Remember

Chapter 12

  Velvetpaw stared at her leader in fear. Was she in trouble?

  "I need to talk to you and your sisters." Ruststar's face was hard as stone. "Follow me."

  She forgot about the strange cats and followed the bronze tom to camp. Mintpaw and Amberpaw were sitting calmly in the leader den, though they looked a little afraid.

"What's going on?" Velvetpaw asked.

The tom looked at her with sensitive eyes. "I want you three to promise me that you know you're from MarshClan. You've never lived in SunClan."

She nodded. "We know where our loyalties lie, plus, we're not from SunClan and we know it. Those cats are liars, and they're cruel."

Her sisters agreed. At the same time they all meowed. "We promise."

Ruststar sighed in relief. "You got that right about them being cruel." He growled. "Oh, Cherrymoon..." He sighed to himself.

"Huh?" Amberpaw asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just... An old friend." Ruststar lied.

It was silent for a couple of heartbeats until a small squeak sounded from outside the den. "Ruststar?"

"Yes, Tigerkit?" The leader asked in a powerful voice. They all seemed confused as to why Tigerkit was outside the den.

The little tom's paw prints sounded closer as he pattered into the den. "Someone's here to see you."

He stood up with a grunt and padde four of the den. Velvetpaw, Mintpaw, and Amberpaw followed him out and they went their separate ways. Velvetpaw stayed near Ruststar so she could see what was going on.

The silver she cat Velvetpaw had seen earlier waked up to Ruststar. With her was a tortoiseshell tom. "Ruststar." Both cats dipped their heads in greetings.

"Willowstar, Patchtail." Ruststar meowed. "What brings you to MarshClan?" He asked.

Willowstar meowed, "Streamstar recently told me of three missing kits in her Clan. I was wondering if you knew anything about it?"

"I know nothing. Even if I did, why would you care about some kits in SunClan?" Ruststar questioned the she cat.

Patchtail rolled his eyes. "Mouse-brain."

"Excuse me? I am a Clan leader, I don't need the SnowClan deputy going on insulting cats!" The brown tom hissed.

Willowstar silenced both of them. "Well she's my sister, of course. I care about her and respect her. She is a great leader."

  He hissed. "She's also a murderer!"

  Velvetpaw flinched. She couldn't really see from her hiding spot, but now she hated SunClan even more.

  "My sister would never!" Willowstar growled.

  "Tell that to Cherrymoon! My only love, was taken away by that mangy she cat!" Ruststar swiped Willowstar's nose, opening a deep gash.

  She yelped in pain and threw her head back. She lashed out a forepaw at his shoulder. "Streamstar doesn't kill!"

  "I saw her kill my mate! That's why I stole-" Ruststar dropped down onto all fours and lowered his head.

  What did he steal? Velvetpaw wondered. She got bored of watching and padded over to the fresh kill pile. She could still hear the leaders but not very clearly.

  Willowstar backed away in horror. "You stole the kits?

  He stole the hits? That doesn't make any sense! She shrugged. She shouldn't try to make out what they were saying if she didn't really care.

  "I have to tell Streamstar and Miststar right away!" Willowstar gasped.

  Ruststar argued, "I would never steal kits! His face was bold and he looked ready to fight.

  The silver cat shook her head. "I know you did. That was a terrible thing to do. I'm very disappointed, Ruststar." Willowstar turned around as if about to leave. She whispered something to Patchtail and he nodded.

  Ruststar started to pad away but then Willowstar leapt at him, clawing his eyes. He yowled and fell over as Patchtail leaped on his back. She bit his ear, tearing it at the top, but he threw the two cats off and stood up.

  Patchtail got up again and grabbed  Ruststar's leg in his jaws.

  The tom fell on his side and this time, couldn't get up.

  Willowstar yowled in triumph as she finished him off.

  Ruststar's eyes were glazed as she stared at the two cats. His lifeless body lay unmoving on the ground.

  No one in camp had heard nor seen the commotion until it was too late. Willowstar and her deputy left camp as MarshClan cats came to see their dead leader.

  Velvetpaw raced over towards him. "Ruststar!" She gasped. Her sisters came up next to her, one on each side, as they looked down at his body.

  The deputy, Waterdrop, came forward. "Grasspelt? Was this his last life?" She asked.

  The medicine cat burst out of her den and into the clearing. Her apprentice following her. She had cobwebs in her jaws and she carefully laid them on Ruststar's wounds. "No, Waterdrop. He will continue to live." She looked to the stars in silver pelt. "But not for long."