Splashflight's Mistake (book one)

Chapter 23

Splashflight woke, his head spinning. Nightgaze was sitting at the entrance, waiting for him. He turned his head as Splashflight padded up to him.

"StarClan has made their choice?"

Splashflight nodded. "They call me Splashflight now." He said quietly. Nightgaze nodded.

"Alright then. Let's go, Splashflight."

Splashflight moved alongside his mentor, and he heard whispers in his ears.

"Splashflight... Splashflight... Go, go fulfill your destiny. Brightshine needs you. The lemur and the turtle have come..." They whispered. Suddenly Splashflight felt a feeling of dread deep in the pit of his stomach. He raced ahead.

"Splashflight! Splashflight whats going on?!" Nightgaze was yelling. Splashflight ignored him. He kept running. He could hear the screams of the clan in the camp. He heard Brightshines yowls of begging.

"No! No don't kill him! Please!!" She was begging. Splashflight raced ahead faster. He finally broke into the camp, and stood in horror. He saw Brightshine, her tail desperately wrapped around two kits. She was staring pleadingly at Morningshine, holding a third tom kit, and growling.

Splashflight ran up ahead, stepping between Morningshine and Brightshine. Staring at Morningshine, he growled. "Put my son down!!" He screamed.

Morningshine smiled evilly. "Your son? But you're a medicine cat? Surely that means you cannot serve as medicine cat anymore?" She said, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction and mock pity. Splashflight growled. He wasn't giving her the satisfaction of seeing how broken he was inside. Not anymore.

"Why are you doing this?"

Morningshine smiled. "Easy. He is weak. And as leader, my word is law!" She slammed a paw down on the tiny kit's head. Brightshine screamed.

"NO!" She screeched. Fishpaw and Heronpaw moved forward to restrain her at Morningshine's command, their eyes stony.

Splashflight narrowed his eyes as Morningshine's words sank in. Suddenly there was no sound but the pained whimpers of Brightshine as she mourned. "Leader?"

Morningshine nodded with an evil smile. "Aquastar died this morning." Yowls of protest rippled through the clan and Morningshine turned with a growl before continuing. "I am now to be addressed to as Morningstar!" She said. One yowl broke out above them all.

"NO!" Dawnmist yowled at the top of her lungs, stepping out of the crowd. She was staring at her sister, her eyes hard.

Morningstar turned. "What did you say, Dawnmist?" She said cooly, in a dangerously honey coated voice. Splashflight held his breath as Morningstar crept closer to her sister.

"I said no, Morningstar. I cannot bear to watch you do this. You killed your own leader and my mother. You killed that kit! You are NOT the sister I once had," she said firmly, raising her chin. "And I will not be deputy to a clan like this. Not while you rule!" Splashflight stood, open mouthed.

Morningstar was staring, infuriated at her sister. He eyes were narrowed in anger. "You dare confront me? I will make DewClan great!" She said in a low growl. Then, without warning, she leaped at Dawnmist, catching her in the neck. Dawnmist let out a yelp of surprise before Morningstar slammed a paw down on her sister's skull, cracking it to pieces and splattering her blood on the dusty forest floor.

"And no one will dare stand in my way!" Morningstar finished, kicking dust over her sisters still and lifeless body.

Splashflight watched in horror, standing close beside Brightshine and his kits as Morningstar leaped up to the top of the Highrock.

"From this moment forward, DewClan will be great. We will not be stupid cowards that hide in the trees. We will fight! I will change our ways. From this day on, we will be BloodClan of the mighty forest!"

END OF BOOK ONE