Um...right. I uploaded it...but...uh...well the formating is off. And I uploaded it by copy&pasting...long story. I'll reupload this chapter another time, and make it looks nicer whenever this website lets me! -kicks-
Mapleleaf: I've been getting your reviews and feeling so bad! I've been trying, I really really have!
I can't reply to anyone else right now - as you probably figured out, is not being nice to me! But rest assured that I have read your reviews, and I have enjoyed them!! Please don't stop! Thanks!
As the ThunderClan cats streaked out of camp, their voices filled with joyous purrs of victory and triumph, ice-blue eyes followed them. The RiverClan medicine cat apprentice curled her tail in amazement, as she noticed on ThunderClan cat in particular. She could hardly see him now – her beloved was surrounded by some pesky warriors of his new…Clan.
Shadenight dug her claws into the ground, and blatantly ignored the WindClan cats who she was ordered to heal while she though…and realized… that…Thorntail, her Thorntail…was alive! And he was just fox-lengths away – but getting further. Shadenight longed to call out to him, but she bit back her tongue. Now was not the time to do so – in front of WindClan, and ThunderClan? No.
As Thorntail disappeared from her view completely under a mass of ThunderClan cats, Shadenight felt emptiness in her heart, as if he had just left her again. When Duststar announced to the Clan that Thorntail had left the Clan, she had thought that he had gone to live with his father – or maybe live as a loner. But ThunderClan…?
Did it matter though? Thorntail was alive! And it wouldn't be long before she had him again!
Suddenly Shadenight's blood went cold, as she saw something she wished she hadn't. Rosepaw – Rosepaw, that average looking medicine cat apprentice of ThunderClan…was looking at her Thorntail! But…Rosepaw was a medicine cat apprentice! She couldn't have a mate… (Shadenight of course blatantly ignored the fact that she was one too.)
The RiverClan she-cat swung her head away from them, and trotted towards a small group of living WindClan cats, to carry out her orders. She knew where Thorntail was now. He would be back in RiverClan, back with her, and away from that Rosepaw by the next moon.
…
The HighRock that stood in the center of ThunderClan was reflected in Rosepaw's eyes, as her mother scrambled on top of it. Streamstar didn't even have to call her Clan. As soon as the silver leader was standing firmly on her paws, staring down at her Clan with her blue orbs, they settled down around her, staring up at her anxiously.
Rosepaw hesitated for a moment, but finally she dropped the ThornTail (as she had come to call the herb that "StarClan" had shone her) and padded over to Blackshadow and Applefur, who greeted her with a few flicks of their tails. She almost went to sit with Thorntail, but the gray tom didn't look happy, and what's more, he was surrounded by quite a few warriors who seemed to have made him their hero.
Rosepaw breathed in the scent of her camp. She hadn't been back in what seemed like moons – when in reality it had only been a dawn. She felt a shiver crawl down her spine, when she picked up the scent of The Blood, and death. A thought flashed in her mind if there were any cats still sick that were left to cure, as she noticed the corpse of Thorntail's old mate, Gingerleaf lying just outside of the nursery. Rosepaw forced herself to look away – she could feel guilty about Gingerleaf's death later.
At the thought of Gingerleaf, however, Rosepaw suddenly recalled that Swiftfoot, Flowertail, and a few kits were still at Sunningrocks from when they had abandoned camp. Had Streamstar forgotten about them? Rosepaw was about to remind her leader, when Streamstar nodded at the apprentices Duskpaw, and Shadowpaw and gave them swift orders to retrieve the cats at Sunningrocks. The two apprentices sped out of camp, giving Rosepaw a bit of comfort.
The next thing that popped into Rosepaw's mind to worry her, was if she should begin figuring out how the herb ThornTail worked, and try to cure some cats… there were some alive – definitely. Though she had wondered when she first entered camp, now, in her den, she could just see the some movement of white fur, and Rosepaw knew that Icepelt was still alive.
However, when Rosepaw got to her paws to go do her duty, Streamstar stopped her with a wave of their tail, and she scrambled back down to her haunches, as Applefur purred with amusement, and gave her a fake cuff on the ear.
"Until the whole of our Clan is here, we will not pass judgment on Robinwing," Streamstar began, flashing an ice-cold glance at her deputy, who met it with one of her own. The ThunderClan leader did not brush on the subject again, and instead went on to congratulate her Clan on an excellent battle.
