Warriors: A Twisted Path

Chapter 24

Gingerpaw has been missing for two days now. Featherheart and Flamepelt led search parties looking for her, but the rain washed away her scent trail and they had no hope in finding her now.
"She will return, she has to." Flamepelt had said, but she was even unsure herself.

Leapfrost was on a patrol with his mate, Drizzlestar, and their two kits Lightpaw and Darkpaw. Lightpaw had begged them to let Fuzzypaw come along, so Leapfrost agreed to it. Checking on the borders wasn't the only thing they were doing, they also were looking for Gingerpaw.
They were near the twoleg place, every cat spread out not to far from each other, sniffing around.
Darkpaw wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I smell kittypets!"
"We're in a twoleg place, where kittypets live mousebrain!" Lightpaw snorted.
Darkpaw rolled his eyes. "No, I mean I smell one close by!"
"You're right." Drizzlestar agreed, narrowing her eyes. "What's a kittypet doing so close to our territory?"
Suddenly, a white tom with gray patches stepped out from the undergrowth, the little bell on his collar making a ringing noise every time he took a step.
Drizzlestar's eyes widened as the kittypet spoke. "Hello, my name is Nev. I've come here looking for my two daughters."
Drizzlestar slowly took a step back, her tail tip twitching with shock. "F-Father..."
Nev's went round with joy. "Drizzle! You're alive!" He looked at the other cats who were with her. "Where's Jagged?"
"She was banished moons ago." Drizzlestar said through gritted teeth. "And I don't want to talk about why."
Nev nodded, taking a step closer to his daughter. "Well at least I found you... I've come to take you home! I'm living with new housefolk and they have lots of other cats living with them, so they're bound to let you stay!"
Drizzlestar unsheathed her claws, growling. Nev looked at her claws in surprise. "No... why would you even think for a second I would go with you, after you abandoned me!?"
"Drizzle, I'm sorry-"
"No! Don't call me that!" Drizzlestar spat. "My name is Drizzlestar, and I have a huge responsibility now. There's no way I would go anywhere with you." She looked from Leapfrost to Lightpaw and Darkpaw. "I have a mate, a family! I don't need you!"
"But I'm you're father, I'm more important than them!" Nev spat.
"You're wrong. Because they love and care for me, nothing you have ever done for me." Drizzlestar growled.
"Let's bring him back to camp and keep him prisoner!" Darkpaw hissed. "Let's show him what clan cats from FireClan are really like!"
Drizzlestar grinned a little. "Maybe you're right, my son. Maybe it's time to let Nev feel the same pain I felt when he left me."
Leapfrost stepped beside her. "Drizzlestar, please think about what you're doing."
Drizzlestar whipped her head to face him, glaring at him. "As your leader, I command you to keep your mouth shut! Darkpaw, pin this cat down and drag him back to camp!"
"Yes Drizzlestar!" Darkpaw mewed. He lunged forward, shoving Nev to the ground.
"Get off me you flea-bag!" Nev yowled.
Darkpaw grabbed Nev by the tail and yanked him forward, shoving him in front of him. "Get up now, you fat, lazy cat!"
Nev staggered to his paws, growling.
Darkpaw gave him a warning hiss. "You're coming with us!"

Drizzlestar pushed Nev in the clearing of FireClan's camp, clearing her voice as she yowled. "FireClan, gather around me!"
There were murmurs between the warriors as they followed Drizzlestar's order.
"He's smells like a kittypet, and look at his collar!" Bearfur exclaimed.
"He's so fat! Why did you bring him here?!" Scorchpelt demanded.
"This cat here is the one who abandoned me when I needed him the most." Drizzlestar growled, placing an unsheathed paw on Nev's side. "This cat is my father, and he will pay for what he's done!"
"Don't tell me this cat is my grandfather!?" Wolfrunner yowled, pushing his way to the front.
"For once I agree with him." Clawtooth growled. "This cat is an absolute disgrace!"
Drizzlestar smiled. "Then it's time for you two to work together." She shoved Nev towards them. "Do what you'd like with him, just don't kill him."
Clawtooth immediately lunged at the helpless kittypet, shredding Nev up without hesitation. Wolfrunner just stood there, watching.
"Wolfrunner, help your brother!" Drizzlestar ordered.
Wolfrunner flinched, then sprang next to Clawtooth, clawing away at the tom.
Leapfrost and a few other warriors looked away in disgust, while some cheered them on.
"Shred him to pieces!" Scorchpelt encouraged.
"Wolfrunner stop!"
Everyone turned to the camp entrance to see Gingerpaw standing there, her eyes wide with horror.
"Wolfrunner, this isn't you!" Gingerpaw said, her eyes full of pain.
Wolfrunner took a step back, flattening his ears against his head. "I'm just following orders, Gingerpaw." His gaze soon softened. "Where have you been?!"
Gingerpaw looked down. "That doesn't matter. What does is that the Wolfrunner I knew, wouldn't hurt a cat, only if he was really forced to!"
"You don't understand what this cat did to my mother." Wolfrunner hissed.
"Let Wolfrunner do his job, apprentice." Drizzlestar growled.
Gingerpaw knew better than to argue with the clan leader, so she turned away from them, unable to watch any longer.
Why is Wolfrunner like this? What happened to him? Does he even still love me?