Cinder

Chapter 13

   Hawkpaw, you will be known as Hawktalon. I give you this name in honor of your brother, and how you two will always be together. StarClan honors your bravery and your spirit, and I welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." A moon had passed since Talonpaw died. Hawktalon walked over to his father, who touched his nose to his sons head. The clan cheered his new name, but the air was filled with grief. Splashtail looked at her paws, ears flat. Leafstrike bathed her kit in licks saying that Talonpaw would he proud.
     Morningsun has also given birth to Heronwing's kits. She had Bluekit, a blue gray she kit, Amberkit, a pretty gray kit with unusual amber eyes, and Shellkit, a white she kit with ginger spots and a ginger tail. The three kits were bouncing around Hawktalon's paws with tails sticking straight in the air. Hawktalon bent down and growled in Amberkit's face before he walked off, shoulders stiff. He walked over to Falconstar and Leafstrike, and the family huddled together in grief and celebration mixed.
     "The new warrior scared me!" Amberkit mewled.
     "He's just grouchy." Morningsun growled.
     "You can't blame him completely. He did just lose his brother." Heronwing said gently to his mate.
     "Doesn't give him an excuse to be mean to my kits." Morningsun said with a sniff. Bluekit and Shellkit bounced around the clearing. Woodkit and Mosskit joined the younger kits, and soon they were all trotting around the clearing, getting under everyone's paws. Cindercloud left them and walked to Splashtail, who was staring at her paws. Thistlewing sat nearby with Patchfur, but they were deep in conversation. Featherheart had left on patrol with Graystep, Heatherfall and Briarthorn. Cindercloud wrapped her tail around Splashtail.
    "It's not fair." Splashtail croaked.
     "I know. None of it is fair." Cindercloud said softly. Her heart twisted in her chest.
     "It's like the days when Brokenstar was alive, but it's ThunderClan not ShadowClan." Splashtail added. "I'll kill him." She added. "I'll shred every last hair on his pelt!"
    "I want him dead as much as you do." Cindercloud agreed, knowing she was talking about Mudstar.
    "Maybe he is on his ninth life." Splashtail meowed hopefully.
    "StarClan willing." Cindercloud muttered. Splashtail shuddered, a sob welling in her throat. Cindercloud leaned her head onto her cousins shoulder, trying to provide comfort. They sat like that for a while until Cindercloud was summoned on patrol...

