Rainpaw’s Belief | Warrior Cats FanFiction

CHAPTER 7 | WHITEPAW’S SIGN

Whitepaw’s POV

Whitepaw woke up in a soft nest full of feathers, bracken and soft moss. His vision was hazy as he looked around trying to make out where he was. The air was cold but the moss in his nest kept him warm.

Whitepaw heard Leafpool’s voice and his eyes cleared up more and he found himself in the medicine den with Leafpool, a few foxtail lengths away from him, staring at him with a soft gaze. “He’s awake, fetch him some moss soaked in water so he can drink.” A moment of silence came and there was only the sound of soft paws padding behind Leafpool. A moment later a small grey cat poked his head out from behind Leafpool and put down a ball of moss soaked in water. “Thank you, Jayfeather,” Leafpool meowed as Jayfeather went on examining some other cats that were in the den too. Jayfeather was Leafpool’s apprentice. “Drink up, now,” she told Whitepaw.

Whitepaw made an effort to reach his head over to the moss ball but his sides ached with every movement. He flinched at the pain when he pulled his head back. Leafpool nudged it closer for him so he didn’t have to reach so far.

“When will I get better?” he croaked. His voice was raspy and quite.

“It won’t be too long but we have never had a cat come into our den with such a bad injury,” replied the light brown she-cat. “It should be easy.” Whitepaw felt guilt flow off the medicine cat.

“Will I get to become a warrior soon?” Whitepaw quickly regretted saying that. He wasn’t sure if his clanmates still trusted him. He didn’t know if he was even staying in the clan.

“That’s for Firestar to decide.” Whitepaw still felt the guilt and uncertainty coming off Leafpool but he didn’t know what it was.

Leafpool walked out with Jayfeather and then Whitepaw saw movement in the corner of his eye at the bramble bushes to the entrance of the overhang of the den. A little brown-black head stuck out. “You’re ok!” It was Rainpaw. She raced toward Whitepaw but quickly stopped when she saw him brace himself then flinch in pain. “Sorry!” She licked his ear. “Are you feeling alright? What has Leafpool said?” Rainpaw threw questions at the white tom.

“I’m ok. Leafpool didn’t seem so sure when she told me I would be out here soon. Can you ask her what she really thinks?” Ignoring the pain Whitepaw was able to stifle a purr when Rainpaw nosed his ear and gave his head a lick. He watched after her as his beloved Rainpaw trotted out of the little cave and through the bramble screen.

There was a crackle on the other side of the cave and Whitepaw turned to see Mousewhisker wriggling in his nest. “Ugh! This moss is too dry, it’s making my pelt itch.” Mousewhisker batted a piece of moss off his tail but groaned with pain when he laid back down.

“Careful you don’t open that wound back up again.” It was leafpool.

“I’ll get more spider web for the cut on your tail,” Jayfeather told the grey and white warrior as he walked toward the cleft in the wall where they stored all the herbs.

“You think you can manage?” retorted Mousewhisker.

Jayfeather whipped around and hissed. “Keep your mouse-brained question to yourself,” spat the sightless medicine cat. Mousewhisker was just in a bad mood because he was tired and injured but Jayfeather had always had a temper over cats who thought he could manage on his own just because he was blind. He quickly turned around and mumbled something under his breath.

Rainpaw came rustling through the bushes and into the den and dropped a juicy vole in front of Whitepaw. “I got you your favourite.”

He took a bite. “Thanks,” he meowed round the mouthful of vole.

Rainpaw looked at Leafpool and back again then lowered he voice to say, “Leafpool said you might not get better. In fact the chances are very low but Leafpool is going to do her best.” Leafpool was too busy in taking care of all the other cats to hear what Rainpaw had said.

Whitepaw spat out the vole he was eating and yowled, “I what?!” He sat up, his forearms pushing him up as he bit back tears of pain.

Rainpaw shrank away. Whitepaw knew she couldn’t bare to see him in such sadness and anger. “But I know that you’ll get better! We will work hard together to get you walking and running around like any other cat.” She tried to soothe him, l*****g his pelt softly. Whitepaw felt that she understood how it felt to know that she couldn’t become a warrior, but this was different. Her situation was only temporary while his could very likely be forever. He could sense the pity she felt for him.

Most of the cats in the den turned to look up but some continued to sleep. Leafpool turned at the sound of cats moving and of course Whitepaw’s meowing and yowling. “What’s going on?” She saw the sadness that filled the White apprentice’s eyes. “Whitepaw, Jayfeather and I will do our best to get you fixed.” She saw sorrow in Rainpaw’s eyes as she continued to lick Whitepaw. Once Jayfeather had finished up with Mousewhisker he flicked his tail, signalling Rainpaw out the way. Taking her place Whitepaw watched as Jayfeather placed his paws very lightly onto his ribs. His pelt quivered.

“Rainpaw, he’s going to need some poppy seeds for the pain. Can you go fetch some ,please?” Whitepaw lay, exhausted and he felt relief coming off Rainpaw and she dashed off to the cleft. Whitepaw knew she was just relieved to know she could help him. The came back a moment later with some poppy seeds and spat them out in front of him and he took them in his mouth and chewed on them as he drowsily fell asleep.

Whitepaw sat up in the nest and sighed. Rainpaw was standing next to him, staring around the cave.

“How long have I slept for?” he mewed. He waited but there was no reply from the brown-black she-cat. “Rainpaw?” He leaned forward to see her face was expressionless. He felt a shiver run though his body. “Rainpaw,” he repeated, this time a little louder. What was going on? Rainpaw was now still, frozen on her paws. He looked around the cave and all the others were still too, everything silent. What in the name of StarClan was going on. Another shiver ran down Whitepaw. It seemed as if he were in a picture and he was the only thing that moved apart from the little stream from the side of the cave wall.

