Bearheart's Shame

Chapter 16

Bearheart stood up the next morning with cramped muscles.

She shook her fur out and remembered Sparrowstar's death.

She remembered the body that was now at her paws.

Her leader.

Her very own leader.

Willowtail was still pressed at her father's side, whimpering in horrid dreams.

The elders were whispering behind her, speaking of how they needed to move Sparrowstar's body of camp.

"The lavender can only mask his scent for so long." Moonpool was saying.

"But I don't have the strength to tell Willowtail." Lostface lamented.

Bearheart turned around, facing the elders.

"I'll tell her that it's time." She told them, nodding.

She padded quietly up to Willowtail, and placed a paw on the mourning she-cat's shoulder.

"Willowtail, it's time."

Willowtail's head jerked up. Bearheart noticed that her eyes were puffy and red.

"I'm sorry." Bearheart whispered.

Willowtail stood up on shaky paws and padded into the warriors den. After a few moments, she heard Firewing's soft voice.

"My love, it's okay. It'll be okay."

Bearheart turned away from them. The elders were picking Sparrowstar up, taking him out into the forest.

Bearheart winced.

She padded after them, hoping to say goodbye one last time.

She followed the elders to a sandy hollow that she'd never seen before.

There was a deep hole, at least three fox-lengths into the ground.

The elders lowered his body into the hole, their claws slipping slowly from his fur.

There was a rough thump as Sparrowstar's body hit the earth at the bottom of the floor.

Lostface hunched his back, surrendering to the realisation that his leader was dead.

Moonpool brushed her tail across his back, and Bearheart fled the scene.

She couldn't bear the sight of the two elders feeling so mournful, and stuck in such a terrible place.

She didn't go back to the camp, though.

She went to the border.

It was a sunrise before their meeting, and yet, there was a line of Moonclan cats on the border.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Bring your leader. We'll bring ours."

"No. Tomorrow is when we were supposed to meet. I can't do this today, and neither can my clan. Sparrowstar is dead. I will come back tomorrow, with Brackenflame. We can discuss it then. But still, don't tell anyone what I just told you."

Badgerheart nodded her head solemnly. "As you wish."

The line of Moonclan cats turned all in unison, and bolted back to their camp.

Bearheart heaved a sigh of relief.

She padded back to her camp silently, resenting the cold consuming her.

Snow fell gently and lay seamlessly on the ground.

The sight was beautiful, she had to admit, but the temperature could kill young kits.

Bearheart's paws felt like heavy ice blocks, dragging her down.

She groaned as she tried to wiggle her toes. There was ice holding them together.

Bearheart continued plodding through the snow, lifting her front paws to her chest, as it was the only way to try and keep them out of the snow.

When she reached her camp, Willowtail had emerged from her den, Firewing at her side.

Soft light filtered into the camp, reflecting the mournful mood.

Brackenflame was scarfing down traveling herbs at the entrance of the medicine den. His face twisted at the sour tang of the herbs.

Bearheart closed her eyes, hoping to block out the anguish surrounding her. Her eyes were brimming with emotion, and her fur bristled with sadness.

"Bearheart. Are you okay?" Stormfall asked.

Bearheart nodded, too choked up to speak.

Stormfall nodded her head in understanding.

"Thornclan! I am leaving to receive my nine lives from Starclan. I will be back before sundown tomorrow." Brackenflame yowled from the entrance.

The clan yowled back some halfhearted good luck wishes. Brackenflame turned around and trotted out of the gorse tunnel. Antwhisker followed him.

What was she about to do to her clan?