(Warrior Cats)SmokeTrail's fire

Chapter 25- His Madness

"Well I'll be damned..." Softstar muttered.

Applepaw and W aterpaw were in a heated argument despite Waterpaw's slight setback and their renewed friendship. It seemed that Applepaw had a slit on her shoulder that looked painful. This only encouraged her to torture him with the knowledge that the clan despised the harmless apprentice.

she turned the the crowd of cats as Softstar and I watched. "Do you see what this foxhearts has done to me, his friend and denmate! Don't remember the fire he set ablaze!? " the clan yowled their agreements. "You can't trust a murderers kin! They're gonna end up just like him!"

They?

It took me a heartbeat to realize that faithkit was not by my side, but clearing behind her older half brother. She looked so afraid that it made me fear that she was enduring some type of trauma.
"Kill them! Chase them out!"
At the words, Icestar's kin rushed to hide and as expected, they his behind us; faithkit between my paws and W aterpaw behind Softstar.

"Mom, they're gonna kill us!"Waterpaw cried. "Mommy, I'm scared. Why do they hate us? Why are they so afraid of me...?" She whimpered. I flicked my eyes up, gazing helplessly at Softstar. I searched his eyes for help, but found nothing.

Softstar sighed. "Everyone, leave them be. Just because their father made some bad decisions-"
"Some bad decisions!?" Spat a warrior breaking through the crowd. She had a trembling Applepaw at her side. Applepaw's golden fur glimmered in the dusk sun.

"He killed my son! Applepaw is all I have left, and I have every reason to believe that his sadistic son will murder my daughter, too! He's already destroyed her mentality and taken things away that she can't get back!"

"Peachfur, I get you're scared but the two of them are harmless. Waterpaw is still recovering, besides he only snapped at her just now because she was provoking him. Please leave them be..." Softstar meowed softly.

The female warrior kept her eyes narrowed. "And what about her!?" Her angry glare shifted down to Faithkit who shrunk under her gaze.

"She looks just like him! She'll be just like her father as she gets older! She's gonna kill like him, and she'll die like him! She has madness hidden in her heart! Dont let her pure fur and pretty eyes fool you!" Peachfur went on.

"I'm not bad...,I'm not.,,I'm not bad, am I Mommy?" Faithkit whimpered, eyes narrowing as her pupils grew large with sadness. "I don't want to be bad..."

"I know who can settle this. Snowstripe!" Yowled peachfur. I felt Softstar shiver slightly. "Who's silverstripe?" I asked him.
"Icestar's mother. Unlike your parents, she decided she would keep herself going regardless of how horrible her kits were."

I couldn't help but wince at the coldness in his voice. I drew in a deep breath as an old white tabby approached slowly. Her white fur was going gray, accompanying tired old teal-tinted eyes. "Why have you awoken me?" She asked harshly.

"I want justice for my kits! Your son is the father of this apprentice and kit, and because of your son's hellish deeds I want them dead to stop the threat before it occurs!" Peachfur hissed.

"Ah, Smoketrail...it's been a very, very long time since I've seen you....it's a shame what Dawntail put you through...even Starclan had it out for you for quite some time.."

I cast my eyes to my white paws. I nodded slowly.

"But even so, you truly love my son...even after all he did you you and your family.."Snowstripe turned her gaze on Peachfur "Waterpaw was influenced by his father. Iceglare was angry that his lover left him so easily for another tom in another clan. He didn't realize until she had returned how badly his sins would hit him. Losing the rest of his lives to himself was the cost."

Peachfur flicked her ear a bit. "Faithkit is merely a kit. Even if she does begin to morph into her father's ways, she has a wonderful brother, mother and step-father to help her out of it. They're harmless, peachfur. Leave them be."

Peachfur's eyes widened with surprise. She turned on her heels and pounced on waterpaw, causing him to stumble back. In one swift swipe-

dead.

The horror-struck expressions in both cats was something I would never unsee. Everyone was frozen in wait to see which cat was to go to starclan.
"To think....I'd be beaten by you.....funny...." the golden warrior sputtered blood onto the pure white apprentice. She fell limp over him.

The clan fell into dead silence. "M-mommy..?" Applepaw whispered, her breathing becoming heavy. She rushed over and nudged her mother's limp body.

Waterpaw scrambled to her paws and hid his bloody face into my fur. "She attacked me! I didnt know what else to do! I was scared!" He tried to justify, but I quickly hushed him.

"Retribution.." applepaw's wide eyes lifted to meet those of the wise elder. "You've been judged. Starclan has decided that this must be the punishment for you and your mother's crimes..." the elderly female turned and returned to her den.

Applepaw drew in a deep breath. She stood and wandered off to the apprentice's small den, eyes dull. I nuzzled waterpaw gently "stay with me and goldeneyes tonight, okay? Just to make sure you're okay?" I suggested.

Waterpaw didn't hesitate to agree.

It was complicated for the next few days. Faithkit was growing anxious about her father, and Waterpaw growing evermore mentally unstable. He was growing anti-social and failing his training sessions as I was told.

"Smoketrail?" I flinched and turned to see Softstar's eyes shining in the moonlight. "Huh? Softstar, what's wrong, are you okay?"

A dark shadow cast over his eyes and he buried his muzzle into my neck and burst into tears, catching me by surprise. "Softstar, please you're scaring me! What happened?"

"I just....I think I did something bad.....I think i accidentailly murdered someone..."