Chapter 14

Happiness flooded through Pinepaw as he pushed through the camp entrance. He was finally home, after the long journey to find the Crystal Sun. He was still sad about not being with Spiralpaw, though, he thought with a pang of grief. I still have Snowypaw, he reminded himself, and realized he was probably as excited to see her as she was to see him.

The camp was silent as he padded toward his den. They were probably all sleeping at this time, he reflected. He slipped eagerly into the apprentices’ den, hoping to see his littermates.

They were curled up in the same nest, snuggling against each other for warmth. Pinepaw padded quietly across the den to them and poked at Duskpaw’s dark gray fur. His brother jumped and lifted his head, his amber eyes bleary with sleep.

“Hi,” Pinepaw mewed cheerfully. “It’s me! Pinepaw! I’m back!”

Duskpaw gasped and leaped out of the nest, covering his ears with licks. “Pinepaw!” he gasped. “I’m so glad you’re back!” He nudged Darkpaw. “Wake up, guys! Look who’s back!”

It was Shadowpaw who woke up first. She yawned and blinked at Duskpaw. “We just fell asleep!” she complained. “Why did you–” She broke off as she spotted Pinepaw. Shadowpaw instantly pressed herself against his side and started purring.

“You’re back!” she yelped. “You have to tell us everything!”

Pinepaw’s stomach gave a jolt. Everything? Surely he couldn’t tell his littermates everything. Not that I felt something for Spiralpaw, he decided. Not that I told everyone about Nimblepaw. Guilt washed over him. My own littermates don’t even know about it while my friends do! It’s so unfair!

Darkpaw sat up and began washing himself without opening his eyes. “Is it morning already?” he yawned. “Wait–let me guess–”

“Darkpaw, open your eyes, you mouse-brain!” Shadowpaw mewed impatiently.

Darkpaw blinked open his glowing yellow eyes. They shone even more as he saw Pinepaw. “Pinepaw!” he exploded. “You’re back!” He immediately started to blurt out questions. “Where did you go? Were you alone? Was the prey good there–”

“Three questions are enough for now,” Pinepaw interrupted with a purr of amusement. Darkpaw leaned forward eagerly as he answered. “First, I went…well, I went out of Clan territory. No, I will not tell you where,” he added as Darkpaw opened his mouth to ask. “That’s for Dawnstar’s ears only. And I wasn’t alone. I traveled with two ThunderClan cats and a SkyClan cat.”

Duskpaw’s eyes rounded with amazement. “Were they nice? Were the ThunderClan cats bossy?”

Pinepaw thought for a moment. Swirlpaw was…not exactly bossy, but she acted like a leader, taking care of them and comforting them, and volunteering to go first, he remembered, thinking about the jump. “They were nice,” he replied truthfully. “And the ThunderClan cats were not bossy.”

“Aw,” Darkpaw mewed. “Sad.”

“As for your third question, Darkpaw,” Pinepaw continued, “the prey was fine. Tasted pretty much the same, though they carried unfamiliar forest scents.”

“Wow,” Shadowpaw breathed. “Why did you go?”

Pinepaw paused. “One of the ThunderClan cats had a vision from StarClan,” he answered, carefully avoiding speaking Spiralpaw’s name. “So we followed the setting sun, and went to where we needed to be, and I’ll tell the rest to you later,” he mewed quickly. “Sorry, I have to go talk to Dawnstar.”

Pinepaw slipped out of the den and raced across the clearing to Dawnstar’s den. He was aware that some of the warriors were stirring at the sound of his paw steps thumping on the ground. He poked his head into the Clan leader’s den. “Dawnstar?” he called softly.

Dawnstar was curled up in his nest, snoring softly, and started when Pinepaw called him, immediately awakening. “What is it?” he hissed, sitting up as fast as he had woken up. “Pinepaw?” he gasped in disbelief. “You’re back!”

Pinepaw dipped his head respectfully to his leader. “Yes,” he replied. “I wanted to speak with you about my absence.”

“Come in,” Dawnstar invited. Pinepaw padded into the den and sat down on the ground in front of the orange tom. “Well?” the ShadowClan leader pressed. “Why did you go away?”

Pinepaw took a deep breath. “I am sorry for leaving you so unexpectedly,” he apologized. “But it was for the will of StarClan.”

Dawnstar nodded in understanding. “StarClan sent you?” His tone suddenly sharpened with disbelief. “You, and apprentice?”

