Death Awakens

Chapter 14

Once they had finished the patrol, Sprucefrost padded back towards camp. Chestnutpaw and Honeypaw may have been having the same thought as they decided to continue walking around the forest, leaping to the chance of catching prey if there was one. There were plenty of mice scuttling underneath the soothing green of the ferns. After all, it was almost Greenleaf.

"So, what's you're favourite prey?" Asked Chestnutpaw, who was beside Honeypaw. Honeypaw's heart fluttered as he spoke to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was someone special to her and that he felt the same way. Chestnutpaw looked at her quizzically. Honeypaw had been staring at him for so long she had forgotten to answer the question!

"Oh! I love mice!" She meowed awkwardly, giving him a wonky smile.

"I know right! I don't know many mice lovers- everyone likes voles or... Sparrows" he stuck his tongue out while scrunching his face. Honeypaw let out a purr of amusement. Sunlight shone onto Chestnutpaw's pelt, making even the darkest shades glisten. Hearing the soft hum of when he was thinking and seeing him flash a charming smile at her filled her heart with many emotions. She couldn't help but smile when she was around him, yet she was so clumsy!

They continued padding onwards, not knowing where they were going. But, because of the recent border patrol, Honeypaw was completely aware if they were wandering astray from the border.

A clearing came ahead, light finding its way in every nook and cranny. In the centre, there was a single puddle, clear as day and reflecting the blue skies. Ferns made a wall of nature, unlike the DeathClan border, it was calming and swayed gently. Honeypaw and her crush padded through a small opening through the green wall to enter the tranquil setting. As her paw touched the ground, a strange calm washed over her, like waves lapping onto the seashore. Chestnutpaw came towards the crystal clear water, blinking in surprise.

"There's something here" he remarked, turning his head to face Honeypaw. He stuck his paw into the puddle, eventually fishing something out with his claws.

"What is it?" Asked Honeypaw, still in a happy mood. As she looked at her crush's dark paw her smile faltered. A large, yellowing fang, glossy and smooth except for the jagged end lay wrapped in a tuft if soaking, cream fur. When Chestnutpaw handed over, she closed her paw and squeezed it with all her might. Water streamed out of the palm of her paw, leaving an almost dry clump of fur.

Her eyes watered as she looked at her reflection in the puddle. Instead of seeing herself, she saw Vanillawish, her emerald eyes softened as they always were and her cream fur glistening. Honeypaw stared at her, no words escaping her mouth while Chestnutpaw stood silently beside her.

"Honeypaw" Echoed Vanillawish's voice, so familiar yet so foreign. "Take my fang and bury it somewhere you'll remember. This will be useful in your time of need"

Honeypaw doesn't admit many things to herself. One thing that has been eating at her is the ache to hear her mother's voice once again, to see her, to feel her. It didn't fulfill her need to be around her; she was telling her meaningless words, at least to her. She wanted to have a normal conversation like they used to, about training, about other clans, about anything.

She placed a paw into the water, hoping she'd be able to touch her one more. However, the water rippled, making Vanillawish's figure fade away. Honeypaw stared at the water for so long that she had forgotten Chestnutpaw was still there. He pressed his flank against hers.

"I- I don't know what happened." He meowed, looking into glossy emerald eyes. He hadn't seen Vanillawish's figure in the water, but felt it was important to comfort her, most of all, give her alone time, "But if you want to talk, I'm always here". With that, he rose to his paws and padded away.

Honeypaw had watched him walk away, clutching the fang and cream fur in her paw. Bury it somewhere you'll remember. Unsheathing her claws, she scraped piles of  mud away from under the puddle. Still the water seeped through. She dropped the fang into the hole, whispering a soft goodbye before burying it once again. She circled into a ball beside the puddle, which was now her hiding spot for the fang. Having the cream fur with her, Honeypaw fell asleep, hoping that she could sleep with Vanillawish one more time.