Beast of the Sea - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 13

"To the left, and then follow the path furthest right up, and you'll come to the outside."

Perfect! I tried to hide my smile as Puddle and Bubble walked away, Bubble acting utterly nonchalant, Puddle acting as though he was walking into a very serious clan meeting. Now I-we know a way out.

I turned back to the three other apprentices, trying to think of what to say to them to keep them busy. But I found that all my thoughts were revolving around Dewocean, Ripplepaw and Littlepaw.

Am I making the right choice? I could just see the disappointment in Littlepaw's eyes; stealing the source of CaveClan's powers was cruel. But then I thought about Ripplepaw...my white littermate had sidled her way into Littlepaw's life, while I had pushed myself to the fringes, so did I really have any right to say what either of them wanted?

Even more complicated was the ponderings I had about Dewocean. The instant I had that thought, I shut it down. In fact, I tried to shut my entire mind down. What I was doing- it didn't feel real. It felt like a dream, as though my actions didn't have true consequences.

Just steal the stone, think later.

"You know," the she-cat pale grey she-cat who had spoken to me pipped up again. "I think ShoreClan sounds super cool! I heard they ain't gotta do rations like we have to do. And, I heard the cats there are kind, and brave!"

"Yeah, I agree, Morningpaw," the little tom agreed with what was probably his littermate. "And the caves are so boring."

A she-cat, her belly swollen with kits glanced up from where she was sharing tongues with a handsome ginger and brown tom. Her eyes flashed.

"The caves keep you safe!" She retorted. "The Shimmersalt give us powers and protects this cave from harm. I don't want either of my kits running off like Mistlekit..." her voice trailed away.

"Life in CaveClan's good," an elder agreed from where he perched on a rock, smiling. He lifted his paw, pale eyes glowing, and little lights danced around the apprentices' heads. "Yeh shouldn't want what you don't have, kits. Enjoy what yeh got, eh?"

"Yeah, Silvernight," Morningpaw meowed sullenly.

The blind elder nodded with satisfaction, and curled up to sleep. The flickering lights slowly vanished. Gradually, the other cats began to tuck in, following the example of the older cats. I wondered when Bubble and Puddle would raise the alarm; they had had enough time to rush to the outside and then back.

Did they just abandon me? Typical rogues, I thought bitterly. Always up for a bit of trickery, only looking out for themselves. Then I thought about Littlepaw, and tried to shake my head clear. But a lot of rogues are far more that what the clans think of them.

"Can you tell me a story about ShoreClan?" Morningpaw glanced up at me with wide eyes. "I-I want to know what it's like outside the caves," she shot a reproachful glance at her mother. "I've only been outside twice."

If I was being honest, I respected the spunk of the younger she-cat. She reminded me a lot of how I had been as a kit; a little distant from the rest of my clan. Sharkpaw glanced at me eagerly, and I began to tell them the story I'd heard from the elders of the leader who had driven kits and apprentices out to the sea.

As time went on, Morningpaw's eyes began to droop. I kept staring uneasily at the exit passage of CaveClan camp, wondering if Puddle and Bubble had perhaps abandoned me to deal with Umberstar. Then, just as Morningpaw was about to fall asleep on her paws, there was a sudden screech from up the tunnel.

"Help! The tunnel! I think it's about to collapse; all cats outside!" Puddle suddenly sprinted into the camp, nudging all the CaveClan cats to their paws. He shot a weary look at me. "Sorry it took so long...we found the body of this old black and ginger tom."