Warrior Cats: Cleardawn's Silence #Wattys2016 [Book ONE]

Chapter 27

"Is that why he named me Cleardawn? After her?" I asked cautiously.

Sydney nodded.

"Well how do you know for sure?" Featherflight insisted, her legs shaking.

Sydney snorted amusedly, giving a sly grin. "I just know."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, glaring at the white she-cat in anger, hiding the small blush forming up on my cheeks. "That doesn't mean anything. You haven't seen him in moons."

Sydney turned towards me, her head held high and her tail flicking. "Oh, yes I have. I've found him in the forest a couple times before, and I could see the fear in his eyes when I approached him. He knows I wouldn't hesitate to kill him, so he spilled me everything I asked. I even questioned some things about you, and you know what he said?" She asked me sternly.

I gulped down the large lump floating in my throat, however it wouldn't budge and it held on tight.

"How did you know about me before?" I asked first, not caring to mention the other question because I knew what the answer would be.

"I've known you for a long time, Cleardawn. Aren't you mousebrained? I'm working for Snowfall!" Sydney chuckled lightly, followed by a wave of soft laughs through out the cats, however it sounded fake, and the expressions of the grouped cats were blank and lifeless.

A splash of shame washed over me as I realized I asked an obvious question, and I even noticed the slight glares of my siblings.

"Right..." I muttered quietly, glaring at my paws embarrassedly.

"Why did you do it?" Duststorm blurted out, his eyes concerned as well as blazing with anger.

Sydney moved her gaze towards him. "Do what?"

I slowly lifted my head, still pretending as if I wasn't listening. Duststorm glared at her.

"You know what."

Sydney scoffed amusedly. "No, I really don't."

"Why did you kill her?" Duststorm snarled annoyedly, tired of all the punctuating rivalry that has been rising among the forest.

The white she-cat didn't even flinch. She was completely still, unbothered by his roaring tone. "I killed my mother because she was abusive to Dog Bone."

My brother shook his head, unsatisfied. "Who's Dog Bone?"

Sydney stared at him fiercely, her tail fur starting to rise in defense and annoyance. "He's my dead brother, mousebrain. I mentioned this before, remember?"

Once again, another face of shame appeared among a cats expression, which happened to be among my side. Mine heated cheeks were slowly fading, but Duststorm's quickly rising.

As I fully recovered my embarrassing moment, I lifted my head up, not bothered by Sydney's sly expression.

"Who killed him?" I asked, more out of curiosity than persuasion. I already had my answer for why Sydney killed Cleardusk, but now I must know the deeper meaning to Dog Bone's death, and what could've been so horrible about it like he had mentioned in my dream.

A moment ago I remembered what Sydney had mentioned earlier that night when we found her in the woods with Dying Soul. She included a word that my companions and I did not notice or intend to figure important, however it still stuck to my brain like claws snatched to flesh.

"You mentioned a 'he' earlier, and we didn't seem to notice considering the shock we had of the reveal of you killing Redeye. Who killed your brother?" I repeated, noticing that Sydney had stayed silent.

Snowfall shared a glance with her friend, an allowing look on her face which replaced Sydney's frightened one with a more collected expression. She turned back towards us with Snowfall's eyes following.

For a moment, I ignored Sydney and watched Snowfall in grief and hate.

She was staring at me, and her eyes shone with a sense of pride that did not conclude with my siblings and I, but towards Sydney and her 'Clan' of cats.

Hurt pressured my heart as I realized my mother could have been there for my ceremonies, been there when I needed her, and most of all, been there when I missed her most. I could've grown up with a mother. She would've been the sweet, caring she-cat I knew all along.

This new version of her was nothing near normal, and I know she has changed over the countless murders and kidnappings that have most likely occurred in her life.

Sighing and shaking my head to clear my mind, I turned back towards Sydney, and took a breath of relief to the notice that she has not started speaking yet.

She was staring at the ground, her dark eyes blazing with a mischievous look.

After a few moments had passed of her silently debating with herself, she glanced back towards all of us, her eyes wide and angered.

"Your father killed my brother. That's another reason why I want to capture him. My brother was apart of this rogue clan from the start, until one day I found Sandpatch dragging Dog Bone's body to a mashed grass pile surrounded by long green blades of it.
His body... Oh it was horrid. It was as if he was... Mush. He was rotting, I should say. His red eyes were slowly being chewed away, and blood was seeped deep in his fur. The acrid smell wafted all along the flowers and dirt, and possibly even onto my pelt. Who knew a soul could ever do something so violent and cruel. I couldn't even manage to do that!" Sydney exclaimed, her claws unsheathed and scraping the earth.

My heart started to speed up as I remembered the clear image of the rotting body, and the grassy area it was found in.

Sandpatch did that all along? But if it was never Snowfall... Why did he do it? My mind was whirling with a million thoughts, that my head started to pound.

I took in a shaky breath. "I found Dog Bone. I found him. Sandpatch was making it seem as if it were Snowfall. He knew you were alive. He knew all along! He didn't want us to find out about you. I knew it... I knew he was the traitor." I snarled to my mother, my eyes green fire as I replayed the scene that had occurred when I was only a few moons old.

That whole belief that it was Snowfall, was fake.

Sandpatch made us suffer more, watching us grieve for the wrong cat. He enjoyed it. Every second of it.

All along, my prediction was correct.

He was the cat that we could not trust, nor seek advice from.

None of these cats were trustworthy.

As I realized the memo, I looked around.

All the cats I assumed were innocent, are actually heartless.

My lesson has been learned.

Stop trusting the innocent and start following the bold.

(Hey Batcats.
Sorry for the later update, I didn't have much time to update or write this week.
Anyways.
10K READS AND 1K VOTES!!!!!
YOU DONT EVEN UNDERSTAND IT ANYMORE. THIS HAS BEEN A GOAL I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ACHIEVE FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
I AM SO HAPPY AND GRATEFUL FOR SUCH AWESOME VIEWERS AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCHHH.
Anyways. *clears throats*
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always thank you for commenting, sharing, VOTING, and READING this story!
I truly appreciate it!
Love you.
Peace ✌🏽️ ~Cleo)