Warriors Fanfic: Snowstorm

Chapter 4

Cinnamonpaw and Sunsetpaw followed as Blizzardstar and Penguinfeather took them to the leader's cave. He walked along side his sister, their long fur brushing against each others.

Blizzardstar stepped aside once they reached the cave and watched as Penguinfeather crawled inside first. Cinnamonpaw looked at his leader who looked back and nodded toward the entrance.

He just regained his composure and crawled under the vines, twisting and turning as one caught on his leg.

He hissed and jerked his leg until it came loose. He always had trouble with those tangled vines and he hated them so much, but at least they made the cave just a bit warmer.

He limped a little as he stepped forward, he looked down at the ground, not acknowledging Penguinfeather. Sunsetpaw came through next and stood next to Cinnamonpaw.

Blizzardstar was last, she walked over to her nest and sat in it, laying her tail over her paws. It was silent until Blizzardstar spoke first.

"Head up, Cinnamonpaw. You aren't in trouble." Cinnamonpaw reluctantly looked up at her, his whiskers and ears back slightly. "Y-yes Blizzardstar."

If they weren't actually in trouble, then what's with the sudden need for discussion?

Blizzardstar looked over at Penguinfeather who then just shrugged, she sighed and then turned her attention on the two siblings. "This is going to be hard to say but..."

Cinnamonpaw and Sunsetpaw looked at each other, confusion and worry in both of their eyes, they turned their attention back to their leader as she continued.

"We just found out that your father was murdered... it wasn't an accident at the Thunderpath."

Sunsetpaw was taken aback, Cinnamonpaw was shocked but he responded. "And it took you six moons to figure that one out? Nice going, detective." He sneered, feeling hot with anger.

"Cinnamonpaw!" Penguinfeather snapped, "that is not an appropriate response!"

Cinnamonpaw started to argue with him, "and what is? I just found out that apparently our big and wise cats were wrong this whole time, and now suddenly when I find out about something, turns out it takes twists and turns to be something else that was unexpected!"

Sunsetpaw kept her head low and didn't even dare speak while they argued.

Blizzardstar flicked her tail and raised her voice above theirs. "Enough!"

They stopped and immediately turned their attention to her. "Enough with these sudden outbursts, Cinnmonpaw. This isn't the first time and I doubt it's gonna be the last."

"Doubt all you want, it might be true..." He muttered to himself and then listened to Blizzardstar, she glared at him.

"Look, you're young and I understand but you can't just keep getting upset when something doesn't go your way." She softened her tone and look. "We care about you but you're only hurting your own reputation by acting like this."

Cinnamonpaw just nodded, feeling bad once again. He looked down at the ground and sighed. "I'm... I'm very sorry, Blizzardstar. I don't mean harm."

"I know that, Cinnamonpaw, I know." She got up and walked over to him, twining her tail around his and licking his ears softly.

Sunsetpaw watched, still shocked by the news of their father's murder. "I..." She squeaked softly and then went quiet again.

Penguinfeather's tail tip twitched. "You shouldn't be rewarding his behavior with affection, Blizzardstar."

"This isn't a reward." She turned to him, her tail unwrapping from Cinnamonpaw's tail. "I'm simply trying to comfort a troubled cat in a hard time."

Cinnamonpaw rolled his eyes, "you're talking about me as if I'm not here."

Sunsetpaw spoke softly, "I-I think we've gotten off point... w-what happened to our father?"

"Oh, yes." Blizzardstar went back over to her nest, sitting and then taking a deep breath. "We found out he was murdered, his body being dragged over to the Thunderpath so the corspe could be ran over and then made to look like an accident."

Cinnamonpaw narrowed his eyes, finding suspicious thoughts creeping into his mind. "And, how'd you find out this said 'fact'?"

"A cat, who will remain unnamed, disclosed it to us. They were a witness, they were there at the same time the murder took place."

Cinnamonpaw's whiskers twitched. "And how do we know said cat isn't the murderer?"

Blizzardstar shook her head, quickly dismissing that claim. "A murderer who had gotten away with something so well wouldn't just out themselves."

"But did they know that they did get away with it?" Penguinfeather suddenly added in, seeming like he agreed with the apprentice for once.

"We announced it at a gathering, remember? We said it was an accident, not that we thought that it was." Blizzardstar looked at him.

"But turns out it wasn't an accident, end of that whole fiasco." Cinnamonpaw sneered at Blizzardstar.

"I-" Sunsetpaw went quiet again, listening as Penguinfeather hissed at him, his claws sliding in and out and ears back. 

"Easy, toms." Blizzardstar warned. "You both will be reprehended if a fight breaks out.''

Cinnamonpaw's tail twitched but he didn't say another word, his ears were pinned against his head and whiskers back.

"I think that's all," Blizzardstar ignored their aggression and flicked her tail, dismissing all three of them.

Cinnamon nudged Sunsetpaw gently and nodded toward the cave's entrance. Without another word, they left.

They climbed under the vines and came out on the other side, Cinnamonpaw meowed. "I'm sorry for how I acted.. but what bothers me is that Blizzardstar tried to comfort me but you were clearly the more troubled cat."

She just nodded as she listened, still too distraught to speak. 

Cinnamonpaw looked at the main entrance, the frosty vines crackling as a cat pushed their way through out. "Think about it." He looked back at Sunsetpaw. "Our next big adventure, outside. We could investigate the murder for ourselves and bring whoever did to light."

Sunsetpaw listened, her tail still drooping. "B-but.. it might be too dangerous."

Cinnamonpaw fluffed out, his ears perked. "And danger means adventure! Come on, Sunsetpaw. This is important to you and I, and I need help."

She looked into his eyes, her own glinting with sadness. "I...I'll  think about it, okay?" She turned away and walked off toward the fresh-kill pile, stored in a little cavity in the cave wall.

He watched her leave and then looked back at the main entrance... Somewhere out there, there is going to be closure...