Reedstar's Selfishness (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Beginning of the End

Leopardstar watched with no emotion as Reedstar screamed and fell to his death. The deafening sound of his body hitting the water echoed up to the survivors. Mudpaw didn't seem to care much that Reedstar was gone, either. Well, no one seemed to care. Flesh-eaters plunged in after Reedstar, Squirreltail and Viperslash's vanished bodies.

"Do you think that they'll turn into a flesh-eater?" Lighteningice whispered, her tail trembling around her kits. They hid in her chest, whimpering.

Leopardstar didn't take her green eyes off of the churning waters. Her eyes glaring into the gorge. "Unless he was bitten, no," She mumbled. No one replied to her response, they all kept quiet.

Mudpaw backed away from the edge and turned toward downstream. It was peaceful now, they all realized. Reedstar wasn't ordering anyone around, the flesh-eaters had all fallen to their doom, and the wind wasn't howling. No rain came down then, the clouds had been pushed away, revealing the sun.

"Do you think we'll be safe over here?" Heatherleg murmured, scooting Sunkit closer to her with her tail. "We might not be. Flesh-eaters won't drown. Maybe with time they will, but by the time they reach the end of the river they'll still be alive." Lilypatch responded and Heatherleg gulped loudly. Stormkit and Sootkit shrunk down in fear as the tension grew.

"So, Mudpaw," Leopardstar growled, lifting her head slightly. Mudpaw's head shot toward her and he side-stepped to get away from the muscular she-cat. "What happened to Snowpaw and Venomsoul?"

Mudpaw blinked and he took a moment to reply. He looked choked up with grief. "Reedstar pushed Snowpaw to the flesh-eaters so Squirreltail, Reedstar, and I could get away," Mudpaw whispered, head down and paws shuffling. "What about Venomsoul? Where did you even find those two?" Leopardstar hissed, turning toward the brown apprentice.

"Squirreltail took us to Twolegplace when we got overrun by flesh-eaters. They were on top of a Twoleg nest. When we woke up the next morning, no flesh-eaters were left in Twolegplace. Turns out the mudslide had taken them down -" Mudpaw explained but Leopardstar interrupted, "The mudslide made a loud noise when a tree fell and it brought them to here. Continue,"

Mudpaw dipped his head and stood up straight. "And then we ran to the mudslide and Reedstar ordered us to get prey. Squirreltail and I had told the two about him killing Snowpaw while Reedstar slept. Venomsoul stayed back with Reedstar. He was suppose to kill Reedstar but Reedstar must've gotten to him before he could push him down to the flesh-eaters." He stopped, looking around at the shocked cats.

"I knew Reedstar would be selfish like that." Poppyheart muttered, her head lowered with shame. Boldfang shook his head.

"Why did you ask, Leopardstar?" Mudpaw meowed, taking a step toward the spotted leader. She turned around and gave him a look, "Only wondering."

There was something in her green eyes that made the cats cringe. Something menacing and evil. She was keeping something to herself, the group could tell. "Why are you giving him that look?" Redfur growled. His fur was spiked up along his spine. Leopardstar didn't reply, only unsheathed her claws.

"Leopardstar!" Lilypatch exclaimed as Mudpaw backed away. Something about the way her eyes glinted in the bright light, the way her jaw twitched... it made their fur stand on end.

Something was up about Leopardstar, but her eyes held her secret.