Darkstorm's Code✔️

Chapter Thirty

Shadeflight ran towards Yowltail. "Dead?" he demanded. Darkstorm watched as he checked. "You're right. His belly has been cut open. Who- who would be savage enough to do this? Killing him is one thing, but killing him like this... He must have felt pain." Shadeflight's eye caught on a tuft of fur. "His killer didn't leave a scent. It wasn't MoonClan- they stink of dung. I don't think they wash."

"He's dead," Yowltail repeated numbly. "He was the only other ShadowClan warrior that remembered. Shadeflight, you and Darkstorm are young. You don't have such fond memories of the lake... You don't remember how it was when there was prey, and no Twolegs. It was beautiful. No cat could have asked for a better home. We fell asleep every night with full bellies."

She's right. I have fond memories of our old home... But not as fond as hers. Not as fond as Grassfang's. They were mates. They were so, so close. But now he's dead. If Arrowheart died...

"I'm sorry," she murmured, nuzzling Yowltail. "He... He shouldn't have died."

"No, he shouldn't have!" Orangetail snapped. "You fox-hearts! Who did this?" She turned on DarkClan, fur bristling. "Who?"

"Orangetail, it's not a cat in this clan," Ravenfur protested.

"Maybe it's you?" Ravenfur stepped back, visibly hurt. 

"Of course not! Why... Why would you even say that?" Orangetail snarled, unsheathing her claws, and Snarlfang pulled her back, murmuring something. Darkstorm caught the words 'Stop' and 'They'. 

"Look, we're all stressed out," Darkstorm mewed. "Grassfang is dead. But we can't go around throwing false accusations, and we can't let this stop us. But," she continued, regret filling her voice for the need to say this, "if any of you don't want to stay, you can go. But I promise- I promise that I will try my hardest to stop everyone's deaths." Comfreytail looked up.

I trust you," she announced. "I will stay." 

"Yes, you all finally get why I was angry all the time," Sparrownose added. "I can't leave you, not now when you're the only ones that will make me feel wanted." Coralfall blinked.

"Finkit may have died, but he was loved, and Sparrownose wasn't thinking straight. I will stay; now I have a friend." She nodded at Sparrownose. "You shouldn't have killed Finkit, but I have been through so much death. I am letting go of hate." That's... Unexpected. Coralfall's kit was killed. But I won't argue, Darkstorm licked her fur, embarrassed, as similar announcements rang through the cats.

"Then we must go," she declared. "Yowltail, I know this hurts, but we're too close to stop." Yowltail glared at her.

"You shouldn't be leader; you're too young to have experience! You're not leaving someone behind!" she spat, her tail lashing. "You don't know how this feels!" Darkstorm winced and snarled.

"I do. You may not trust him, but I could be leaving Arrowheart behind.  His scent is here; what should make me believe that he isn't? I have a life, too, you know," She growled and flattened her ears. "I gave it up to lead you. And I'm only leading you because you wanted me to lead you. Have you ever thought of that?" she snapped harshly. "So we'll go. Grassfang was my mentor- I care about him, too. Maybe not as much as you- you're mates. But still, don't tell me that I shouldn't be leader or that I don't know how this feels!" She spun around. "Come, we're going." No cat argued, glancing at each other behind her back.

...

Darkstorm sighed, curling up. Moon-high had come and gone, a moon long, and still nothing had happened. They had gone on in the direction of the moon, Starkit and Duskkit playing games with Mosskit in their sleep. "Darkstorm," Thinfur mewed, sitting down beside her. Shadeflight padded towards them, glancing at Darkstorm.