Warriors: Drizzlestar's Change

Chapter 20

  Drizzlestar smiled as she watched Blackstorm's kits play fight. Blackstorm had asked her to watch them while she hunted.
  "Hey! That's my tail!" Flamekit shouted, glaring at Tigerkit.
  Tigerkit giggled. "You'll have to be faster to beat me!"
  "Can I help Snowleaf?" Shadowkit asked Drizzlestar, walking up to her.
  "As long as Snowleaf says it's okay." Drizzlestar replied.
  Shadowkit smiled and bolted into the medicine cat's den. Drizzlestar turned back to the three other kits.
  Starkit had Flamekit pinned. "I got you!"
  Tigerstar pushed Starkit off his brother and pinned her down. "Now I've got you!"
  Drizzlestar turned to the camp entrance as she heard a yowl of terror. Leapfrost's border patrol had come back, but Blackstorm was with them. Drizzlestar eyes widened as she spotted a dark gray, black, and ginger tom on Scorchpelt's back.
  Scorchpelt gently placed Bloodfire's limp body in the clearing as Drizzlestar raced over to them.
  "What happened?!" Drizzlestar demanded, looking from Leapfrost to Scorchpelt.
  "He's dead! Bloodfire's dead!" Scorchpelt wailed. "And guess who we found with his dead body!? Blackstorm!"
  Drizzlestar looked at Blackstorm with shock. "But... she would never."
  "We should kill her now! Before she murders someone else!" Scorchpelt hissed.
  "Wait! We need to know Blackstorm's side of the story first." Leapfrost said.
  "Blackstorm, come speak to me in my den." Drizzlestar said.
  Blackstorm nodded as her kits bounded over to her.
  "What's going on?" Starkit squeaked.
  "Why is dad not moving?" Flamekit asked, looking at Bloodfire.
  "I'll answer your questions later." Blackstorm promised. "Go play in the nursery until I get back."
  "Aw! But we wanted to play with you!" Tigerkit whined.
  "Come on, you heard her. Let's go!" Shadowkit said, nudging her siblings towards the nursery. Drizzlestar watched as the kits raced away. She led Blackstorm into her den and sat down.
  "Drizzlestar... I can explain." Blackstorm said, sitting down.
  "Yes, please do." Drizzlestar meowed.
  Blackstorm took a deep breath. "He found out... about Redstrike and I. He saw us meeting-"
  "I told you to be careful!" Drizzlestar hissed. "So you weren't hunting, were you? You were meeting that WindClan tom?"
  Blackstorm sighed. "Yes. But I did hunt on my way to camp. Before I could catch anything Bloodfire... he... attacked me. He was heartbroken."
  Drizzlestar opened her mouth to reply but Blackstorm spoke again.  
  "Drizzlestar, he was going to kill me. If I wanted to survive then I had to kill him first." Blackstorm whispered.
  Drizzlestar stood in silence for a few moments. She finally spoke. "I believe you. But I don't think the clan will."
  "I just don't want my kits to think I'm a murderer. They think Bloodfire's their father, and if they find out I killed him..." Blackstorm trailed off. "What have I done?"
  Drizzlestar rested her tail on Blackstorm's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll handle this. We can say you were attacked by rouges and Bloodfire died saving you."
  "Let's just hope the clan believes it." Blackstorm said.
  "The only one who wouldn't would be Scorchpelt." Drizzlestar pointed out. "But that's fine."
  "Drizzlestar... thank you." Blackstorm mewed. "I'm really glad you believe me."

  Drizzlestar sat beside Blackstorm watching the kits. Yesterday they had buried Bloodfire, and the kits were devastated once they found out he wouldn't be coming back.
  "I hate lying to them like this." Blackstorm whispered. "I want them to know who their real father is."
  "If you want to protect them, then it's best not to tell them yet." Drizzlestar replied.
  "I guess you're right." Blackstorm said. But Drizzlestar could barely hear what her friend was saying. Instead, she was staring at Tigerkit. His head was held high, and Drizzlestar could swear she heard the chant again.
  Tiger will lead shadow better than amber.
  Drizzlestar flattened her ears against her head. It had to be about Tigerkit. Did it mean he would be leader one day?
  "Hello? Did you hear me?" Blackstorm's words interrupted Drizzlestar's thoughts.
  Drizzlestar looked at Blackstorm. "What?"
  Blackstorm sighed. "I said that my kits will grow up to be strong warriors."
  Drizzlestar looked at Tigerkit and smiled. "Yeah. I bet they will."