Blood and Snow

Bye-Bye Birdie

Image by Robotrashfox        

   Snowpaw felt her legs turn into water. She felt herself shaking. No... it can't be true! WindClan began to wail around her. They were all overcome with grief and anger. Snowpaw gritted her teeth as tears went down her face. She then felt someone brush her pelt. Snowpaw didn't care to look because she already knew it was Heatherpaw.

"I'm sorry Snowpaw, I knew how much you cared for him," she whispered to her. Snowpaw didn't reply, but got up and walked to where Archpaw's body was placed. His parents, Grassstar and Lillydew, were bent beside him along with Fernpaw and his three younger siblings. The clan surrounded them, sadness seemed to radiate from them. A cold breeze rippled around Snowpaw. She went to where Silverpaw sat, getting her wounds dressed by Tinytail. Usually, she wouldn't talk to her, but she needed information. When she got close, Silverpaw turned to look at her. She had a couple of wounds across her pelt, but she wasn't bleeding too heavily.

"What do you want? Aren't you going to mourn Archpaw? The both of you were quite close after all." she glowered. Snowpaw nodded.

"I just want to know who killed him," Snowpaw told her. She tried her best to look sad instead of angry. "He was one of my friends after all. I just don't want to be nice to his killer." Silverpaw narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Tinytail, who was still there, was clearly listening in.

"I'm not sure, but it was a brown tom with white stripes. I think his name was Otterclaw?" Silverpaw replied. "It was a very unfortunate battle. RiverClan are a bunch of savages." Snowpaw felt like she couldn't breathe. Otterclaw, Otterclaw, Otterclaw.

"Thank you." she whimpered. "It's a relief they didn't kill anyone else." Silverpaw nodded.

"I don't know what it is like to lose a friend since Archpaw and I were just acquaintances, but I get that it would be a painful experience. I wish you the best."

"Yeah," Snowpaw muttered back as she walked away. She went to where Archpaw's body was. Grassstar stood over his body and was making a speech.

"Archpaw was skillful and intelligent. He was also a charmer." Grassstar chuckled sadly and glanced at Snowpaw. Were my feelings that obvious? "He deserved a warrior name. If RiverClan hadn't killed him he would have gotten it tonight. Instead, they took it away from us." Lillydew choked out a muffled cry. Wrenthorn looked at her apprentice with sadness in her eyes. Ferretpool licked her ear to comfort her.

"Archpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Archheart. For your loyalty and passion for WindClan. You will forever be missed." Grassstar then bent down and began to lick his son's pelt. The rest of his family did the same. Fernpaw was the last to join, tears brimming in his eyes. Why have you taken everything from me? Even after I left you continue to hurt me.

"I know what you are thinking."

About what?

"Revenge."

So you can read my mind now huh?

"You should do it. They hurt you, so hurt them right back. They deserve it after all."

I can't trust your judgment. I don't even know who you are.

"You trusted me enough to leave the Horizons."

Hmph

"No one will know."

Leave me be.