Suddenly Rainpaw tore away from her stillness and sprinted full speed out of the overhang and through the bramble screen. “Rainpaw!” Whitepaw got up and chased after her. He realised he didn’t have any pain and was confused but shook his head to clear his confusion and continued to chase after his mate. They bounded across the hollow clearing, out through the thorn tunnel and into the forest. They rounded the big oak tree and over a fallen brunch. Exhaustion burned Whitepaw’s lungs as his sides heaved with the effort of keeping up with the crazy she-cat. Whitepaw called once more. “Rainpaw, wait!” He hardly had the time to stop when she slammed to a halt in front of him, almost sending him toppling over her but he managed to dig his claws into the ground just in time for a grip.

She spun around, staring at him, her eyes giving off no emotion. He leaned back as she shoved her face up to his. Her breath mingled with the scents of the forest and suddenly her eyes started glowing. Shocked, Whitepaw fell backward and she took another pace forward.

“Don’t be frightened.” Hissed a voice coming from Rainpaw as if she had spoken but her mouth hadn’t even opened and her entire persona seemed elusive. It wasn’t even her voice. It was a stronger voice that Whitepaw would expect to hear in a senior warrior. Whitepaw didn’t move. He was scared. He didn’t want to show his fear to this stranger though so he forced himself out of his crouch and straightened himself up, ignoring his urge to turn tail and flee ingloriously.

“H-hello?” He asked cautiously.

“We know that you have been injured in the battle, is that correct?” answered the voice. Rainpaw continued to stand still.

“Yes.” He wondered what was going to happen or what he was here for. “Do you know why I am here?” He guessed he was speaking to an ancestor but usually cats from StarClan would use their own spiritual body where as this thing he was talking to was using Rainpaw’s body as a temple to speak. “Why am I here?” repeated Whitepaw starting to feel anger although the fear in him was still there.

Ignoring the question the voice continued. “Your medicine cat can’t help you.”

Fury started to surge inside the white tom but he kept his paws in place. “What do you mean?” he demanded. “Who are you?”

“Your medicine cat can’t help you,” repeated the voice.

“I suppose your ears don’t work. Who are you? he asked again, taking a step forward with one paw. A moment of silence went by and Rainpaw’s whole body began to glow. A glowing body shifted out of her’s and stood beside her frozen body that was now dark and dull. “Rainpaw!” wailed Whitepaw like a kit without it’s mother. He turned to the glowing body and bit back a yowl as he realised that this was indeed a warrior from StarClan. A big she-cat. He stepped back two foxtail lengths away. Did Rainpaw just join StarClan?! “Rainpaw! Are you ok?” he shouted at the ancestor.

“I’m not Rainpaw. Don’t worry about your friend. She is ok.” The warrior circled around Rainpaw’s body. “The colour of my pelt will set in soon. And you’ll be able to make out who I am.”

Whitepaw was starting to understand but he was getting annoyed. Why can’t this cat just tell him who she was instead of playing these games. It seemed she was right though. Her pelt colour started to set in and he was starting to make out a gold-brown coat with specks of black all over.

“M-Mudspots?” Whitepaw realised it was a former ThunderClan warrior. “Mudspots! Exclaimed Whitepaw. Whitepaw was just a kit when Mudspots had been sent to StarClan. She had taken care of him when there was greencough all throughout the clan and his parents were too sick to take care of him.

Whitepaw heard a rumble in Mudspot’s throat and he joined in with the purr and bounced forward, rubbing his head under her chin.

“Am I dreaming?” Whitepaw asked, pulling away to stand in front of her again.

“Your medicine cat can’t help you. Only you and your little friend can.” She looked at Rainpaw’s lifeless body.

Confusion clouded Whitepaw’s mind but he didn’t object or ask any further. Mudspots turned and walked away and faded to nothing and Whitepaw woke up to excruciating pain in his side.

“Ow!” He opened his eyes and Jayfeather stood over him with one paw on his chest, holding him down and the other pressing his ribs. “What are you doing?!” Yowled the tom, his eyes tearing up as he wailed. All the other cats around had been moved back into their original nests as they were ready to go back and some were just moved out, testing their movement out in the clearing.

“Hey, what are you doing to him?” Rainpaw was the only one left in the cave with him but was roused by the noise. She quickly sat up and wacked Jayfeather with her front paws, hissing. “Your hurting him!”

Jayfeather turned his sightless eyes toward her. “We have to try to move it back into place. One of his ribs have moved because the one that broke has pushed it aside.”

“No.” Both cats looked at Whitepaw. He felt stronger despite his pain. He saw them look at him questioningly. “You can’t help me.” He stared at Rainpaw then turned his gaze to the grey medicine cat. “Don’t even think about it, Jayfeather.” Everyone in the clan knew that Jayfeather could read other cats’ minds. He would reach into their thoughts and could see as clear as if he were really living in the moment of what they were thinking. Whitepaw didn’t want Jayfeather to know what he was thinking about. He couldn’t get his dream off his mind and he wanted to keep it to himself. But maybe it was better if Jayfeather could get the answer just like that. Then he wouldn’t have to talk.

“Its up to me and Rainpaw to fix me.” He stares into the grey-black she-cat’s eyes.

Jayfeather just gave him a nod as if he understood. “Keep Rainpaw with you. . . You will have to train slowly to build up your strength, and that way your ribs will heal on their own. As long as you do it right.”