Aurorastar watched as Eclipsewing began to gather her patrol, looking around the nearly-empty, snow covered clearing and calling a few cats by name.
Should I warn her? Aurorastar thought. She will challenge me if I do. If she knows everything I know though, she could be in danger. Aurorastar sighed.
"Are we ready?" Aurorastar heard Cherryflight asked. She starred on as Eclipsewing nodded, then turned to leave.
"Wait!" Aurorastar called, grimacing as a cough racked her body. "Eclipsewing, can I see you for a moment?"
Looking slightly confused, Eclipsewing bounded over. "What is it?"
Aurorastar couldn't meet her sister's gaze. I can't tell her why, I just can't. She can't be put in danger. "If you... happen to see Nightglow out there, let me know."
Eclipsewing's golden eyes widened. "What? What does that mean?"
I'm sorry, but you can't be a part of this part of my life. "Eclipsewing, just-" she stopped as she broke into another coughing fit. Fox dung to this greencough, she cursed.
Aurorastar heard another set of paws at her side. "Aurorastar, you need to come inside now. That walk was not a good idea."
The SunClan leader tried to hiss in frustration, but it came out in more of a weird sniff. Sighing with defeat, Aurorastar let Starwhisper lead her inside.
"My kit!" Aurorastar heard the frantic, rasping calls when she walked inside. It was from Waterfall, and the she cat's ragged blue-gray fur was bristled out. Sobs racked her thin body. "My kit is gone!" She gasped as her body began to heave, and Aurorastar winced as Waterfall vomited all over the den floor. It was covered with mucus.
Starwhisper didn't seem phased by this. "Waterfall, you need to pull yourself together and calm down, otherwise you won't be able to breath from your chest infection."
Waterfall's blue eyes flashed. "Calm down? My kit could be dead and you want me to calm down?!" she snarled, her chin now streaked with vomit.
"Yes," meowed Starwhisper in an exasperated voice, though Aurorastar could tell from the look in her eyes that the medicine cat was not as annoyed as she sounded.
"Besides, Rainpaw probably isn't dead," Birchleaf added, though she looked slightly doubtful. "Eclipsewing is leading a patrol out there to find her now."
Waterfall didn't reply, just let out a soft whimper and buried her muzzle into an uncomfortable-looking Thunderpaw's shoulder. "I just want her to be okay."
Aurorastar's eyes glowed with sympathy. There will come a time when I too may fret over my own kits too much. She casted her gaze down to her belly. I just hope I never have to lose one, though.
"Aurorastar, lie down in your nest now please," Starwhisper meowed in a firm voice. Aurorastar did as she was told, and watched as Starwhisper began chewing and stirring up a poultice for her.
"Starwhisper," Tigerstreak croaked. "Could you please get me some more water?" She let out a sharp cough.
"Could you get some for me as well," Searose rasped in a quieter voice. Aurorastar flicked an ear as Searose broke into a lengthy round of terrible coughing.
They must not be doing very well if even talking causes them to have coughing fits, Aurorastar remarked with dismay.
Starwhisper flicked her tail. "I'm currently busy at the moment. Birchleaf, would you please see to their needs?"
"Of course," came Birchleaf's quick reply, and she disappeared behind the stone wall.
"Here you go." Starwhisper padded over carrying an oak leaf. She placed it at Aurorastar's paws. "Eat it, it will help."
Aurorastar sniffed tentatively at the poultice. Though she recognized honey in it, it didn't mask the sharp, bitter smell within. There was obviously something else in it besides catmint. However, she didn't complain, just lapped up the strong tasting herbs.
"Now just-" Starwhisper broke off when an earsplitting yowl sounded at the entrance to the camp. Aurorastar immediately got to her paws, her eyes alert.
"Aurorastar, stay here!" Starwhisper hissed, but the SunClan leader ignored her words and rushed outside.
Eclipsewing's patrol was back, though Aurorastar flattened her ears when she saw that Nightglow was with them.
Lionstrike came in last, and draped over his back was a small, light gray body.
Rainpaw, Aurorastar realized, and continued to trudge forward. She stumbled as a wave of exhaustion rolled over her, causing her to stop.
