Whispers and Echoes

Chapter 10

Echopaw now sat by the fresh-kill pile, eating a vole. Hailkit came padding up to her, and asked, "Can I join you?"

Echopaw nodded and continued to eat her vole. Hailkit had forgiven Echopaw easily, but her own sister still wasn't talking to her.

"So why did you run away? Don't you like it here?" he asked, looking hurt, but sympathetic.

"I didn't run away; I fell into the river. But nevermind that. What happened when the Clan noticed that I was gone?" she asked, feeling waves of guilt washing over her once more.

"Well, your parents got really worried and Bronzepelt volunteered to lead a patrol to follow your scent. Every cat was really worried. When they found your scent and explained how it had ended at the river, every cat thought you were dead. I was really terrified, like most of the Clan was. Then a NightClan patrol came across one of our patrols and told us that they had found you on their territory by the river, and that you were alive. Every cat was relieved, but then became really angry. The look on Whisperpaw's face made me nearly jump out of my fur. I looked as if she—" he stopped, looking at Echopaw with sadness and apology in his eyes. "Well you're alive and back home, and that's what matters." He flicked Echopaw's ear with his tail and let her finish her vole in peace.

Echopaw felt horrible again. She could imagine how Whisperpaw had felt when she had heard she was missing. She must have been scared to death. Echopaw guessed that after her worry, her first thought was of the prophecy. Whisperpaw must have been completely terrified, because without Echopaw, there weren't Two, and the Clans could be doomed. Echopaw now understood her sister's anger, and she reminded herself to apologize to her sister later, and try to gain Whisperpaw's trust and confidence again.

Echopaw finished her vole, then grabbed a sparrow, a mouse, and a blackbird for the elders. She got up and padded toward the elders' den.

"Echopaw has been acting strange lately, always jumpy," Echopaw heard Fogtail meow, and Echopaw paused at the den entrance.

"Yeah, I wonder what is bothering her?" replied Spruceclaw. "First, she snaps at you like that, and I know Echopaw, that wasn't like her. Then, she runs away and almost gets herself killed."

"Yes, but what I don't understand is why she said that she's so important that the Clans will be destroyed without her," meowed Ferrettail. "Something is really upsetting her, I know it."

"Poor thing," she heard Spruceclaw reply. "I think I'll ask her about it."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The way she's been acting, it's like she's keeping some sort of secret," warned Fogtail.

There was a pause and then Ferrettail meowed, "Yeah, I think you're right. It'll just upset her more. She'll just get into more trouble, and she doesn't need that."

"Yeah, but she deserves it, running away like that," Echopaw heard Fogtail reply, "Speaking of her punishment, isn't she supposed to be bringing us some fresh-kill soon? I wonder what's keeping her?"

Echopaw knew she couldn't stand there any longer. After a few moments, she swallowed nervously and stepped into the elders' den. As she walked in, she saw Ferrettail and Fogtail sitting up, pretending they had just woken up. Spruceclaw turned around and meowed, "Hello, Echopaw, thanks for the prey."

Echopaw dropped the mouse, blackbird, and sparrow at the elder's paws and replied, "You're welcome. Need anything else?" She tried to sound as polite as she could, so that the elders wouldn't suspect she had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Oh, no, we're all good. Thanks," meowed Ferrettail in the same polite voice.

Echopaw dipped her head and padded out of the den. She saw Whisperpaw returning from training with Gravelpelt, carrying a rabbit in her jaws. Echopaw felt jealousy tingling in her paws. Whisperpaw had already learned how to hunt, and it looked like she was really good if she could manage to catch a rabbit. Whisperpaw was out of camp training, while Echopaw was stuck in camp looking after the elders.