Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 2. (A Path Beyond Stars)

~A Path Beyond Stars: Chapter 28~

Reedtail looked around the den. Everyone was still asleep. The only warriors missing from their nests were Spidertail, Ashpelt, Whitestripe and Flameclaw.
She guessed immediately that Ashpelt was training Frostpaw, and probably Brackenpaw since Spidertail hadn't been bothering with his apprentice.
She could take an easy guess at what Spidertail was doing, even though she may be wrong. She automatically switched to Whitestripe and Flameclaw, undoubtedly talking near the fresh-kill pile as they had taken to since getting to know each other.
Reedtail chuckled. She knew a possibility that was most likely soon to come.
She shuffled and sat up on her nest, still frightened by her dream of Grayfur.
A flash interrupted her oncoming thoughts and, a moment later, she looked up in time to see the crack of lightning disappear from the sky, a rumble of thunder replacing it.
"Awful weather," mumbled Windcaller. Reedtail didn't even know he was awake.
The grey tom stretched and began to groom his paw. "How are my kits doing?" he asked her.
"I think Spidertail and Ashpelt are out training Brackenpaw and Frostpaw at the moment," Reedtail said. She didn't like Spidertail, but she thought, since he, nor his apprentice, were in camp, she may as well cover for him for now.
"As far as I know, they're doing well," Reedtail went on. "Coldpaw's getting better at hunting. I'll teach him to fight soon."
"I appreciate it," Windcaller said. He put his paw down and looked at Reedtail. "I'm sure my kits are in good paws," he said. "But if anything happens to them, you, Ashpelt or Spidertail will have to keep an eye out. I will not tolerate the death of my kin. For as long as I live, they shall stay protected."
"The apprentices are safe, Windcaller, I assure you," Reedtail said, suddenly hostile.
"They better be," the old warrior grunted. He left the den, saying no more.
Reedtail frowned. She knew every mother or father of kits would be protective of them, but she didn't see why he still found her untrustworthy, even after all these moons. The trick Crookedfire played when she was an apprentice, making most of the Clan think she was a possible traitor, had passed along with Grayfur and Crookedfire's own departure. Meanwhile, Daisypelt, still missing, was expecting kits not long after Willowleaf. Reedtail failed to understand how Spidertail could just ignore his own kits and give up on Windcaller's. Windcaller still trusted Reedtail more than Spidertail or Redpelt ever did, but not by much, obviously.
All these problems in the Clan, and who can solve them? Reedtail thought bitterly. Only themselves. Cats need to get over themselves. I may still blame myself for Creamfur's death, but that was moons ago now.
Reedtail peeked outside the den. It was very cold, even though leaf-bare was close to finishing, and it was raining heavily. She saw Windcaller walking around inside the Medicine Den, probably talking to Russetfire or Stonestar, if he was awake.
When she turned her head, she saw Coldpaw peeking out of the apprentices' den, his ears flat. He noticed Reedtail and ran into the spare den to wait for her.
Reedtail followed him, shaking her fur to get rid of most of the water.
"Are you sure we can spar in this weather?" Coldpaw asked. "It seems too wet."
"We'll go outside and check first," Reedtail said. "If it's too wet and muddy, we'll check the borders in case Spidertail and Ashpelt haven't already."
"Spidertail? He didn't go out to check the borders."
"What? How do you know he didn't?" Reedtail asked.
"Because I saw Ashpelt and Frostpaw leave with my brother earlier," Coldpaw said simply. "Spidertail isn't training Brackenpaw, he left not long after you woke up."
What?! "Maybe-" Reedtail began, but Coldpaw interrupted her.
"I checked with Russetfire, she isn't low on herbs right now," he said. "And she said that even if she was, she wouldn't ask Spidertail to get them. She'd either get them herself or ask one of the older warriors to get them."
I'm not an older warrior, Reedtail thought foolishly, forgetting that Russetfire actually did speak to cats other than Reedtail and her half-siblings.
Reedtail and Coldpaw left, no longer speaking of Spidertail, and decided to do some quick hunting rather than spar. Normally they'd spar under a large tree that stood over a small empty area of flat stone. Moss would usually cover it as soon as Newleaf so it would break the fall of any apprentice or warrior sparring.
On the way to the borders, they came across a strange scent, one that definitely wasn't of ThunderClan or prey.
"Coldpaw," she whispered. "What can you smell?"
Coldpaw hesitated, then sniffed. "It smells like... something died?"
Reedtail nodded. "Carrion," she mumbled.
"ShadowClan?" Coldpaw asked quietly.
"If not an outsider. Stay close," she told him. She crept toward the smell, which was coming from behind a nearby tree.
"Stay here," she whispered to Coldpaw, who immediately stood still in the same crouch as Reedtail. As she drew closer, the smell became increasingly worse. That's definitely a dead... something.
She poked her head around the tree. What she saw made her sick. There, on her side, was Daisypelt with her gut split open. She was covered in blood, as were the kits that she had apparently had a while ago.
"How long has this been here?" she thought aloud, mortified. How could the patrols have missed it?
Suddenly, everything went dark. Only Reedtail and the dead body of Daisypelt remained in the cold, wet darkness.
"Coldpaw?" Reedtail called, more out of anger than fear. "Ashpelt? ...Jackson?"
Why am I calling for a kittypet? she thought, shaking her head.
"You're next," growled a deep voice. Reedtail turned in time to see Crookedfire launching at her, claws outstretched and teeth bared.