Wingpaw: What? What is this?
Flarepaw: An update two days in a row?
Mistypaw: Preposterous!
Icy: It's true! I'm updating two days in a row!
Flarepaw: Wow!
Wingpaw: (bursts into loud applause)
Mistypaw: Hey, can we go ahead and get to the chapter? I really want to find out what happens!
Flarepaw: Me too, actually. This isn't even my story and I'm getting really excited about it!
Wingpaw: (stops clapping) Same here! Stonepaw sure is changing quite a bit! He keeps changing back and forth between good and evil! When will he make up his mind?
Icy: He's still young, remember? He's influential. All he needs is the right person, er, cat, to come along and talk to him.
Mistypaw: Is that where I come in?
Icy: Hey! How about we focus on Mosspaw right now! Let's not forget she's in this story, too. Before this AN goes on forever, here's the chapter!
Chapter Thirty-Four
Interpretations and Truth
"Kin of the blue flame will form an even stronger flame, which will destroy the claws of blood once and for all."
Thunder boomed in the distance. Rain suddenly poured on them.
Mosspaw froze.
"Spottedpaw, w-where did you hear this at?" Mosspaw stammered.
"My dreams," Spottedpaw confessed. "I hear it in my dreams almost every night."
"You do?" Mosspaw asked.
Spottedpaw nodded. "Every night I have the same dream. A terrible storm is coming, but the blue flame puts it out."
"Hang on... you mean a fire puts out a storm?" Mosspaw asked confusedly.
"Yeah. Weird, I know, but that's what it is," Spottedpaw meowed. "The blue flame brings the storm to an end."
"What happens after the storm?" Mosspaw asked hopefully.
"I wake up," Spottedpaw meowed sourly.
"Wh—what?" Mosspaw stammered in surprise.
"I don't know what happens after the storm, Mosspaw. My dream ends and I wake up as soon as the storm ends," Spottedpaw meowed.
"But what happens to the fire?" Mosspaw asked.
"Mosspaw, I don't know!" Spottedpaw exclaimed. "Mosspaw, I'm telling you everything I know. I'm not even supposed to tell you that much."
"Then why are you?" Mosspaw asked.
"Because you needed something," Spottedpaw meowed. "You're worrying way too much. You needed something. Reassurance. And now I've given it to you. I think."
"You think?" Mosspaw asked.
"A sign from StarClan. Mosspaw, StarClan is watching us. They have a plan. Stop worrying because the storm will end," Spottedpaw added.
"When?" Mosspaw pushed.
"Eventually," Spottedpaw replied honestly. "I don't know when."
Mosspaw sighed. "Spottedpaw, what does this prophecy mean?" she asked.
"I don't know," Spottedpaw confessed.
"What do you mean?" Mosspaw exclaimed.
"I mean that I don't know what the prophecy means. I understand that the storm, also known as the claws of blood, will come to an end, but I don't now how," Spottedpaw meowed.
"The blue flame. The blue flame puts it out," Mosspaw meowed.
"Yes," Spottedpaw replied.
"Well, not the blue flame, but the kin of the blue flame," Mosspaw corrected herself.
"Yes," Spottedpaw meowed. "The kin of the blue flame, which is stronger than the blue flame itself."
"Okay, so a stronger blue flame. This stronger blue flame is what puts out the storm, correct?" Mosspaw asked.
"I think so..." Spottedpaw replied.
"So who is it?" Mosspaw asked.
"What do you mean?" Spottedpaw asked.
"Who is the blue flame? Is the stronger and newer blue flame? Who puts out the storm?" Mosspaw flooded Spottedpaw with questions.
"I don't know," Spottedpaw replied plainly.
Words could not describe Mosspaw's disappointment.
"Do you have any ideas?" Mosspaw asked.
"Nope," Spottedpaw replied.
Mosspaw suddenly gasped.
"What?" Spottedpaw asked. "What is it?"
"I think Goosefeather has an idea," Mosspaw meowed.
"Why do you say that?" Spottedpaw meowed.
"Because I've heard that prophecy before," Mosspaw replied.
"When?" Spottedpaw exclaimed in surprise.
"Goosefeather told it to me. After you and Featherwhisker left the medicine cat den. Right before I discovered it was his fault that Mistypaw died. Right before that, he told me. He recited the prophecy to me," Mosspaw admitted.
"Why would he do that?" Spottedpaw asked.
"I don't know," Mosspaw confessed. "I wanted to find out. I was about to ask him, but then I found the crushed up deathberry and forgot all about it. I didn't think about it again until now."
"So back to now, what are you thinking?" Spottedpaw asked. "Why do you think Goosefeather told you about this prophecy?"
"What if... what if I have something to do with it?" Mosspaw meowed tentatively.
Spottedpaw remained silent.
"What if I'm a part of it? What if..." Mosspaw trailed off as a discomforting scent hit her.
"What if...?" Spottedpaw meowed, basically begging for her to continue.
"Blood," Mosspaw meowed.
"Blood? What about it?" Spottedpaw asked.
"Blood! I smell blood!" Mosspaw exclaimed.
"Where is it coming from?" Spottedpaw asked worriedly.
"Uh... this way!" Mosspaw found the scent trail. She burst into a run as she followed it. Spottedpaw quickly followed her.
They skidded to a halt when they arrived at the training hollow. Mosspaw nearly gagged at the scene she found.
Stormtail lay still at the edge of the clearing, directly under a tree. A fallen branch lay next to him. Blood was gushing out of his head. The branch had hit the senior warrior's head.
Her grandfather was dead.
But that wasn't the worst part of it.
To the dead warrior's left was Stonepaw, who was gasping for air. He slowly allowed himself to fall to his paws. A dead badger lay in front of him, covered in blood. Mosspaw couldn't even tell where the badger had been wounded at.
A badger killed Stormtail, Mosspaw thought. At least, that's what Stonepaw wants us to think.
Mosspaw exchanged a horrified glance with Spottedpaw.
But we know what really happened, don't we?
Mosspaw turned back to her brother.
The rain covered up the truth, didn't it? Stonepaw, you killed your mentor. You killed Stormtail. You killed our grandfather!
Mosspaw closed her eyes.
Why, Stonepaw? Why did you do this? What ever made you like this?
Mosspaw lowered her head.
StarClan, are you there? Please help me... I need help. My brother had become a cold-blooded murderer. Please save him before it's too late!
Icy: Aww, darn it! I really wanted this chapter to be a bit longer.
Wingpaw: A bit?
Flarepaw: This is short.
Icy: Pathetically short, I know. I cannot apologize enough.
Mistypaw: Who cares about length? I'm getting excited! I'm going to be in the next chapter!
Icy: Yes, Mistypaw, yes, you are.
Mistypaw: Yay!
Wingpaw: Icy, why is this chapter so short?
Icy: I don't know. I even added in some stuff to make it longer. I'll make it up to you next chapter, though.
Flarepaw: Promise?
Icy: I promise! Next chapter will be much longer!
Wingpaw: Good.
Icy: I'm going to go eat lunch now because I honestly got into writing this chapter and forgot all about lunch. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Look forward to the next one!
~Icy and the crew