Daylight

Chapter 9

The brown-and-white body in the middle of camp was stained with blood. The red stuff that was meant to be in his body was out, and it wasn't a pretty picture. The now-stiff grass of leaf-bare was splattered, the browns and reds a terrific contrast, unblending and totally distinct.

Firepaw raced forward, knowing who it was. "Tommy!" he yowled, cats parting out of the flame-colored apprentice's way. His heart pounded faster than he ever thought it could and his emerald eyes were stretched so wide he thought they'd stay like that forever, but he couldn't stop.

He was keenly aware of the crimson liquid on his own paws as he got closer and finally knelt down to his brother. The clover-green eyes of the tom seemed to be clouded over from the pain, though Firepaw knew they didn't change color. "Tommy..." he whispered, breath coming fast. He couldn't afford to care if he was going against tradition by saying his brother's name-his true name-and knelt down to see, with relief, that he was still breathing.

"Hey there," Cloverpaw said weakly, "nice of you to drop by." He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, a prolonged blink that wasn't of trust. It was a bad sign.

"Tommy, what happened?" Firepaw asked, heart beating faster once more, the agonizing waiting for his brother's answer stirring it on.

Cloverpaw shrugged. "Ran into a tree. It happens," he mumbled, eyes closing quickly. Despite knowing deep down, somehow, that his brother wouldn't die, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency, like it could change if he didn't act fast enough.

Ignoring his brother's attempt at humor, he looked up, finding himself face-to-face with a blue-eyed silver she-cat. "Find Spottedleaf," he said loudly, not realizing until he'd spoken that his voice was thunderous. His ears flattened slightly, and he whispered a quick sorry, only to realize the she-cat had hared off to the medicne den to get her sister. Thank StarClan for Willowpelt.

Spottedleaf was there in an instant. Runningwind dropped the prey Firepaw had left in his haste on the fresh-kill pile before coming over, brows creased.

"What happened?" Spottedleaf asked an instant before Runningwind could. Her pink nose quivered at the smell of blood and she turned to the lean warrior beside her. "Get cobwebs. Middle shelf. Back wall."

Worldlessly, Runningwind dashed off, fast as a breeze, emerging from the den with a jawful of sticky spider webs. Cloverpaw winced as the she-cat applied poltices to his wounds. She glared at a few warrior who were too close. "Give him some air, for StarClan's sake! You wouldn't want some random cat breathing down your neck while you died, would you?" she spat, multitasking and pushing down on his wounds.

She glanced to Firepaw, who was steadily creeping back. "Firepaw, he's not-"

Firepaw didn't wait to hear her finish. Not what? Dying right now? Losing blood at a life-permitting pace? Going to survive another day? He turned tail and ran, promptly smacking into Lionheart, who was coming from the nursery, smelling of hare-it must've been Frostfur's breakfast-and kits.

"Firepaw. What's wrong?" The flame-colored apprentice stared up into the golden warrior's eyes, emerald gaze terrified. He backed up once more before tearing out of camp. Up the path. Out the gorse tunnel. Through the woods. And finally... to the fence. The one he had leapt over to get to the forest in the first place. The one that had caused Cloverpaw's possible death. The one that had started it all.

Digging his claws in as hard as he could, he vaulted up onto the narrow path of the structure, not giving himself time to teeter dangerously, making a bee-line for Princess' house. He smacked the cat-flap with his tail, knowing it would get her attention, before continuing to Filou's house, yowling at him to get Luna, too.