A small run (The Last Promise)

CopperPaw steps out of the ShadowClan camp. She raises her head to the air as she takes in an extensive breath. DarkFeather had gone off and left her alone in the camp of strangers. Strangers that probably didn’t want her there. Her shoulders sag as if a large weight was thrown onto them suddenly. Her head felt like it was full of bees, bees that were confused and lost. Bees buzzing so loud she couldn’t hear her own thoughts, maybe they were her own thoughts. Maybe she doesn’t want to admit to herself that she felt lost. She suddenly realizes she was standing by the lake. She stares in awe at the large body of water. Eyes wide as she sees the two-legs out and about too. What were they doing? She then frowns, was she walking that whole time? She glances back, how long had she been walking? Was she lost? Stress seemed to fill her lungs as she took in a shaky breath.

She felt like running.

Why? She hated running, why would she want to run?

The small peanut colored tabby she-cat shook her head, but then let her paws do the thinking as she took off. She quickly found herself passing the scent marker into the familiar forest of ThunderClan. Hastily passing the half bridge. She saw the small river that collided with the lake coming up. Her mind panicked, but without thinking twice she leaped over to the other side. Landing clumsy on her paws, she falls to a halt. Eyes wide and breathing heavily. She had jumped over! She was impressed with herself, but now. She glances back in the direction of the border. What was she doing?

She stood up and shook herself. She was too far to go back now. She wanted to continue at least she thought she did. She took off again, staying by the lake’s shore as she ran. Only slowing once again as she got into the view of the ancient oak. She was close to camp. Her heart aches as she almost wished to go back. ‘No, they didn’t care about me. I don’t belong there. They don’t care.’ She told herself. The words sounded like screams in her head as the words bounced around. The bees came back. Her ears flatten to her head as if that would make them go away. Her back legs pushed hard against the ground, causing some ground to be kicked up behind her, as she started running again. Another small river came into view. She goes to jump it.

Splash

The water roared in CopperPaw’s ears as she went under the water. She flailed her legs in panic and frustration as she struggled to get to the surface. Then something grabs her, her heart feeling like it stopped as she flinches harshly, this is it. This is how she dies. ‘DarkFeather… I’m sorry.’

CopperPaw gets yanked back onto land harshly and she lays there, gasping  and coughing as she stares at the water with frightened eyes. A she-cat’s voice broke CopperPaw out of the shock of her near death experience, “Were you trying to drown?”

CopperPaw didn’t recognize the voice. She answers slowly and faintly, “No.” She turns to look at the tortoiseshell she-cat that stood behind her. The thing about the tortoiseshell was that she had large white patches on her body, especially on her face. CopperPaw also notices her odd pink eyes. She quickly realizes she was on WindClan territory. CopperPaw looks towards the pine forest of ShadowClan. Her voice still quiet and shaky after her experience, “I shouldn’t be here.”

The white patched tortoiseshell looks where CopperPaw was looking, towards ShadowClan. She then turns her head to ThunderClan, “And where should you be?” She seemed genuinely confused on why a ShadowClan cat would end up in WindClan. “You should come back to camp with me.” The she-cat spoke again, not giving CopperPaw even time to answer the first question. Nudging the soaked apprentice to her paws as she forces her to start walking to WindClan camp.

CopperPaw lowers her head, she was tired from all that running, she just wanted to sit down. Her tail flopped onto the ground and dragged behind her as they entered WindClan camp. The she-cat speaks out, “DevilStar, I found a-” The she-cat pauses as she looks back at CopperPaw, “An apprentice? She was drowning at the ThunderClan border." CopperPaw felt embarrassed at being called out for her mistake of falling in, she noticed that the she-cat had glanced back. She wasn’t that small! She looked about normal apprentice size… right?

The large blond and green cat turned with his ear flicking, red eyes staring down at the young cat. "Now what were you doing so far from home little kitty..." He didn't lower to her level, staring down with narrowed eyes as his voice was laced with a growing venom. CopperPaw stares up at the large green tom, eyes wide. The leader of WindClan was green? Cats could be green? Was he sick? CopperPaw blinks tiredly. She felt confused and concerned about all of this.

"I- I accidentally ran here? I'm from Thunder- Shadow?” CopperPaw struggles, “ShadowClan." She felt a little more sure of her last answer, but seems the stuttering caught the attention of the she-cat.

“Did you hit your head on the way down?" The she-cat asks with a raised eyebrow.

‘Hit my head?’ CopperPaw asked herself. No, she just wasn’t used to calling ShadowClan her clan yet. “No! My mentor and I left ThunderClan to join ShadowClan earlier today.” She was nervous, was she supposed to tell them that? Should she have kept her mouth shut?

