Warriors: Into The Wild - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Eight

Waterpaw padded slowly, careful not to make any noise for the patrol to hear. It was raining, which was good for Waterpaw. No warrior could follow her scent that way. She was already a kittypet, if she was caught, Bluestar would never trust her again. 

The ThunderClan entrance was just a few fox-lengths away when she heard crackling noises over by some brambles. She stopped dead, then turned around quickly to see if she was spotted.

"Waterpaw." Mewed a pretty Tortoiseshell she-cat. "Where are you are off to this early?"

Waterpaw froze. She had no idea what to say, especially to a medicine cat. Could she just lie? Or would she see right through her? "I couldn't sleep." She blurted out.

"Try to get some sleep little one." She mewed softly, placing her tail on Waterpaw's flank.

Waterpaw bit her tongue to hold back hostile words. She hated being treated like a kit.

"I will Spottedleaf." she murmured. "I just need to make some dirt." She lied, twitching her tail impatiently. 

Spottedleaf nodded her head and headed off the opposite direction of her den. Waterpaw watched as she turned towards the nursery. Someone must be sick. She thought to herself. For, no one was having kits at this time. She stared into the mist of the rain pouring down. Her long fur laid flat on her body, making her look really small and skinny. 

She looked up at the sky and wondered if tonight was really a good night to go sneaking off. "Perhaps not tonight." She softly said to herself. She trotted back to the apprentices' den and nestled in her moss bed. She could feel a small puddle of water forming under belly. She tried re-positioning onto her side, but that just made it worse. She went back onto her belly and softly groaned of annoyance and laid her head down to go back to sleep. She was going to have a long night.

***

"Waterpaw!" Shouted a voice, piercing into Waterpaw's dream "Waterpaw! Wake up, you lazy bones!" 

She blinked open her eyes. At first she saw a pair of blue eyes staring down at her. It was cloudy as if she was still dreaming. When she blinked again to clear her vision, she saw a pair of amber eyes. "Runningwind." She mewed pitifully, still adjusting to the sun shining through the bramble walls of the den. 

"Come on, Waterpaw." He poked her with his muzzle. "Get some fresh-kill from the pile, then meet me by the medicine den."

Waterpaw nodded, but she confused as to why they were going to medicine den. She didn't feel hungry. She still felt wet from being out in the rain for too long. A shudder ran down her spine as she tried to get up. The air made her feel cold. Her damp fur still clung to her body. She tried to get up again and succeeded as she pushed back the urge to lay back down in the warmth. She slowly padded over to the fresh-kill pile with her head hanging low. 

"You're offly dreary today, Waterpaw." Meowed a small sandy-colored she-cat.

Waterpaw looked up, her eyes almost drooping. It was Sandpaw. Why was she being so nice? Did Redtail's words make her soften?  "I'm just cold and wet, is all." She murmured, trying not to sound shocked that she would even talk to a kittypet. Though none of the other apprentices bothered to talk to her either. She never felt so alone, yet welcomed at the same time.

Sandpaw didn't say anything else, but she had no hostility in her eyes. Waterpaw could almost feel pity coming from her. Why is she pitying me?  Thought Waterpaw to herself. It's not she was blind or had any way for her to pity her. Waterpaw flattened her ears in anger when sandpaw looked away. Instead of taking something from the pile, Waterpaw bounded off towards the medicine den. When she reached Runningwind, Spottedleaf emerged from her den. She had Goldenflower in her den. She looked dreadful. "What's wrong with Goldenflower?" she asked, slightly peering over Spottedleaf.