Chapter 9, more death
Rainfeather walked back to camp in silence. She was the deputy now. She couldn't go off with the wolves. The Clan needed her at camp.
"What were you doing?" Ashstar demanded when she walked into the camp.
"Chaffinchfur is dead. The wolves killed him."
Ashstar looked shocked. "You visit the wolves to much, Rainfeather," she said.
"I want to be prepared for any casualties," Rainfeather answered. She walked away before Ashstar asked anymore questions.
The Clan had found out about the wolves when Rainfeather told them how Onestar had died.
OoOoO
Rainfeather woke up the middle of the night. There was a strange wailing coming from the leaders den.
Rainfeather dashed over and jumped inside the den.
Ashstar toke one look at her and growled.
"It's me, Rainfeather, are you all right?" Rainfeather asked.
"A wolf!" Ashstar yowled.
"I'm not a wolf, Ashstar."
Ashstar sprang, but stumbled over a root. Her head crashed painfully onto the ground.
"Ashstar what is wrong with you!" Rainfeather yowled.
Ashstar slashed her claws in front of Rainfeather's face, missing her by a tooth-length.
There was a stirring in the shadows. A dark tortoiseshell she-cat moved beside Ashstar. Her flank had fresh claw-marks on it. It was Tortoisepelt.
Tortoisepelt's claws slashed in front of her face, but she missed, and a few smoky-black hairs floated to the ground.
Suddenly Ashstar leapt on Tortoisepelt. They fell on each other, snarling and yowling.
Ashstar leapt on Rainfeather again, but the smoky-black deputy jumped aside before Ashstar landed.
Another cat entered the den. It was Sharpfang, with a long stick in her mouth. She stabbed it hard into Tortoisepelt's flank, then Ashstar's.
Tortoisepelt shuddered and then died. Ashstar lost one life, and then another and another, on and on she lost lives.
"Sharpfang what are you doing!" Spat Rainfeather. She backed against the wall, trying to get away from the crazy cats.
Finally Ashstar shuddered and was still.
Sharpfang came up to Rainfeather. "Get away!" Rainfeather snarled, unsheathing her claws.
"Did she touch you?" Sharpfang demanded.
"No! But who cares? You killed the leader!"
"I had to. She was sick. She had to be killed. The disease spreads by touching."
Rainfeather sat there, letting it sink in. Ashstar was dead, she had to be killed. That meant that Rainfeather was…leader.
Oh.
"No!" Rainfeather rasped. "I am way too young. I'll make somebody take my place. I will not be leader."
"You can't change what is," Sharpfang said.
"But Ashstar shouldn't have chosen me. Her mind was crashing. She meant Crowfeather. I know she did. We look almost the same."
Rainfeather dashed out of the den. She gave Crowfeather a sharp prod in the stomach.
He sat up. "What?"
Rainfeather explained every thing that had happened in Ashstar's den so fast that Crowfeather looked a little confused at the end.
"So you want me to be leader? That's what Ashstar meant?"
"Yes!"
Crowfeather brightened. "I always hoped this would happen," he meowed, and left the den.
"Where are you going?" Sharpfang asked.
"To get my nine lives," Crowfeather answered and walked out before Sharpfang could say anything more.
OoOoO
Moonhowl patrolled the ShadowClan border alone for herbs.
Ravenpaw walked into the clearing. When he saw Moonhowl, he dashed over to her.
"Hello," Said Moonhowl.
"I'm a warrior! I'm Ravenshadow now!"
"That's great," Moonhowl purred, rubbing her face against his. "And I'm Moonhowl."
Ravenshadow gave a purr of happiness and danced a few steps. He was sure excited. "Ravenshadow and Moonhowl," he said dreamily, "What a great pair."
He looked suddenly shocked when he realized what he had said. He took a few steps backward. "Sorry I meant…"
Moonhowl interrupted him. "I am not angry at you. I do think we would make a great pair."
They both were very embarrassed by now.
"Any she-cat you're fond of?" Moonhowl asked, hoping it was just out of curiosity.
He shrugged. "Tortioseshelltail I guess," he meowed.
Moonhowl forced the hard lump of envy down her throat. "I thought that might happen," she mewed quietly. Too quietly.
"It's nothing," he meowed. "I don't love her. We're just friends."
"Maybe yes," meowed Moonhowl, "Or maybe no."
Ravenshadow shuffled his paws. "She is um…not my favorite she-cat. Well she is…Er…to bossy."
"Who is your favorite she-cat?" Moonhowl asked, even quieter then before.
Ravenshadow was for a very long time, "you," he whispered finally, and scampered over the border.
"Wait!" Moonhowl called.
"What?" he looked back.
They both stood on their own side of the border, staring at each other.
"Moonhowl," Ravenshadow whispered. "I love you,"
He ran through his territory so fast that he fell several times.
Moonhowl stayed in that position for a very long time, just staring over the border.
Her head was swimming with stars.
She walked back to camp with no herbs.
"There you are!" Skyflower exclaimed.
The last thing that Moonhowl remembered thinking that night was this.
I am a medicine cat.
Oh.
R&R!