(Hey guys! Today is just a quick one shot, for Stellarclan's challenge "Turning a Blind Eye?" Enjoy!)
"Come on Applepaw! We don't have all day!" Darkpine, a fluffy gray she-cat, called to her apprentice from the entrance of Windclan camp.
"Coming!" Applepaw returned, springing out of the Apprentice's den. Applepaw was a solid, ginger tom, with bright green eyes. Once he had caught up to his mentor, Darkpine rolled her eyes.
"Took you a while." She growled lightly, padding out of camp. Applepaw treaded lightly by her side, excited for today's training.
"Hunting today." Darkpine meowed, almost as if she could read Applepaw's mind. "By Riverclan border."
"Cool!" Applepaw purred, bounding ahead.
"Get back here!" Darkpine snapped, bolting in front of Applepaw. She arched in front of the apprentice, her fangs bared. "I lead the way, got that?" She hissed, eyes now slits.
Applepaw trembled a bit, fear turning his body to ice. "Y-yes Darkpine! I'm sorry!" He dipped his head, hoping she would not hit him.
Darkpine sniffed. "As long as you've learned your lesson." She whipped around, tail lashing. She stalked forward, continuing to Riverclan boundaries.
Applepaw gulped, shaking his head. He padded after his mentor nervously, his paws shaking. They continued to Riverclan silently, not one noise coming from either of them.
"Good. We're here." Darkpine announced. They were right at the edge of the border, and Applepaw could here the lake lapping against the bank.
"Hey Darkpine?" Applepaw meowed, staring across the border.
"Yes? What is it?" Darkpine meowed impatiently, sniffing the air.
"Er... There's a kit right here."
Darkpine whirled around, growling. And it was true. There, right in front of Applepaw, was a tiny, red kit. It was looking up at Applepaw, eyes round with amazement.
Darkpine stormed forward, snarling at the kit. "What are you doing here?"
The tiny kit said nothing, and simply blinked.
Darkpine's tail lashed, her ears flat. "You're a spy, aren't you? Thinking no one would notice you? Well you were wrong!"
Applepaw's eyes widened. "Darkpine! Its just a kit! Let's take it back to its clan!"
Suddenly, Darkpine slashed at Applepaw. "Silence! I know best, I am the mentor!"
Applepaw crouched low, too scared to do anything.
"I know exactly what to do, and no one will ever realize it was us." Darkpine roughly picked up the kit, and slid down the bank to the lake. Scared, Applepaw crawled to the bank to see what Darkpine was up to.
Darkpine was wading into the water, trying to keep the kit above the water. Once Darkpine was a few fox lengths from the shore, she dropped the kit. Tears streamed down Applepaw's cheeks as the kit sunk helplessly to the bottom of the lank, never to resurface.
Darkpine wadded back, and once she had reached Applepaw, she shook out her pelt, water spraying every where. She placed her paw on Applepaw's head, pushing him into the muddy earth.
"Tell anyone, and I'll kill you." She snarled in his ear.
"Why would you do that?" Applepaw croaked, still crying.
"I was doing us a favor! That's one less warrior we will have to deal with. This is why I should be leader." She sniffed, releasing her grip on Applepaw.
Applepaw trembled against the ground, but eventually weakly stood up. He felt like vomiting. Darkpine was grooming her pelt, already looking dry.
"Let's go back to camp. And don't forget what I told you." She got to her paws, and stalked back to camp.
Applepaw followed feebly, too shocked to speak. Behind him, he could hear wails of a distressed queen looking for her lost kit.
Once they reached camp, Darkpine hastily picked up a lizard, like she felt no remorse. She settled down happily, munching down on her meal.
Applepaw stumbled into the medicine cat's den, feeling sick.
"Applepaw!" Rockflower gasped. "You look horrid!" She hurried over to the apprentice, sniffing his pelt.
"Darkpine killed a kit." He choked out, collapsing to his paws.
"What?" She whispered. "How? Where! What kit?"
"She drowned it." He sobbed, hiding his face in his paws. "A tiny red kit."
"Oh no... That was Reedkit..." Rockflower's lip quivered, and she quickly rushed out of her den to fetch the leader.
Alone, Applepaw began to sob even more, yet there were no tears.
Rowanstar stalked in, a growl rumbling from his throat. "What is this I hear about a murder?"
Rockflower quickly whispered something in his ear, and Rowanstar snarled.
"Darkpine!"
Rowanstar leaped up onto the highrock, his fur spiked in fury.
Darkpine stared up at Rowanstar, her eyes wide.
"I have always have had my counts about my loyalty, but today, you confirm them!" He yowled. Cats emerged from their dens, each confused.
Darkpine snarled at Applepaw, who just emerged from the Medicine Cat den. "You! I'll kill you!"
"You will not!" Rowanstar snarled. "I, Rowanstar, leader of Shadowclan, here by banish you from Shadowclan for the murder of an innocent Riverclan kit!"
Gasps and murmurs arose from the clan, and Darkpine hissed, backing up.
"If any of my Warriors find you on my territory after sunrise, they have my permission to kill you!"
Fear flashed in Darkpine's eyes, and she ran, as far as her legs could take her. Past the clans, past the trees, far from the clans.
Rowanstar's chest was heaving, and he turned to Applepaw.
"Applepaw, thank you, for telling us. Shadowclan honors your bravery and honesty." He dipped his head, and Applepaw nervously shivered.
"Applepaw! Applepaw! Applepaw!"
(Gosh, I hate how this ended... I dont do one shots! Well, back to my usual stuff!)