"We must also," Streamstar continued, "never forget the noble apprentice Scornpaw, who gave his life bravely to defend his Clan's honor, and right to survive," she meowed, and the warriors beneath her murmured the apprentice's name softly, but to Rosepaw's surprise, Scornpaw's mentor was silent, and was instead glancing hatefully at Spottedlight, who didn't seem to notice.
"Thorntail's hurt…" Rosepaw murmured to no one in particular, examining the gray warrior from afar.
Beside her, Blackshadow seemed to misunderstand her meaning. His amber eyes strayed from Applefur for what seemed like the first time in seasons, and rested on Thorntail for a moment. "Yes, his side is pretty beat up." He mused. "When this is done, you should go over and look at him, Rosepaw. But don't worry – he's been hurt more then that in some play-fights."
Rosepaw shook her head violently. That's not what she meant. Yes, Thorntail's side was so scarred it looked like a spider web had appeared on him, but she knew probably better then Blackshadow how accident prone that tom was. He went on simple walks in his free time, and would come back to came with a bad limp. Luckily, Thorntail was one of the fastest self-healers she had ever seen, so it never worried her much.
She had meant that Thorntail was hurt on the inside. And not only by Streamstar's doubts of him, Runningstar's cruelty, Spottedlight's traitorous ways and all of WindClan. But Rosepaw had hurt him too. She had, without really catching herself, condemned Robinwing and had finalized Streamstar's decision on her deputy's innocence, by telling the 'sign' StarClan had given her.
Rosepaw was snapped out of her thoughts as she was barked and order to pad around and start healing the wounds of the cats who returned – no sick cats mentioned.
As she did so, Streamstar spoke for a little while longer, about RiverClan and ShadowClan – and about keeping a watch on their borders or something…and WindClan territory and such, though Rosepaw didn't really listen. She didn't hunt for the Clan – unless she was with Thorntail or Applefur for fun, and she never really patrolled. When Rosepaw was positive that she had more or less done all she could for her Clan mates, she went back to her seat by Blackshadow and Applefur – still ignoring her leader's tiny
announcements. She was pretty sure no one was listening now – they were curious of Robinwing's fate and Robinwing's fate alone. Rosepaw felt the same as her Clan.
However, she did prick her ears, as the two apprentices, Duskpaw and Shadowpaw brushed past her with the cats who had taken refuge at Sunningrocks right by their heels.
More time must've gone by then Rosepaw had thought, for them to have already returned.
Rosepaw noticed Swiftfoot settle himself by Robinwing – who had been alienated by the Clan during her so-called treachery. Swiftfoot probably wasn't yet aware of what Robinwing had or hadn't done, and had probably simply decided to be with one of his older apprentice-mates. Meanwhile, the pretty tabby Flowertail, ushering her three kits – a tabby, a tortoise-shell and a pure-black tom, along with the late Turtlefeather's Morningkit, sat herself down by Sandpelt, who seemed fascinated by the other mother and her kits, as if she couldn't wait for her own to come.
Streamstar's eyes flashed around her Clan, as if making sure that Shadowpaw and Duskpaw had completed their mission and retrieved all the cats at Sunningrocks, before she went on. "We do celebrate our victory over WindClan," she meowed, and Rosepaw could tell she was struggling to keep her voice steady. "However I wish I could say that all of our warriors remained loyal during this fight,"
Rosepaw noticed that Swiftfoot looked around curiously, as if trying to pinpoint who the traitor was.
Swiftfoot didn't have to wonder long, however, because Streamstar jumped right to the point. "Robinwing betrayed us to WindClan – and almost ruined our chances of victory by alerting them of our plans."
Robinwing let out a faint hiss of fury, and Rosepaw heard Thorntail curse just loud enough for her to hear. Swiftfoot, now looked embarrassed that he had sat with the traitor, and inched away a few…fox-lengths, until he sat comfortably with his mate, and Flowertail.
"Wait a heartbeat," Swiftfoot interrupted as Streamstar opened her mouth to say more. The leader flicked her tail for her former deputy to speak, and Swiftfoot wasn't hesitant at all. "She actually betrayed us? Look," he added to Robinwing. "When I said that you would ruin the Clan…I didn't…mean it…literally…I was just playing around,"
Swiftfoot, forever humorous. Humorous in bad situations as well. Rosepaw wondered for a moment how he and her mother were related. Cousins, perhaps? "I'm almost insulted," the elder continued, "That you chose a traitor to fill my position,"
A few cats purred in agreement, and Sandpelt gave her mate an affectionate lick on the ear.
