Diverging Paths (Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

It had been a single day since Heronbeak had died, and Highwings could see the general effect it had on camp. Cats were more moody, murmuring about Moorpaw and Deerpaw and Lilacpaw and Offpaw and Heronbeak and Nimblereach and the mysterious rogue and the dogs and what had happened. They were murmuring about everything. Highwings could overhear snippets of conversation between Murmuringsoil and other warriors as he set out on a border patrol. The cats with him were Slicepaw, his own apprentice, as well as Bigpaw, Cricketpaw, and their mentors, Starefrown and Beargrowl.

Some of the things Murmuringsoil was saying about the apprentices who had gone out were so vile, Highwings wished she could forget it was her deputy who was saying those things.

She also saw Scatterstar around camp. The death affected her too, but in an odd way. Around other cats, of course, she acted grieving. But when she sat on her own, she seemed to have almost a relieved look on her face, like some kind of burden had been lifted off her shoulders since Heronbeak's death. Highwings wanted to point it out, but respected Scatterstar too much to do this, although it still deeply offended her that the leader would act this way after a medicine cat's death. I'll keep my eye on her. Maybe she has a reason for it.

Now she sat with her father, Sickbreath, his sister Jumpstump, and Mixedpaw and Offpaw, Moorpaw's brothers. Though Highwings somewhat wished she could talk to Moorpaw herself, she didn't see the apprentice anywhere, nor Deerpaw. Lilacpaw was going in and out of the warrior's den, changing the moss nests inside it with her mentor Sunroar watching over her with what seemed like a constant glare. The three had been confined to camp until further notice by Scatterstar, meaning Moorpaw and Deerpaw were possibly in one of the dens too.

"I still can't believe they did it," Mixedpaw murmured; the small group, which had been silent for a while, turned their attention to him. "They know the rules, and they went anyway."

"They probably are feeling guilty about Heronbeak too," Highwings told him in a flimsy attempt to justify it.

"That doesn't excuse them," Offpaw seethed. "My sister killed my mentor, and she hasn't even apologized yet."

"Offpaw!" Mixedpaw exclaimed, rubbing up against his brother. "She didn't kill her. Not on purpose."

"But she ran off with Deerpaw and Lilacpaw," he muttered, his tail flicking. "I can't believe she'd do something like that. I can't believe it!"

"Well, you never really know a cat," Jumpstump chuckled weakly.

The gray striped medicine cat apprentice glared at the silver, dark gray caped elder. "You wouldn't know what it's like."

To Highwings' surprise, Jumpstump just broke out in laughter. "Oh, hearing you kits try and tell that tome that is the funniest thing!"

"What's so funny about it?!" Offpaw retorted, fur rising along his spine and tail puffing out.

Jumpstump had to wait a bit to calm down. Even Sickbreath seemed on the verge of laughter, though he tried to contain it for the sake of not offending the younger cats. Well, Highwings was offended anyway. What would be their excuse for laughing out loud at a cat's expense?

"Have I ever told you the story of how I became like this?" Jumpstump asked with a grin. "You know...unmovable."

Highwings nodded, though Offpaw and Mixedpaw shook their heads, the former apprentice still looking rather insulted. However, Highwings was taken by surprise when the gray, grounded elder addressed her with, "I know I told you it was a rogue when you were a 'paw, Highwings. But, truth be told, I was just avoiding the reality of it all. Guess I ought to tell you how it really happened."