Death Awakens

Chapter 6

Ebonytail glared at Honeypaw, tail lashing furiously. Behind him was Sunpaw, eyes wide with guilt.

"Well?" Ebonytail hissed, keeping his volume down.

Honeypaw took a shaky breath, looking at her paws instead of holding the shadowy cat's stare. "I-i followed a m-mouse"

Honeypaw had never had her blood turn to ice like this before. She shuddered as Ebonytail's stormy blue eyes pierced her tabby pelt, surely thinking of a suitable punishment. Sunpaw stood a little further behind him. Honeypaw noticed how shocked she looked; she could also smell the fear that surrounded her.

"Come" He said, padding through the thick bushes. With Sunpaw giving her a sympathetic glance, she followed the senior warrior. She was still confused on what she had done wrong. Guilt pulsing through her, she realised she might've broken the warrior code. Thorns tore at her fur, digging for flesh. Why did we have to go through a bush, we could've just gone around, she thought, questioning Ebonytail's sanity.

They came to a stop as they finished walking through the seemingly endless tunnel of thorns. "Don't ever do that again!" Ebonytail spat.

"What was I doing wrong?" Honeypaw protested. She reckoned it was unfair to be punished for hunting, she even planned to gift that mouse to Berrypool or perhaps Silkeyes, a queen whom she didn't speak to much but admired.

"What were you doing wrong?" Ebonytail snorted, "You just went onto Deathclan territory!"

Sudden realisation hit her. She was so focused on that mouse that she had crossed the border, which Vanillawish had told her was surrounded by thorns.

Vanillawish. The haunting image flashed in her head. She let out a whimper as she remembered the river of blood, caking her mother's fur. Ebonytail continued glaring at her. I'm glad I'm in his clan, Honeypaw thought, if I were battling him I'd run away at his stare!

The shadowy tom shook his head and sighed before continuing to move towards Fernclan territory. Once he was out of earshot, Sunpaw whispered, "I'm so sorry! We went hunting and he smelled you cross the border. How didn't you know where the border was anyway?"

"Acorncloud didn't tell me. We went straight to hunting"

Ebonytail's ears pricked before his head whipped around. "Acorncloud didn't tell you where the border was! That's the first thing a mentor should do!" He exclaimed in disbelief. Sunpaw and Honeypaw looked at eachother nervously. Kicking mud into the air, Ebonytail sped towards camp.

"Quick, follow his pawprints!" Sunpaw yowled. The two apprentices nodded to eachother before rushing after him. Wind ruffled their fur as they leaped over rocks, dodged trees and ducked under logs, all while following the warrior's scent. Fernclan scent grew stronger as they got closer to camp. Finally, they burst through the tunnel, only to see Ebonytail deep in conversation with Acorncloud.

"I'm sorry Ebonytail! It won't happen again" Her mentor's voice said firmly, although Honeypaw could see worry sparkling in his eyes.

"It better not. Now go eat and sleep and train your apprentice properly this time" Ebonytail ordered.

Acorncloud spun around on her paw, about  to grab a piece of fresh kill, almost crashing into a guilty Honeypaw.

"I'm so-" Honeypaw began.

"Its not your fault, really, it's mine. I'm sorry I haven't been a good mentor. I promise I'll do better" Acorncloud said, not meeting the Tabby's eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to eat that Finch"

It didn't take a genius to figure out Acorncloud was feeling down. Although the  she-cat held her head high, she could see that her shoulders were sagging as she dragged her paws over to eat the Finch.

Finchkit! Honeypaw had forgotten about the ominous words as she was so caught up in finding Ebonytail and apologising to her mentor.

Two connected will awaken death, one neglected shall put them to rest.

What could that possibly mean? Honeypaw padded over to her nest and curled inside of it. This could be to do with anyone!

"Hi Honeypaw" A nearby voice said with a friendly tone. Lifting her heavy head, Honeypaw's pale green eyes met stormy blue ones. But it wasn't the sleek, shadowy pelt of Ebonytail that she was looking at. It was a solid chocolate-coloured fur coat.

"I'm Chestnutpaw," He said, smiling. Honeypaw smiled back. Chestnutpaw seemed to keep her at ease, despite his stormy-blue eyes. Ebonytail's eyes were hard with concentration and emotion never escaped his stare. However, Chestnutpaw's eyes were softer, kinder and more beautiful than Ebonytail's had ever been with the flecks of gold in the ocean of blue.

"Are you ok?" The tom asked, tilting his head. Shaking her head to clear the cloud of thoughts, Honeypaw responded, "Yeah, thanks" She held his stare for a while, wondering if she would ever pull her eyes away.

"Honeypaw!" Her sister squealed, leaping onto her, purring, "Are you alright?". Reluctantly, Honeypaw tore her gaze away from Chestnutpaw. "Yup" She replied lamely. Curling up next to her sister, Honeypaw's eyelids dropped as she thought of today. The harsh glare of Ebonytail, the soft gaze of Chestnutpaw, and the prophecy that would soon haunt her forever