The full moon floated in the sky. Cindercloud sat by herself, glaring into the shadows. She noticed Snakefang slinking toward her. A calico cat walked beside him.
    "Hi Cindercloud!" He greeted cheerfully. "This is my apprentice, Applepaw." He said. The little calico dipped her head. "What's wrong?" He asked, sensing her sour mood.
    "Mudstar." Cindercloud growled. Snakefang flicked an ear.
    "Applepaw, why don't you find Skypaw and fine a group of apprentices to sit with?" He suggested. Applepaw nodded and bounced away. Snakefang sat beside Cindercloud. "What has happened?" He asked, voice full of concern. Cindercloud explained everything to him. Snakefang's eyes were dark.
"I knew Mudstar wasn't going to stop. I'm so sorry." He murmured. Cindercloud shrugged bitterly. Snakefang turned his gaze to where Frondspeck and Mistpool were sitting. He looked like he wanted to join the pretty she cat, but he hesitated.
"You can go sit with Mistpool. I'll be okay." Cindercloud assured. Snakefang dipped his head and walked off. Cindercloud noticed Ravenclaw padding over to her. She stiffened.
"I'm so sorry." He meowed, sitting beside her. "I don't control Mudstar's actions. It is horrible that he killed one of your apprentices." He said apologetically.
"He wasn't just some apprentice. He was my best friend, and was going to be my cousins mate." Cindercloud growled. She flicked her tail to where Splashtail sat beside Graystep, who was snarling up at Mudstar. Ravenclaw flicked an ear.
"Trust me, I want nothing but peace." He said.
"Careful what you say young warrior. Mudstar doesn't like it when you talk like that." Jetclaw, a ThunderClan elder, growled from where he sat with Sandwhisker and Fuzzyclaw. "Though I understand where you come from young warrior. Back in my day, Eaglestar wanted nothing but peace. But when he appointed Mudthorn as deputy....." Jetclaw trailed off when he noticed Switcheye staring at him through narrowed eyes. The fierce deputy sat beside Foxclaw and Cloudspring. Heronwing sat apart from the other deputies, his shoulders stiff.
"The gathering is to begin!" Mudstar called from the oak tree. Hawktalon, who was sitting near Cindercloud, growled low and flared at him, hatred sparking deep in his eyes.
"Yes. Why don't you tell the clans how you murdered one of our apprentices." Falconstar said savagely, his eyes glittering with malice. Shocked exclamations murmured around the tree.
"That's against the warrior code!" Frogfoot from RiverClan cried.
    "Every cat risks dying in battle." Finchwing from ThunderClan pointed out.
    "Mudstar would not kill on purpose." Whiteflower meowed, though she looked uneasy.
    "Of course not." Mudstar answered smoothly. Falconstar's fur lifted along his spine.
   "Of course yes!" He spat back. "You attacked Talonpaw head on and tore him apart before hurtling him into a tree!" Falconstar yelled. Gasps came from the crowd of cats.
    "That's beyond fighting!" Silverrain of RiverClan called.
"And you had fatally wounded him another time!" Falconstar added. Hawktalon flinched. "And you said you would keep killing our warriors until we surrendered territory." He finally said. Thornstar turned to Mudstar, eyes flaring.
"All of that is against the warrior code. Who are you trying to be, Tigerstar?" He growled.
"Maybe I am. What does it matter?" Mudstar drawled.
"We have had peace in this forest for many moons before you became leader. Why don't you keep it that way?" Petalstar challenged. Mudstar laughed slowly.
"I want to make ThunderClan strong, not weak like in Firestar's day." He said.
"You can be strong without provoking fear." Thornstar reasoned. "All we want is what is best for our clans and the forest." He added. Mudstar rolled his eyes.
    "If you say so." He mewed.
    "WindClan will be doubling our patrols on our borders." Falconstar meowed.
    "Same with ShadowClan." Petalstar agreed. "Your rule cannot be agreed upon in StarClan." She meowed. Mudstar scoffed.
     "That didn't stop Tigerstar or Brokenstar." He pointed out.
     "No? But the clans stopped them." Falconstar growled.
    "I'd like to see you try!" Mudstar said, curling his lip to reveal sharp teeth.
     "ShadowClan has been thriving." Petalstar started, ignoring Mudstar. Dawnkit, Sootkit and Puddlekit are a new blessing to the clan." She added proudly.
    "Speaking of ShadowClan, I wonder where Maplefrost is." Ravenclaw murmured in Cindercloud's ear. He had remained silent during Mudstar's tirade.
    "Must have been unable to join." She meowed.
    "RiverClan has plenty of prey, even with the weather cooling down. One of our queens is pregnant with kits, and we welcome new warriors." Thornstar meowed, glaring coldly at Mudstar.
     "Hawktalon has become a warrior in WindClan, though his brother was unable to join in, due to his untimely death." Falconstar snarled. The clans cheered solemnly for Hawktalon, who sat glowering in the shadows. Leafstrike wrapped her tail around her son.
    "RiverClan is thriving. Prey is rich in the river. Mistpool and Lionclaw are warriors as well." Thornstar announced. Mudstar's eyes gleamed with interest. "We as well will be watching our borders." He added. Mudstar scoffed.
    "Like we would go through the trouble of invading RiverClan." He growled. Thornstar glared at the ThunderClan leader. The gathering soon broke apart. Cindercloud steered clear of the ThunderClan warriors besides Ravenclaw. Even she felt uncomfortable beside him after what Mudstar had said. Ravenclaw shifted his paws uneasily.
     "I should go find Darkstorm." He meowed quietly.
     "Alright." Cindercloud meowed. She looked at him, and something about his gentle gaze tugged her forward. She leaned into him for a moment, letting their pelts brush, before she got up and padded away. She felt Ravenclaw watching her as she went and found a spot beside Splashtail. She nodded  to Cindercloud. She was sitting beside Frondspeck from RiverClan and Roseheart from ShadowClan.
"Better keep your eyes open while on patrol." Roseheart was saying as she gazed at the ThunderClan warriors. "I don't now why Mudstar has to make his clan so feared like in the days of Brokenstar. I wonder if he is trying to make ThunderClan look strong after the ridicule they got under Firestar's rule. But that was so long ago!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah. Anyone would think we would want some peace for a long time, especially after the great battle." Frondspeck added. Cindercloud nodded, curling her tail over her legs.
"Even some of his own warriors want peace not war." Splashtail added.
"I have a feeling they aren't allowed to speak ill of Mudstar though." Roseheart said darkly. Cindercloud padded away, not wanting to hear anymore. Soon, Falconstar called the clan to leave. She glanced at Ravenclaw one more time before padding away to join her clan