Froststar's Destiny

Chapter Twenty-eight

I am Frostwind.

No, it wasn't working. Frostwind shook her head unhappily.

She had been trying to find out exactly who she was for the past week, and she'd been beginning to think that Skyfeather had been blabbering nonsense. She had buried him herself among flowers, wanting him to be peaceful in death.

She hadn't spoken to anyone since he died and had even turned away Pebblepaw on several occasions.

She didn't know why, but she didn't want to see anyone. No one could ever replace her mate. Even her own daughter was probably revolted just by her face. 

Frostwind felt a pang of guilt. She knew that wasn't true, knew Pebblepaw genuinely loved her. But it was so hard to love now.

Besides, to visit Pebblepaw would mean to visit the stench of the medicine den. Perhaps she should have agreed on the few occasions that Pebblepaw had sought her out. It seemed her daughter had given up now.

"Frostwind! Hey, Frostwind! Great StarClan, are you daydreaming again?"

Frostwind snapped out of it, whirling around. She almost unsheathed her claws but it was Hickorysnarl in front of her. She visibly relaxed. "Oh, hello," she meowed, distracted.

"I've been assigned to a border patrol, could you join me?" Hickorysnarl asked.

"Sure," Frostwind mumbled.

Hickorysnarl peered at her face. "Frostwind. I know you're sad, but life moves on, okay? Skyfeather wouldn't want you to be moping like this." She gave the medicine den a sideways glance. "Or ignoring your daughter. Pebblepaw has no one to turn to."

"What about Brightflame's kits?"

"Well, one of them died yesterday, remember?"

"Which one?"

Hickorysnarl rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Anyway, only Firepaw is left of Brightflame's kits, and you know Pebblepaw doesn't like Firepaw."

"She doesn't?"

Hickorysnarl groaned. "Great StarClan! Do I know her better than you?"

"... maybe?"

Hickorysnarl rolled her eyes. "Well, ANYWAY, let's just go on patrol. Okay?"

"Which border?" Frostwind asked absently.

"AutumnClan, we're still patrolling their border for whatever reason. You have to wonder why rogues keep joining Mousestar; I mean, his name even implies that he's mouse-brained."

Frostwind found herself unable to keep up with her former apprentice's constant chatter and ended up spacing out right in front of her. That earned her a slap to the face but also quieted Hickorysnarl, and before long they were heading on patrol.

Frostwind had to push down the anger that overcame her as they passed the spot where Skyfeather had died. Despite it being a rainy week to celebrate the coming of spring, the grass was still tinged pink, and Turtleleaf's scent hadn't completely washed away.

Hickorysnarl glanced a little worriedly at her former mentor before steering the patrol away from that path. She seemed to want to keep Frostwind away from that area, and Frostwind didn't argue. She didn't have any good memories.

"You! What did you do to my deputy?" Mousestar howled. He was still on his side of the border but he looked anguished.

Frostwind had thrown Turtleleaf's body over into AutumnClan territory after killing her and apparently he had noticed. Frostwind smirked. "I killed her, obviously."