Lost Hope: Book 4: The Darkest Shadow

Chapter 13

"I can't imagine being in Sparrowfeather's situation," Foxflame murmured. "I mean, his own daughter killed his apprentice."

Lilacsnow nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. But do you think it was actually an accident?"

They were on border patrol with their apprentices, talking over Violetpaw's scandal.

Foxflame didnt reply immediately. Was it? He couldn't imagine an apprentice barely into her apprenticeship killing a more experienced one, especially the ever talented Sapphirepaw. But he'd seen her at the competition, she'd beat the apprentice that beat Sapphirepaw.

"Our mother must be quite the mentor," he said, attempting humor, though there was nothing funny about Sapphirepaw's death.

"Must be," Lilacsnow agreed.

"Maybe Violetpaw's evil," Lilypaw said.

Lilacsnow hushed her apprentice. "We better stop gossiping before our apprentices become as bad as us," she said to Foxflame.

He chuckled. "Yes, I suppose so."

They finished up their border patrol and headed back to camp, and their own conversation from earlier seemed to be repeating itself. As he passed, he could hear other cats buzzing with theories and rumors. He momentarily felt bad for Violetpaw, who would be the subject of foul conversation for moons to come.

"I wonder if Phoenixwing had something to do with it?" He heard Cloudstorm murmur.

"Maybe she wants to get rid of Starfur's kits because she's a medicine cat?" Creektail said back.

Foxflame rolled his eyes. This is absurd. Why would his own mother want to get rid of Starfur's kits?

He turned to Claypaw. "Go get some food and then head to sleep, okay?" His apprentice nodded and bounded over to the prey pile, followed by Lilypaw.

Foxflame went straight to the warriors den, and fell asleep almost instantly.

***

Sunlight poured in through the den, casting shadows across the nests due to the overhanging lichen. Foxflame yawned wide and stretched in his mossy nest. His sister had fallen asleep beside him, and he nudged her softly.

Two pale blue eyes blinked back at him. "Hmmm, good morning," she yawned.

"Good morning," he returned, and gave his fur a hasty grooming before rising and padding out of the den. Lilacsnow followed shortly afterward, and they went to find their apprentices.

Claypaw and Lilypaw were snoozing peacefully in the apprentices den and Foxflame called, "Claypaw, Lilypaw! Training!" He hoped he wasn't too loud so he wouldn't wake the other apprentices.

Claypaw stirred a little, and he reached into the den and prodded her awake. "Wake your sister and meet us by the camp entrance," he told her. She yawned and nodded sleepily.

"Yes, Foxflame."

He ducked out and he and Lilacsnow walked over to the entrance. Their apprentices popped out a few moments later. As they walked out of camp, Foxflame noticed that Claypaw would not stop yawning.

"Did you not sleep?" he asked.

"Violetpaw was murmuring in her sleep all night," Claypaw told him complainingly.

"What was she saying?" Curiosity had gotten the best of him.

"Something about a viper fang, I think," Claypaw said, wrinkling her nose. "She must have some weird dreams."

Foxflame stiffened, and he noticed that Lilacsnow, who'd been listening, did too. She threw him a meaningful glance that meant, 'We'll talk  later.'

***

They did talk later, Lilacsnow made a sure of it. When they finished up training their apprentice she quickly ushered him back out of camp where they could talk without being interrupted.

"Viperfang!" Lilacsnow hissed.

"Yes, I know," he said. "What is she doing with Violetpaw?"

"I have no clue. I forgot she even existed until this morning," his sister murmured.

Foxflame though for a moment before saying, "It's connected, isn't it? Sapphirepaw's death and Viperfang seeing  Violetpaw."

"I think you're right," Lilacsnow said. "The question remains, what should we do about it?"

    Foxflame shook his head helplessly. "I'm not sure there is much we can do about it, but hopefully we'll come up with something."