Warriors: A Dark Sun

Chapter 28

          Lilymist raised her head and blinked, holding back a snarl.
"Stupid birds ruined my sleep." She growled. She heard a giggle behind her.
"You sound like an elder." Pixiepaw purred. Lilymist couldn't help but purr at Pixiepaw. She helped the small apprentice tidy up the den then walked outside. It was almost sunhigh and Grassheart was ordering patrols for the rest of the day.
"About time you woke up!" Grassheart scolded. "While your Clanmates were out in the cold forest hunting, you were curled in a warm den." Lilymist shrank in her pelt. She had expected Grassheart to be more forgiving than that.
"Sorry. I'll go out hunting as soon as I can." She mumbled not meeting Grassheart's gaze.
"Good. There is a patrol about to leave. Jasperheart, Icestar, Skypaw and Adderpaw are waiting for you." Grassheart's deep voice rumbled.
"Yes Grassheart." Lilymist mumbled. She slowly walked over to the entrance then saw the patrol leaving. She tried running after them, but she stumbled and fell in the snow. The patrol stopped and Adderpaw looked at her in amusement, his whiskers twitching.
"Shut up Adderpaw. If you fell I wouldn't laugh at you." Lilymist hissed. Icestar stepped in front of the apprentice.
"Control your emotions Lilymist." Icestar warned. Lilymist dipped her head and walked ahead of the group. She scented a crow and wrinkled her nose. She could already taste the sour flesh. She dropped into a crouch and started creeping forward. She was about to leap when her leg gave out and she yowled in pain. The bird heard this and flew off. She didn't try going after it, she didn't seem to have the energy. She could hear Skypaw giggling quietly behind her. She spun around full of a sudden anger.
"Don't laugh at me. As if you could catch that, remember who the apprentice here is." She growled, her voice deadly soft. Skypaw cowered in fear below her. She gained a sudden conscience and padded away from the apprentice. She walked back to camp. She saw Olivenose's eyes light up as she walked towards him. Don't get your hopes up, useless tom. She padded right up to him and heard him purr softly. He tried play fighting with her, but she just swatted his ear.
"You're blocking the nursery." She meowed coldly. The spark in his eyes disappeared and he shuffled awkwardly out of the way. She pushed her way in and her gaze softened as she saw the kits. Sunfrost was sitting there, watching his kits. She saw them wiggle and squirm around Brightcloud.
"They opened their eyes. They are still blue for now though." Sunfrost meowed proudly. She leaned down and lapped at the kits heads. She sat up purring. She turned out the nursery and walked out the den entrance.
"Lilymist! My den! NOW!" Icestar's yowl rang in her ear. She nervously padded to the den. Icestar's eyes were blazing in anger.
"Skypaw said you tried attacking her." Icestar growled. Lilymist shuffled her paws and nodded slowly.
"I didn't attack her I just..." Her response was drowned out by Icestar's angry yowl.
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WERE DOING! Control yourself." Icestar snarled. The last part was whispered, as if she was talking to herself. "How am I supposed to know if you won't do it again? What if you decide to attack Hailkit or Stormkit? I am confining you to the elders den until you control yourself." Icestar coldly hissed. Lilymist stood up and walked to the entrance. She paused and turned her head.
"I can't believe I'm related to you." She hissed. Icestar stood up and walked to the warrior. Without warning she raked her claws along Lilymist's flank. Lilymist yowled in pain. Icestar leaned closer to Lilymist and whispered in her ear.
"You always have to get the last word in don't you? You are now confined to the forest. The only time you are allowed back is for herbs or to bring prey back." Icestar snarled. Lilymist had never seen this side of Icestar before. Rainstorm ran into the den her fur bushed up in anger. She must have been listening from outside the den.
"You have no right to do that. She will be confined to the elders den. That is enough punishment." Rainstorm hissed. Icestar's eyes flashed then went back to normal.
"Very well. Rainstorm you will be punished for interference. You will be doing apprentice duties for a half moon and you have just lost your senior warrior title. Lilymist you will be confined to the elders den for that half moon. Dismissed." Icestar sat down in her nest with her back facing the two shocked she cats. Rainstorm's tail drooped as she walked out her sister's den. That must be painful. She watched as Rainstorm walked into Grassheart's den and a second later he angrily stomped into Icestar's den. She shook her head then walked to the medicine den. She met Echomist inside the den.
"I think somethings wrong with Icestar." She quickly meowed. Echomist looked up with worry in her eyes.
"She exploded in anger at Rainstorm. Who treats their sister like that? She also took away her senior warrior title and she has to do apprentice duties for a moon." Lilymist explained. Echomist sighed then turned and picked up some herbs.
"What are those for?" Lilymist asked.
"Icestar sometimes hears voices, so it's my job to numb them out. She gets easily angered and it seems as if the voices have influence over her." Echomist said as she wrapped herbs in leaves.
"What's in them?" Lilymist asked curiously. Echomist looked up from her wrap then back down.
"Poppy seeds, chamomile and thyme. They will all soothe her mind. Don't worry about her. She says they only come once a season. She usually can sense when they are there. If you ever hear her speak of Blueshine, Spottednight or Dovewhisper, stay away from her. Mostly if she says Spottednight or Dovewhisper are speaking. They seem to be the worst. Blueshine seems to be the one that makes her a fair leader, but sometimes the other two take over." Echomist took a breath and expertly wrapped her herbs with a lily pad. "Always let her believe they are real cats. If you ever tell her they are fake, she will hurt you." Echomist took a shaky breath and beckoned Lilymist to the back of her den. "I'm about to tell you something that you must never ever repeat to anyone else. Swear it on the most valued thing in your life." Echomist seriously meowed. She seemed to be searching Lilymist's gaze for something unseen.
"I swear on the life of Owlheart's kits." Lilymist breathed. Echomist swallowed then shakily spoke.
"Before you were born Icestar had a mate named Mapletail. Mapletail was murdered by what we all assumed to be a fox. It turned out that Icestar was the killer. She said Dovewhisper told her to do it. She said that he would destroy the Clan." Echomist's eyes flashed as if she had seen a memory. She shuddered and dipped her head to Echomist.
"I have to sleep in the elders den. Good night Echomist." Lilymist turned around and walked to the elders den. She circled in her new nest then fell asleep. She dreamed of a fox and a fluffy gray she cat laughing wildly over a dead toms body. She dreamed of Icestar stiffly walking to a stream to rinse the scent of blood. She dreamed of horror and blood until she saw a silver tabby scare the darkness away. Lilymist curled tighter and snuggled down to sleep sweet dreams, surrounded by the scent of Owlheart and Mintfur.