Chapter 34

Duskfeather charged past Tundrafoot. The grey and white tom blinked in surprise as she barreled past him.

"What's wrong?" he called. Duskfeather ignored him. She shot into the medicine cat den. Curling up in her bed she closed her eyes. She had no desire to return to bed but she felt that she couldn't do anything but lay still. Slowing her breath she closed her eyes.

She knew she should tell Silvertear but she just couldn't. The news would break her. Duskfeather new she would be in an emotional state being so close to kitting. She would also be endangering the kits if it hit her too hard. They were already far behind their schedule of arriving and anything else would put them and Silvertear in a dangerous position.

"I can't tell anyone," she whispered into the dark. You can't stand through this alone, Creamfoot mewed in her ear.

Two images flashed in her eyes. Sunwing and Birdflight. Her real parents. "I have to tell them," she gasped. Getting to her paws she hurried outside. Twigshade ran into her as she was leaving.

"Duskfeather," he mewed. She blinked at him. "I was wondering why you left early. Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No nothing's wrong," she lied. Brushing past him she walked into the clearing. Early dawn light was trickling into the camp. Snowyowl and Lichenheart where just leaving the camp with their apprentices for the dawn patrol. Duskfeather ran to them.

"Can I come with you guys?" she asked. Lichenheart looked mildly surprised but Snowyowl nodded. She fell in behind them as they continued into the forest. To her relief they were heading towards the Moonclan border.

"What can you smell Bigpaw?" Lichenheart asked her apprentice when they reached the border. Bigpaw sniffed the air thoughtfully.

"Moonclan and something else," he mewed. Duskfeather scented the air. He was right. Something other than Moonclan was drifting in the air. It was much darker and murky. Duskfeather's stomach twisted.

"It's coming from over her," she mewed stiffly. She lead the way towards the Moonclan border. Snowyowl, Lichenheart, Heronpaw, and Bigpaw followed her curiously. Hesitantly she peeked behind a tree at the edge of their territory.

A silver she-cat was lying on the Moonclan side of the border. Her eyes were closed like she was sleeping. Her neck was slit open in a tiny wound. It wasn't wide but Duskfeather could tell it was deep. The blood drenched the ground around her. She was obviously dead.

Lying next to her was a fluffy white tom. His dark, dark blue eyes stared ahead, seeing nothing. His claws were unsheathed and his teeth peeked out from under his lips. His tail was wrapped protectively around the she-cat. Duskfeather felt sick. Swallowing she stumbled backwards.

Snowyowl and Lichenheart rushed forward. "Go get Maplestar," Lichenheart ordered Bigpaw. The grey tom nodded and raced off. Heronpaw stood on his hind legs to look at the bodies. He gasped and dropped back down quickly.

` "What happened?" he squeaked. Lichenheart rushed to his side. "It's just like Roarclaw. Why did we have to find their bodies?" he whispered. His eyes were misted. His brown body trembled with fear. Lichenheart pressed herself against him comfortingly.

"I wonder who they are," Snowyowl mewed. Duskfeather was silent. Her eyes scanned the moor, looking for a Moonclan patrol. Occasionally they flickered back to the bodies. Once she noticed some brown fur stuck in the tom's claws.

Before she could dwell on it Maplestar arrived at the scene. She glanced at the bodies and froze. Her eyes were fixed on their unmoving forms. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. Duskfeather gripped the ground. She knew. She knew they were her parents. She knew they would never meet their kits.

"What should we do?" Lichenheart asked. Maplestar shook her head to clear it.

"We need to wait for a Moonclan patrol," she mewed. "Go back to camp," she mewed to Bigpaw. He opened his mouth to protest but a look at Lichenheart made him close it. Turning tail he ran back to camp. They settled down to wait.

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Four cats were walking towards them across their moor. A grey tabby tom, a pale grey she-cat, a black she-cat, and a tabby tom. The grey tabby stopped when he saw the bodies.

"Birdflight, Sunwing," he cried in anguish. He rushed forward. His patrol followed him. The black she-cat buried her nose in the she-cat's fur.

"Sister," she sobbed. The grey tabby whipped around to face them. He stalked up to the border with blazing blue eyes.

"What is the meaning of this Maplestar?" he growled. Maplestar walked in front of him.

"Peace Icewhisker. We found these bodies and were waiting to tell you," she explained. The black she-cat leapt to her paws. She pushed Icewhisker out of the way and faced Maplestar. Her claws were unsheathed and she looked furious.

"Fox-dung. You liar. The Frostclan scent is evident on them. They were murdered by your clan," she hissed. The other cats bristled and glared at them.

"Liar," Snowyowl yowled jumping beside his leader. The black she-cat turned to him. "We didn't cross the border," he growled.

"You lie," she hissed. The tabby placed his tail on her shoulders.

"Hush Nightbreeze. This is Swiftstar's decision. We must return them to camp," he mewed gently. Nightbreeze glanced back at him.

"But Lemmingtail," Nightbreeze began. Lemmingtail's look silenced her.

"Guard this border well," Icewhisker growled. Turning around he helped pick up his fallen clanmates. Together they began to walk back into their territory. Maplestar was still. Snowyowl and Lichenheart exchanged a look.

"Let's go hunting," Snowyowl mewed. He and Lichenheart lead Heronpaw into the woods. Duskfeather stayed with Maplestar.

"More death. Is that all that happens in this clan? We die then our neighbors die. They kill us in revenge and we must kill them back. Forever and ever killing each other. All because of a mistake. One mistake. Oh Creamfoot," Maplestar sighed. Duskfeather sat next to her. She looked sympathetically at her leader.

"I'm sorry about your sister," Duskfeather whispered. Maplestar glanced at her in confusion. Then understanding dawned in her green eyes.

"I'm so sorry Duskpaw," Maplestar mewed.

"Duskfeather," she corrected. Maplestar nodded.

"Good name," she mewed. Her eyes stared out to the moor. "They'd be proud," she added. Duskfeather followed her gaze.

"Yes they would. So would Creamfoot. She would be sad their dead, wouldn't she?" Duskfeather asked. Maplestar nodded.

"She didn't want to take you any ways. She always had such a kind heart. I'm so sorry you never got to know them. Does Silvertear know yet?" she asked. Duskfeather shook her head. "All because of a stupid mistake," she sighed.

"What did she do?" Duskfeather asked. She had yet to learn why Starclan had taken her foster mother's kits. Maplestar was quiet for a moment.

"Love is a tricky thing. Sometimes you don't get to chose, sometimes it chooses you," she mewed. Getting to her feet she walked into the woods.

A/N:

Another chapter. Yay. Sorry it was short. The story is almost over. *sobs in corner* sorry I need to get a hold of myself *smacks me in the face* okay I'm better. Well tell me what you think. Just so you know the next chapter will have skipped a lot of time. It probably won't be from Duskfeather's view at all. Only Silvertear and maybe Heronpaw or Lichenheart. Please review, only five more till I have 100!