The Apprentice's Curse (A Shrouded Path book 1) {COMPLETE}

Chapter 28

Her paws carried her along, and she blocked out the pain of her torn pads and continued running. Minnowpaw flew across the moor, the grass prickly and thick. She didn't know what to do; all she knew how to do now was run. She instinctively headed towards the river, towards home, but a few fox-lengths from the stepping stones she stopped, panting.

She couldn't go home. She was cursed, and if she stayed in RiverClan she'd have to see all of her Clanmates die because of her. The pain of Shadebelly, Breezekit, and Flamepelt's deaths suddenly clawed at her heart. It was almost too much to bear, the memories of losing them, let alone the thought of it happening again. Her heartbeat slowed and her breathing evened out as she stood, completely still, eyes locked on the bubbling river.

"I-I can't go back," she whispered to herself, the realization finally settling in. When she had left the camp, which now felt moons ago, Mudpelt had warned her to never return. Now, she realized, she wouldn't. There was no way she could. If StarClan themselves said it, it must be.

StarClan, she thought bitterly. She turned her gaze to the sky, to the bright swath of Silverpelt. You've condemned me, and cast me out. You don't care about me anymore. It was hard to distinguish between all that she was feeling, the rage and sadness and fear. She began walking again, along the river, slowly making her way along the edge of RiverClan territory, but never stepping across the border. As pink light began to stretch across the horizon, Minnowpaw made it to the far side of RiverClan territory, where the forest sloped down and out of the territory of any of the Clans.

Where StarClan does not walk...

Minnowpaw looked back up at Silverpelt, at the now-fading stars. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Flamepelt," she whispered. Back at camp, RiverClan would be finishing their vigil for the young warrior. "You were wrong. You told me I hadn't changed in any way that matters, but you were wrong." Her words were nearly lost in a sob. She managed, "Please forgive me," and stepped over the border, into the world beyond the forest.

She was tired. She was hungry. She was sad, and angry, and scared and confused. She had just left the forest, forever, and she had nowhere to go. Her family and friends, what few remained, were still in the RiverClan camp, along with every Clanmate who had condemned her as StarClan had. She'd never play with Ripplekit, Sootkit, and Amberkit again, or see Tawnyclaw's grumpy gaze soften as he approached her. She'd never hear Silverheart's sweet voice again, or go on a patrol with Redblaze. With a pang of sadness, Minnowpaw realized she'd turned him away from her already.

There really was nothing to return to, anyway.

Minnowpaw suddenly tripped over a rock, and silently cursed. She could hardly think through her weariness. No matter what she did now, she thought, she had to sleep. Trudging along, Minnowpaw came to the Twoleg farm that she knew lay just beyond the Clan territories. There was a twoleg nest, and a large red barn like the one on the way to Highstones. An ugly-looking monster sat sleeping inside it, so Minnowpaw snuck around. There was another smaller nest just beyond, and Minnowpaw approached warily. It was filled with golden straw, and in several nests lay large, awkward-looking, sleeping birds. They cooed softly in their sleep, but they didn't appear to be dangerous. Right now, Minnowpaw didn't really care if they were; she knew her paws wouldn't carry her another step. So, she went to the far corner, beneath the large birds in their nests, and laid down in the straw, letting sleep take over.

__________

She woke up to a paw prodding her in the side, and she shrugged it off. "Hey," a voice said, and the paw prodded her again. "Get up; you can't stay here."

Minnowpaw blinked awake, and confusion fell over her as she beheld the straw and the unfamiliar nest. As she remembered where she was, she met the gaze of a large gray tabby tom looming over her. "You can't stay here," he repeated. "The Twolegs will get mad if they see you here."

Minnowpaw stood slowly, and saw that there was another cat with him, a dark gray she-cat with kind eyes. She looked beyond them, and saw that the outside was bright with daylight. How long had she slept?

"Who are you?" she she-cat said softly. "You smell like a Clan cat."

Minnowpaw's eyes widened. "No!" The two cats jumped back, startled. "No, I mean, I'm not a Clan cat," she said. Not anymore.

The two cats exchanged a glance. Were they kittypets? They didn't look like any kittypet Minnowpaw had ever seen; they weren't fat and lazy and dumb. Maybe they were loners, she thought.

The tom looked back at her. "Well, whoever you are, you can't stay here. The Twolegs don't like other animals around their birds." Looking up, Minnowpaw saw that the birds were gone. "They come back here to sleep," the tom explained. "But you should leave." He turned and began to walk away, the she-cat following.

"I don't have anywhere else to go," Minnowpaw murmured. The two cats stopped, gazing at her sympathetically. "I have no home."

The she-cat came up to Minnowpaw and rested her muzzle on Minnowpaw's head. "Don't worry," she said. "Come with us for now; you can get some sleep and figure everything out later. Or you could stay with us."

Minnowpaw's head snapped up. Surely she couldn't stay here? She didn't know these cats! Then again, if she was a loner now, she wouldn't exactly be among familiar faces.

"You'd be welcome," the tom said flatly, and Minnowpaw couldn't tell what he was thinking. "But nevermind that now. You look like the wind could knock you over."

Minnowpaw walked alongside the two cats as they left the small nest into the massive Twoleg garden. The air was cool and the sun shone brightly, and the two cats looked very happy. They led her to the barn, and she stopped at the sight of the monster.

"Don't worry," the tom reassured her. "It sleeps most of the time, and we won't be near it anyways." He led her away from the monster and towards a far corner of the barn, where the ground was covered with more straw. Clearly this was their nest.

"Rest here for awhile," the she-cat invited. "By the way, I'm Smokey. This is my mate, Jay." Jay dipped his head to her. "What's your name?" Smokey asked.

Minnowpaw hesitated. Her name. It was a Clan name, and it was the one thing that still tied her to the life she'd been forced to run away from. Could she carry that name still, out here away from StarClan's reach? Even then, would she be reminded of her Clan every time a cat spoke to her? She didn't need to think too hard about the answer. With a deep breath, she met Jay and Smokey's gazes and said, "My name is Minnow."