Howling winter winds blew with an unmatched ferocity as they blew through the coats of both Duckfoot and Minkcloud, both cats struggling to stride through the currents with two newborn kittens held protectively in their jaws, applying enough pressure to their scruffs to ensure neither of them would lose grip of the fragile kits. Duckfoot kept glancing at his brown-furred Clanmate just next to him, worried over whether or not she would keep his kin safe during the trek home. A sharp pang of hurt and guilt rammed through his chest as he recalled the disastrous kitting of his late sister earlier that night, Anthiese had delivered two healthy kits, but at the expense of her own life.
[i]She didn't even get to see her kits.[/i] How much pain had she been in? Not only from the stress and pain that she suffered while she delivered, but from not being granted enough mercy to gaze upon her newborns and understand they were alive and well before death took her away from them forever. A shudder ran through Duckfoot, and not from the cold, but from the overwhelming feeling of sadness that overtook his mind at the moment. He could not erase the lifeless form of Anthiese from his memory, and he was certain the traumatic image would stick to his mind for the rest of his life.
It was sun-high, and because of the heat the apprentices were permitted to lounge about the camp as they pleased. Some had had their training sessions in the early morning when it was much cooler. Now they were play-fighting just outside their den - all but one were, that is. Fernpaw lay in the entrance of the den, her chin resting on her paws, her eyes gazing longingly at the warriors' den. Five moons had passed since her last training session. Only one session remained, and she was anxious to get on with it and earn her warrior name, but Emberstar seemed to never be able to find the time to train her. Fernpaw and her parents had asked the leader if it would be possible to have someone else teach her the last skill, but Emberstar insisted that she would finish her training soon. Now that Emberstar had caught whitecough, which Willowcloud feared was escalating into greencough despite the warm weather, there was certainly no way she could train her apprentice. "Fernpaw!" Lightpaw called as he bounded toward her, a broad smile spread across his maw. "Come on, we're having a lot of fun! You can't be too old to play, can you?" The she-cat gave a small bittersweet smile and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'd rather not." Lightpaw tilted his head to the side. "Why not?" Fernpaw's only answer was a shrug, and she padded away from the den, leaving Lightpaw to gaze disappointedly after her before returning to the game with the other apprentices and nearly forgetting the entire matter. The brown tabby headed for the fresh-kill pile, and noticed a small, white figure there. It was Dewfang. Most of the Clan had given up on the young warrior. He appeared so depressed that hardly anyone would bother to talk to him - aside from letting him know he was assigned to a patrol - because they knew it was just no use. They said that spending so much time with Frigidrose had done it to him. She had twisted his mind like she had Emberstar's, and there was no going back. However, Fernpaw didn't believe any of that nonsense. He's just going through a rough time, she'd say. She always was friendly towards him, which surprised him quite a bit, but he never responded to her. Soon the apprentice too gave up. And so she was surprised when, while rummaging through the prey pile for something that appealed to her, she found herself saying, "How is it being a warrior?" It was quiet, but she had spoken to him, and again he seemed a bit bewildered. "I - I mean is it very different from being an apprentice - aside from having to train? Is it all it's cracked up to be?" Dewfang stood there, paws shuffling, eyes darting nervously around and glancing at everything but the she-cat next to him. His voice came in an inaudibly soft stutter, but nonetheless it grabbed Fernpaw's attention. He was speaking to her for once - or trying to. It took him a few moments longer to manage, "I, uh... I guess, uh - uh, it's really not all... um... it's really, uh, overrated. Um... I - I guess...." He stared down at his paws. Slowly a small smile grew on Fernpaw's face, and she mewed, "Ah, okay.... I was just curious because I don't know if I'll ever get my warrior name." She ended with a little chuckle that quickly died, and her happy smile was replaced with a sad one. The two young cats stood in silence for a bit before Fernpaw, realizing she had just ruined her chance at a conversation with the tom, turned to pad away without taking something from the pile. "Sorry to bother you," she murmured as she left. StarClan, why did she have to put such a damper on things when they only just began? She was furious with herself. A small voice piped up as she was walking away, "I... I wouldn't worry. You'll be a great warrior, Fernpaw." The brown tabby stopped in her tracks and turned her head toward Dewfang. He was looking at her this time, and just the hint of a smile - an embarrassed sort of smile - could be seen on his face. Then quickly, he snatched a mouse from the pile and hurried off. Fernpaw smiled to herself and went on her way.
All around him were 21 pairs of eyes and the blackness of the stream below. The silvery tabby sighed and turned to Fritillarystar, bidding her to do the unjust deed. ''I didn't kill Ternpaw.'' Nettlefang murmured, over the gurgle of water and the chirp of crickets. ''I was with Ravenflower and Robinstorm at the time; how could I possibly have done it?'' He urged, hoping that the dark molly would see some sense. In the crowd, Ravenflower squirmed uncomfortably at the mention of her name; the old molly had wanted to remain as invisible as possible and this association with Nettlefang would do her no favours.
Fritillarystar met his gaze, sharp and unwavering. For a long time she said nothing and the clan's eyes drifted to her; eyes that pleaded to her, asking if this cat that stood before them was really the killer of Ternpaw. ''Even if you didn't...'' She crooned. ''...remember Loach?'' She noticed the way he froze and knew that, whatever he said, Nettlefang most certainly did remember the sweet little brown and white molly. ''And Teasel? Reed? Little Minnow too?''
At this, Nettlefang's heart broke a little. He'd made some terrible choices, yes, but the silver tom had worked terribly hard to redeem himself and had not know just how badly it'd effected Fritillarystar all these moons ago. ''I-I'm sorry.'' He nearly choked on his words. ''I was foolish back then; can't you give me another chance, Fritillarystar, please.'' But his pleas went unheard, as Fritillarystar cast her gaze on the two mothers of Moorclan.
''Oakfeather, Nightclaw...as mothers, would you want this kitten-killer among your ranks?'' She urged, noting their head-shaking with solemnity. ''Dustfoot! As a father, would you like this tom eating the same prey as you?'' The Siamese tom immediately piped up with a loud 'No!' before pulling Beechkit and Elmkit closer to him. Soon the cries of 'No' were swept up in one giant storm, each cat chanting one after the other.
Nettlefang bowed under this outcry, staring at Fritillarystar in hopes that she'd find something in her heart that'd forgive him. But there was no chance, Fritillarystar had made up her mind and if he was being honest, Nettlefang did not blame her for this. Quietly, Nettlefang took one step closer to the gurgling stream and pondered it's depths. It appeared to creep closer and closer, engulfing him in dark and ice; Nettlefang felt his spirit drift and no more was he.
From the rocks, Robinstorm watched in silent horror as Nettlefang's body vanished under the surface. ''Oh Starclan, no.'' She whimpered, shaking her head. Beside her, the loners were watching on solemnly; not sharing her grief but understanding it. ''I'm sorry, Robin.'' mumbled Swift, nuzzling her shoulder comfortingly. The lanky tom glanced at his sister, noting the way she stared angrily at the Moorclan leader with some concern; an angry Avocet was not an Avocet that anyone wanted and Swift knew that from experience. Luckily, Lightning noticed this also. ''Avocet...lets not be hasty.'' he warned.
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