Chapter 4: The Murder of a Loving Mate
Sparrowpaw came through the bushes and stood beside Stripepaw, horror showing in his lakewater eyes. Stripepaw was standing near an unconscious Riverclan warrior. Sparrowpaw drooped his squirrel and checked for the warrior's pulse. "It's no use, he's dead," mewed Sparrowpaw, his voice thick with grief. "Horsewing!" cried out Spottedpelt from behind Beaverpaw. Spottedpelt put her muzzle on Horsewing's black and white pelt. "I love you," whispered Spottedpelt to the dead warrior. "I smell Windclan scent," mewed Stripepaw to her mentor. Spottedpelt lifted her head to face Stripepaw, then buried her face in Horsewing's growing cold pelt. "I smell it too, Spottedpelt," mewed Beaverpaw. 'Why would Windclan do this, they have no reason to form what I saw and heard at the gathering' thought Sparrowpaw.
"Hey, Beaverpaw help Spottedpelt back to camp, I will look for more clues, and Stripepaw can guard the scene," mewed Sparrowpaw. Stripepaw nodded, and Beaverpaw nudged Spottedpelt. A few minutes later Spottedpelt and Beaverpaw were out of sight and heading back to camp. Sparrowpaw looked at the corpse, he saw the neat teeth marks of a cat, but he also saw that Horsewing struggled a bit against his attacker. He had some claw marks of a cat near his shoulder and flanks. There was nothing he could use to pinpoint the murderer. Sparrowpaw looked at Horsewing's jet black claws and there was fur stuck between them. Sparrowpaw sent a silent prayer of thanks to Starclan. He gently removed the tuft of fur from the claws of Horsewing. He smelled the scent, it was definitely Windclan that killed him. Sparrowpaw sniffed around the corpse hoping for a scent trail. He picked up Windclan, and followed the scent. The scent led him to the border. "Mouse dung!" Sparrowpaw mewed. He headed back towards Stripepaw, who was still guarding Horsewing's body.
"Did you catch up to those foxheart's?'' asked Stripepaw. Sparrowpaw shook his head. "At least we got the tuft of fur from Horsewing's claws, it can tell us who did it. Other than that, I think we can move him back to camp to give him a burial," Stripepaw nodded. "I'll lift him up, and put him on you, then help you with carrying back to camp," mewed Stripepaw. Sparrowpaw watched as Stripepaw lifted Horsewing's body on top of him. "Alright let's get him back to camp," mewed Sparrowpaw. Stripepaw stayed by Sparrowpaw's side as they walked to camp. "Is he heavy?" asked Stripepaw, Sparrowpaw glared and meowed, "We don't disrespect the deceased, but yes he is heavy to carry, I just hope everyone takes it okay," Stripepaw mewed, "What do you mean?" "I mean that I hope the camp doesn't erupt in anger and grief, and that they'll not be blinded to attack Windclan when all we have of proof that Windclan killed him is their scent and maybe the tuft of fur in his claws," Stripepaw gave an understanding glance and continued to walk beside him.
When they reached camp, every cat crowded around Sparrowpaw who has Horsewing on his back. Sparrowpaw dropped the corpse off his back, and headed towards Mistystar's den. Cats came out of the dens and crowded around Horsewing. A black and gray she-cat let out a wail of grief, along with a gray and white tom with brown eyes and a black she-cat with amber eyes. "Mistystar," called out Sparrowpaw. "Come in," mewed Mistystar.
Sparrowpaw walked into the hole in highrock, the gray walls continued to surround him until he saw the blue gray she-cat sitting in moss. Mistystar beckoned him to sit near her. " Mistystar, Horsewing is dead. I think Windclan was responsible for his death, because there was a Windclan scent mixed with Horsewing's blood. Also I found a tuft of fur in his claws, here have a look," mewed Sparrowpaw to the Riverclan leader. Mistystar looked closely at the tuft of fur. "It doesn't look like the fur of any Riverclan cats, and the scent on the fur does not match any Riverclan cats scent, to my knowledge of course," Sparrowpaw looked at the Riverclan leader and muttered pointedly, "Then, we might have to visit Harestar so he can identify the tuft of fur, and if he can't pinpoint the murderer some of the warriors will want to war with Windclan, especially Beaverpaw,"
The Riverclan leader hauled herself out of her mossy nest and went out of the rock cave. Sparrowpaw followed her. When Sparrowpaw got out of Mistystar's den, he noticed that she had begun climbing up highrock to announce the clan. "All cat's that can swim come to highrock for a clan meeting!" Mistystar's yowl rang through the clearing, and every cat who was crowded at Horsewing's corpse left him so they could hear what Mistystar would say. When every cat in the hollow was gathered, Mistystar yowled, " As you know Horsewing is dead, he was a fine warrior, and a loving mate. Those who discovered Horsewing noticed that Windclan scent was all over that area, Sparrowpaw followed the scent trail and it led to the Windclan border and Windclan scent wasn't found anywhere else in Riverclan territory, so I, Sparrowpaw, and Spikefur, will travel to Windclan to question them, and if I think they have lied to us, I will take Riverclan into battle against them and get the truth by force!"
