"Dustclaw?" She called. "Have you gotten any news?" The grey tom shook his head. "Have you found out anything?" "Well..." He shifted his paws. " I saw them talking in low voices. Her eyes actually showed emotion. But I couldn't tell what it was."
Impatience clawed at her belly. "Did you hear what they were saying?" "No." "Well, actually try next time!" She snapped at him. Unfazed, he nodded. "I will try harder In the future." She looked down, shame sweeping over her. "I'm sorry. I just... It kills me to think about everyone dying and nobody knowing who is doing it."
He rested his tail on her shoulder. "I understand. Its all OK." She shook her head furiously. "No, it not. I'm going to look into it myself now. I will protect my clan." She stressed the five words. He nodded seriously, and looked up to the sound of rustling bushes.
"The dawn patrol is back. I should go." He said, and padded out of the den.
She followed him into the clearing, and the sudden brightness surprised her. Lurkingstar noticed how big the fresh-kill pile was now, and realized that the clan was recovering from Deepstar's death. "Lurkingstar!" Came a whisper from over by the nursery.
Padding over, she saw Snakefang laying on her side. Her enormously swollen belly poked out from under her. "Something's wrong with Snowscratch. She refuses to talk to me, and keeps spending more and more time with Stormnose. She finished the sentence with furrowed eyebrows.
She remembered how No-Ear used to walk up to the dawn patrol cats after they returned, flicking his remaining ear in that friendly way before speaking to them. Looking now, she saw that Dustclaw did the same thing. She thought it was strange until she remembered that No-ear was his father's father.
"Petalshine says she thinks I will have three." Snakefang's words jolted her out of her remembrance. "That's great." She replied distractedly. "Something is wrong." Her daughter sounded worried. She looked at her now, and realized just how much Snakefang looked like her. She had the same pale grey fur, same greenish blue eyes. She even had the same long ears and powerful front legs.
"Nothing." Lurkingstar replied. Snakefang snorted. "You make nothing sound like the worst thing in the world. Seriously, what is wrong?" Shaking her head wordlessly, she backed out of the nursery, sadness weighing her head down. Why did everyone care so much? Why didn't they just say bad things to her and call her a bad leader?
Because you're not. Deepstar's voice rang in her head. You are coping well.
She just shook her head incredulously. If this was coping well, then she would like to see how the others were taking it all. She drifted toward the fresh kill pile, where she took a scrawny mouse and settled down to take the first unappealing bite.
