(Book 1) Warriors: Separations - Six Stars

Chapter 8

 Speckledstones sat down beside Emberheart. "Do you need any freshkill? You must be hungry after all that."

Emberheart shook her head. "I'll just be asking Rainbowpaw for freshkill now. I don't think I should continue eating what others give me." She told him. Speckledstones nodded. "Well, I hope you feel better."

"Rainbowpaw! Could you grab me a mouse?" Emberheart called to Rainbowpaw.

"Sure thing, Emberheart!" Rainbowpaw called back.

Speckledstones watched Rainbowpaw run out of the medicine den. He stood still for a moment, lost in his own thoughts. Why did Emberheart get sick? That was so random... Perhaps it was the run back to camp after Skystar told Speckledstones he was allowed to stay in Windclan. But yarrow couldn't fix that... it would have to be something that she ate... maybe a rotten mouse. Speckledstones sighed. He didn't think it would be that simple... could she have been poisoned?

Rainbowpaw padded into the den, and then to Emberheart. "Here you go, I made extra sure that this was completely safe, nothing bad inside of it." Emberheart nodded gratefully and ate the mouse. She looked disheveled and tired, as if even eating was too much effort. That sickness must have really taken up her strength.

Skystar ran up to Speckledstones. "Speckledstones!" he called.

Speckledstones faced Skystar. "What do you need?" he asked. Skystar faced Speckledstones, worry and fear flooding his gaze. "I need you to do something." Skystar told him. Speckledstones nodded. "And what is that?" he asked. Skystar hesitated. "I... I need you to be the deputy."

Speckledstones widened his eyes.

"Me? I thought I was just some rogue to you, why would you want me to be the deputy?" Skystar groaned. "I just–! You're trustworthy. From the time I spent living with you, I deduced that you were a reliable and responsible cat, alright?" he retorted, embarrassed.

Speckledstones looked at Skystar, astonished. Excitement and pride welled up inside him until he thought he'd burst. "I'd love to be Windclan's deputy!"

Skystar returned Speckledstones' joyful gaze, and nodded. Speckledstones stopped for a second, and confusedly said, "Wait. Why do you need a new deputy? What happened to Whiteclaw?"

Skystar looked at Speckledstones, hurt clouding his gaze. He spoke softly. "I... I think Whiteclaw is the one behind the near death of Emberheart." Speckledstones' heart dropped. "What? Whiteclaw seemed like such a reliable cat, I...!" Skystar continued.

"And the suspected murder of his own leader." his voice shook.

Speckledstones stared at Skystar. "You're joking, right?" he choked. "There's no way... where's your proof?!" he growled. Skystar glared at Speckledstones. "Whiteclaw didn't even like you, why are you being so defensive of that fox-heart?!" he snarled back. Speckledstones shook his head. "Not a lot of people in Windclan like me, but that doesn't make it okay to throw around baseless accusations tarnishing their reputations!"

Skystar sighed. "It's not as simple as that. Nightwing, Badgerkit, Sunkit, and Hawkfire all saw Whiteclaw messing around with some freshkill before it happened. Dawnpelt asked Whiteclaw what he was doing, and Whiteclaw said he was trying to find the best piece of freshkill to give to his leader. Then Dawnpelt told him to give it to Emberheart, since she'd been working so hard lately."

Speckledstones' heart skipped a beat. "Oh no... what did Whiteclaw put in it?" Speckledstones asked Skystar.

Skystar shook his head. "My best guess is either watermint or deathberries, both of which could be fatal to a cat if eaten, but we can't really observe it. All we can do is ask Whiteclaw and hope she owns up to it."

Speckledstones nodded carefully. "Well, I'll be sure to make up for Whiteclaw's crimes by being the best deputy I can." he mewed confidently. Skystar seemed to lighten up. "Thank you, Speckledstones. I trust that you will live up to those words." he dipped his head. "I'll go make the announcement."

Speckledstones followed Skystar out of the den and made his way over to sit in front of it and wait for Skystar to call the meeting.

"Let all cats old enough to run the moor gather around the Tall Rock for a clan meeting!" he yowled.

Cats began slipping out of their dens. It was almost nightfall, the pale light of day sinking slowly below the horizon as the crowd began growing.

Skystar waited for a moment, then started. "I've reason to suspect that one of my cats," he said with a glare at Whiteclaw, "has attempted to murder me and Emberheart." he meowed grimly.

Murmurs of disbelief echoed throughout the clearing. Speckledstones spotted Nightwing and Hawkfire, looking at each other knowingly. Skystar waited for the noise to die down before he continued. He glared at Whiteclaw, his amber eyes piercing her gaze.

"Whiteclaw." he snarled.

Whiteclaw looked up at him, her gaze betraying nothing, however Speckledstones noticed from her paws shuffling and fur bristling that she was nervous.

"Due to the suspected attempt on me and Emberheart's lives, you will be relinquished from your deputy duties and held as a prisoner until you confess. Only then will you be allowed into normal clan life once more." he said coldly.

Whiteclaw gasped. "You can't do that! Where's the evidence?!" she growled at him.

A second later, the camp was filled with yowls of outrage and disbelief.

"Whiteclaw would never do that! She's loyal!" one voice yelled. Speckledstones recognized the old she, Dawnpelt yowling with fury.

"How could Whiteclaw do this?!" another voice screeched.

"Exile her!" a cat yowled.

"Silence!" Skystar howled above them all. Within another second, the camp was quiet once more, only a few whispers remained.

"So, I have decided on a new deputy." he announced. " I say these words before , so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of Windclan is Speckledstones." he reported.

Dawnpelt flicked her tail angrily, but said nothing.

Speckledstones stepped forward nervously. He suddenly was unsure of whether he was fit to be the clan's deputy. Many cats did not trust him, however he shook the thought out of his mind. He would just have to earn his clan's trust by being a reliable and trustworthy deputy, worthy of praise and respect.

Speckledstones took his place on the Tall Rock lower than where Skystar sat.

Skystar flicked his tail. "Clan dismissed."

The rest of the clan scurried off to their dens, and Skystar jumped off the rock and padded up to Speckledstones. "Are you completely sure that you're up for this? I still have time to change deputies, you know." he mewed nervously. Speckledstones nodded confidently.

"I'm sure I'll be a deputy you can be proud of, brother."