DevilStar spoke up, "Then how did you end up at the ThunderClan border... You better not be lying little kitty. I don't take kindly to liars..." He showed no empathy in his eyes for the young cat, his claws out and ready to hurt her if she proved a threat... or even just bore him. This caused panic to well up in CopperPaw, he would hurt her? She glances at his claws. She was just an apprentice, she didn’t even know how to fight and he was so much larger than her.

She starts panicking more, was WindClan worse then ThunderClan? Worse than SpearStar with kidnapping MagnoliaPaw? She spoke without thinking, voice full of alarm, “We left because my mentor told me SpearStar was behaving dangerously and if we stayed we'd get hurt. I think it's because SpearStar has not been happy with StarClan and has been yelling at them and saying mean things.” She pauses for a quick breath as she went on, “ An-and he kidnapped the ShadowClan's medicine cat apprentice. Now that apprentice is wearing a dead vulture, which is very scary. There are so many cats in ShadowClan. So many new smells and new names-” CopperPaw was huddling up on the ground, making herself a condensed loaf. The bees came back and louder than both times before. She felt dizzy.

"Oh little kitty," DevilStar’s claws didn't sheath, though it didn't look like they could. He lowered down to her "Perhaps neither of those places are for you. I mean honestly. What idiot would wear a dead vulture. Might as well call yourself ScavengerPaw... Why don't you stay here with our medicine cat for a while, he'll make sure you're okay." That scary aura around him had faded, he seemed much kinder…

CopperPaw let out a shaky breath, she was fine, she was going to be okay. WindClan isn’t bad. As soon as he mentioned the medicine cat, every feeling hit CopperPaw at once. She was cold, tired, and her paws ached. She turns her paw over to look at it, the pads were crusted over with small spots of blood.She must have poked it open on the pine needles in ShadowClan territory, but just noticing the pain after finally calming down. She nods quietly, her voice almost silent, “Okay. I just... I don't want to worry DarkFeather-"

"Oh it will be fine, if they worry they'll come looking for you. We'll let them see you if they come here." Although this was a lie. He liked the panic so why would he let them see the young apprentice. He picked up the young cat, his large size allowing him to do this with ease, and carried her to the medicine cat. WebBelly. The white cat was sorting through the herbs and making sure everything was cozy and ready for any injured cats. CopperPaw didn’t argue with being picked up and carried. "WebBelly. I have someone you need to look after." DevilStar said while putting down the young cat "Look after them." He demanded before leaving.

WebBelly, the white medicine cat, turned around and looked at CopperPaw. He had thorns around his neck and wrapped around his tail, along with some leaves and... catmint. His ear had a bird's leg hooked in it and a scar running down his face. "Oh dear, what happened?" He went over and sniffed at CopperPaw before moving her to one of the nests, checking over her carefully. As WebBelly checked over her she showed him her paw pads.

"My mentor and I left ThunderClan to join ShadowClan. I got a bit overwhelmed and I ran away. I missed the jump over the ThunderClan and WindClan border and fell into the water." CopperPaw’s ears flatten as she stares down, seeming ashamed of herself for running away like that. She almost died, the shock coming back a bit to smack her in the face. "A she-cat saved me and brought me here." The medicine den felt safe and she was finally calming down. The white tom’s presence was more calming than DevilStar that was for sure. It was nicer just being one new cat instead of… so many.

"Oh dear, that was very dangerous little one. You're lucky they got to you in time. Who knows what would have happened..." He left her for a moment and got the appropriate items to help her paws. "Try not to walk for a bit. You might make it worse..." he wrapped up her paws with cobwebs to stop the bleeding and keep them comfortable. WebBelly reminded CopperPaw of SwanPaw. She wondered if he knew him, but then felt stupid. Obviously he would know her. Gatherings and she was pretty sure medicine cats had their own gatherings every moon or so?

"I know it was dangerous. I- I wasn't thinking." Regret filled CopperPaw’s lungs. She had left DarkFeather behind. She was concerned, was he okay alone? She hoped he didn’t think she was dead. She was fine, safe now. "I'm worried about my mentor. I don't want to scare him... I need to get back soon."

"Hey now, your mentor should be worried about your safety, and right now walking around could make your paws worse. Not to mention you need rest. I can give you some poppy seeds to relax, but I'm afraid I can't let you leave until I'm sure you haven't gotten ill from the water."

Sleeping sounded nice, CopperPaw was exhausted after all. She nods in understanding, she didn’t feel like walking again for a long while. "Okay. I'll take some poppy seeds."

He gave her a sweet smile, his eyes looked on her kindly before he turned and picked up some poppy seeds, dropping them in front of her and nudging it with his paw. "I'll make sure no one hurts you, little one"

CopperPaw took the seeds and swallowed them quickly. "Thank you," she says quietly, it didn't take her long to fall asleep.