Every cat in the clearing yowled in agreement. "We will leave at once!" Sparrowpaw padded over to the entrance and found Spikefur there with Tigerstripe. "Where were you two?" asked Sparrowpaw. "We both wanted to see how you would handle the situation, we were watching through the bushes. You handled it well Sparrowpaw," mewed Tigerstripe. Sparrowpaw narrowed his eyes, but then realized that they could have been watching through the bushes, and he was just too focused on getting justice for Horsewing to notice them.
Mistystar padded up to them and mewed, "Spikefur, Sparrowpaw it is time to leave," Spikefur nodded and mewed, "See you later Tigerstripe, maybe we can finish the apprentices hunting mission after Spottedpelt gets over the grief of losing her mate," Tigerstripe nodded and walked away to where Duskflower is. Mistystar led the way to the Windclan border, and the trip seemed quicker than usual. They arrived at the tree line and waited for a Windclan patrol to arrive.
They spotted one,and Mistystar called, "Hello Windclan patrol, I was wondering if you could take us to speak to Harestar," The one leading the patrol was wiry brown she-cat, she mewed, "Sure, we'll take you to Harestar, Molepaw run ahead to camp to let Harestar know that he's going to get some visitors," A dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes ran ahead towards Windclan camp. Mistystar let the wiry brown she-cat with stunning brown eyes lead the way. Sparrowpaw walked close to Spikefur. The grass felt worn yet soft at the same time. Sparrowpaw saw the other members of the patrol. After the wiry brown she-cat, there is a dusk brown tom, a tortoiseshell she-cat with orange, white and black splotches, a black she-cat with amber eyes that hold a strange aura and a grey tom with patchy black fur.
Spikefur kept muttering something that Sparrowpaw couldn't catch. They reached Windclans hollow. There was a gorse tunnel that led to the camp. The inside of the camp looked like Riverclans except for the fact that their dens were made of gorse and that they probably had different places for the dens. There was a highrock, like the one in Riverclan except a bit taller than highrock. The grass felt spongy underneath his paws. Sparrowpaw saw a white tom with brown splotches approach us. 'That must be Harestar of Windclan, cause he looks close to the tom I saw at the gathering that was Windclans leader,' thought Sparrowpaw.
"Ah, Mistystar, welcome to Windclan's camp. I heard of your coming thanks to Molepaw," mewed the white tom with brown splotches. "Harestar, thank you for welcoming us, though I'm afraid I didn't come on friendly circumstances, you see one of our warriors was killed and we found Windclan scent all over him, we have a tuft of fur that Spikefur is holding, could you please identify who it belongs to , and that you tell us the truth for your warriors being on Riverclan territory," mewed Mistystar calmly to the Windclan leader. Spikefur placed the tuft of fur on the ground in front of the Windclan leader and kept one claw on it so that it wouldn't blow away.
"I didn't order any Windclan cat to go onto your land, did you smell only one scent," Sparrowpaw answered him, "I did only smell one Windclan scent and the warrior's body was found close to the lake, I found the tuft of fur in his claws. Then I followed the trail and it led me to the Windclan border," Harestar looked at Sparrowpaw in confusion, then mewed, "This fur belongs to someone in the clan, but I will question them and give you my answer tomorrow on how I will punish this cat who did such a horrible thing," Mistystar nodded in agreement and turned to leave, then paused, "Harestar to make sure you keep your word can we have one of your apprentices in camp?"
Harestar hesitated for a few heartbeats, then nodded and yowled, "Duskpaw!" The dusk brown tom from earlier appeared at his leader's side. "Duskpaw to make sure I keep my word to Mistystar. Can you go to Riverclans camp, I'll have you out of there by tomorrow," mewed Harestar to the apprentice. The apprentice nodded in agreement, since he had no other choice, but to follow his leader's order. Mistystar then led the way out of camp, but before they could actually leave Molepaw mewed to Duskpaw, "Good luck, mouse brain," Duskpaw retorted, "You're the mouse brain," There no teasing or annoyance in their voices just affection for each other. Finally we could leave camp without any further interruptions. Molepaw stood back and watched Duskpaw go with Riverclan back to their camp. Sparrowpaw mewed, "You must like that she-cat don't you," Duskpaw looked at him and stammered, "She's..she's just a friend," "Oh, I don't think so, you happen to love her, I heard it in your voice, and in her's," mewed Sparrowpaw teasingly.
