Winged: Chapter 11: Love&Secrets

As Spottedpelt flopped into her nest, she drowsily fell into sleep. The meeting with the other eight had been long, and they had talked about barely anything. Falling quickly into sleep, Spottedpelt knew who she would meet in her dreams. So, therefore, she prepared for more confusing messages. As she woke into a bright, star-lit forest, she expected to see Leopardstar. But this time, she saw someone else.

She looked around, seeing the many different cats chatting and playing. Why wasn't Leopardstar there? As she looked closer at the cats, she saw... "DAPPLESONG!" She wailed, throwing herself at her sister. The forest and cats disappeared, and now Spottedpelt saw a vision. It was a dead, dapple she-cat lying on the ground. Then, a wave of blood splashed through the forest like the lake. It started to build up, making the blood-lake deeper. "Help me, Leopardstar!" Spottedpelt screeched.

"I'm drowning!" As the blood-lake clouded away her vision, she woke up, panting. She settled herself, only to be startled again. "Dapplesong!" Spottedpelt burst out of her den, and pelted to the warriors den. She peered inside, seeing all the warriors sleeping. Her heart thud against her chest as she spotted her sister. Her chest had been ripped open. "DAPPLESONG!" She wailed, in tears. The other warriors woke, glaring up at her.

She panted, sadly, and tears clouded her vision. "What's wrong, Spottedpelt?" Pouncetail questioned worriedly. He pelted up, and comforted her. "D-Dapple..song.. she's.. she's dead!" Pouncetail bounced up and rushed in the den, staring down at his friend. The two cats wailed, waking all the cats up. "What is going on, Spottedpelt?" Hissed Mistystar. "Dapplesong is dead!" She screamed, were the whole Clan could hear her.

Heartbeats later, the whole Clan was in the clearing, staring down at Dapplesong's dead body. "Dapplesong was a noble and worthy warrior. We thank StarClan for letting her live here in RiverClan, we thank Lakestream for kitting her, and we thank Spottedpelt for being a good sister." Mistystar said, mewing her fair-well words in sorrow. "We thank Pouncetail, Mallowpaw, Beechfur and Spottedpelt for being good friends to her. We wish that she could have stayed with us longer, but not even StarClan could stop her death."

Mistystar stared down at the elders. "You shall take her body for burial at dawn." "Wait!" Spottedpelt stopped her leader. "Can I... Can I bury her? She was my sister, after all.." Spottedpelt said, with a pang of regret. She had wished she spent more time with her. "And can I come with her?" Pouncetail's voice rang out beside her. "You may. You both were her closest friends, and this is what she would have wanted." They both dipped their heads.

As Spottedpelt curled her body around Dapplesong's, she felt even guiltier and sadder. "I'm sorry, Dapplesong." She whispered in deep sorrow. "I should have been with you through this, and I should have trained as a warrior with you. I should have done better." The tears dripped off the young spotted medicine cat as she stuck her nose in Dapplesong's fur. She caught Pouncetail's scent above her. She looked up to see his eyes filled with tears. She flicked her tail, beckoning him closer.

"It's okay," She whispered to him. "I miss her, and it's okay to cry for her." He turned away his head, denying the tears. Anger flared inside her, but she calmed herself, reminding herself that she was keeping a vigil. "I'll see you again, Dapplesong. Again in StarClan." Spottedpelt wished that her sister would come back to life, to say, 'It's okay! I was just sleeping deeply!' But she wouldn't. She was gone forever, and Spottedpelt couldn't stop that.

"Spottedpelt," She heard Pouncetail murmur, sorrowfully. "I think we must bury her, now." Spottedpelt stood, and grabbed her sister's soft scruff. She dragged it away with Pouncetail, into the darker wood, behind RiverClan. She had to speak with Pouncetail. Now.

She dropped her sister's scruff. "Pouncetail," She said gently, at first. "Did you.. did you have feelings for Dapplesong?" "Yes," He mewed, a sadness lingering in his voice. "She was my best friend." Anger flared inside her, as she lashed her tail. "You mouse brain! I meant other feelings!" "Like.. Love?" Spottedpelt nodded, fiercely. "Um..." He dropped his voice low. "Dapplesong loved you, Pouncetail! She always has, and she had always hoped that you loved her too. Tell me, Pouncetail, are you and Otterheart mates?" "No! Otterheart is my friend!"

"You should have told that to Dapplesong, because her heart was shattered before she died! Now her memory will be left in sorrow love!"

Pouncetail looked down in guilt. A tear dripped off his orange face. "I did love her, though. I should have told her. Now I will never love again. I will never take a mate." Spottedpelt was taken aback. "R-really?" "Yes!" He snapped, tears sparkling in his eyes, sadly. "I loved her so much, Spottedpelt! It will never be the same again." "Will you make a deal with me, Pouncetail?" She whispered more gently.

"Yes." He whispered back, sorrowfully. "Whats this deal?" "To find her murderer and kill them." His eyes glazed happily. "I will do anything to avenge my love!"

"Good," She murmured. "Have you looked at her wounds?" Called a voice. Spottedpelt looked up, meeting the gaze of Mallowpaw. "You were following us?" She growled. "Of course I was! I wanted to help bury my best friend!" Mallowpaw snorted. "But then you started talking, and I knew I couldn't barge in. So now was the perfect time!" The soon-to-be-warrior paused. "Can I help in this deal, Spottedpelt?"

"Yes." She meowed back. "More help, more avenging." She purred. "Now, what where you saying about the wounds, Mallowpaw?" Pouncetail asked, thoughtfully. "Look at them! They form writing!" She mewed.

The three cats clouded around Dapplesong's body, glaring at her wounds. "They say... Th...or...nh...ea...rt." Pouncetail mewed, sounding at the words on his love's chest. "Thornheart! That's her killer!" "But there isn't a Thornheart in any of the Clans," Spottedpelt mewed, confusedly. "At the next Gathering," the apprentice spoke up, "I'll find this 'Thornheart', or ask about her. I'll make it sound like a nonchalant question, so no one will get suspicious."

The cats nodded, sadly, continuing with Dapplesong's burial.

"I will avenge you, sweet Dapplesong. I love you." Pouncetail whispered, licking her dead ear.

SHORT AND SWEET :D

~Dove