Chapter 26

Time had passed and I was back on my feet. Only Songheart, Skyfang, and Pineclaw remain sick. Songheart was the worst off, but improving at least. Silentstorm was bothered strongly by this. It appeared Skyfang and Pineclaw would get better quite soon, but Songheart was slowly improving. And her kits couldn't be far from due.

I was at the moment hunting. Silentstorm was with me, of course, and it was obvious she was off. I knew why and knew bothering her about emotions wasn't really going to help. I had said it would most likely be fine. That most likely seemed less and less true every day. A maybe seemed almost too much to hope for. I still held on to hope though.

"I think we've got enough," I said. "Let's head back to camp."

Aside from Songheart's remaining illness, everything had been pretty normal. We all avoided the nursery completely though because Flurrytail, who was even more intolerable with grief for her son who had died, would throw insults at the sight of any of us. It was more a nuisance to most of us. I felt sorry for the kit as he had done nothing wrong. It felt wrong that StarClan would take an innocent kit over Flurrytail. Then again, it wouldn't be StarClan that takes her and they don't help anyway.

Deathfire was no longer feeling the exhaustion of pushing herself to the limit in order to care for the Clan. Tallblaze and I were succeeding in helping her hide the problem with Lightstar. Some days were certainly worse than others. Tallblaze still wasn't coming close though as he was still around sick cats. Deathfire wasn't exactly acting normal around Wingstar for some reason though, leaving me wondering what kind of conversation they had had while hunting after the leader's recovery. I decided it wasn't my business and didn't mention it.

After placing the fresh-kill on the pile we found Deathfire and Boulderfang and sat with them. He was quite worried about his mate, and also his mother though it seemed she'd recover so it wasn't the same intensity.

"How're you two doing?" I asked.

"Fine," Deathfire responded.

"As good as I can be," Boulderfang said.

I sighed. "I understand," I said.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!" Wingstar yowled. I wondered what this was about.

"Pineclaw has decided to retire to the elders den," Wingstar announced. "He has served his Clan for many moons. He'll reside there until the day he joins StarClan."

The cats chanted the name of the new elder. That means we needed a new deputy. Worry built up in my chest.

"That also means the Clan needs a new deputy," Wingstar stated. "Flurrytail, you've served this Clan well and are a loyal warrior. May StarClan see and approve my choice."

"It's an honor," Flurrytail said. "I shall serve this Clan to the best of my ability until the day I join StarClan." Lies.

The cats chanted for the new deputy. We did as well, but only as a halfhearted act.

"Clan dismissed," Wingstar said.

"What're we gonna do?" Deathfire asked.

"I don't know," I answered. Flurrytail was deputy. Our boss. This wasn't good.

"Silentstorm called it," Boulderfang said. "Let's hope the other thing Silentstorm said doesn't come true."

"What did she say?" Deathfire asked. I remembered she wasn't there.

"Flurrytail could manipulate Wingstar and make us seem like the bad guys. It's much more unlikely than the chance of Flurrytail becoming deputy though," Silentstorm stated. "If Wingstar had a bias against one of us, however, then we'd have something to worry about."

"We have something to worry about," Deathfire said softly.

"What do you mean by that?" Silentstorm asked.

"Wingstar kinda thinks I'm evil," Deathfire told us. "Like a lot."

"Okay, so we may have a high chance of that happening," Silentstorm stated.

"How does she think you're evil?" Boulderfang asked.

"Apparently StarClan said something about a traitor in NightClan and believes it's me. Of course, we all know it's Flurrytail," Deathfire told us. "She believes I pushed Limppaw into that badger set and murdered her and that I told Lightstar about Silkshade's return so she could kidnap her and that I helped Lightstar plan Duskpelt's death and that entire fight was an act and I wouldn't ever hurt my family, but she thinks I would and did."

She sounded about ready to cry by the end and I couldn't blame her. Someone was accusing her of killing her sister and father and of assisting in her half-sister's kidnapping. I was, at that moment, disgusted to have had Wingstar as my mentor.

"It's okay," Boulderfang told her. "You didn't do it and it's awful she'd even suggest such a thing. We'll do everything we can to make sure everything's okay."