Duskpaw gave him a glare and Sparrowpaw yelped playfully, "Oh help me, I got the big feisty apprentice mad, because I said he loves a certain she-cat!" Sparrowpaw then dodged a blow from Duskpaw. "Jeez, are you guys kit's, stop play fighting and teasing and start walking to camp," growled Spikefur. Sparrowpaw looked at his mentor innocently, "I was only speaking the truth," Spikefur gave him a stern glare and Sparrowpaw mewed, "Alright, I'll stop," Duskpaw purred.
Mistystar smiled. "So anyways Duskpaw how is your training going?" asked Sparrowpaw. "It's going well, until today. I had to stop my plans for the day because Harestar sent me to you as a hostage so he can keep his word. And no Sparrowpaw none of those plans had to with Molepaw," "I bet she acts all moony towards you, 'oh Duskpaw what great hunting and fighting skills you have, our kits would the perfectest in the clan,'' mewed Sparrowpaw, Duskpaw ducted his head in shame and embarrassment. "Oh come on, we met at the gathering for, like, five seconds and you think you have my love life figured out?" mewed Duskpaw. "You guys met at the gathering," mewed Mistystar. "Yeah, we did, and I wish I didn't tell him any of Molepaw's achievements, cause he was like, so you got a crush on her? I ran away in embarrassment, because he said that in front of a Shadowclan apprentice that he was talking with before I showed up,"
Sparrowpaw nodded. Spikefur mewed, "So, Duskpaw what to think of Sparrowpaw from you've seen from him?" Duskpaw looked confused. Sparrowpaw mewed, "Why do you want input from Duskpaw, you could ask Stripepaw or Beaverpaw what they think of me, and that would make more sense, then asking Duskpaw," Mistystar stopped the patrol at the river. "Look, Spikefur you can ask Duskpaw what he thinks of Sparrowpaw later, right now we need to get back to camp and make Duskpaw feel welcome," meowed Mistystar with authority in her voice. "Sparrowpaw you can go first, Spikefur will show Duskpaw how to cross stepping stones after me and you have finished swimming to the other side," mewed Mistystar.
Sparrowpaw padded into the cool river. The current didn't feel that strong, as he swimmed to the other side. As he walked onto shore he heard a splash of water from behind him. Sparrowpaw spun around to see Mistystar kicking water as she swimmed to the rocky shore. He shook his fur, his water droplets landing on the moss covered rocks. Mistystar soon joined him on the shore and Sparrowpaw backed away as Mistystar was giving her pelt a shake. Spikefur walked to where the stepping stones are. He leaped across each rock with ease and landed on the pebbly shore. Sparrowpaw padded towards his mentor as Duskpaw hopped onto the first stone.
The brown tom nearly slipped off to the softly raging current of the river. He jumped over to second, he made it thankfully. Duskpaw sprang towards the third stepping stone, but mistimed his leap. He jumped into the river near the stepping stone. Stripepaw flashed out of the bushes and ran into the river, swimming towards the failing dusk brown tom. She bit his scruff and dragged him onto the bank, where Duskpaw coughed up a bit of water. Mistystar mewed, "Sparrowpaw get Mothwing or Willowshine," Sparrowpaw ran into the camp and towards the medicine den. He looked through the bramble screen and saw a yellow tabby sorting herbs. "Mothwing, come quick! Duskpaw fell into the river and we need you to see if he sustained any damage," mewed Sparrowpaw to the yellow she-cat. "Alright Sparrowpaw, I'm coming," mewed Mothwing, her amber eyes looking into his lakewater blue eyes.
Mothwing grabbed a few herbs, then let Sparrowpaw lead her to Duskpaw. Duskpaw was still lying in the spot where Stripepaw left him. Mothwing checked the soaked apprentice, she mewed, "He's alright just in shock, I'll give him the thyme I brought with me," Mothwing put the thyme leaves into Duskpaw's mouth and she mewed, "He should fine now, just give him a few seconds," Duskpaw sat up and looked at his surroundings. "Guess I'm not dead," Duskpaw mewed to the group. "Which is a good thing, we don't want Harestar to get mad at us for letting you die on our territory," mewed Mistystar as she walked to the camp entrance. Spikefur padded after her, same with Sparrowpaw and Mothwing. Duskpaw sighed and walked towards Riverclans camp.
