Valley Cats: Of Sky and Stone 3- Golden Fire

Chapter Twelve

 In the light of the almost-full moon, heads perked up from the prey-pile. Ears pricked out of the dens. Twistertail and her two children marched into the ForestClan camp. Pumpkinpelt dragged her paws. Parsleystar came out of her den. She looked unwell- her fur was unkempt and flat on one side. It appeared as if she had been sleeping excessively. But then why were her eyes so fuzzy with tiredness? Her voice sounded weak.

 "Pumpkin... Pumpkin. That's what I will call you from now on." Parsleystar confronted the ginger cat. Twistertail and her two progeny subconsciously positioned her in the middle of the circle of cats in the middle of the camp. Parsleystar didn't look at them, but instead lowered her voice slightly as she spoke. " You are the one who poisoned Blondekit while her mother was just trying to relieve herself. You told her father that you were giving herbs to Cardinalheart. But he and his brother left the camp this evening. You were the one who poisoned the poor kit, just after we lost a young warrior."

 "So she's dead?" Pumpkinpelt said unreadably. Lionsinge was too shocked to speak. Twistertail put a paw on his. His jaw was open wide.

 "Blondekit is not dead." at last, Parsleystar looked around at the cats. "The healers have told me exactly what happened. For your information, Blondekit stopped breathing. She was cold to the touch and was out for a very long time. The healers managed to revive her and purge the poison. They say the worst is over. But instead of killing this poor kit, you have left her to a crueler fate."

 "What? What could be worse than death? I just wanted to scare Ambereyes, I swear. Please, I know Blondekit was the runt. She almost died when she was born! I was expecting her to be a fading kitten anyways." At Pumpkinpelt's words, the warriors around her gasped and hissed. "Seriously- Sagepool. You told me she was at risk to die suddenly anytime in her kit hood."

 Sagepool was behind Parsleystar's side. The poor healer also had an immense exhaustion and sadness on his face. He looked down. "I can't believe I told you anything about that kit. And you used my advice to poison her."

 "You ANIMAL!" Chickadeechirp yowled right into Pumpkin's ear. Pumpkin actually looked regretful.

 "Blondekit is alive yet." Parsleystar's voice grew louder. "But Sage- I mean, the healers have told me that she will suffer for the rest of her natural life. From what I hear, it is truly a fate worse than death."

 Yowls burst across the camp. Lionsinge silently turned and wove through the crowd behind him. The cats parted, and Twister took a step after her son. Then she realized he was headed to the nursery. She sat down and tried to take deep breaths. Pumpkin was staring at the ground again.

 "Traitor!"

"I knew she was going to kill another cat! What were we thinking, taking her in after she helped to kill Poppystar?"

 Twistertail's ears pricked at that statement. Then she heard another yowl. "And Twistertail! What if she-"

 "Silence!" Parsleystar pleaded.

 "Silence! In the name of the North Star, shut your useless traps!" Chickadeechirp's sharp voice cut through it all. Twistertail sat motionless as the voices died down reluctantly.

 "Chickadee." Pumpkin looked up at the deputy. "I didn't  realize how truly terrible of a thing I did until after I did it. It hurts how much, the love that I feel for you, and I would rip my own heart out if I could go back tonight and fix it. Please, it was not me. It was my wretched claws, but someone else's thoughts in my head. It made so much sense. It seemed like the only way. But now it's left me with my heart stabbed with a thousand thorns, and you have very right to hate me. But I never wanted you to."

 Chickadeechirp was silent for a long moment. Despite the dozen-and-a-half cats gathered around them, there was a moment in it all where Twistertail could hear a slight breeze rustling the dead trees. "You think..." Chickadeechirp faltered, her tail stiffening. "You think that makes it any better?"