"I didn't betray anyone," Robinwing snapped. "As I said, Spottedlight did, and framed me…I can't believe that this Clan is mouse-brained enough to believe her either!"
"Yes, yes." Streamstar meowed impatiently. "We've been through this. You have a sick need to betray your Clan and blame it on your much more attractive daughter, who the Clan always had more affection for. Right, we've been through this. Now-!"
"I would never frame my daughter!" Robinwing interrupted, her hackles rising. Rosepaw suddenly noticed that the deputy had dug her claws into the earth as she hissed ferociously. "Even if she is a traitorous piece of fox-dung!"
ThunderClan lashed out in a furious hiss at the deputy – it seemed to be every cat, Rosepaw noticed, except for Thorntail who purred: "Here, here!"
Streamstar ignored the gray cat's act of defiance, and went on to explain to the cats who had been at Sunningrocks – and the stupid cats who weren't paying any attention up in WindClan, the charges – and "proof" of what Robinwing had done.
"Robinwing, our deputy was noticed by several of our warriors to be absent from her post during our stay out Fourtrees for a time." Streamstar meowed. "And when we got to WindClan, they had been waiting for us, and Runningstar announced that Robinwing had been the one to inform his Clan of our attack. What's more, we saw her fighting Spottedlight during the battle – a warrior of her own Clan. Then she declares that Spottedlight is the traitor which," Streamstar scoffed, "We know is impossible, because StarClan clearly stated to Rosepaw that Spottedlight will bring glory to the Clan." A few cats yowled when Streamstar was finished for Robinwing's death, but she silenced them with a flick of her tail. "Robinwing," she growled spitting each of the syllables of her deputy's name, "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
Rosepaw turned her gaze to the dark ginger deputy, who didn't hesitate to get to her paws as she commanded all of ThunderClan's attention. Robinwing circled her gaze around her Clan mates, and when it rested on Rosepaw, the medicine cat almost stepped back in fear of the pure hatred in the gaze. Did Robinwing blame her for what StarClan shown her?
"As for my absence in FourTrees," Robinwing began speaking not as if she was defending her honor, but with the same tone she would speak in if she were ordering an apprentice onto a hunting patrol – confident, voice filled with authority – almost as if she were looking down on the ThunderClan cats, "I was making some dirt. I told Furyheart where I was going, and she would've vouched for me, but sadly she fell during the battle with WindClan, and now resides in StarClan…" Robinwing paused at that, as if she were silently giving Furyheart, former deputy of RiverClan the respect she deserved. "Regarding Runningstar's accusation against me," Robinwing continued after her silence, "I honestly think that his name speaks for itself. Runningstar, ThunderClan. Runningstar – you know the tom that poisoned our Clan, and killed more cats in this Quarter Moon then the amount of cats that died in the past four seasons altogether. If you truly believe him, then you're mouse-brained." She spat the last words out at her leader, but if Streamstar noticed it, she didn't flinch. "And my fight with Spottedlight – she, being the traitor, attacked me, possibly in an attempt you all to notice the fight between us, and accuse me of being the traitor…though she's betrayed us once before. Why you believe that her, only StarClan knows. Anyways, I admit – I cannot disregard StarClan…but Rosepaw is such a young cat, without a mentor to guide her during her every day life. Can we really trust that she doesn't misread a sign now and again?"
Rosepaw narrowed her eyes coldly, and dug her claws into the earth. Even though Robinwing spoke the truth, she was a little too confident – and insulting – to Rosepaw's liking. She was about to yowl for Robinwing's traitorous blood to be spilled right then and there, but held her tongue. If Robinwing wasn't a traitor, she certainly didn't deserve to be killed. And she believed Thorntail's word over Spottedlight's any time – morning, or night.
A few cats murmured a soft agreement with Robinwing – however the deputy had gone about it, she had made some cats question that was innocent.
"And what's more," Robinwing continued, "Spottedlight betrayed us to WindClan once before. Oh yes, she claims that I was the traitor that time too…but…" Robinwing shrugged her shoulders. "That's her word against mine. Back then we all seemed pretty sure that Spottedlight was a traitor – maybe our memories have gotten foggy. We had had a trial for her – just as we are having one for me right now, and she said nothing of my so called treachery then. Proof was laid out against her – and we knew she was guilty. The proof is long gone now, but we all remember that Spottedlight was indeed the one who betrayed us to Runningstar for…I suppose her reasons are all her own."
The Clan was silent, as they recalled Spottedlight's earlier betrayal. Rosepaw was much younger then, and she could hardly remember it at all, but she knew that Spottedlight had been guilty of treason – which was why she was hated for so long.
