Chapter Four; The deadly truth.

The battle roared 'till the sun started to fall, and ShadowClan retreated back to their territory. ThunderClan's injured warriors slowly filed back to camp, some leaning heavily onto others.

Mysticpaw, one of the few that had almost fatal injuries, was leaning against her brother's flank. Her breath was shallow, and every so often she coughed up blood. Blazingpaw's soothing words in her ear did little to stop her from thinking she would die.

"Don't worry, Mysticpaw. Coppertwilight will be able to fix up those wounds," Blazingpaw insisted, glancing at her. She could hear the doubt in his voice. Oh, StarClan, why? She didn't want to die!

Thawstar cried out, "Coppertwilight!" which reminded Blazingpaw they were close to home. Just a few more fox-lengths…

Spiritsong jumped up to the two, gazing anxiously at Mysticpaw. "I'll bring her to Coppertwilight, Blazingpaw. You get some rest," she said softly, standing by Mysticpaw and bracing herself as the apprentice pressed onto her flank.

"Thanks, Spiritsong," Blazingpaw purred gratefully, dipping his head quickly, then dashed towards the camp entrance, pushing Thawstar aside as he disappeared into the camp.

Thawstar hissed, the fur on his hackles rising, but snorted and they flattened back down.

The pale golden tabby, Spiritsong, lead Mysticpaw to the camp entrance, then to Coppertwilight's den. He was already rushing around, getting herbs ready, having heard Thawstar's cry. "Hey, Coppertwilight," she greeted him, twitching her ears. "I don't need any herbs- but Mysticpaw here does. Would you mind…?"

He shook his head. "No, no. It's my duty. Bring her inside. She'll have to stay here for a few days." Coppertwilight watched as his sister led Mysticpaw into the den, and followed as she rested her into a moss bed.

"I'll let you do your stuff. I need to go have a talk with Ravencry." Spiritsong's eyes twinkled as she said her mate's name.

Coppertwilight purred, licking his sister on the ear. It was only a few days ago he had declared she was going to have kits; he guessed this was the time she was going to tell him. "I'm sure he'll be happy to know," he encouraged her, turning to Mysticpaw. "Now I have to help this apprentice, and the rest that should be outside." He twitched his whiskers in amusement.

Nodding, Spiritsong parted, leaving the den, and saw the group of cats that seemed much worse off than her. Drippingwhisker, a black and white she-cat, has a blood-coated pelt; Spiritsong could barely see the black patches, let alone the white.

XxXxX

"This is unbelievable!"

"What? Did you expect it to be simple?"

"I just can't believe it!"

"You've already said that."

"This must be an omen from StarClan!" Flashflame was looking at Mirrormask with wide blue eyes. She was looking back at him like he was stupid, head cocked to the side, eyes narrowed.

"An omen? Pah. More like a curse," Mirrormask curled her lip into a look of distaste, grey fur bristling. "We shouldn't think StarClan is angry at us. We didn't do anything. It was because of that kit."

Flashflame's eyes widened even further, like an apprentice at his first Gathering. "Ashykit? Ashykit? You must be joking, Mirrormask!" He shook his head. "A kit couldn't have caused this!"

A white apprentice padded up to the two, ears raised curiously, paws silent. She quizzically narrowed her eyes at the two, glancing from one to the other, then sat down. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, licking a paw and drawing it over her ear.

Mirrormask snorted at the apprentice. "None of your business, Cloudpaw," she spat, fur bristling. "You don't need to know anything about warrior matters."

Cloudpaw, the apprentice, glared at her, but continued with her grooming. "Fine," she said snidely, "I wont tell you about apprentice matters."

Blinking at Cloudpaw, Flashflame grunted. "You know that kit Mirrormask, Coppertwilight and I found? Well, that's where Emeraldflame decided to bury Arcticstar's body." He continued when she nodded. "It's also where she died, and where ShadowClan attacked us."

Cloudpaw froze, tongue out of her mouth, pale grey paw ready to be licked. She looked up at Flashflame. "What?" she hissed, fangs showing. "What?"

"Where Arcticstar was going to be buried was where she died and ShadowClan attacked!" Mirrormask snapped, lashing her tail.

Hissing, Cloudpaw glared at her with pale green eyes. "I know that!"

"Then stop acting mouse-brained, mousebrain!"

"I meant what as in what's so amazing about that!" Cloudpaw unsheathed her claws and dug them into the soft underground. There was no way she'd attack a warrior, no matter how mouse-brained they were. She was loyal to her Clan.

The grey warrior rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath. "I'm going to talk to Thawstar about this," she hissed. "He'll tell us what we should do about this troublesome kit." She turned and stalked away, tail held high, head down, eyes narrowed.

Cloudpaw rolled her eyes, but looked smug. "Flashflame? Do you think Thawstar will actually drive Ashykit out?" she mewed, looking at the older warrior. "I mean…well…it isn't everyday something like this happens…"

He turned his blue eyes onto her. Flashflame then shook his head. "I don't know, Cloudpaw, I just don't know…" he let out a hopeless sigh. "I just don't know what I'll do if Thawstar decides to throw Ashykit out. Arcticstar did die protecting her, after all…"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Both cats snapped their heads around as they heard Thawstar cry the ancient words. Without a sound, both padded towards the Highrock, Cloudpaw watching the warriors and apprentices gather, while some of the queens sat at the nursery's entrance to listen from there.

Once everyone had gathered, Thawstar cleared his throat. "I have learnt something very important just now. Something that could change the fate of this Clan."

Cloudpaw felt Flashflame shift uncomfortably, and brushed against him comfortingly.

"Dimfur? Could you bring Ashykit out, please?" the leader turned his gaze to the nursery, and saw his puzzled mate. She said something quickly to one of the other queens and disappeared inside, appearing again with the small black kit in her jaws. Dimfur padded up to the gathered cats and slipped into the centre of the circle, placing Ashykit on the cool ground. "What do you want with her?" Dimfur asked her mate, curling her tail around the kit.

Thawstar didn't answer her, but carefully jumped down from the Highrock, padding up to the two.

"From this day on," he declared, leaning down to look at Ashykit. "This kit will be known at Snare- for the curse she has laid on part of our territory."

There were gasps from the crowd, and they started muttering among themselves, some even crying out their disagreement.

Narrowing his blue eyes, Thawstar continued. "Haven't you noticed? Where we fought ShadowClan was where Arcticstar died. And where the kit was found. Can't you see the link? This kit is cursed; she has put a trap on a part of our territory. Put one paw in there and something bad will happen."

The Clan silenced. Could it be true? Could a kit have caused all this?

Cloudpaw noticed Flashflame was shaking his head. She leaned closer to him to hear what he was mumbling.

"This is wrong. This is wrong."