Darkeye's Fury

Chapter Six

Darkpaw stared in shock at Mudpaw, as he explained what he wanted her to do. "I can't do that!" She exclaimed. Mudpaw glared at her, then growled. "You can. You just don't want to. He'll be fine. Mapleleaf will help him." Darkpaw shivered, then nodded slowly. "I guess." She murmured. She padded out of camp and looked around the forest. She found a bush with thorns, and padded over to it. She picked a few berries off, a d carried them to a large tree that the elders had explained to her. The Lone Pine tree. The only pine tree in the forest. She laid the berries by the roots, and scented the air. She smelled a blackbird, and followed the scent. She found it trying to pull a worm out of the ground, and she pounced on it. It tried to fly away, but Darkpaw held it down. She nipped its neck, and killed it. Sje picked it up, and carried it towards the roots of th Lone pine. She dropped th blackbirds and remembered Clover paw saying it was Duskstar's favorite. "Perfect." She muttered. She picked up the berries, and shoved them down the blackbirds throat. She picked up the prey, careful not to bite into the berries, and carried it back to camp. Darkpaw laid the blackbirds by Duskstar's paws. "I caught this for you." She meowed, trying to sound cheerful. Duskstar nodded thanks, and bit into the blackbird. He gasped and started twitching, she padded out of the den, and bounded over to Mudpaw. "Did You give it to him?" He asked. Darkpaw nodded. "With the deathberries inside?" He pressed. "Yes!" Darkpaw snapped. She hung her head ashamed, and wishes she hadn't done what she did. Windlifter ducked into Duskstar's den, then raced out. She bursted into the medicine cats den, and Darkpaw heard Mapleleaf grab some herbs, and run towards Duskstar's den. Mudpaw watched with satisfaction, as Mapleleaf padded out of the den, head hanging. Darkpaw saw Windlifter and the medicine cat exchange sorrowful glances, then Windlifter jumped onto the gathering stream. He called the cats together, and started to explain why he was up there. "Duskstar lost his last life just now..." Darkpaw gasped and whipped around to look at Mudpaw. He rose to his paws and called up to Windlifter. "What Mudpaw?" The deputy snapped. "Darkpaw was the last one in there, I think she fed him something poisonous." He smirked at Darkpaw, and she stared at him with shock. He tricked me! Darkpaw thought. Windlifter turned his gaze to Darkpaw and his tone hardened. "Darkpaw? Did you poison Duskstar?" Darkpaw couldn't believe her ears. "No! I would never do anything like that!" Mudpaw glared at her and jumped up. "Lier!" He spat. Windlifter faced Mudpaw and growled, "Enough. I trust Darkpaw, because she doesn't attack cats, unlike you. Mudpaw snarled and stomped off to the apprentices den. Darkpaw sighed relief, and Windlifter continued with the meeting. "I will travel to the Sharpstone, and receive my nine lives from Starclan The new deputy shall be Bramblewhisker." The clan nodded, and Bramblewhisker went to bring Duskstar into the clearing, along with Shadowstripe, Appleblossom, Deadtail, and Whirlwind. As the cats broke up into groups, Darkpaw got glares casted at her, and she heard a cat whisper, "It's in her name. She obiously did it." Darkpaw ignored them, and hurried to Moonpaw. Cloverpaw and Stoempaw were with her. "Did you kill him?" Cloverpaw asked, shaking. Darkpaw sighed and poured her secret into her friends and brother. They all gasped, and Darkpaw opened her mouth to explain, but Moonpaw cut her off. "I know you would never do that. Who made you?" Darkpaw shuffled her paws in the dirt and mumbled, "Mudpaw." Moonpaw growled, and stomped towards Mudpaw. Cloverpaw and Darkpaw watched in amazement, as Moonpaw bit into Mudpaw's ear, and pulled him over to the group of apprentices. "Apologize. Now!" She snapped. Mudpaw rolled his eyes and muttered, "Sorry." Moonpaw glared at him and then growled, "For what." Mudpaw moaned, then faced Darkpaw. "I'm sorry I made you feed deathberries to Duskstar!" Mudpaw turned to Moonpsw and growled, "There happy now?" Moonpaw shook her head, and bounded to Windlifter. Mudpaw glanced a terrified glance with Darkpaw, as Windlifter called Mudpaw's name, fury very clear in her voice. Mudpaw slowly crept towards Windlifter, tail between his legs, and ears flat to his head. Windlifter snarled at Mudpaw, and Darkpaw heard him say, "Mudpaw I dont want to see you ever again! Get out!" Mudpaw bounded out of camp, leaving a blood trail. Darkpaw guessed that Windlifter scratched him. The new leader sighed, nd headed out of camp. The sun was almost all the way down, and Darkpaw wanted to get some sleep, so she would have energy for tomorrow's training. Moonpaw led the apprentices into the den, and settled in her nest. Cloverpaw stopped by the fresh kill pile, and grabbed two squirrels. She dropped one at Moonpaw's paws, and the other at Stormpaw's. She settled down to eat with Stormpaw, while Darkpaw ate with Moonpaw. When they all finished, they groomed each other, and went to sleep. Darkpaw opened her eyes, and found herself in a shadowy forest. "Oh no." She murmured. Fireblaze ducked out of a bunch of bramble and greeted her. Darkpaw stared at him confused, and fumbled, "Ummmm. What's going on?" Fireblaze turned to her and flicked his tail. The muscular white tom who refused to help her before, padded out of the shadows. "That's Frostfang." He mewed. The tom dipped his head and greeted Fireblaze. The golden tom turned to her and asked. "You said you wanted to train didn't you?" Darkpaw nodded slowly, and unsurely. Fireblaze snorted, and tur ed back to Frostfang. "This is Darkpaw." he meowed, his voice suddenly deeper. Frostfang nodded, and tur ed his brighr blue gaze to her. "She's a fast learner, and if somethings wrong, talk to her about it. L" Fireblaze went on. Frostfang nodded and wrapped his tail around, Darkpaw, pulling her closer. They looked at each other, and Frostfang bared his teeth. "Are you ready?" He snarled.