Nightglow whipped around when she saw Aurorastar padding closer. The deputy's ears flattened against her head. "Stay back!" she spat.
"Don't come any closer!" Silvertail added with a snarl. Aurorastar starred, appalled, as the entire patrol glared at her. Even Eclipsewing was eyeing her warily.
What in the name of StarClan is going on?
Aurorastar remained motionless as cats began to gather in the clearing. By now, everyone was back from their patrols, and they were all staring at the scene with wide eyes.
"My kit!" Waterfall wailed, and raced forward on unsteady paws. Starwhisper quickly followed after her. The medicine cat stopped at Rainpaw's body, giving her a quick inspection.
"She needs medical treatment!" she called suddenly. Stormpaw rushed forward, quickly casting Aurorastar a glare. The two cats carried Rainpaw inside the medicine cat's den with Waterfall on their paws.
"What happened?" a voice called, and Aurorastar recognized it to be Seaserpent.
"I'll tell you what happened!" Nightglow snarled, leaping up onto the Brightledge. "I was out hunting when I heard a terrible screech coming from the Sky Birch. I ran there as quickly as I could, and immediately found Rainpaw's bloody body!" She suddenly turned her beady eyes to Aurorastar. "And I found a tuft of Aurorastar's fur next to Rainpaw! Eclipsewing!" The deputy locked her gaze with the she cat. "Was it, in fact, Aurorastar's fur?"
Eclipsewing starred at her paws. "It was," she murmured.
Nightglow's eyes flashed with pure triumph. She whipped back around to Aurorastar. "Our leader is a fraud and heartless liar!"
The Clan erupted into yowls of outrage. Cats around Aurorastar snarled and backed away. But she didn't react, just starred at Nightglow in shock.
She set me up. She did this on purpose.
She gasped as she suddenly felt a pair of claws dig into her shoulders. She let out a yelp as Bluefire pinned her to the ground, his amber eyes gleaming with hatred.
"Get off her!" Nightsun screeched, and pummeled into Bluefire. The blue-gray tom was knocked right off of the SunClan leader.
"Stop!" An earsplitting screech sounded above the chaos in the clearing. Nightsun immediately jumped off Bluefire.
"This is outrageous!" The voice called again, and Starwhisper bounded forward.
"I couldn't agree more," Nightglow growled, giving the medicine cat a nod.
"No, you don't understand," Starwhisper hissed. "This is outrageous that you actually think that your Clan leader attacked an innocent apprentice!"
Uneasy murmurs began to ripple around the clearing, but they were silenced by Nightglow.
"I found her fur at Rainpaw's body." She glared at Aurorastar. "And wasn't this around the time when you went on your little walk?" She spat out as if she were looking at a heap of crowfood.
"I would never attack an apprentice!" Aurorastar hissed. "Why would I even try to kill an innocent cat from my own Clan!"
"You tell me!" Nightglow snarled.
"This is ridiculous!" Nightsun said in a furious voice. "Aurorastar would never hurt an apprentice for no reason."
"Why don't we ask Rainpaw when she wakes up who attacked her," Eclipsewing suggested from the other side of the clearing.
"A fine..." Aurorastar didn't hear the rest of Starwhisper's words. Her head began to feel lighter, and her vision began to swirl. With a gasp, a wave of black collapsed over her, leaving her in darkness.
A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D I really loved writing it :) Sorry it was kind of short, I couldn't think of a ton of stuff to put in it because my brain is weird today :/ I also want to apologize because I recently notices that cut-offs I have been putting in chapters don't show up. I don't know if anyone else is able to see them, but I can't, so I will probably use something else.
Snowtail: Thank you! :D I'm doing my best to update as quickly as I can, but I haven't found a ton of writing time around stuff going on in my life. But I will try my best! :)
Question: What do you think is going to happen to Aurorastar and Nightglow? Please leave a review to let me know!
Please leave a review to let me know on what you think of the story, or simply just your thoughts :) I love hearing from the voices of my viewers, especially if it helps make my writing better.
Thank you! :D
~Lunar