"Wingstar picked Flurrytail as a deputy, she obviously doesn't know what a loyal cat looks like," I said. "She never sees what Flurrytail has been up to since I was a kit and it was just simple bullying. You can't get anymore blind."

"Says the blind cat," Silentstorm said.

"I may be blind, but I can see we have problem," I said.

"If Flurrytail fakes even the tiniest bit of evidence Wingstar will use it as a reason to get rid of me in one way or the other. She said there is no convincing her," Deathfire said. "There's really nothing anyone can do."

"One way or the other?" I asked.

"I'll either be exiled or executed the way I see it," Deathfire said. "I suppose it depends how merciful she's feeling."

"Maybe Flurrytail won't know about it and frame you for something," I said.

"Or maybe she'll get sidetracked having fun using it against you in little ways to make your life miserable," Silentstorm said.

I flicked her with my tail. "Don't," I told her.

"Silentstorm's most likely right," Flurrytail said. "After all, I have to have a little fun."

"Just leave us alone," I told her.

"Oh, I'll leave you three alone. Deathfire, however, is a different story," Flurrytail said. "Especially considering I know some things that could be all Wingstar needs. It could shed some light on the situation." Did she know about Lightstar?

"Go eat fox-dung, Flurrytail," I said before she could say anything else that could reveal Deathfire's secret. "No one cares."

"Really? Because Wingstar sure would," Flurrytail said. "And Deathfire obviously does as well."

"Why can't you just leave Deathfire alone?" Boulderfang asked. "Surely you have better things to be doing."

"And surely you all have better things to be doing than defending her," Flurrytail retorted.

"If she's so unimportant than why do you constantly feel the need to degrade her?" Boulderfang asked.

"Because she needs to learn her place," Flurrytail answered. "And trying to help her with this will only waste your time. I'd enjoy your time in this Clan while it lasts, Deathfire. Soon enough you'll be out of the way one way or another. If you're lucky you'll be executed quickly so you don't have to suffer."

"Just shut your muzzle!" I snapped.

"Is there any reason you all are arguing?" Wingstar asked. Apparently she had just come over.

"Yes, the new deputy has been giving us some problems," I said.

"No, I've been giving Deathfire some problems, you guys are just attempting to defend her," Flurrytail stated.

"I don't see any problems. Let the deputy do what she needs to do. Go hunt if you need to make yourself useful," Wingstar said.

I was about ready to yell at her, but Boulderfang whispered to me, "Save your breath, it's not worth it."

"Everything's fine, you can go," I tell the leader. So Wingstar left.

"Looks like I won't be having any trouble having fun," Flurrytail said. "I should be going now, I have kits to take care of and duties to do." She also left.

"Since when was this Clan being lead by a couple of fox-hearts?" I muttered.

"At least the medicine cat can attempt to do some good," Boulderfang said.

"Things are going to get bad, and fast," Silentstorm said.

I sighed. "I know," I said.

"We honestly will just have to ignore and avoid as much as possible," Boulderfang said.

"You do realize if Deathfire gets attacked no real questions will be asked and nothing will happen to even try and prevent it," Silentstorm said. "So basically Flurrytail has free reign to do whatever she pleases with Deathfire."

"Just let them kill me, it'll save us all some trouble," Deathfire said.

"Deathfire, we aren't giving up just yet," Boulderfang said.

"We're gonna kick some butt and make everything right," I said. "Flurrytail has it coming. And we'll kill Grasstail while we're at it. Of course, if we prove Flurrytail is guilty it will in turn prove your innocence. Then we just have to hope Wingstar chooses a good deputy and doesn't live long."

"That is an awful plan, but I'll try and tweak it a bit and make it achievable," Silentstorm said. "And by tweak it I mean make an actual plan around the list of goals."

"I'll just be here to help you carry them out," Boulderfang said.

"Thanks," Deathfire said. "Just— thanks."

Bad things were coming, that was for sure. But the other thing that was for sure was we were not giving up and we're going to do everything in our power to protect Deathfire. Wingstar and Flurrytail can both go die in a hole.

Author Note: Guess who almost forgot to publish a new chapter? Yeah, I was trying to go to sleep, but this is more important I guess. Anyway, leave a review if you want! Not mandatory, but it makes my day! See y'all next week!

-Rowan W.

P.S. Goodnight!