Warriors: The Fading Light ~Series 1 Book 5~

Chapter 16

Clearlight's POV:

The clan gathered around Whitetail, all sending their condolences up to Starclan.

Clearlight sat at the edge of the group, silent.

Stormflame hovered near him. Every now and then the black furred tom would cast a wary glance behind him at Clearlight and then turn quickly away again. Clearlight chose not to comment about it but he knew that Stormflame wanted to say something.

Demonpelt stood up from beside Whitetail and said in a soft voice to the other cats, "I'm thirsty, I'll be at the river." She stalked away. Clearlight watched as Loveheart narrowed her eyes at Demonpelt, her damp red fur bristled slightly.

Clearlight sighed and lowered his gaze again so that he was staring at his paws.

Why is Starclan so cruel? He wondered.

Don't worry Clearlight, I'm still here.

Clearlight tensed and flicked his head up quickly he winced from the quick motion and looked around. "Who said that?" He mumbled, earning a weird look from Stormflame.

It's me Whitetail.

"Whitetail..." Clearlight breathed and shuffled silently behind the Warriors den so that he was in a more private area, away from curious ears.

I can't get to Starclan. The passage seems to be blocked.. I can't get in. Whitetail's voice echoed in Clearlight's mind.

"Oh no. What is Starclan up to this time?" Clearlight wandered aloud.

I don't know, but this is scary... I want to be in Starclan. I feel like I'm fading down here, like my strength is slowly ebbing away... The longer I stay here, the worse it gets.

"You're fading! Without Starclan's light, you fade away!" Clearlight breathed, "No. No you can't fade."

It's okay, calm down. I think I have a while until I fade completely, but not much longer...

Clearlight shook his head, "Hang in there Whitetail..."

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Nutwhisker's POV:

"Why would Lightstar of all cats block Lightclan from Starclan?" Watersplash meowed. "A clan without Starclan isn't even a clan at all..."

Nutwhisker sighed as he stepped over the Lightclan border and back under the cover of trees. "I have never seen or met Lightstar... For all we know, she could be crazy."

It had taken them majority of the remaining night to make it back to Lightclan territory. Now the early rays of sunlight began to peek over the horizon.

Shinepaw trailed behind Nutwhisker and Watersplash. Nutwhisker cast a glance over his shoulder to look at her. The golden furred apprentice dragged her paws across the ground, a somber expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Nutwhisker slowed his pace to match Shinepaw's and she looked up at him.

"Nothing. I'm fine." She meowed quietly. 

"No, seriously.  What is wrong? I can see something is bothering you." Nutwhisker pressed on the subject, curiosity pricked his pelt.

Shinepaw lashed her tail and kept her gaze fixed on her paws, "Starclan doesn't accept me."

"Yes they do, they just can't contact us." Nutwhisker meowed, trying to lift her spirits. "I know you are worried, I am too, but you must not lose hope. Soon enough, Starclan will come back." Nutwhisker hoped what he said was true.

Shinepaw shrugged, "I guess."

"Hey! You three!" A frustrated yowl echoed around the forest and Nutwhisker raised his head up to see Demonpelt trotting towards them. "Whitetail is dead!"

"W-what?!" Nutwhisker's eyes widened and he froze. "But h-how? He was healing.. What happened?"

Demonpelt sniffed as she stalked past Watersplash and straight at Nutwhisker, "You ask me. All we know is that one second he was asking for water, and the next he was dead." She growled, dark eyes hostile.

Nutwhisker fought to stay in one place and keep his stance confident in front of the hostile she cat. "Who was watching over him at the time of death?"

"Clearlight. But he was off collecting water for him!" Demonpelt spun around and her tail slapped Nutwhisker's muzzle. He reeled backwards and nearly crashed into Shinepaw.

"Come on," Watersplash meowed, "Let's get back to camp."

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Stormflame's POV:

The sun was beginning to rise and Stormflame rose his head from his nest to hear voices in camp. He stood up and stretched quickly before trotting out of the medicine den. Silverstar was still fast asleep in her nest.

Stormflame blinked when the early morning sunlight hit his face and he turned to see Nutwhisker, Watersplash, Shinepaw and Demonpelt trot into camp. Almost immediately, Nutwhisker jogged towards Whitetail's body, which was still laying in the centre of camp. Clearlight lay sleeping against his dead kit. Stormflame watched as Nutwhisker crouched down and pressed his muzzle into Whitetail's chest. Stormflame realised at that point that Nutwhisker really cared about his older brother.

Stormflame heard rustling behind him and he turned around to see Silverstar emerge from the den, her eyes bleary from sleep. "Is Nutwhisker back?"

"Yes." Stormflame started towards Watersplash and Shinepaw and greeted the two with a dip of his head. Demonpelt had already stalked off into the warriors den.

Shinepaw eyed Nutwhisker nervously, "Why is Nutwhisker so sad?"

"Whitetail was his brother." Stormflame meowed quietly.

Shinepaw frowned, "Oh, I didn't realise."

"That's okay. They didnt seem to get on that well anyway." Stormflame reassured and nudged Shinepaw towards the medicine den, "Go on and rest a little. I'm sure you're quite tired after the long trek to and from the Starcave."

Shinepaw yawned and nodded, "Okay." The apprentice trotted towards the medicine den and ducked under the overhanging vines at the entrance. Her tail disappeared from view and Stormflame turned back to Watersplash.

"Some of the cats are upset with you and Nutwhisker. They believe you should have been here to save Whitetail." Stormflame warned before padding back to Silverstar.

Just as Stormflame reached Silverstar, he noticed Mousenose walk out of the den. She looked tired and worn out and her eyes drooped. She neared Stormflame and whispered, "Is there any spare fresh kill for me to eat?"

Stormflame glanced at the fresh kill pile. Nothing. He turned back, "Looks like you need to hunt first before eating."

"You don't look too hungry though. You're belly seems quite full actually." Silverstar pointed out. Mousenose winced and avoided their gazes and padded slowly away. Stormflame watched her go and noticed that her stomach was quite big, it was as if she had had a full meal the day before.

Was she eating twoleg food pehaps? Stormflame had noticed her absence a couple of times in the last moon.

Silverstar leaned close to Stormflame, "What do you think?" She meowed with an anxious flick of her ears.

"I don't know. Maybe she is eating food somewhere secretly?" Stormflame offered.

Silverstar shook her head, "Toms." She muttered under her breath.

"What?" Stormflame forced down an irritated growl. "What did I do wrong?"

"Open your eyes, Stormflame!" Silverstar hissed, "Mousenose is expecting kits!"

"Oh."

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