Warriors: Uprising (Book 1)

Chapter 23

           Nova didn't know what do to about Blacksting at this point. It's like he had every Vertexclan member wrapped around his paws. Nova decided she would sit by the Ocean Side for a while. She didn't feel like being in camp right now. The Vertexclan medicine cat watched the sun float above the water line in the distance. I wonder how far the sun is... She thought and sighed. Does her leader prefer goatweed over his clan? How could he? Doesn't he want his clan to get bigger and stronger than Driftclan? Nova gave another sigh. What was she going to do now?

"N-Nova!" There was a voice that yelled from far down the Ocean Side. She looked to her left to see a brown cat running down the shore towards her.

Is that... Otterpelt?! Nova thought, then widened her eyes at the sight of the Driftclan medicine cat running up to her.

"Otterpelt? What are you doing here?"

"I was just going to look for some herbs, then I saw you!" She exclaimed, catching her breath now. "I figured out the rest of the prophecy!"

Nova's ears shot up quickly. "Really?!" she jumped up onto her paws.

"Yes! The last word that Thorntail didn't get out was shred." Otterpelt mewed.

"The blizzard will stop the shred..." Nova repeated to herself.

"Blizzardpaw has to have something to do with this then!" Otterpelt meowed, "But if she does, then what is this shred she would have to stop?" The brown-furred she-cat questioned.

Nova thought for a second, then gasped, "I think this might have to do with Shredpaw too!"

"But why would Shredpaw need to be stopped?" Otterpelt asked Nova.

"I don't know, but we must watch them both closely. Especially Shredpaw. We don't know what could happen in the moons to come." she meowed back with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Otterpelt said.

*

    Shredpaw never thought this would happen. He never thought Blacksting would go this far as to kill his mother. Shredpaw lost touch with reality when he saw his mother get killed by his father. He endured all this pain so Dustshine wouldn't get hurt. Blacksting had lied to him. Shredpaw wanted nothing more, but his father gone and his mother back by his side. Blacksting had told Birdstar that another fox had attacked them and killed Dustshine while they were training. Shredpaw knew that wasn't true, Blacksting knew this wasn't true, and maybe even all of Vertexclan knew. Even the leader is too scared to do something about Blacksting.

Shredpaw felt alone.

He felt that no other cat besides Dustshine truly cared for him. He wanted to see her again, but he couldn't because of the one that murdered her. Shredpaw wanted to set a vigil for her, but Blacksting didn't allow him to because today Shredpaw is having his "warrior assessment". He waited in the corner of the Apprentices' den. He didn't want to move at all.

He wanted Blacksting to kill him, too.

Shredpaw wanted to die and be with his mother in Starclan, and he doesn't care how he dies either.

As long as he's with Dustshine.

Shredpaw heard pawsteps come into the den. It was none other than Blacksting. "We're doing your assessment. Let's go now," He meowed.

Shredpaw didn't reply and just followed Blacksting.

*

   Blacksting took Shredpaw to a tiny cave that had a big rock next to it. "Go inside," he ordered. Shredpaw did as he was told and padded into the cave. It didn't go any farther back, it was just a small cave.

"Now stay here. I'll be back whenever I feel like it," Blacksting snarled, then pushed the rock over the entrance of the cave. Shredpaw only wondered how he could push such a big of a rock. Once he finished closing the entrance, the cave was black now. Shredpaw couldn't see anything. He didn't care at this point.

"I just want to die! Is that too much to ask for? I'm tired of living this pointless life!" He yelled, and it echoed in the cave. Shredpaw wanted to cry, but he didn't see a point in doing that either.

Hello, friend! It was Shred's voice in his head again.

"Leave me alone!" Shredpaw yelled again.

But why? We're stuck in here together!

"Dustshine is dead, Blacksting is alive."

Just kill him!

Shredpaw's ears shot up at Shred's words. "What did you say?"

Kill him, of course!

"He's much stronger than me... How would I even do it?"

With my help!

"Are... You sure?" Shred had piqued Shredpaw's interest.

Yep! After you're made a warrior, we'll make a plan!

Shredpaw only gave an ominous smile.

Shredpaw would plan to kill his father.