jumped when she heard pelts brushing beside her.  Willowclaw and Mistcloud padded past her and was going into the camp.  Mistcloud waved her tail in greeting to Featherpaw, but Willowclaw ignored her with a huff.  Featherpaw rolled her eyes and turned her head back towards the forest ahead of her. 

"Featherpaw", a voice whispered into her ear.  

Who is it now  Featherpaw thought with a sigh.  She turned her head and looked around to see who had called her name.  She thought that  she had seen  the dark gray silhouette of Whisperstar  for a few heartbeats.  The ghost was staring at her with a pair of piercing amber eyes before she disappeared.   

"Whisperstar?", Featherpaw whispered.  She blinked her eyes and saw that a dark gray she-cat was  still standing in front of her.  

" Who?",  the newcomer asked with wide eyes. 

That's Cedarclaw.  I hope she didn't hear me say Whisperstar's name.   Featherpaw thought with an inward growl. 

A gray she-cat peered nervously from behind Cedarclaw.  It was Willowtail,  ShadeClan's medicine cat.  

"We need to speak to Berrypelt", Willowtail meowed.  The she-cat was kneading her paws nervously at the ground.  

"I'm here", a voice meowed.

 Featherpaw turned around to see the cream colored tom peering at the three cats from the camp entrance.  She watched as Berrypelt lead the two ShadeClan she-cats towards his den. The silver tabby turned her blue gaze back towards the green forest and blinked in surprise. Whisperstar was balancing gracefully on a branch above her head. 

"You're doing well",  the dark she-cat meowed.  She leaped off of her perch and stalked towards the small she-cat with pride in her starlit gaze. 

"Am I really destined to rule this Clan?",  Featherpaw asked. 

"Accept your destiny young one",  Whisperstar replied gently. 

"How?", she asked. "Why should I when my mother's father cannot see me becoming who I will be in the future?"

"Just tell yourself that you will rule this Clan some day",  Whisperstar meowed.  " Graypelt runs with the stars now. He is pleased to know his kin will lead. Don't grieve young one."

Her amber eyes blazed as she touched the silver cat's nose.  She felt energy surge through her.

"What are you doing to me?", she yowled.

"Accept your powers" Whisperstar meowed as Featherpaw staggered.

She finally felt her legs collapse under her and blackness darker than night flooded through Featherpaw's mind.

                            ....................................................................

Smokepaw padded through the woods with the patrol ahead of him.  The border had been quiet and no foreign scents were on their side of the scent markers.  As he was looking around with wide amber eyes, he felt a sudden urge of danger in the air. The gray fur along his spine rippled and his whiskers trembled. Something was definitely wrong.  His worries were confirmed  when he heard a gasp of alarm from Sunstrike.  Darkclaw's dark fur bristled and he whispered into Sunstrike's golden-furred ear.  The she-cat looked back at Smokepaw with a look of pity in her eyes while  Mintnose flicked his tail with worry as he  sniffed the mound of fur in front of him.  Smokepaw brushed past his older Clanmates and gasped. It was Featherpaw!  Sunstrike dipped her head to Darkclaw and the two cats lifted the silver she-cat onto Mintnose's shoulders. The body flopped gently when she was placed across the light gray warrior's back.  Smokepaw matched his brother's steps and looked on with a fretful gaze at Featherpaw. Sunstrike brushed past him and headed towards Flickerstar's den. Silvercloud raced out of the warriors den with Breezeclaw close behind her. 

"What happened?", Breezeclaw asked while Silvercloud yowled in fear. 

"I can't lose my kit too! Not so soon after Graypelt!" Silvercloud wailed.

Stormpaw raced out from the apprentices den with bristling dark gray fur. His amber eyes widened when he spotted his sister.  When Mintnose placed the silver cat's body down,  Stormpaw pushed his nose into his sister's fur.  Oakpaw hurtled across the clearing and stood in front of the group of shocked cats. 

"Move out of the way!", the red-brown apprentice growled.   Turning to Mintnose, he meowed,  "Can you help me get her into the medicine den?", he asked. "Some cat who was on the patrol explain what happened to the others."

He gestured with his tail for Silvercloud, Breezeclaw, Stormpaw, and Smokepaw to follow him.   After Featherpaw was placed into a bed of moss,  Smokepaw laid down beside her and licked the unconscious she-cat's pelt.   

Breezeclaw padded up to Featherpaw and placed a black paw on his daughter's flank. He looked up with joy in his amber gaze. 

"She's breathing!", he mewed joyously. 

"Great",  Smokepaw sighed. 

The cats turned to him with wide amber eyes.  He looked at them with surprise in his eyes.  

"What?", he asked. 

Silvercloud had been leaning against Breezeclaw. Her eyes shone softly as she nodded to Smokepaw. She understood.