"And," a strong voice broke the silence and Rosepaw recognized it as Thorntail, "Don't forget I saw Spottedlight try to kill Scornpaw when he was getting the upper paw against a WindClan warrior."
Robinwing shot him a grateful glance, and Rosepaw knew that if Robinwing got off, the endless arguments between them would be over once and for all.
Even though Robinwing's and Thorntail's defense was almost identical to the one they had brought up in the WindClan camp, for some reason the ThunderClan cats seemed to be taken into it more, and were starting to back away from Spottedlight nervously.
But the traitorous she-cat was cleverer then Rosepaw expected.
"Thorntail," Spottedlight mused once almost all of the Clan was at least two fox-lengths away from her, "Are you saying you have a right to call me disloyal?"
"I know I do," Thorntail retorted. "I saw what you did to Scornpaw – your own nephew."
The Clan let out a furious hiss, and Spottedlight let out a purr. "I personally don't see anything loyal about you," she growled. "A RiverClan cat? You don't belong here." Rosepaw was startled that Spottedlight was the one attacking Thorntail like she was. She had defended him before the meeting at Fourtrees! "You barely know the Warrior Code," Spottedlight continued thoughtfully. "I know you didn't see me attack Scornpaw – because I did no such thing. Maybe you were too busy daydreaming to notice? And who were you daydreaming about?" an odd glint appeared in Spottedlight's eye, as she threw down one of her tricks onto the battlefield. "Rosepaw, of course."
Rosepaw's eyes widened, and there were several gasps of surprise in the Clan. What did…?
"I saw you and Thorntail leave Fourtrees unexpectantly," Spottedlight murmured softly. "Together. I don't need to wonder what you two were doing."
Rosepaw's heart twisted in her chest, and she dug her claws into the earth. That was a blatant lie! Rosepaw and Thorntail had both stayed in Fourtrees the entire night! However…no matter how Spottedlight had gone about it, she admittedly, was very clever in her accusation.
What cat would possibly believe what Thorntail said about Scornpaw now? The Clan had already had its suspicions about them – it would be easy for them to believe the lie Spottedlight was spewing from her mouth.
And they believed it, Rosepaw realized, as she felt the piercing gazes of her Clanmates around her, burning into her ginger fur – even though Applefur had taken a defensive stance in front of her, and Blackshadow yowled in her defense. Her friends had remained loyal…but the Clan…had done what Clans – ThunderClan especially – were known for. Turning on one of their own in a flash.
"That's a lie!" Rosepaw burst out, though her voice was drowned out by hisses of fury. Rosepaw tried to see Thorntail's reaction, but he was hidden among her Clanmates.
"That's impossible!" Applefur insisted. "Rosepaw was with me all night,"
"And Thorntail was with me," Blackshadow put in, though the Clan didn't seem to be in any mood to listen.
"Traitors!" Rosepaw was startled to see the owner of the voice. Her blue eyes widened, when she saw Sandpelt leap to her paws and spit furiously at a gray blurb which was probably Thorntail.
However, even though ThunderClan was clearly furious, they composed themselves and dove into a silence at a wave of Streamstar's tail. She gave her daughter an odd look, and Rosepaw lowered her eyes. Even though Spottedlight had lied – there was so truth in it.
Though Streamstar was clearly furious at the news, she didn't comment on the subject, instead she meowed, "Then it is clear that Robinwing was the traitor," she mewed softly.
Rosepaw didn't understand that logic. Just because she and Thorntail had been admittedly disloyal to the Warrior Code (though they hadn't done anything.) had nothing to do with Robinwing and her innocence! However, Rosepaw suddenly picked up Badgerclaw's murmur as he spoke to Howlingheart.
"That explains Thorntail's defense of her," he mewed softly in the elder warrior's ear. "When Robinwing became leader, she probably would've let the affair with Rosepaw go on unpunished,"
"It's sickening how the Warrior Code is being taken so lightly," Howlingheart agreed, the light brown tabby nodding curtly in agreement. "Thorntail must be punished – just as Robinwing should be,"
Rosepaw shivered. Howlingheart was Robinwing's mate – amazing how quickly he turned on her.
"Because of her treachery," Streamstar continued, turning Rosepaw's attention back on her, "Robinwing will be punished," she stared down at her deputy coolly, and mewed softly, "You may choose, Robinwing. You may either be stripped of your deputyship and carry on your days as a rogue, or you may die at a ThunderClan cat's claws, and hope that StarClan spares your soul."
