Darkness In The Clans 1- Frost (warrior cats)

Chapter Seven

Hollyheart watched Berryfrost, pity twisting her heart. He was isolating himself more and more since Batwing had died. Clearly, it had hit him hard. She didn't want to comfort him. Not yet. Good thing we have Redtuft. Berryfrost was neglecting his medicine cat duties. He was spending way too much time out. She felt sympathy for him. He had been through so much, yet he's so young...

She watched as Skystar bounded gracefully onto the gloom-rock, yowling, "Let all cats quiet enough to creep in the shadows, gather around the gloom-rock for a clan meeting!" Injured and grieving cats padded forward sadly. Berryfrost was watching from afar, his gaze distant.

"You all know about the clan of foxes that attacked our camp." She began, "But I want to remind you all that we are strong. Are a few foxes going to drive us out?"

"No!" The warriors chorused.

"Exactly. No. We are going to drive these foxes out. They have been stealing our prey and land, yet get away with it. We need to make a stand!"

The cats below seemed hopeful. Except Berryfrost. Hollyheart frowned.

Berryfrost finally squeaked from below, "How did the foxes even get here?"

The cats looked at each other, confused. Hollyheart admitted she had wondered the same thing as well. These foxes came from nowhere. It was unlikely that a whole clan of them would just stumble upon their land. "I think some cat led them here on purpose." He continued. Hollyheart knew it was his grief speaking, and yet he made sense. "Think about it. We have cats in here that would happily kill each other if given the chance. Evil cats."

"Do you have anyone in mind?" Skystar asked, interest glimmering in her gaze.

Berryfrost hesitated. "No, but I did notice Snaketooth and Iciclecrash had not suffered any injuries."

"We were hunting!" The gray warrior piped up.

"And yet, wouldn't you have noticed the strong fox-smell? A hunting trip doesn't last as long as a battle." Berryfrost lashed his tail, his eyes emotionless. "It's strange you disappeared before the foxes attacked, and came back afterward."

Iciclecrash hissed. "Are you accusing us?"

"I'm not accusing anyone of anything without proof." His eyes rounded innocently. "I'm just saying."

Snaketooth and Iciclecrash were clearly bothered. They shuffled their paws uneasily, whispering to each other. Hollyheart growled. Fox-hearts! She knew they were bad news from the moment they started hurting Berryfrost. "It makes a lot of sense." She mewed, coming to Berryfrost's defense. "They slipped out a few moments before the foxes came."

Her clanmates murmured agreement.

"Exile them!"

"Kill them!"
"Drive them away!"

They yowled, and Hollyheart joined them. Spiderfang yowled the loudest, his eyes burning with rage. "You fox-hearts!" He yowled, claws unsheathed. He reared up to spring. Hollyheart understood why he was so mad- his son was Batwing, who had died while protecting the kits. He wasn't the only one that died yesterday- Pebblepool, Cowfur, and Widowpelt had all died alongside Batwing. Her fur bristled with rage. These two warriors had done something awful. She would never forgive them.

Skystar raised her tail for silence. "I will not punish these cats without proof." She swept her gaze across the clan. The cats mewed in outrage.

"They killed Batwing!"

"Cowfur has to be avenged!"

"Pebblepool would have lived if it wasn't for them!"

"Widowpelt wouldn't have wanted this!"

The grieving cats yowled loudly. Skystar's fur spiked up in rage. "Silence! I do not want to punish cats over an accusation. We must have more sympathy for our clanmates. For now, I want these foxes driven away." She gazed at Hollyheart. "I want you to lead a patrol. Place prey and lead them away from our forest."

Hollyheart nodded. "I'll do my best."

Cats mewed their approval, and Hollyheart shuffled her paws. They loved her! "You may choose anyone to come with you." Skystar nodded, relieved that the cats were agreeing with her. "Clan dismissed."

The cats broke up, and Hollyheart found herself padding towards Dapplepuddle and Mushroomglow. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course!" Mushroomglow shot up, eyes shining. The tom was older than some warriors here, yet still acted like a new apprentice. He was always looking for adventure. Dapplepuddle yawned. He was the complete opposite- always tired, not wanting to do much. Hollyheart confused him for a kittypet more than once.

She led her patrol down to the fox's den. Her patrol consisted of Mushroomglow, Dapplepuddle, Flowerclaw, and Ambersong. She paused, the scent of fox growing stronger. "Geez, these foxes reek!" Flowerclaw covered his nose with a paw. Mushroomglow mewed her agreement.

"Foxes don't normally smell good." Ambersong snorted.

"Do you have the prey?" Hollyheart asked the cats. They nodded in unison. Flowerclaw dragged two mice, placing them at the edge of the fox's territory. Ambersong was next, putting a thrush in a position to begin leading them away. Dapplepuddle, Mushroomglow, and Hollyheart did the same, until the prey-trail was leading away from clan territory.

"This should be good for now." Flowerclaw mewed. Hollyheart was irritated, but nodded in agreement.

"We'll add more tomorrow. We need to save our prey." Leaf-bare was coming soon. They couldn't afford to waste prey as they just did.

"Okay! Race you back to camp!" Mushroomglow mewed to Flowerclaw, who rolled his eyes and followed Mushroomglow. Hollyheart twitched her whiskers. The two toms were purring, laughter and love in their eyes as they ran away from the group. Partially she wished she had a mate, yet she knew she didn't hold any romantic feelings for anyone, and never would. Hollyheart led the three other cats back, eager to see Berryfrost. She was constantly worrying about him. Like a mother hen. She purred with amusement. He didn't have parents, so she wanted to act like his mother. He was curled up in a ball next to a mushroom patch, sleeping. The twitching and his whimpers made Hollyheart think he was having a nightmare. She licked his head fondly. His breathing eased, his flanks now falling and rising more slowly. He's probably dreaming about Batwing. She felt sorrow for the tom, and felt hatred towards Iciclecrash and Snaketooth for causing him so much suffering over his parentage. He couldn't even control it! She vowed they would feel the consequences of their actions. She would make sure of that.