Flamepaw's Quest

Chapter 19

            When Flamepaw awoke the next morning, she was relieved to find Goldstar, Snowheart, and Mothwing already up, chatting eagerly. Mothwing was carefully applying more herbs to her wounds and Goldstar and Snowheart's, chatting with them quietly as not to wake Flamepaw.
            Flamepaw's eyes fluttered, and finally, she forced herself to get up. Her stomach rumbled, and she realized she had not had a bite in days. The stress and frightening events that had taken place had almost made her forget her hunger.
            Flamepaw's eyes locked on the nice juicy rabbit sitting near Goldstar and Snowheart. It pained Flamepaw to see them not eating it. She licked her lips, turning away as Mothwing looked up and noticed her.
            "Oh, Flamepaw, you're up," Mothwing spoke.
            Flamepaw turned back to the she-cat, smiling uneasily. Her stomach rumbled, and Mothwing laughed, shoving the rabbit towards her.
            "We went hunting this morning," Mothwing explained. "Eat up."
            "Thank you!" Flamepaw purred, gulping down the rabbit in seconds. While fish was most definitely her favorite piece of prey, this rabbit was absolutely delicious, probably because she was so hungry.
            Flamepaw laid down, now quite full. The sun warmed her pelt, and she purred, feeling at peace for a few moments until she realized all of the problems they were facing. They had no idea where Daisyflower, Rosepettle, and Neko were, and Flamepaw feared they'd have to split up again. Perhaps they'd be better about it this time.
            Flamepaw gasped as she felt Mothwing press marigold to her wound. Flamepaw spun around, and Mothwing smiled.
            "Just applying some marigold," she assured Flamepaw. "Your wound looks a lot better."
            "It feels better too. I barely even felt it," Flamepaw explained, glancing at her wound. It had already begun to heal, and it did not even sting at any of her movements. Mothwing truly was a gifted medicine cat. Why had Flamepaw ever wanted her to become a warrior instead?
            "I still feel like mouse-dung," Snowheart complained.
            Flamepaw glanced up, finding it odd to actually see the she-cat awake. She too was covered in wounds, though they were more noticeable due to her white pelt. Goldstar's wounds, however, looked as they were healing, and Flamepaw sighed in relief, glad that no cat would be dying from wounds anytime soon.
            "At least you can walk now, Snowheart," Mothwing teased. She stashed her herbs away in a stray leaf, glancing up at the others expectedly.
            "Can we look for the others?" Flamepaw asked.
            "What do you think, Goldstar?" Mothwing asked. "I didn't want to start the search until I knew you were all fit. Can you make it, Snowheart?"
            "I'm a RiverClan warrior, not a kittypet," she snarled. "I could walk through ten forests without stopping!"
            Mothwing laughed, Flamepaw doing the same. Snowheart sure was stubborn. Flamepaw felt a pang of sadness for Rosepettle, her other stubborn friend. Was she okay? And what about Neko? Was he all right too?
            "I'm willing to search," Goldstar agreed.
            "Flamepaw, do you know where any cat is?" Mothwing asked, her eyes widened with curiosity.
            "Well, I don't know where Rosepettle and Neko are, but the last place I saw Daisyflower was with the foxes," Flamepaw explained.
            Goldstar's eyes widened. "YOU LEFT HER WITH THE FOXES?!" she exclaimed. "HAVE YOU GONE MAD?!"
            Flamepaw shrunk down, frightened by Goldstar's rage. "She-she told me to grab you guys and go! There was nothing else I could do! I'm sure she's all right," Flamepaw promised. "I was only trying to keep you guys safe."
            "Don't be so harsh, Goldstar," Mothwing spoke quietly. "Flamepaw's only an apprentice."
            "I'm truly sorry," Flamepaw told Goldstar. "But Daisyflower is a senior warrior. I'm sure she can take care of herself. I should go back and look for her. I guess she's my responsibility."
            "What, you can't go back there!" Goldstar gasped.
            Flamepaw froze, her paw halfway in the air as she turned to walk away. But she had to rescue Daisyflower, right? What if the foxes had gotten her? What if something awful had happened?
            Snowheart and Mothwing stood, speechless. Was Goldstar really willing to just let one of her warriors go that easily?
            "I'm kidding," Goldstar growled at last. "Mothwing, Snowheart, you search for Neko and Rosepettle. We'll look for Daisyflower. We'll meet back here by evening, okay?"
            Snowheart and Mothwing nodded. Flamepaw sighed in relief, glad to not be searching alone, and glad they actually came up with a good plan this time.
            "Come this way," Goldstar called, the site of the foxes apparently not unknown to her. Flamepaw trotted along nervously, praying to StarClan that Daisyflower was all right. She was such a tough warrior though. Surely she'd be fine.
            Goldstar was silent as well, and Flamepaw wondered if the same thoughts crossed the leader's mind. Flamepaw felt guilty for making Goldstar come along, but she was secretly glad she had her leader's protection in case they came face to face with any foxes.
            "She'll be okay," Flamepaw whispered to herself.
            "What?" Goldstar asked, turning around.
            "Nothing," Flamepaw replied quietly, trying to focus instead on the environment. This forest sure was different from RiverClan's. The trees were taller and thicker, there was no running river, no salty breeze hung over the air. This forest was entirely foreign to her, and she didn't feel comfortable in it.
            Flamepaw suddenly smelled the familiar scent of the clearing, the place reeking of foxes. But there was another scent that Flamepaw could not quite detect, and she curiously followed Goldstar, whose pace was now quickened as they approached.
