Chapter Ten

The whole time Blackpaw was at Jadeclan, he had not seen Shadepaw and that is what angered himself the most; he had not seen his practical identical twin so he had not even got a chance to ask him why he did not warn Jadeclan that Solarclan was going to attack.

This upsetted him so much that it made Blackpaw drift off to sleep inside the apprentice den from finally getting back to Riseclan after a long day of exhausting labor to repair a camp that wasn't his.

Still, he did manage to get a strange and uncomfortable sense of sleep that made stabbing pangs in his heart when he breathed; in his dream, he was standing at the river like before with his head facing the way of the waterfall, watching the current sway between the stones.

Curiously, he got up to leap onto a stone to watch closer as the water flowed partially near his paws to soak them, though he didn't mind it.

"Careful, you're going to fall in!" A she-cat's voice warned him, though no she-cat was there at all which made Blackpaw fall in.

Around him in the water, it turned red like the color of blood and gripping claws of the dead cats began to grip his fur as they tried to pull him under.

In his nightmare, the river was swarming again like it had when he was a kit..

"Blackpaw, you're shaking!" Icepaw cried, pawing his ears,"You're scaring me, wake up!"

So, Blackpaw woke up to gasp for air from feeling like he was actually drowning.

Fortunately for him, he wasn't, "I'm okay, I'm sorry for scaring you.."

Icepaw sighed concerningly, her head was low in fright.

Blackpaw looked at his friend, noticing the voice he heard in the dream wasn't hers, but that didn't matter right now, all he wanted to know was if she still loved him, "Icepaw," He tried to ask but couldn't seem to place the right sentence until he successfully did, "Do you love me or my brother Firepaw?"

Icepaw's blue orbs widened in slight surprise, "I wouldn't call it love, but maybe there is one small connection between him and I..but, yes..I still love you, except-"

"I clawed out Minnowpaw's eye." Blackpaw finished for her since he didn't want her to.

None of them said a word, but Icepaw's change of gaze and sudden silence spoke enormous volumes to Blackpaw which made him feel vulnerable.

Blackpaw sighed, "I'll spare you the trouble then."

"What do you mean?" Icepaw asked.

Blackpaw got to his paws then started making his way to the entrance, "Did anyone ever tell you that I was a coward, that I looked at the world with closed eyes to just ignore what the real world was actually like?" He mustered his courage to say, but regrettably continue, "I saw the forest to seem peaceful and all good because I had Firepaw with me because I always thought I would. Except now, not any part of me believes it was going to be true; I'm alone. So, Icepaw, I'm asking you to stay away from me from now on so that I may never hurt you in anyway possible."

A storm of clouds formed in Icepaw's eyes, watching the Blackpaw she knew slip away from this black tom she saw stand in front of her.

"Alright, Blackpaw..I'll honor your wish.." Icepaw whimpered to him, "But it would make me happier to know that you were being taken care of by someone soon so that you can find yourself to feel never truly alone in this dark world we live in.."

Whatever Blackpaw was going to do now, he touched his nose to hers apologetically before walking out of the apprentice den with finally, his head held high.