Reflected Stars

Chapter 9

Duskpeak up top!

Fernwhisper took a flying leap and plunged into darkness. The only thing that kept her running was the mouth-watering smell of the rabbit she was pursuing. She was only a tail length away, by the smell of it, and prepared to leap. In one stride, she gathered her hind legs under her and sprang, except she went too high.

Fernwhisper's head banged against soil and rock. "Ow!" Oh yeah, I'm in a rabbit burrow. I can't jump mouse-brain!

She shook her head to clear it and dashed away, this time keeping her head low. It didn't take long to catch up with the rabbit. It didn't realize she was still chasing after banging her head. Fernwhisper swiped with her paw, catching it as it tried to bound away.

Her claws drew blood out of the rabbit's hindquarters as they pierced its soft skin. With another swipe of her paw, she brought the rabbit toward her and bit down, killing it. The warm blood of the rabbit tasted so good, Fernwhisper was tempted to eat it herself. Just a bite won't hurt...She slapped herself in the face with her paw. Badger-brain! That's wrong and anyway, the other cats would notice!

She dragged her fresh-kill by the ears and trekked backwards through the tunnel. By the time she popped out, orange rays of the sunset were bathing the forest in its amber warmth. Fox-dung! It's already dusk and I've only got one piece of prey. She grasped the rabbit more tightly and dashed back the way she had come.

She caught up to the rest of her patrol and set down the rabbit, panting. She widened her eyes as she saw what everyone else had caught. Prinkleleap had caught a sparrow and two baby squirrels. Reedthicket had caught three mice and an adult squirrel. Wasppaw hadn't caught anything.

"I helped Reedthicket catch the squirrel!" He defended himself.

Reedthicket rolled his eyes, "No you didn't! You sat there watching me!"

Wasppaw looked at Fernwhisper, guilt showing in his eyes. "I'm sorry! I-I just-"

"It's okay Wasppaw. You haven't had any real training yet so you're fine." Fernwhisper mewed sympathetically. She looked at the rest of her patrols' catches. Duskpeak had caught a baby rabbit, a blackbird, and a robin. Meadowlark had caught two squirrels. Fernwhisper nodded in pride at her former apprentice. I taught her well!

They headed back and when they arrived at the makeshift camp, she dropped her rabbit in the fresh-kill pile before padding over to Cherrystar, who was mewing something to Sol.

"-The Clans aren't far from here." Sol was finishing.

"Cherrystar, can I speak with you please?" Fernwhisper called.

"Sure."

She bounded over beneath an oak tree and sat, curling her tail gently around her forepaws. She lingered as Cherrystar approached her.

"So what is it you need?" Cherrystar asked.

"Do you think we can trust Sol? I mean there is something about him that is deceiving, like how does he know about SkyClan?" Fernwhisper hesitated for a heartbeat narrowing her eyes at Cherrystar, "What if he is lying?" She finally dared to ask.

"I trust him, Fernwhisper, and you should too. He said that he knows about our Clan from Firestar. We can trust Firestar. Remember how he helped rebuild SkyClan?" Cherrystar's gaze bore into her.

"We trust Firestar, but that doesn't mean we should trust Sol." Fernwhisper breathed, for Sol was advancing towards them.

"Cherrystar we should all get some rest." He meowed curtly with a edge to his tone and his golden gaze seemed to glare at Fernwhisper.

Bird-brain! You should have kept yourself in that corner where traitors belong. She thought, almost scowling. There is just something about him and I will somehow find out...

As the last of daylight was fading away in the horizon and the first warrior ancestors started to dot the indigo sky, Fernwhisper bounded over to Reedthicket, who was sitting patiently, waving his tail, under a rocky ledge near the cliff side which they climbed down earlier.

"Looks like our deputy was busy." he joked.

"Yes I was talking to Cherrystar." She sat down, twining her tail around Reedthicket's and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What were you talking about?" He questioned while wrapping his tail around hers.

"Nothing important. Just, you know, deputy stuff." She gazed into the star dotted sky, averting eye contact with him.

"You can tell me anything, you know." Reedthicket whispered.

Fernwhisper exhaled. Yes, but this is the one thing I don't want to tell you. You would disagree and it could start an argument between us...

Reedthicket licked her head in between her ears before they both curled up, their backs pressed together, and fell into a soft slumber.

* * *

"Wake up! It's already almost sunhigh!" Seedkit squealed in her ear.

"Yeah aren't deputy's supposed to be up before everyone?" Leafkit chimed and scrambled on top of Fernwhisper, piercing tiny claws in her Tortoiseshell-and-White pelt.

"Ouch!" She snapped, "And do loyal Clan kits claw their deputy to death? How about you go and claw out Reedthicket. He enjoys being in battle." Fernwhisper retorted and hauled herself up and traipsed out from underneath the bleak rocky ledge. She glanced around trying to look for Prinkleleap. But he was nowhere in sight. Like Usual. She mused crossly. She treaded over to where Cherrystar was resting, "Do you know where Prinkleleap is?" Fernwhisper inquired.

"No." Cherrystar yawned showing sharp, white teeth and a small pink tongue.

"That mouse-brain can't even stay in one place for a heartbeat." She retorted. My brother acts like a stupid kit. Sighing, Fernwhisper lifted her muzzle to see if she could catch a whiff of his scent. Pacing around, she finally picked up a stale scent of him pointing towards thicker undergrowth. As she bounded in the direction of his scent, she started to hear loud snarling. What has my brother gotten himself into this time? Skirting around a hickory tree, she skidded to a stop. Fernwhisper's eyes grew wide as she saw Duskpeak and Prinkleleap snarling and snapping at each other. She whirled and ducked underneath a low lying branch, peering through the opening in the sparser part of the branch.

Why are they fighting?

Then she heard Duskpeak growl, "You won't have Windwhisp! She's my mate not yours!"

"No! She's my mate and I'll make sure of that!." Prinkleleap drew back his lips into a vicious snarl and leaped on top of Duskpeak, claws unsheathed. But before he was able to land on Duskpeak's back, Duskpeak rolled away and sprang back up. Leaping on top of Prinkleleap, Duskpeak pinned him down before Prinkleleap could regain his balance. Duskpeak sunk his sharp claws into his opponent's throat, and Prinkleleap was unable to throw him off.

You won't kill my brother!Fernwhisper inwardly yowled and leaped from underneath the branch and with all of her strength, pushed Duskpeak back, freeing the grasp he had on Prinkleleap's throat.Taking him by surprise and pushing him with a rigid force and, with a thud, the orange tom hit the ground.

"STOP!" She bellowed in rage. "You both are acting like kits!" Her tail twitched in annoyance. "Do warriors act like this? NO! They help their clanmates not rip them apart. Act like real warriors should!" She snarled, scorn burning in her eyes. "And how dare you hurt my brother like that! Over what, a she-cat?" She released her paws from Duskpeak's chest and he inhaled before puffing out a long breath.

"I-I-" He stuttered.

"Duskpeak, do what warriors should, and go get Amberleaf. Now!" She snarled, looking straight into Duskpeak's shocked eyes as he heaved himself up and fled towards camp.