            Flamepaw glanced around, the place very familiar. Only two days before she had stood here with Daisyflower, trying to think of a plan as Snowheart and Goldstar lay unconscious in the clearing.
            "Through the bushes...quietly," Goldstar whispered.
            Though they heard no movements, the scent of fox hung in the air, and Flamepaw quietly crept into the same bushes she had gone into with Daisyflower, peeking through the holes in the bush. While nothing stirred, Flamepaw and Goldstar were faced with a new sight.
            In the clearing were four dead foxes, limp and unmoving. And in the center of them lay Daisyflower, her pelt coated in blood.
            It was then Flamepaw realized that she did not only detect the scent of fox, but of blood and death.
            Goldstar gasped, immediately racing through the bushes. Flamepaw followed behind, trying to keep away from the dead foxes. They reeked and looked horrid, their ginger fur coated in dried blood from two days before.
            As they approached where Daisyflower lay, Flamepaw followed quietly behind Goldstar, stopping near Daisyflower's body.
            "Is she...dead?" Flamepaw asked.
            Flamepaw shuddered at Daisyflower's body, her beautiful fur now stained in red. She could not tell if the blood was Daisyflower's or the foxes'.
            Goldstar nudged Daisyflower, then pushed her nose away. She turned her head towards Flamepaw, her eyes gleaming with tears.
            "Yes..."
            Flamepaw felt her heart split. She too touched Daisyflower, shuddering at the coldness of the she-cat's body. She'd been dead for at least a day.
            Guilt overwhelmed her, and tears flooded her eyes.
            "This is all my fault," she sobbed. "Why did I ever leave her?"
            Goldstar did not make eye contact with Flamepaw and remained silent, beginning to dig into the soil. "She hunts with StarClan now," was all she said, ignoring Flamepaw's words.
            Flamepaw knew that Goldstar was trying to be kind, but it was obvious Goldstar blamed her too. And honestly, who wouldn't? It was all Flamepaw's fault! If she'd never left Daisyflower, the she-cat would not be dead. It was foolish of Flamepaw to believe Daisyflower could fend off all those foxes.
            But then again, wouldn't Flamepaw be killed as well? What about Snowheart and Goldstar? If they had not been taken away by Flamepaw, would their fate be the same?
            Flamepaw began to help Goldstar dig the hole in silence. She glanced down as the earth came away, hoping she'd never have to dig a hole like this again. She had never witnessed the death of a cat before, and the very experience made her sick to her stomach.
            Once the hole had gotten deep enough, Flamepaw helped Goldstar lower Daisyflower's body into the hole, tears dripping down her cheeks. Goldstar and Flamepaw kept their silence, too sorrowful to speak.
            Goldstar began dropping leaves on Daisyflower's body, one by one. Then, with the help of Flamepaw, they shoved the fresh soil back over Daisyflower's dead body until her pelt was no longer visible.
            Flamepaw had not known Daisyflower long, but she'd been so kind. She was even going to help train Flamepaw! If only StarClan had not taken her so soon...Why couldn't Flamepaw have prevented it?
            "Poor Daisyflower," she sighed. "Should we head back to the clearing?"
            "Good idea," Goldstar replied quietly. She too kept her words to a minimum, saddened by the death of a great warrior.
            Together, Flamepaw and Goldstar padded away from the tragic scene, Flamepaw not daring to turn her head and look back. Sticky blood clung to her paws, and she wiped at it on the forest floor, wanting all scents of the horrid place gone. But the scent hung to her nose, and she gagged, following Goldstar away from the place.
            As they padded, the two kept their heads down, only looking up when Goldstar suddenly collided into another cat.
            "Ouch!" shrieked Mothwing.
            Flamepaw looked up, surprised. Behind Mothwing ran Rosepettle and Neko.
            "Mothwing, what is it?!" Rosepettle gasped.
            Flamepaw was relieved to see that both Rosepettle and Neko were unhurt.
            "Goldstar, Flamepaw! We weren't expecting to see you until this evening," Rosepettle said.
            "Big surprise," Mothwing murmured, rubbing her face with her tail from where Goldstar had collided with her.
            Mothwing opened her mouth, ready to ask the question, but Flamepaw answered it for her.
            "Daisyflower is dead," she spoke.
            Neko bowed his head, as did the others. A silence rang over them until Mothwing finally spoke again.
            "Were the foxes still there when you got there?"
            "Only their dead bodies," Goldstar responded.
            Rosepettle's eyes widened. "You don't suppose..."
            But Goldstar nodded. "I have no doubt she killed each and every one of those foxes she was up against."
            Neko gasped. "Cats can kill foxes?"
            "Four apparently," Flamepaw answered. "Daisyflower was a great fighter, and I hope StarClan honors her courage." The other cats nodded, creating a silent environment again. "We should head back to RiverClan. We've been gone quite some time."
            "Sure," Rosepettle agreed.
            "Where's Snowheart?" Goldstar asked.
            All three of them froze.
            "Well, Snowheart actually killed Fang after he trapped me while we were searching. She scared the other ones off, and we were on our way. She ran off a few minutes ago, but I thought it was to make dirt. Didn't she come back behind you?" Mothwing asked Neko.
            Neko shook his head.
            "Dear StarClan, will it ever end?!" Goldstar wailed. "Come on, let's go find Snowheart and just head home!"
            Flamepaw nodded, trotting behind the others. But did she really want to go home and tell the death of Daisyflower to every cat?