Mintfeather's Secret

Chapter 19:

Mintfeather sighed as he padded out of the den. The scent of sweet grass and rain filled his nose and he froze when he heard a familiar voice.

"Thrushwing? Are you ok?" Darkriver asked the tom as she padded with him towards the warriors' den.

"I'm fine. Just tired." The light brown tom answered monotonously.

"Who isn't? Stop whining." Antpelt sneered at the tom. Darkriver growled at the ginger tom, but Thrushwing didn't respond. Robinfeather looked at his friend with concern.

"Are you sure you're ok? Maybe you should go see the medicine cat-"

"I'm fine!" Thrushwing snapped, making Robinfeather flinch.

"No you're not." He replied. "Come on, maybe a bit of hunting will help you." He mewed, leading Thrushwing out of camp. Darkriver stared after them with concern before turning to Redfang.

"Do you think he's ok? I haven't seen him act like that, even when he is tired." She mewed.

"I wonder what happened? He was all excited and happy yesterday and then when he got back from wherever he went off to, he looked like all the life had been drained from him."

"Really?" Darkriver looked at Redfang with wide emerald eyes.

"Yeah. He had the same expression someone would have if another cat just padded up to them and said that their mother had died." Redfang replied.

"Maybe I should go talk to him." Darkriver mewed, frowning.

"Don't. If anyone can get Thrushwing to tell what's wrong, it's Robinfeather. He's the closest one to Thrushwing."

"What about Mintfeather?" The said light grey tom cringed when he heard his name.

"Based on Thrushwing's reaction when Robinfeather asked to go there, I would assume something happened between him and Mintfeather."

"What if it had something to do with Speckledfern?" Darkriver narrowed her eyes. "How do we know it had to do with Mintfeather?"

"Because mouse-brain. Thrushwing doesn't really speak much to Speckledfern. And usually he hangs out with Mintfeather, therefore if he doesn't want to go to the medicine den, I'd assume something happened between them that now makes Thrushwing want to avoid him." Redfang explained with exasperation. Darkriver sighed.

"Whatever it is, I hope they make up soon. I can't bear seeing Thrushwing like this." She mewed.

"Yeah." Redfang mewed in agreement, frowning. Mintfeather took this as his chance to follow after Robinfeather and Thrushwing.

"I won't talk to them or let them see me. I'll just listen to what they're saying." He muttered to himself.

"Ok, spill." Robinfeather mewed once they sat down at the pond.

"Why does it matter?" Thrushwing growled.

"Because look at you! You act like someone put thorns in your nest." Robinfeather snorted. "And you're snappy too." Thrushwing glared at him and Robinfeather gave him a pointed look.

"Fine." Thrushwing sighed. Robinfeather smiled with satisfaction before waiting for the light brown warrior to speak. "Do you know how it feels like to be in love with someone and the to have your heart ripped out and shredded by them?" Thrushwing mewed sadly. Robinfeather's eye flashed and he looked at Thrushwing with sadness.

"This is about Mintfeather, isn't it?" Thrushwing nodded. "What happened?" Robinfeather asked.

"Well I went to go talk to him after the ceremony." The light brown warrior started. "He had a troubled look on his face so I wanted to see what was wrong. He told me he didn't want to be friends anymore." Thrushwing finished. "He yelled at me to get out of the den when I tried to get him to explain why." Robinfeather frowned.

"Well, did you try telling him how you felt about him?" He asked.

"I told him how I felt. That didn't change a thing." Thrushwing growled. Robinfeather sighed.

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine how that must've felt. Knowing how long you've had feelings for him." He commented. Thrushwing frowned.

"How did you even know I had feelings for him?"

"Seriously? I may always be the goofball of the clan, but that doesn't make me stupid. Even as apprentices I could see the way you looked at him. From the first day you met Mintfeather, I knew." Robinfeather chuckled. "It was so obvious. I can't understand how no one else figured it out."

"Yeah." Suddenly Thrushwing frowned. "Mouse dung!"

"What's wrong?" Robinfeather asked.

"It's just that I told him something important a while ago. It's a dangerous secret. Mintfeather can't let anyone know otherwise both of us will be in grave danger." He mewed worriedly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Robinfeather asked, hurt flashing in his eye.

"Believe me, I wanted to. I don't want to keep secrets from anybody. But I already risked Mintfeather's life by telling him. I didn't want to put that burden on you as well." Thrushwing mewed sadly.

"Fine. But you will tell me one day." Robinfeather mewed, narrowing his eye. "Now let's get back to camp and see if we can fix this-"

"No." Thrushwing mewed, cutting Robinfeather off. "Mintfeather decided he doesn't want to be friends. I don't want to go pressuring him into changing his mind. Let him do what he wants." Robinfeather stared at him sadly as he continued. "It's apparent he doesn't want anything to do with me." Mintfeather felt like his heart had just been crushed TWICE. He turned away and padded back to camp, his tail trailing in the dirt behind him.

"I messed up." He muttered to himself.