Broken Code

Chapter 20

Ravenclan.

The word sounded foreign on Ashpaw's tongue. He quietly padded in the camp, Micastar, Winterpaw, and Claypaw surrounding him. His fur pricked under the harsh gaze of the surrounding cats taking him in.

"Don't worry. They're not as mean as some of them seem." Winterpaw's voice murmured in his ear. He gave her a soft nod.

"Thank you." And he meant it.

Micastar didn't even bother to jump up onto HighTree- or whatever Ravenclan used - instead he stood in the center of camp. "Mistcloud!!"

A tall she cat came running out of the warriors' den. "Yes Micastar?"

The leader waved his tail and the two cats padded off, muzzles together in conversation while the rest of the clan waited for their decision. Ashpaw could feel the amount of worry in his chest, making his lungs incapable of breathing. He opened his jaws as if to get more air but it didn't help.

"Relax. No one is going to hurt you." Claypaw mumbled from the opposite side of Ashpaw.

Ashpaw nodded. "I'm just nervous... I mean, I already have a clan... I just don't know where it is..." He admitted.

"Well... I can't really help you with that... but I'm sure you'll fit in here." Claypaw ran a paw over his calico head. "I mean you believe in Starclan and stuff in your other clan right?"

"Yeah where did you come from exactly?" Winterpaw chimed in.

"Yes we believe in Starclan. My parents are..." He trailed off. "Anyway... I came from Streamclan. We live by the river."

Claypaw and Winterpaw shared a look but didn't say anything about Ashpaw's parents. "I've never heard of Streamclan."

"I've never heard of Ravenclan." Ashpaw twitched his whiskers in amusement.

"ATTENTION RAVENCLAN!" Mistcloud's voice rang over the center of camp and Ashpaw pricked his ears, his heart racing once more. Micastar stepped forward.

"As many of you know by now, while on patrol, Claypaw, Winterpaw, and myself, found a rogue cat on our territory..."

Rogue? Ashpaw tilted his head. I'm a clan cat!!

"...have decided to allow him to stay in Ravenclan if he so pleases."

Ashpaw's heart jumped into his throat and he purred, arching his back.

"Congrats!!" Claypaw and Winterpaw purred.

"Thank you guys!!"

"...his mentor will be my very own deputy, Mistcloud." Micastar flicked his tail and Mistcloud stepped forward a little. Ashpaw padded over to her and touched his nose to hers.

Jayscratch is my mentor. He thought in his head.

"Welcome to Ravenclan, Ashpaw." Micastar licked the top of Ashpaw's snow white head.

Welcome to Ravenclan.

~

"I said I was sorry Icestar!! I think about that decision every single day of my life! Don't you think I wish I could go back and change the past? Because I do. I made the biggest mistake of my entire life and it hangs over my head like a... rain cloud... every single DAY ICESTAR. EVERY DAY!" Flamestar's meow rang through the forest.

Rainpaw pricked her ears as she heard shouting from behind a line of bracken. Icestar? Her father? She put down the coltsfoot in her jaws and snuck around a tree, eager to hear the conversation.

"You could've gotten to your position now without..." Rainpaw heard the familiar rumble of her father's voice. Despite her inner tug to go run into his starry fur, she made herself where she was. She wanted to know what they were talking about.

"I know I could've gotten there! I didn't think back then Icestar. I was a fool and a mousebrain. I made a mistake and I will never be able to fix that so please stop nagging me and hanging it over my head. I can't go back in time and -"

"You let my son get kidnapped by Twolegs-"

"He left on his own accord!!!" Flamestar growled.

"You shouldn't have let him go after Bluepaw!!" Icestar snarled back.

"I didn't know he left-"

"Then MAYBE YOU SHOULD LOOK AFTER YOUR CLAN!"

Flamestar opened his jaws to speak then closed them. He took a deep breath. "Streamclan belongs to me now. Don't tell me how I can and can't rule."

"You're lucky Grassclan gave you back their heir to leadership anyway." Icestar admitted, waving his tail and kicking up a few maple and oak leaves from the forest floor. They fluttered in the sky before falling back down.

"Bluepaw doesn't know she's their heir and it's going to stay that way. Her home is in Streamclan."

"I agree with you Flamestar but she's going to find out eventually... just be prepared for her to leave. To become clan leader is a huge opportunity. She won't want to pass that down. You know her feeling." Icestar gave Flamestar a look that Rainpaw couldn't quite comprehend.

"I know... I know..." Flamestar shook his massive fiery head.

"You can't afford to lose anymore cats Flamestar. First Silverdream, then me, then Ashpaw." He laughed a little. "For Starclan' sake if anything happens to Rainpaw I might go join Ravenclan." He chuckled.

Ravenclan? Heir to Grassclan? Bluepaw? Leadership? Rainpaw was ever so confused.

Flamestar let out a nervous laugh. "Me too."

"Well... I must get back to Starclan now. And I'm sorry for snapping at you... you're right Flamestar, the past is in the past. You can't change what you did." Icestar stood up, proud and strong, his muscles rippling under his fur.

Flamestar stood up as well, equally as big and strong as Icestar. He dipped his head respectfully. "I'm sorry for everything too. Not just bickering... but killing her... Silverdream..." He sighed as a small tear rolled down his muzzle.

Rainpaw couldn't believe her ears. Killing Silverdream? I thought she fell into the river.... she thought.

Icestar gave a small nod. "She forgives you-" His voice broke.

Flamestar looked at the ground. "It was the worst choice I've ever made..."

Rainpaw couldn't stand there anymore. She hopped to her paws and ran off as fast and as far as she could. Her vision was blurred as she dodged between trees and bushes. Nothing mattered. All she heard in her head was....

"Killing her... Silverdream...."

Silverdream didn't fall into the river. She was pushed, or kicked, or whatever it was, it was Flamestar's fault. He killed her mother.

"Flamestar murdered Silverdream..." Rainpaw mumbled under her silvery muzzle. "And he's going to pay."

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The secret is out!!!

~ C I N D E R ~