Darkstar's Wrath - A Faith's Journey Super Edition

Chapter 12

Darkpaw watched the medicine cat for a moment longer before shaking his pelt. He looked down at himself one last time. Again, he looked fine. So why was Swanfeather staring at him in horror?

He pushed the thought away and padded over to where Wolfpaw was grooming himself. Nightfire had left him to go talk with Stormhawk over a vole. Wolfpaw looked up from his grooming as he heard Darkpaw approach. He straightened his position and wrapped his bushy, furry, tail around his paws.

"Hey!" Wolfpaw meowed, waving with his tail.

"Hey!" Darkpaw replied, sitting down across from him.

"How did training go? How was battle training?" Wolfpaw asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation for his friend's answers.

"It went awesome! I got the battle moves down pretty quickly but they were easy. I wanted to learn more of the bigger ones..." Darkpaw's shoulder's slumped.

"Understandable." Wolfpaw answered, swishing his tail.

Darkpaw's fur rose of his shoulders and quilt pricked him once again as talking about battle training reminded him of what he did to Crimsonclaw.

"What's wrong?" Wolfpaw asked, his gaze flicking to Darkpaw's bristling fur.

Darkpaw frowned. Should he tell Wolfpaw why Crimsonclaw was in the Medicine den?

"I accidentally clawed Crimsonclaw across the shoulder when we were practicing the Forepaw Slash move..." Darkpaw mumbled under his breath so quietly that Wolfpaw had to lean in to hear what he was saying. Wolfpaw blinked in shock. 

"Ar-Are you serious...?" He whispered, his gaze flicking to Crimsonclaw.

Darkpaw nodded with a whimper. Wolfpaw opened his jaws then closed them, his eyes staring at Darkpaw. Darkpaw seemed to shrink down toward the ground, he avoided Wolfpaw's gaze.

Wolfpaw leaned away from Darkpaw and sat back in his original position, he studied Darkpaw for a few moments.

"Hmm." He replied.

Darkpaw raised both eyebrows and sat up.

"Hmm? That's it?" He replied, dumbfounded.

"Of course not. YOU DID!?" Wolfpaw shrieked. Darkpaw leapt forward and tackled Wolfpaw to the ground.

"Sssshhh!" He hissed in his friend's ear, planting a paw over his mouth. Wolfpaw let out a muffled grunt. Darkpaw glanced around the clearing, Crimsonclaw, Nightfire, and Stormhawk were all giving them weird looks. Darkpaw scrambled off of Wolfpaw and gave himself a shake. Wolfpaw sat up and met the gazes of the warriors.

"Tch. Those mouse brains still act like kits." Stormhawk growled and turned back to Nightfire.

Darkpaw slowly turned back to Wolfpaw, who was looking at him with an eyebrow cocked.

"Sorry.." Darkpaw mumbled. "I didn't want every cat in the clan to know about that... Swanfeather I think knows and Stormhawk is on to me already..." Wolfpaw blinked and glanced over at the medicine cat.

"How would Swanfeather know?" He asked, turning back to Darkpaw, his furry ears twitching.

"Maybe Crimsonclaw told her, because she was giving me these looks after they came out of the Medicine burrow." Darkpaw explained.

"Oh. What kind of looks?" Wolfpaw asked.

"She looked at me as if I had just... murdered cats or something!" Darkpaw said, his fur bristling.

"You wouldn't do that!" Wolfpaw hissed, his ears flattened. "How dare she think that!" 

"I don't-" Darkpaw started but his amber eyes landed on Swanfeather again. She was whispering something to Adderstar, her head bent close to his. A flash or alarm crossed the leader's face and he quickly glanced over at Darkpaw for a split second. He then nodded and lead her toward his den. 

"What was that about?" Wolfpaw questioned, following his gaze. Darkpaw gazed at where the medicine cat and Adderstar had disappeared for a moment longer before turning back to his friend.

"Maybe she's telling him..." Darkpaw mumbled, his fur prickling with unease.

"Hopefully not." Wolfpaw replied.

"I'm going to grab something to eat then I'm headed to bed." Darkpaw changed the topic, glancing up at the sun that was making its way toward the horizon.

"Alright. See ya tomorrow then." Wolfpaw said, brushing his tail along Darkpaw's side.

"See ya." Darkpaw replied and padded over to the Prey Pile. He grabbed a mouse and sat down. He dug in, taking a bite of mouse meat from its back. He chewed thoughtfully, Swanfeather's stare embedded in his mind. His fur prickled again and he took another mouthful of mouse. He finished his mouse in a couple bites and drew his tongue over his jaws.

Darkpaw padded over to where the Apprentice's burrow was and went to head inside. Something caught his eye before he went in though. Adderstar was staring at him with his green eyes studying Darkpaw carefully, as though searching for something. An answer to a question, or maybe something else. Darkpaw held his leader's gaze before turning and padding down the slope into the burrow. 

Darkpaw laid down in his nest, tucking his front paws under him and resting his head on the soft moss beneath his belly. He closed his eyes and was plunged into a confused sleep. He couldn't get those stares out of his head. Were they scared of him...? If so... why?