The Prophecy Foretold: Testing Alliances

Chapter Eleven

The sound of screaming cats cut through Puddlepaw's sleep, and the apprentice wished for once that she could sleep in and not be woken to commotion. Puddlepaw sat up in her nest, looking around. Blazingpaw and Stonepaw were already gone, and she wondered if they went on a patrol without her earlier. Sliding out of the den, Puddlepaw was met with a curious scene.

The Windclan messenger had returned, Stormgrass, and his fur was fluffed up to twice his size, hissing. Holding him back was the Windclan deputy, Goldensky, her fur ragged and body thin, and another black cat with small white spots, her eyes wide and said. Puddlepaw drew a little closer, and she saw just what they were so emotional about.

The small body of Beepaw laid out on the camp floor, foam stuck to his muzzle, a look of terror still glued to his face. Puddlepaw felt lightheaded, barely able to focus on the scene before her.

"We were keeping him in our medicine cat's den. He must have eaten something toxic." Barkfeather's voice rang out, and Stormgrass spat, claws tearing up the packed dirt. Cloudedeye's pushed forward, snarling.

"I would never allow a cat to eat something harmful to them!" Barkfeather turned on her in a second, a low growl in his throat.

"You're blinder than a fox with no eyes, Cloudedeyes. You couldn't stop a mouse if you could see." Cloudedeyes growled, her tail lashing, and for a moment it looked like a fight would break out between the two, until Redstar pushed his way between the two.

"Enough!" He hissed, turning back to Goldensky. "We may not be on good terms with Whitestar or Windclan, but we never meant any harm to the apprentice." Goldensky nodded, her gaze hard.

"Whitestar will not be as understanding. I suggest you prepare your clan for battle." Redstar didn't say anything, watching as the black she-cat picked the apprentice up by his scruff, and the three Windclan cats left. Barkfeather looked upset, clawing at the dirt beneath him as though they were itching for a fight. Redstar turned, hopping up onto the High Rock.

"Every cat old enough to catch their own prey, gather underneath the High Rock!" Puddlepaw shuffled forward some, and she saw Blazingpaw and Stonepaw approaching her.

"Did you see those Windclan cats?" Blazingpaw whispered. "Goldensky looked so skinny I thought I could see her spine!" Stonepaw shook his head, nudging Blazingpaw to hush as Redstar spoke.

"Windclan will be preparing to attack now, after the death of their apprentice. We will need all of our warriors to be at their best. Battle training will now include warriors without apprentices, and we will have three guards at night."

"We should attack first!" Jaymask called, and voices agreed with him.

"If we went after Windclan, we would be in their territory. Here, we have the advantage of knowing the forest. Without the sky, Windclan cats will get turned around. For now, we wait and see." Redstar relaxed when no cat seemed to question him, then continued. "Apprentices will go with their mentors and collect bramble, so we can strengthen our walls and protect the nursery and elders den."

"Aw, mousedung!" Blazingpaw grumbled, making a face. "Brambles always get stuck in my coat." Stonepaw chuckled, turning to Puddlepaw. He looked concerned, nudging her side. Puddlepaw jolted some, turning to the two.

"I'm alright. It just.. sucks what happened to Beepaw." Blazingpaw shrugged some.

"Like Barkfeather said, it was an accident. Cloudedeye's can't see, so maybe she collected an herb that she didn't mean to."

"I mean, maybe, but Cloudedeyes is super old. Like, I think she helped with Redstar's kitting. I don't know if she could make a mistake like that." Stonepaw argued, and Puddlepaw felt better that someone else thought his death was strange. Blazingpaw rolled his eyes, standing and shaking his pelt out.

"Yeah, she's old. That's why she made the mistake! She probably can't smell anything anymore." Puddlepaw gasped, and jabbed Blazingpaw in the side.

"Don't say that, or else she'll hear you!" Blazingpaw laughed, turning as he noticed their mentors walking over.

"Come on, you heard Redstar. We've got brambles to collect." Mudhollow called, nodding them along. The three apprentices jumped up, running after their mentors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was setting when Puddlepaw dragged herself back into camp, barely keeping her eyes open. They'd only just finished with the camp wall, and still had the nursery and elders den to protect now. Thankfully, that was a job for tomorrow.

Puddlepaw's stomach rumbled, and she looked over the freshkill pile, and picked up a scrawny squirrel that would do, and went and sat in the shade by herself. She was mid meal when soft pawsteps made her look up, perking as she saw Mintpaw.

"You hungry too?" Mintpaw shook her head, looking around. Puddlepaw remembered about Beepaw, and thought maybe that's what she was so anxious about. "Beepaw's death didn't have anything to do with you. Whatever he ate it was by accident." Mintpaw stared at her for a long moment, before she leaned forward, her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Barkfeather came this morning, and asked me and Cloudedeyes to go check on Greenthistle, that she was aching really badly. Cloudedeyes sent me to get some comfrey for her, and I saw Barkfeather going into the medicine cats den with a really fat mouse in his mouth, and he left without it. I'd already gotten Beepaw something to eat, so I don't know why he did that."

Her words sent a slice of ice through her chest, her whole body going cold at the implications. Puddlepaw swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding.

"I'm.. I'm sure he didn't know. Barkfeather wouldn't-" Mintpaw nodded quickly, her eyes wide.

"I know, I know. I just.. I just thought I should tell someone." She turned then, scampering away and leaving Puddlepaw to mull over her words. She looked back down at her squirrel, and suddenly her appetite was missing.