The gnarled furred tom couldn't sleep. He was nearly a warrior, he was the eldest apprentice, he would be next one called. Right?
Burrpaw arose, padding out of the apprentice's den and walking outside camp.
Leafbare was misery, not even prey walked at night in leafbare. Gusts of wind cut through his pelt and stung his eyes. There was something cruel about the way nature took everything living away for so long...
He weaved himself between trees, each one looking more sinister than the last, branches torn at the bases hanging and swinging in the unrelenting winds. Rustling surrounded him at every corner, swarming his ears.
The ground felt cold, unforgiving, hard as rocks. Until he approached the Moonlit Creek.
Burrpaw's chest sank to his haunches. His first catch, a dove, with Birdsong coaching him all the way. Then, that owl that sprang out of the trees! He thought he would be dead, but he could take it on with Birdsong.
A lump formed in his throat. She had been gone for some time now, but it still had the same venom. He stared at the creek, bubbling softly, the winds slowing to an unnatural tranquility.
He sighed, his whole ribcage feeling heavier than stones. Burrpaw glanced upwards towards the sky, small stars staring back at him.
"Birdsong? Can you hear me?"
What did he expect? Burrpaw shook his head.
"I'm gonna be a warrior soon... I hope. Haven't really talked to Bloodstar."
His eyes clouded over, the normal light yellow appearing more like tree sap as he stared.
"I thought you'd be with me. I thought I could always ask you anything, talk to you, get your advice..."
Burrpaw's features slumped. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in the fetal position, and started to wail.
"I... I thought that was the deal! We were in this together, we were a team!"
The tom sobbed, his chest choking and seizing, he had no composure left to hold on to. His feelings transmuted to anger, as he yelled with a snarl, "Are you listening? Do you hear me? Do you actually hear me? What good is it to have every cat before us in the sky if they don't give two tail feathers about the ones they left behind?"
Burrpaw curled up and wept, his sobs wracking his body. "Birdsong, I'm sorry. Please keep us safe. Keep SkyClan safe. Keep the Clans safe. I may never see you again, but if you'd do that for me, I think I can let go. Let go of some of the hurt."
"I know you wouldn't want me to cry forever, you'd want me to be a warrior. A warrior to be proud of, a warrior for SkyClan."
"But does it always have to hurt so much? Does it always have to rip the heart into pieces? Why did you have to die, Birdsong?"
Burrpaw looked at the sky for answers, but the answers never came. He took a deep breath that rattled his chest, letting it go like smoke.
"I will never forget you. You've made me a warrior. And I'm going to be the best there is. I can only hope to carry on your legacy."
And with that, the grieving tom rose to his paws, and headed back towards camp. Perhaps he would get to rest before sunrise...
