The Broken Prophecy (Shadows of Revenge Book 1)

Chapter 4

Juniperpaw, Hoppaw, Flickerpaw, and Patchpaw were all in the forest, training for their assessment. Featherpaw and Flightpaw were playing in the clearing. Featherpaw ducked under his brother and pawed at his lower chest. Flightpaw jumped up and batted at Featherpaw's ear. "You're not kits anymore." Spottedstrike mewed. "Maybe you two should get to cleaning out the elder's den?"

"But we were just having fun." Featherpaw protested. "We can clean out the elder's den later,"

"It's beneficial to allow them to unwind after a training session," Shallowpool interjected, positioning herself next to the spotted warrior.

"But then who's gonna clean out the elder's den? They have to do their duties eventually!" Spottedstrike flicked her tail.

"Yeah, but just let them have some time to themselves first. We don't want to overwork them," The tortoiseshell molly mewed.

Spottedstrike took a deep breath. "You're right. They can clean the elder's den later."

An abrupt shriek sent shockwaves through the peaceful area. When Flightpaw looked up, a massive eagle was diving directly at him. Flightpaw felt himself being pulled off the ground as it seized hold of his body, blood dripping from him. The clan attempted to grab him, but the eagle had already taken off. The eagle was enormous and strong enough to lift a small warrior away. The eagle was soaring over the valley toward unexplored territory, when Flightpaw decided to chomp down on the eagle's leg, causing it to drop Flightpaw. The apprentice felt tree branches tug on his fur as he fell through a leafy tree. Though it broke his fall, he still landed on the ground with a thud. The last thing he saw was a flash of white fur before his eyes closed.

Flightpaw opened his eyes, to find himself in a hollowed tree, with a moss nest below him. He looked up to see white fur, with blue eyes gazing at him. He sprang up, thinking it was an enemy warrior. The cat just smiled and gave a curt nod. "Where am I?" Flightpaw mewed, struggling to keep his voice steady.

The white tom spoke in a rather soft voice. He made motions with his paws and tail, as of signaling something. "Hello. This is my den. I found you after an eagle dropped you." The white tom turned around toward a small ditch covered in leaves. He cleared off the leaves to reveal a stash of prey, mixed with some sort of herbs.

"Who are you?" Flightpaw asked, but the tom didn't respond, as if he couldn't hear him. "Uh, I said, who are you?" The apprentice repeated.

The tom soon turned around, and asked while motioning his paws, "So, what's your name?"

"My name? I just asked for yours twice!" Flightpaw let out a hiss of annoyance.

"Sorry, I'm deaf." The white tom mewed. "I'm Ivory."

"Deaf?" Flightpaw squeaked in surprise. "But you're talking, and you can understand me. And what's that thing you've been doing with your paws?" 

"Well I wasn't born deaf," Ivory started. "I lost my hearing when I was a little younger than you are now. I learned to speak before I lost my hearing, and I wanted to maintain that skill." He purred at his accomplishment. "And it's obvious what you're saying. Your facial expression, the way your tail moves, if your fur is standing, how your lips move, I taught myself to understand body language well, as well as reading lips to the best of my abilities."He paused for a moment to rest his paws. "Oh, and these are Paw-Signs, it's the main way I communicate. Though, I haven't seen many cats who know it. Anyways, what is your name?"

"Okay, well, I'm Flightpaw." The brown tom mewed awkwardly. 

"Oh, so you're one of those clan cats." Ivory mewed. "You're a far way from them. They're all the way on the other side of that huge heap of land." The tom pointed his muzzle outside his den. Flightpaw gazed out, to see the outer side of the valley. It looks a lot bigger from this angle than it did from the inside. 

"That way's my home!" Flightpaw squeaked. "You have to take me back." 

"Look how far that heap is!" Ivory meowed. "And once we reach it, we'll have to climb all the way up, and back down again!" Ivory shook out his pelt. 

"Well, I can't go on my own." Flightpaw shot a pleading look at the white loner. After a heartbeat, Ivory huffed in defeat. 

"Fine, I'll take you back." He sighed at the thought of the long journey. "But I'll need a few days to prepare. Feel free to take some prey and sleep in here."

"Oh, thanks," Flightpaw dipped his head. "And, that Paw-Signing, think you could teach me some?"

* * * *
The clan scattered throughout the forest, panicking. They frantically searched everywhere for Flightpaw. Featherpaw was the most worry of all. He didn't want his brother to be gone, just like that.

Featherpaw paced around the clearing, his heart thumping like a woodpecker drilling into a tree. After what felt like moons of searching, Yellowstar leaped onto the Cliff Rock. "We've searched for a while today. We'll have to continue our search tomorrow," She started.

 "No!" Featherpaw protested. "He could be hurt! We have to find him!"

Shallowpool put a comforting tail tip on her apprentice's back. "We can keep looking tomorrow. We won't be able to find him if we exhaust ourselves," She whispered into his ear.

"No! We have to keep looking! Please, Yellowstar!" The black apprentice cried.

"I'm sorry, Featherpaw. Your mentor is right, we can't exhaust ourselves," Yellowstar continued. "We will start our search again at dawn. I'll also send out warriors to check with the other clans if they've seen him,"

"StarClan must have taken him away because he's the beast!" Lilystomp howled. "That means Featherpaw must be the legend!" 

"My brother is not a beast!" Featherpaw snarled. "He never was and never will be!" He sobbed. 

"Lilystomp, what did I say about arguing over the prophecy?" Yellowstar flicked her tail in annoyance.

"I'm just saying, it could be possible," The ginger elder shrugged.

"Clan dismissed. Featherpaw, I wish to speak to you in my den." Yellowstar announced.
Yellowstar climbed down the Cliff Rock, and into her den. Featherpaw reluctantly followed her, his ears pinned to his head. 

"I know it's hard to lose someone we're close to. I lost my mother many moons ago," The leader mewed. "Though we'll continue searching, eventually we'll have to move on. I know it will be difficult, but sometimes we have to move on. That doesn't mean we'll forget him, far from it. It means we find ways to honor him by living our own lives," Featherpaw merely gave a sigh of acknowledgment. "Now, you may rest in your den if you wish." Yellowstar mewed.  

"Thank you." He sighed, dragging his paws out of the den.