A Former Mentor's Sorrow (OPEN)

Scorchfang stared down at the ground, his head resting on his paws. He laid in the mouth of the warriors' den, and he hadn't really moved from that place ever since the tragic death of his apprentice and friend Brownpaw. Ever since she was killed by a badger during one of their training sessions, he's lost all motivation to do much of anything anymore. First he had to say goodbye to Sweetheart, then he lost Lilacfall and many other brothers and sisters to death, and finally he lost his very first apprentice.

Brownpaw was going to become one of the greatest warriors ShadowClan had ever seen. He was going to make sure she would be given the warrior name Browntalon, just as she had always wanted when she was a kit. He still remembered playing with her and Foxpaw when she was a kit as well, and he himself was nothing more than a rather temperamental apprentice. He played many games with Brownpaw, and he was having so much fun training her as an apprentice, teaching her everything he knew to become an even better warrior than he was or could ever be.

And now Brownpaw was dead. One of his first genuine friends was gone. Why did bad things always have to happen to good cats?

Scorchfang didn't bother trying to hide his emotions. He didn't care who saw him cry. He whimpered and shut his eyes as tears fell down his cheeks. He just wanted his dear apprentice back.

Minnowpaw sat outside the apprentice den grooming herself (Like she always does heh) thinking about diffrent stuff. As Scorchfang her lovely mate, she relized that she hadn't seen him for a couple days.

She got up and walked over to the warrior den. Just outside the warrior's den she heard crying.
She slowly walked into it and looked around, finding Scorchfang crying. She thought about it an rememberd that his apprentice had gotten killed.

She ran up to him and nudge him "Scorchfang.. You did as much as you could, it's not you'r fault..." she meowed quietl and sat down infront of him.

"I was her mentor." Scorchfang's voice was very soft and raspy, as if he hadn't used for days. "It's a mentor's job to teach their apprentice and to protect them. But I failed. I failed Brownpaw, and now she's dead. Those cats who still don't trust me or like me... They're completely right. I truly am the worst cat in ShadowClan."

She looked at him "You know what they probably couldn't have done a better job, just like you every cat can only do so much alright? And I can assure you that you arn't the first one to have it's apprentice die.." she meowd softly "You're not the worst Shadowclan cat, they are for not trusting a strong and a hard-working warrior of there own clan" she continued.

Scorchfang looked up at Minnowpaw, his orange eyes dull and swimming with tears. He pressed his head against her shoulder and trembled, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "I m-miss her, Minnowpaw... I w-want her back... G-Great StarClan, she was doing so well!... I was so p-proud of her!..."

"I understand you Scorchfang I do. But both of us know that she's with Starclan watching over the clan. I'm sure she wouldn't want you to lay her crying over her. She was you'r first apprentice and it was an learning experience for both of you. I'm sure she would have been a wonderful warrior but that wasn't what Starclan had in mind for her" she told him and licked his cheek.

"B-But why?... Why didn't StarClan want her to become a warrior? She was going to be Browntalon. She was going to be an amazing warrior." He was starting to run out of breath to speak, resorting to venting through his sobs and whimpers. While his heart hurt so very much, he was very grateful for Minnowpaw's comfort and support. He pressed his head deeper into her fur.

"I don't know Scorchfang... I don't know.." she sighed sadly. "Hopefully we'll know some day.." she meowed quietly and layed down slowly. She looked into his dark orange eyes "All I know is that she's watching over you" she wispered to him.

Scorchfang looked back into the beautiful she-cat's blue eyes, and finally in what felt like a lifetime ago, he softly smiled. "Th-Thank you, Minnowpaw. I'm so lucky to have you. And... Brownpaw will always be Browntalon in my heart."

She smiled and purred quietly. She licked away his tears "I love you Scorchfang and I'll always be there and help you as much as I can" she purred.

"Thank you, Minnowpaw. I love you, too." Scorchfang nuzzled his muzzle against Minnowpaw's, a soft purr rumbling in his throat.

She purred softly and started grooming his dark tabby fur. "You're a warrior with a big heart, you care about others even it some others don't think you do so" she meowed with a muffled voice as she where grooming him.

"Well, I'm certainly glad some cat finally took notice to my change." He then softly huffed with amusement. "You know, when I become leader of ShadowClan, I just may make you my deputy."

She stopped grooming him for a second "Well if you wanna be the leader you don't have time to lay here and sob" she meowed and then continued grooming him.

He took a shaky breath and nodded. "You're... You're right. If I want to become leader one day, I have to learn how to cope with death. It's really hard to, though, but... I'll have to find a way to move on from Brownpaw's death."