Beefrost | Warrior Cats OC Story

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Stunned by grief, he watched as Creekstar lowered her head to Rockstar's body. She murmured a few words, too quiet for Beefrost to hear. Then, a wild screech sounded from behind him, and he spotted Eaglehare and Birdstem's furious eyes.

"Get off our territory!" Birdstem hissed, then paused, faltered after seeing Rockstar's body. Eaglehare blinked stiffly, her eyes glazed over with despair. "What have you done!" She cried, making Creekstar purr. "He's not waking up!" Eaglehare fretted.Creekstar showed no remorse, it made Beefrost's paws burn with hatred, he hopped out of the bushes, his pelt standing on end, the two queens faced him, then turned back to Creekstar.

"Go away!" Beefrost hissed, unsheathing his claws and aiming a harsh swipe at the AlpClan leader's face. "When will you be satisfied? You've done nothing but hurt TrailClan!" Birdstem leaped up to stand beside Beefrost, her back arched and her lips drawn back in a snarl.  Creekstar flicked her tail, a growl of amusement escaped her throat.

Saying nothing, she dashed off into the mountains. "After her!" Beefrost was nearly knocked over as Birdstem howled past him, and only just stopped in time to prevent crashing into Eaglehare. "Leave her." She meowed. "We need to get Rockstar back to camp." Beefrost caught a sympathetic glance from Birdstem, her misty fur bristling as she stroked her tail down Beefrost's back.

"I'm so sorry." She murmured. And for the first time, Beefrost couldn't breathe, he had been so caught up in getting rid of Creekstar, he had forgotten that his father had just lost his last life. "NO!" He wailed, barging past the queens and pressing his nose into his fathers cold fur. "Let's go." Birdstem meowed softly, dipping down to carry Rockstar.

By the time they had reached the camp, wails of despair filled the air as Bumblenose hurried across the clearing, leaving her horrified kits in the kindle. "That filthy cat!" She hissed furiously, burying her nose into her mate's stiff pelt. "We look to you now, Bumblestar." Eaglehare mewed from behind her, and as if on command, the clearing erupted into cheer.

"Bumblestar! Bumblestar! Bumblestar!" Beefrost made sure he could be heard above the rest of them, he watched as she ducked her head politely. "I am not Bumblestar yet." Bumblenose mumbled. With eyes scoring the clearing, she gave a satisfied nod and leaped up onto the Calling Branch.

"TrailClan, please gather to hear my words!" Bumblenose stood with her chest puffed out, with a final glance towards her kits in the kindle, her gaze became firm. She summons the Clan differently. Beefrost thought with a pang of loneliness in his heart.

"I say these words before the body of Rockstar, so he may hear and approve of my choice." Anticipation rattled Beefrost as Bumblenose scanned the clearing once again. "Birdstem will be the new deputy of TrailClan!" Murmurs of satisfaction rippled throughout the Clan. Birdstem is a good choice. Beefrost thought, although his pads burned with disappointment that his former mentor hadn't chosen him. I haven't had an apprentice, of course she wouldn't choose me.
"Amberfish," Bumblenose mewed to the medic, who looked up fondly. "Prepare traveling herbs, I will leave for my lives one we've sat vigil for this noble tom." Amberfish gave her a sympathetic purr and hurried into her den while the Clan gathered around the great TrailClan leader.

"I will never forget the mischief this tom got into." Nightfur mewed sadly, dipping his head to press his nose into his former apprentice's fur. Beefrost padded beside the old tom, brushing his pelt. "I am so proud to have such a great cat as a father." He felt more pelts pressing against his fur as they began their farewells to Rockstar.

Maelstrom peered from the medics den, his wounds coated in green herbs. Haypetal was beside him, lapping as they watched the vigil. Anger pulsed through Beefrost. Get away from her! He flexed his claws into the dirt, imagining sinking them into that treacherous cat. Haypetal caught his gaze. Is that regret again?
As she tore away from Maelstrom, Haypetal weaved between the mourning cats, her paws sliding delicately over the ground. "I'm really sorry." She mewed, her eyes soft and sympathetic. "We grew up with Rockstar as our leader." She meowed softly, then pressed her nose into his chest fur. "But we won't feel the pain as badly as his kits." Around, murmurs of agreement sprung up.

Beefrost gazed at Haypetal, muttering a silent 'thank you'. The sun began to set, casting darkness over the sky. Bumblenose, from the center of the crowd, raised her head. "I will leave the elders to bury him. Amberfish, you'll accompany me." Amberfish lifted her head, a leaf bundle in her jaws.

"Let's go now, the moon won't wait for us." Bumblenose mewed, licking up the berries as Amberfish lapped hers as well. As the two queens left the camp, Beefrost spotted Maelstrom padded sadly into the apprentices' den. But he didn't care.

Watching Badgertuft and Sneezecloud lift Rockstar from camp, he nudged Haypetal. Padding over to the fresh-kill pile, he lifted a plump crow, then carried it back to the pretty red queen. "Wanna share?" He mewed to her, and she nodded with a purr.

"I don't remember the last time we shared prey!" Haypetal mewed enthusiastically, plucking off the black feathers. Beefrost purred and flicked her ear with his tail tip affectionately gulping down his share of the bird, making sure not to swallow feathers.

"I wanted to see Bumblenose get her lives!" Palekit whined, she was much bigger now, nearly as big as her brother, Bearkit. As he and Haypetal looked over, they saw Cherryheart ushering her kits into the kindle. "Don't be silly, you'll get plucked up by an owl before you make it to the moor!" Cherryheart mewed to her daughter.

He turned back to Haypetal, who was purring. "Do you want kits?" Beefrost asked her, and flinched as her eyes widened. "Oh yes!" She meowed quickly, then her eyes flickered to the ground. "What's the matter then?" Beefrost pressed closer to her, curling his tail into hers.

"Nothing's wrong, I just..." As she trailed off, her eyes drifted towards the apprentice's den, and Beefrost stifled a growl. "It's been a long day, let's get some sleep." She forced another purr and stood, hurrying away to the warriors den. Without another word, he followed her, settling into his nest. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.

Snow waved his whiskers, freezing air whipped around him, stinging. Beefrost opened his eyes, he was standing on the moor, beside the lake that Bumblenose had taken him for his swimming lessons, there was a small gray shape bobbing in the water, it was hardly visible among the fog, shattered ice floated beside it. "Fallenpaw!" The voice came from his throat. Before he could think, he felt himself half running, half sliding across the icy shore, rushing for Bumblenose's kit.

But the dream world faded away, leaving him in a dizzy darkness.