Warriors: Heronpaw's Secret (Complete)

Chapter 14

 A few moons passed since the day Heronpaw revealed his secret to Cougarpaw. He tried talking to his former friend many times after that, but she didn't listen to him and walked away. Heronpaw stopped bothering her after that. Although he wanted his friend to forgive him, he knew he couldn't force her to.

 Heronpaw sat on a rock right outside WindClan's camp, looking around with his head lowered. He felt so alone..

 ''Heronpaw! Are you listening?''

 The apprentice raised his head quickly and saw Beesun looking at him with a harsh glare. He lowered his head once again. ''Yes, Beesun. I'm sorry.''

 His mentor rolled her eyes. ''I said that I want you to gather moss for the elders. Right now.''

 ''On it.'' Heronpaw nodded and jumped off the rock, padding away. His mentor started being harsher on him because his assessment was approaching. He grew worried that Cougarpaw told Beesun that he was Heronkit, but he soon relaxed as he remembered Featherwish's words. She's sure Cougarpaw wouldn't tell anyone, and after all, she's a StarClan cat. And if Cougarpaw really did, then Beesun wouldn't bother talking to me anymore. And, either way, I don't think Cougarpaw has a reason to tell anyone the truth.

 Heronpaw sniffed the air and looked around the meadow, then at the path leading to the Fourtrees. He began walking toward it, thinking that he could gather some moss from the trees near the RiverClan border.

 Suddenly, he picked up a scent. A familiar scent. Too familiar. Heronpaw's fur bristled as he also picked up RiverClan scent. What is a rogue and a RiverClan cat doing on our territory?

 He followed the scent as fast as he could, noticing that it led toward the RiverClan border. He slowed down as he approached the Twoleg bridge and hid behind a bush, looking past it.

 Two cats were standing right in front of the bridge: a golden tom with black spots and a black-and-cream she-cat with a white chest. Leopardpaw and Nectar.

 Heronpaw panicked, feeling his heart beating against his chest. What were they doing here? He remembered Leopardpaw telling him that his parents used to be friends with Nectar and Rattlesnake, but the two rogues stopped visiting them. Then what is Leopardpaw doing with Nectar?

 He noticed that Nectar looked angry. He crouched down and creeped to the closest tree, which stopped right before the path leading to the Fourtrees. From there, he could hear the two cats clearly.

 ''But I don't understand!'' Leopardpaw wailed. ''What do you mean?''

 ''I already told you!'' Nectar growled, unsheathing her claws. ''Hiron is dead! He isn't coming back!''

 Heronpaw froze as he heard Nectar's words. I'm not dead! You just don't know it!

 Then he saw how angry Nectar was. She didn't sound hurt or regretful. She was just angry. But not at herself, at Leopardpaw.

 Heronpaw bared his teeth and lashed his tail. She doesn't regret that she killed me! She doesn't regret it at all! She really thinks she avenged Meadow!

 Heronpaw hissed as outrage and hate surged through him like fire. He has never been this angry before, but he hated Nectar too much. She's not my mother anymore. A mother would never kill her own kit.

 Without thinking, Heronpaw let out a loud snarl and sprinted toward the two cats, stepping between them. He looked at Nectar, his eyes blazing with anger. ''Am I really dead though, mother?''

 Nectar's anger faded. Instead, she looked at Heronpaw with confusion. Then, her jaw dropped, stepping backwards in disbelief. Her eyes widened with shock. ''No, it can't be... I killed you!''