Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Fifty-Three

Nightstar felt cold when she opened her eyes, not realizing she had fallen asleep. Beside her nest lay a vole and a wad of damp moss that was ice-cold. The leader shivered and saw snow blocking the medicine den entrance. The she-cat could barely feel her paws as she shifted in her warm nest.

"You're up rather early," commented the voice of Reedfrost as he looked over his shoulder.

"I could say the same for you," retorted Nightstar as she let out a cough. Pain lashed up her chest, making her gasp and she dug her claws into the ground.

Reedfrost turned to her, eyes flashing with interest as she wheezed. "What's it like to be the evilest cat in the Clans?" He asked mildly, surprising Nightstar.

"I'm sorry, what?" Nightstar meowed, tail tip twitching as she gazed at the medicine cat. Is he trying to mock me?

Reedfrost fixed her with his green gaze, making her shift uncomfortably. "You are the first cat to try to take over all four Clans while still being fairly young." He leaned towards her, eyes narrowing. "What does it feel like to take the lives of so many young, innocent cats?"

Nightstar chose to not answer as she pushed herself to her aching paws, ignoring the pain that flashed in her chest. "I'm getting out of this den." She announced and limped out of the medicine den.

The clearing was full of Nightstar's Clan as they ate their share of the prey the hunting patrols caught. Nightstar scanned the clearing and saw Swiftsoul and Dawnflame basking in the sun together, their tails twined. The leader flicked her tail and looked around, narrowing her eyes as she saw Mistlepaw, Stonepaw, Emberpaw, and Hollypaw exiting the nursery. She took a few small steps forward until she could hear the bickering.

"I can't believe your mother made us clean the nursery." Stonepaw was groaning, shaking some moss from his blue-gray pelt. "I never want to go in there ever again."

Emberpaw let out a snort. "Just because we're four days into our apprenticeships, we're still the only apprentices other than Lilypaw and Shellfur."

Mistlepaw licked a light blue-gray paw and drew it over her ear. "Can Shellfur even be considered an apprentice still?" She wondered and Hollypaw shrugged.

"I mean, Timberskip is still alive." Hollypaw pointed out, tail flicking. "And all he does is groan about how cold it is during leafbare." She looked at her denmates, her eyes flashing.

Stonepaw let out a huff. "I won't be surprised if Timberskip doesn't last this leafbare." He meowed. "He's as old as a badger!"

Mistlepaw gasped and so did Hollypaw and Emberpaw. "Stonepaw!" She stared at her littermate in shock. "Don't say something like that about your medicine cat!"

The blue-gray tom glared at his sister. "Don't tell me that you haven't thought the same thing, Mistlepaw." He meowed and glanced at the other two apprentices. "After all, he isn't our medicine cat."

"What are you saying?" Emberpaw demanded, tail lashing as his claws unsheathed. He glared at the other apprentice, fur spiked. "That since he doesn't share our blood, that he isn't fit to be a medicine cat?"

Stonepaw curled his lip at Emberpaw and Nightstar tensed. "Timberskip does nothing but eat prey and waste good moss." He retorted. "Medicine cats are useless if you think about it. All they do is whine about herbs and sickness when real warriors feed and protect the Clan." His claws glinted in the sunlight and Emberpaw let out a growl. "Lilypaw was stupid to join them in that den. Fussing over cats like a mother to her kits."

"Hold your tongue, Stonepaw." Emberpaw snarled, his voice scathing as he thrust his muzzle towards Stonepaw's.

Stonepaw sneered. "Protecting your crush, are you?" He taunted and smirked. "All you do is gawk at Lilypaw whenever she walks by."