Rosepaw's eyes widened – and that was hard to do, they were already so wide from what happened in just a few…heartbeats. Robinwing was innocent – Spottedlight's lies about she and Thorntail showed how untrustworthy that annoying spotted cat was! Clever though, Rosepaw admitted, as she turned her attention to the treacherous she-cat who was shuffling her paws modestly.
"Streamstar," she mewed softly, "Can't you be a little more lenient? She's my mother…I…I would like her to be here when I raise my own kits one day…"
Rosepaw was stunned for a moment that Spottedlight would plead for her mother's honor, but then almost clawed her own eyes out as she realized that Spottedlight was just stirring the Clan's sympathies for her.
And it worked, because one or two cats pressed against her, while a few others murmured their sympathies. For Spottedlight. Not for the one who was falsely accused – Robinwing.
"My heart goes out to you, Spottedlight," Streamstar meowed diplomatically, commanding the attention of her Clan once more. "But Robinwing must be punished for her betrayal. Robinwing," she mewed turning her ice-blue gaze onto her deputy. "What is your choice?"
Robinwing, who was still on her paws from her heated defense looked horrified – and who wouldn't be? She had just had one of the most ridiculous trials in the history of the forest, and was being punished for what her own daughter had done! Her own daughter.
The ThunderClan deputy looked thoughtful for a moment – as if the there was really a choice. Rosepaw watched her intently, knowing that Robinwing would choose being a rogue. As a rogue she might have a chance to join one of the other Clans (however doubtful that was considering she was getting up in her moons).
But instead, Robinwing meowed simply, "I was born a loyal ThunderClan cat." She meowed. "And I will die one as well. StarClan knows the wrongs of everyone." The robin-egg-blue gaze seemed to be searching for something as she gazed around the Clan, and finally Robinwing rested her eyes on Spottedlight. "Everyone, Spottedlight." She looked away from her daughter, and now seemed to be speaking to the whole Clan. "May StarClan forgive you all."
Streamstar looked flabbergasted at the answer, and looked at her "traitorous" deputy like she had claimed that one day a kittypet would save the forest from a terrible threat that was brought from the outside, and had not simply chose to die a noble death. However, Rosepaw knew that her mother had most likely expected to simply exile her deputy. As cold as Streamstar seemed sometimes, would she really be able to order the death of one of her best friends who had stood by her throughout her lifetime? And what's more, who would she order to commit the killing?
"Very well, Robinwing." Streamstar stumbled the words out, and it was clear that she was confused. "May StarClan…may StarClan forgive you of your wrongs," she stuttered, while Robinwing shrugged her shoulders.
"There aren't many wrongs to forgive. Except that one time when I was an apprentice I ate a squirrel without feeding the Clan first. I hardly think that…that's something that they would reject more, wouldn't you agree?"
Rosepaw envied Robinwing's bravery – though she didn't envy the cat's position right now. For a heartbeat, she thought that it was all for show, but she detected no fear scent from the deputy. She was truly a brave warrior.
"Um…er…" Streamstar still seemed slightly unsure of what to do, but quickly composed herself, and stretched her gaze across the Clan. "Who will have the honors of claiming the life of this deputy?"
"I think," Howlingheart meowed getting to his paws, "That Thorntail should prove his loyalty to us by spilling her blood!"
"I don't think so," Swiftfoot pointed out from his seat next to his mate and Flowertail. "Truly, you can't really blame Thorntail for what he did. Usually it's the she-cat that uses her wiles to 'whoo' the tom, yes? Besides, Thorntail's just a normal tom. You can't blame him."
To the medicine cat's surprise, a few cats murmured agreement, and turned their glares fiercely on Rosepaw.
Oh Great StarClan! What Swiftfoot said was one of the most ridiculous things she had ever heard! And considering the recent events, she had heard some pretty ridiculous things.
"Yes, Thorntail will not be the one." Rosepaw was surprised at how sharp her mother's tone was. Surely she wasn't as mouse-brained as Swiftfoot was, and believed that only the she-cat was the one who dove into relationships!
Rosepaw ignored the next few moments of the conversation. Now, that Robinwing wasn't clouding her mind anymore – except with an extreme sense of guilt – she was left to think of the heck she and Thorntail were going to go through – until the Clan started pointing their claws at another unfortunate cat.
However, Rosepaw did take the time to notice that in the end, three cats volunteered for the…killing of the Clan deputy. Smokefang, Featherfrost, and Lightheart.
