The Four Apprentices

Chapter Eleven

"Hah!" Tawnypaw pounced onto a frog before it had any time to do anything. The afternoon sun was high up in the cloudy sky. Brown and red leaves scattered around the forest. Grayclaw let out a raspy purr, "Nice catch, Tawnypaw!" Tawnypaw purred and picked up her frog. It was the day after the war at Gathering tree. Beestar has increased his patrols. The whole clan was alert for Blazeclan. Grayclaw took her out to hunt as well as Moonpaw and Hollycloud. Hollycloud came out beside Grayclaw. Her dark fur glowing a yellowish from the leaf-fall sun. Hollycloud smiled gently, "You did good, Tawnypaw!" Grayclaw looked at Hollycloud, purring.

Moonpaw padded beside Tawnypaw. She had a thrush in her mouth, "nice catch!" Her voice seemed muffled by the prey in her mouth. Tawnypaw purred, "Thank you!" Hollycloud looked up at the cloudy sky, "We should head back now." Grayclaw nodded his head in agreement. With that, the four cats padded back to camp, the sun shining on their pelts. Once Tawnypaw entered camp, she was greeted by Coalpaw. He padded over to her. His sleek gray fur blowing in the wind, "Hey Tawnypaw!" He purred out. Tawnypaw let out a purr, "Hello, Coalpaw!" They booped noses as a greeting, their tails wrapping around each other.

Darkpaw limped out of the medicine cat den, along with Redpaw. Moonpaw immediately headed up to them. Tawnypaw could tell she was worried. Recently, a cold has been going around camp. A lot of cats were sick. Liontuft, Bugclaw, Thunderfox, Clouddust, Fishpelt, Shadowpaw, and Stormkit. Featherwish has been working all morning to help them get better. But it seemed to get worse. Green cough shouldn't come until leaf-bare, right?

Soulkit ran up to Tawnypaw and Coalpaw, "Tawnypaw! Tawnypaw!" She squeaked. Tawnypaw looked at the small gray kit. Soulkit's soft tail wagged back and forth, "I want to play!" She squealed and batted her tail.

"Soulkit, leave Tawnypaw be!" She heard Morningblaze call toward her kit. Tawnypaw chuckled and looked at Soulkit's mother, "She's not doing any harm.." Morningblaze smiled, "I suppose you're right.."

The sun shone through their pelts. Tawnypaw watched as Dawnstream padded to the fresh-kill pile. This morning, before Tawnypaw went hunting, Dawnstream moved back into the nursery. Though, her kits wouldn't be due for awhile.
Coalpaw pounced onto her, making her squeak, "Hey, you okay?" He asked. Tawnypaw nodded, "Yeah.." He looked at her, rasping a tongue over her ear, "If you say so.."

***

Another day has passed, Tawnypaw watched the sun come up silently. Her green eyes glistened in the light. The dawn patrol has already gone out, with Wolfpaw, Whiteshadow, Bloodmoon, and Darkpaw in it.

Exhaustion went through Tawnypaw, her body ached in pain. She felt sore after night training with Grayclaw.
She felt a presence behind and immediately turned around. Redpaw looked at her, her red fur blowing in the cold wind. She sat down beside her. Silence overwhelmed as they watched the sun go over the horizon, "Pretty, isn't it.." Redpaw let out a soft chuckle. Tawnypaw nodded, "Yeah...it is beautiful..."

"We're lucky to have more kits in the nursery. We need more warriors come leaf-bare. I mean, we lost Fireblaze not too long ago, and Dovelight died before we were even apprentices.."
Tawnypaw nodded her head in agreement. She's right, what other warriors will die fighting in war?

Soon, Redpaw stood up, as well as Tawnypaw, they silently headed back to camp. Surprisingly, Ferretpaw and Wolfpaw were sharing a piece of fresh-kill together. Redpaw smirked and went up to them, while Tawnypaw watched. She smiled softly,
in the darkest of days I know that things will get better..

Coalpaw pounced onto her, softly pinning her down, "Bloodmoon wants us in a patrol with our mentors!" He purred. Tawnypaw lightly pushed him off, getting up, "Well what are we waiting for?!? Let's go!"

Tawnypaw followed her mentor as they padded with the patrol. She looked to see Coalpaw beside his mentor, Clouddust. She smiled softly as she looked back at her mentor. Bloodmoon suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, looking horrified. Grayclaw did as well. He opened his jaws to speak, but nothing came out. Tawnypaw looked confused, What? What's happening?!? Clouddust gently nudged her to the limp figure on the soft gentle grass. Tawnypaw felt a surge of despair as she recognized the corpse, "Skylily!!" She pelted past her clanmates as she went to her mother's corpse. Skylily's blue eyes were wide and lifeless, as the wound on her neck bled. Her fur around it was stained crimson by the blood. Tawnypaw let out a wail of sorrow as she buried her face in her mother's gray fur, crying silently. She felt Coalpaw's tail softly wrap around her, "I'm sorry...." He whispered, his voice filled with grief as he saw his dead clanmate.

"She was a good warrior....." Clouddust murmured. Bloodmoon didn't say anything as she sniffed at the corpse, "...Nightcry...." was all she said.

Silence overwhelmed them as they padded into camp. Tawnypaw heard her clanmates gasp when they saw the dead body of Skylily. Beestar looked at Bloodmoon, horrified. The two silently went into Beestar's den as Clouddust gently placed Skylily's body in the clearing.

"Skylily!!" Whiteshadow's loud cry of despair was heard as he dashed through the clearing to his mate. He buried his face in her fur, crying loudly. Redpaw abandoned her spot beside Adderstrike and went up to Skylily's corpse. She sat beside Whiteshadow, her red tail flicked his back comfortingly. Tawnypaw collapsed beside her father, her heart felt heavy with grief. Why? First Dovelight, then Fireblaze, and now Skylily. Why?
She felt Coalpaw lay beside her. His tail wrapped around her. She buried her face in his fur, his scent comforting her. She drank in his scent, hiccuping from her tears. He soothed her, "Hey, things will get better...Skylily will be watching from StarClan..." He murmured.
But why Skylily? Why did she have to die? She doesn't deserve it!
She let her dark thoughts settle in, slowly falling asleep.