Chapter Thirteen: The Death of a Kit

We came back to camp with tails raised and heads held up high. It was my first battle and we were victorious. Nightpaw walked beside me, purring, and we shared a rabbit.

"I heard Redstar and a group of warriors are remarking the borders right now!" she meowed when I took a bite. "I wonder what trouble RiverClan's going to give to ShadowClan now."

I swallowed and whispered, "Redstar still thinks ShadowClan killed Frostwing. So far, he might plan an attack any day."

Pushing the rabbit back to Nightpaw I watched her to see how she would react.

She looked at me and meowed, words chosen carefully, "I miss Amberstar. She was better at making decisions. Redstar just jumps to conclusions. Oh!" She paused for a moment. "I've been wondering. Why do you think it was Shallowpaw who killed Frostwing?"

That wasn't what I was expecting. I opened my mouth but closed it every quickly with a snap.

Should I tell her the truth about Timberpaw and Minysong's kit?

How I can see into the future of any cat I touched?

No.

I was her friend right now. I didn't want that to change.

"The day I found Frostwing, all the cats padded out to mourn for her. However, she stayed in the apprentices' den complaining about getting her fur wet."

I lowered my voice into a whisper, "Nobody knows this but… When she was first found it was Frostwing that found her, they instantly got into a fight because Frostwing tried to drive her out. Frostwing beat Shallowpaw but Amberstar got involved. She brought her in. Frostwing never considered her a member of ThunderClan. The only thing she would call her was 'kittypet'."

Nightpaw pushed the rabbit back at me in a polite way to interrupt, "Then I can understand why Shallowpaw didn't really care."

"What I don't understand is, when Amberstar interrupted it was really Frostwing who commented on her fighting skills. She said that Shallowpaw could grow to be a good warrior. Shallowpaw never forgave Frostwing for trying to drive her out. After a while, she became unbearable for Frostwing. She started to call her kittypet instead of Shallowpaw."

For a moment, none of us spoke.

We just stared at our paws lost in thought. As the clouds began to roll away and the sun began to set, we decided to get up. "Do you think she will do it again?" Nightpaw murmured as Mousepelt padded by.

"Yes!" I hissed. "I know it!"

"How?"

I paused and just in time, Redstar called for a Clan meeting. I sighed in relief and dashed over under Highledge. As cats settled down, I noticed Shallowpaw was sitting next to Redstar, as her mentor Rubynose seemed quiet proud.

"No," I whispered as Nightpaw settled down next to me. "She's going to become a warrior!"

"Really?" Nightpaw spat. "I thought Redstar punished her for three or more moons? It has only been one!"

Redstar began before I could reply, "I have a new warrior I wish to announce. Shallowpaw spotted the RiverClan patrol and fought without a scratch, so I have decided to let her became a warrior."

An outburst coursed through the hollow, composed of cheers and yowls; however, we stayed quiet. As Redstar began to say the ceremonial words, I noticed something.

Minysong called Rootfur, Gingerpaw's mother, over. Minysong paced back and forth, eyes wide with worry. My ears instinctively pricked upwards to hear what they were saying.

"What's the matter?" Rootfur meowed as Minysong stopped pacing.

"When Redstar called the Clan meeting I pushed my kits inside the nursery. When I came inside, I noticed I only had two kits with me! I can't find Mellowkit! For StarClan's sake he can't even meow yet and he's already lost!"

"I'll alert the Clan," Rootfur promised. "You keep looking."

I watched Rootfur briskly pad across toward Highledge. When Shallowpaw's warrior ceremony was over Rootfur took one leap and meowed to Redstar something I couldn't catch.

Redstar's eyes widened and his fur bristled in panic. "Warriors, Minysong's kit is missing! Look all through camp. Shallowheart, you take a patrol and search the area!"

Nightpaw looked at me with shock as she murmured, "Shallowheart just became a warrior and he's already giving her orders fit for an experienced warrior!"

"Let's just look for Mellowkit," I whispered urgently.

We separated with the Clan.

I decided to check by the nursery, I wasn't going to let Shallowheart get to him yet!

I sniffed around the nursery and instantly caught his scent; it led toward the tunnel behind the nursery. I padded through. As soon as I padded through the end, a sharp pang crossed through my body, my neck felt like it was about to snap.

Something was attacked me!

Before I could utter a cry, I fell to the ground and drifted off.

"Poor thing," I heard Berrystripe murmur. Slowly, I lifted my head out of the nest I was sleeping in. With two blinks, I realized it was morning. Shallowheart and Berrystripe were circled around a mound of blood. I couldn't take my eyes off the poor kit.

"What happened?" I whispered as I stared at the blood-covered kit. How could such a thing that small bleed that much?

Berrystripe flinched as Shallowheart bristled.

Wait…

Shallowheart bristled at me.

She was never scared of me.

Did see expect me to be dead?

I felt a tingling feeling in the back of my neck but that didn't matter.

"We finally found him," Berrystripe whispered. "Shallowheart brought him in this morning. Found by ShadowClan border again."

I felt a growl rumble in my throat, "ShadowClan wouldn't kill a kit! I don't care what Redstar says! No one would kill a kit. It had to be a loner or…a kittypet."

Shallowheart bristled. "Are you accusing me?"

"Did I say your name?" I spat back.

Berrystripe yowled suddenly, "Lostpaw, be quiet, you have no right to say anything. Shallowheart found you by the border too. She said you passed out right in front of her."

I tried to remember last night but the only thing that came to me was following Mellowkit's scent trail.

"I found him by the ShadowClan border," Shallowheart meowed when Redstar padded in. "Shall I tell Minysong?"

"Yes," Redstar murmured, sighing. I followed Shallowheart outside. The image of the bloody kit was still burned in my mind.

Does Nightpaw know?

I padded toward the apprentice den instinctively and found Nightpaw looking tired and restless. "I saw," she murmured as I padded in. "You were right. She killed again."

The only words I could say were, "She meant to kill me too."