Rosepaw stared blankly, as the trio of warriors padded to the edge of HighRock, where Robinwing still sat, and started to lead her out of camp – most likely it wasn't going to be pretty, and the kits didn't really need to see a Clanmate murdered by her own Clan right now.
As Streamstar gave a swift order that the death must be quick, and as Robinwing brushed past her, Rosepaw searched for something to say.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, and instantly rebuked herself for saying such hollow words! However, Robinwing turned her head and gave the apprentice a curt nod, before she disappeared into the gorse tunnel for the last time.
Streamstar's eyes clouded for a moment, and Rosepaw noticed that her mother murmured something softly, before she continued with her announcements. To Rosepaw's surprise, her mother didn't even comment on the love-interest between her daughter and warrior, and it seemed to confuse a few warriors.
However, Streamstar finally was able to get them to hush, when she meowed,
"Now we must go to a happier note," she murmured softly, raising her gaze to the moon that was slowly rising overhead. Rosepaw thought for a moment that she was going to choose a new deputy, but instead she meowed, "Duskpaw, Shadowpaw, please step forward."
The dark brown she-cat, Duskpaw, and the black tom Shadowpaw stepped forward, exchanging slightly confused glances. Rosepaw rolled her eyes. If they didn't know what was coming, they didn't deserve to be warriors yet.
"I Streamstar, leader of ThunderClan," Streamstar began her voice crisp and clear as it rang out through the twilight, "Call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you in their turn." Streamstar paused for what seemed to Rosepaw for simply dramatic effect, before going on. She rested her cool gaze on Shadowpaw – as if this ceremony was only about him, before meowing, "Shadowpaw, Duskpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code – to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your own life?"
The Shadowpaw's pale green eyes widened in surprise, but his voice was firm as he meowed, "I do," and beside him, Duskpaw, nodded vigorously, as if she couldn't speak – but finally seemed to find the words. "I do," she chided.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Shadowpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Shadowfire. StarClan honors your loyalty and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of this Clan." She turned her gaze towards Duskpaw, who seemed to be about to fall off of her paws in excitement. "Duskpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dusktail. StarClan honors your spirit and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of this Clan,"
ThunderClan, momentarily distracted from their blind rage, yowled out the names of their two newest warriors. Rosepaw joined in half-heartedly. No matter how Streamstar tried to postpone it, eventually she and Thorntail were going to be punished…
"Shadowfire! Dusktail! Shadowfire! Dusktail! Shadowfire! Dusktail!"
The newest warriors of ThunderClan looked at each other for a moment, and Rosepaw suddenly noticed that their tails were snaking around each other. It wouldn't be long before Dusktail was in the nursery.
Yes. More kits for ThunderClan – kits that would grow into warriors. Oh, let them rejoice, because there is nothing wrong with that love! It is perfect in every way, two ThunderClan cats similar in age, in love? Oh, its StarClan's blessing to the forest.
"As tradition dictates, Dusktail and Shadowfire will sit vigil alone tonight without uttering a sound," Streamstar purred, nodding as the Clan surrounded their newest warriors calling them by their new names.
Rosepaw sighed. While Dusktail and Shadowfire basked in the joy of their new names and rank, Robinwing was probably breathing her last breath. And who knew if Smokefang, Lightheart, and Featherfrost would carry out Streamstar's order to make the death swift?
"Rosepaw,"
Rosepaw was startled to see that her leader was addressing her now. From right next to her too. At some point she must've leapt from the stone and padded over to her daughter.
"I wish to see you in my den," Streamstar meowed carefully.
Punishment time.
"Is…is Thorntail going to be there?" Rosepaw asked scanning the Clan curiously for the cat that was in as much fox-dung as she was.
"No," Streamstar meowed briskly, as she started to pad away. "Oh, come on Rosepaw!" she snarled. "I need to speak to you now, and finish before Moon high when I must choose Robinwing's replacement."
Oh, Rosepaw had no idea who that could be! Could it be the warrior that Streamstar had been doting on for the past… half-moon or so? The traitorous cat that Streamstar had declared to Rosepaw's facet that she would be deputy?!
"I'm coming," Rosepaw meowed, as she started towards the HighRock – and Streamstar's den – in a brisk trot. Though she couldn't help but wonder why…Thorntail wasn't going to be punished along with her…
Rosepaw shrugged. It didn't really matter anyways – Thorntail would be punished eventually either. Most likely Streamstar was already attempting to separate them…by even punishing them separately…