“I’m surprised, too, Dawnstar,” Pinepaw told him. “Well, you see…me, Skypaw, Swirlpaw, and Spiralpaw went on a journey to find the Crystal Sun.”

“Skypaw from SkyClan, and Swirlpaw from ThunderClan,” Dawnstar muttered. “Who’s Spiralpaw? What is the Crystal Sun?”

“Spiralpaw’s from ThunderClan, too,” Pinepaw explained. “The Crystal Sun is a very powerful crystal that sits in a cave…” He launched into a story of the journey, avoiding parts like growing close to Spiralpaw and telling his friends about Nimblepaw. Again he felt another pang of guilt. ShadowClan doesn’t know about me and Nimblepaw, he thought. Only Skypaw, Swirlpaw, Spiralpaw, and Glidepaw know.

“Interesting,” Dawnstar mewed when he had finished. “And this was all because of Spiralpaw’s vision?”

Pinepaw nodded.

“Was it worth it?”

“I got a gift, Dawnstar,” Pinepaw reminded him.

“What is your gift?” Dawnstar hissed, leaning forward, his ears twitching.

“I can understand everyone’s point of view.” Pinepaw remembered that moment very clearly, when Nimblepaw had announced and given him his power.

Dawnstar nodded slowly. “I will tell this to the Clan first thing in the morning. But don’t worry,” he added, winking at Pinepaw. “I won’t go so far into details.”

 

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Pinebranch for a Clan meeting!”

Pinepaw blinked open his eyes as Dawnstar’s yowl rang across the clearing. He scrambled to his paws and nudged his littermates. “Dawnstar’s called a meeting!” he mewed urgently.

Shadowpaw, Darkpaw, and Duskpaw leaped out of their nest and raced out of the den. Pinepaw heard Darkpaw whisper, “Maybe he’s telling us about Pinepaw’s journey!”

You’re exactly right, Pinepaw thought gloomily. He sighed and followed them out.

When the whole Clan had gathered, Dawnstar mewed, “Last night Pinepaw returned.” The Clan let out a murmur of triumph. “You don’t know how much we searched for you, Pinepaw,” Dawnstar sighed, then went on.

“Pinepaw was chosen to go on a journey called by StarClan. He and three other apprentices went to find the Crystal Sun. They were successful, and now he’s come back to us.”

“What’s the Crystal Sun?” Oakleaf called out.

“We will not talk about that,” Dawnstar mewed sharply to the young warrior. “What matters is that Pinepaw has come back to us. This meeting is at an end,” he added.

The Clan began to break apart. Fawnstep stood near the camp entrance, assigning the day’s patrols. Pinepaw looked around for Snowypaw. He hadn’t seen her in the apprentices’ den.

“Snowypaw!” he called in relief as he spotted her heading for the fresh-kill pile. He bounded over to her eagerly.

The spotted she-cat gazed at him warmly and rubbed her muzzle against his. “I’m glad to have you back,” she whispered. “I missed you. And it’s Snowycloud now, by the way.”

“Congratulations,” Pinepaw purred, and this time he really meant it. For a moment he forgot all about his friends in the other Clans, and for a moment all that mattered was that he was back with ShadowClan, and his littermates and Snowycloud.

“Where’s Mousetail?” Pinepaw suddenly asked, realizing that he must be behind on training.

Snowycloud started at him, her yellow eyes shimmering with grief. “Oh, Pinepaw, I’m so sorry–Mousetail is dead.”

Pinepaw froze. For a moment he forgot how to breathe. Mousetail is dead? It was so hard to believe. Mousetail–so brave and loyal and kind, such a good mentor–was dead. Pinepaw crouched down, trying to fight the pain that was starting to claw at his heart. This was just like when Nimblepaw had died. Snowycloud pressed against him comfortingly. “How did she die?” Pinepaw whispered.

Snowycloud shook her head sadly. “I don’t know,” she answered. “One day we found her body lying in the clearing. There was a deep wound on her throat.” She wrinkled her nose. “And there was rogue scent all over her.”

Pinepaw gasped. “Bubble!” he snarled. He ignored Snowycloud’s surprised look.

Bubble had taken two cats away from him. First Nimblepaw, now Mousetail. Suddenly he was furious that he had even gone on the journey. Suddenly he wanted to go and track Bubble down himself.

Why did this have to happen? he wailed silently.