Mintfeather's Secret

Chapter 29:

Mintfeather's ears perked up at the sound of hushed whispers and snarling from outside his den. He slowly got to his paws, yawning, and made his way to the entrance of his den. He scented Darkriver nearby and let out a sigh.

"What going o-"

"Get back in the den, Mintfeather!" He heard Robinfeather hiss nearby, and he turned his head towards the sound of the tom's voice, surprised he hadn't scented the warrior earlier.

"Why?" He inquired, curiosity rising inside him. Why did Robinfeather sound so panicked?

"This is the last time, Thrushwing. I've grown tired of your consistent coddling of Mousepaw. It's time you've learned your lesson." He heard Nightstar snarl and his blood ran cold.

"Oh, no. Thrushwing!" He gasped, whirling his head around to try and scent the tom. "Robinfeather, what's going on?!"

"Just go back inside the den!" The warrior commanded and began to shove the light grey tom back inside, who fought against the one-eyed tom as panic began to arise in his chest, his heart pounding in his ears and his breathing coming in short, rapid gasps.

"No, no! What's happening to Thrushwing?! What's happening?! Tell me!" He demanded, planting himself firmly just at the entrance so that Robinfeather couldn't move him anymore. The tom let out a growl of annoyance and glanced back at the light brown warrior behind him in the center of camp. Their clanmates had gathered around and formed a large circle around the tom, who was standing tall and proud as he glared up at his father with all the hatred in the world blazing within his emerald eyes.

"I'm not afraid of you, Nightstar!" Thrushwing hissed, lashing his tail. "You're nothing but a tyrant! You cannot treat your clanmates this way. This is not how a real leader would control their clan! This ridiculous notion that having everyone training from dusk to dawn is not working! Can't you see?! We are all tired, and we can't function if we are tired. We can't continue training like this. Is it so wrong of me to want to ensure my apprentice is still healthy and able after all the excess training he's been doing?!" Nightstar rolled his eyes and flicked his tail.

"You are treating him like a defenseless kit. He will never be strong if you continue on like that. And we do not tolerate weakness. I've done enough, I've given you enough fair warnings and hoped you would learn. But you never do, and now I've grown tired of being kind to you, my son, who so dares to disrespect me! His father! His leader!"

"You are NOT my father!" Thrushwing spat back. "You have no right to call me your son!" Something flashed in his emerald eyes and he seemed to hesitate before continuing. "This is why Moonclaw left you." Nightstar's eyes widened for a heartbeat before he flattened his ears against his head and snarled at his son, unsheathing his claws as the clanmates around Thrushwing murmured to each other in confusion.

"Who's Moonclaw?" Darkriver asked Robinfeather, who shrugged.

"His mother..." Mintfeather breathed out, feeling pain stab through his heart. How he wished he could go over to the light brown warrior and stand beside him, let him know that he was not alone and that someone had his back. But what could he, a blind medicine cat whom had broken the brave warrior's heart more times than he could count, do to possibly assist Thrushwing at the moment? He probably wanted absolutely nothing more to do with Mintfeather!

"His... mother?" Robinfeather echoed, looking back at his best friend with a wide amber eye.

"How do you know this?" Darkriver gave Mintfeather a confused look, but the light grey medicine cat paid no heed to the black and white she-cat.

"How dare you speak her name to me!" Nightstar growled. "You KNOW it is forbidden!"

"Forbidden to speak of the she-cat that left you because of what you truly are?! Forbidden to speak of the she-cat that had once loved you, and then left you because of what you have done?! Moonclaw left you because you're violent! Cruel! Power hungry! Why would anyone want to stay with someone like that?!" Thrushwing snarled back, his fur beginning to bristle. Tension began to arise within the clan as they all glanced at Nightstar, terrified of his reaction to the bold accusations Thrushwing threw at him.