Chapter 21

"Silkshade?" I asked as I turned toward her.

"And we're here too if anyone cares," Silentstorm said.

"Pineclaw sure will," I told her. "It seems to be the only thing anyone in NightClan's been talking about."

"Of course, it has," Silkshade sighed.

"You two look like you've had an eventful time," Silentstorm said.

"Definitely. We have stories to tell you," I said. "But now is really not the time."

"At least we have good news to share with the clan," Boulderfang said. "Not just bad news."

"Bad news?" Songheart asked. "Didn't you chase the badger off?"

"Flurrytail isn't gone," I whispered.

"Limppaw is dead," Boulderfang said.

"What happened?" Silkshade asked.

"Flurrytail pushed her into a badger set," I said.

"So this time it actually had a badger," Silentstorm commented.

"We're going to go back there so we can bring her back to camp," Boulderfang said.

"We'll come too," Silkshade said. "Maybe you can catch us up on some of the important stuff."

"Flurrytail knows I know about her plotting and stuff," I told them. "It wasn't Limppaw she was planning on killing. Things with SunClan are much worse."

"No thanks to you," Boulderfang muttered.

"Molepaw isn't even allowed to become a warrior. And Snakeheart is being punished too. Just because they aren't insulting you all day," I said. "That's really the major things."

"I hate SunClan," Silkshade said.

"Why are you to blame for some of this?" Silentstorm asked.

"Lightstar was basically asking for someone to yowl at her!" I defended.

"She called Lightstar a bad leader," Boulderfang said. "It's not false, but it's not something to yowl at the Gathering."

"It's all my fault!" Tallblaze cried.

He was sitting by Limppaw's body. "What's all your fault?" Boulderfang asked.

"I was supposed to be protecting her! I saw a nice squirrel and went to catch it. Then I found her dead!" Tallblaze explained.

"Flurrytail did this, not you," Boulderfang said to his brother.

"She finally did it?" Tallblaze asked. "She took a cat's life?"

"Yes. It's not your fault. It's our sister's fault," Boulderfang said.

"I should've paid more attention," Tallblaze said.

"I should've as well," Boulderfang said. "If I had been paying more attention to Deathpaw..."

"It won't do any good blaming yourself," Silkshade said.

"You need to decide if you're with your sister or against her," Silentstorm said.

"Of course I'm against her," Boulderfang said.

"He's been helping me out of tight situations since you left, including the ones with Flurrytail," I said.

"I could never call someone who would do anything like this sister," Tallblaze said.

"Glad to hear it," Silkshade said.

"The more we get on our side, the better the odds we have," Silentstorm said.

"Let's get back to camp," Songheart said. "It will be nice to see most of those cats again."

Boulderfang crouched down and let Tallblaze put Limppaw on top of him. We headed back towards camp.

When we arrived in camp cats immediately took notice. Wingstar and Dawnfur, who were in conversation, stopped what they were doing and came towards us.

"What happened?" Wingstar asked.

"She fell into a badger set. Deathpaw and I tried to get her out, but the badger had already killed her," Boulderfang said.

"I should've paid more attention to her. I'm sorry," Tallblaze said.

"These things happen," Dawnfur said. "We can't prevent every death."

"And it appears you two also dealt with the badger," Wingstar said.

"Against my better judgement we did," Boulderfang said. "Well, by that I mean I helped when my apprentice decided to attack the infuriated badger."

"Her father would've probably done the same," Wingstar said.

"We came across these three at the border," Boulderfang said.

"Duskpelt and Pineclaw are attempting to get some sleep. I'll go get them," Dawnfur said. She returned a moment later with Duskpelt and Pineclaw.

"Silkshade! Thank StarClan you're okay!" Duskpelt yowled gleefully.

"You're both back!" Pineclaw celebrated.

"Duskpelt, that's not the only news," Wingstar said. "I'm sorry, but Limppaw is dead."

He turned around and noticed the body of his youngest daughter. "I'm so sorry for how I acted when you were younger," he said to Limppaw.

"Deathpaw, Boulderfang. I want you in my den. You just fought a badger and I'm checking your wounds," Dawnfur ordered. "Silkshade, Silentstorm, and Songheart, I want to have a look at you as well."

"And I'll tell the rest of the clan about everything," Wingstar said.

Silkshade had finally return. I wish it could've been on a happier day.