Incoming Storm

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"It's over now."

Swiftkit glanced up as Mossypaws let out a reluctant call. She had been pacing around the clearing, unable to sleep, even as dawn light streaked into ThunderClan camp, and her muscles ached.

From somewhere behind her, Eaglestar bounded forward. "So?" He prompted.

Mossypaws bowed her head low, eyes on the ground. Around her, cats who were beginning to come out of their dens to go on patrol padded nearer. One cat still chomped loudly on his sparrow.

Mossypaws seemed grim. Her body was rigid, and Swiftkit could hear her rasping breath. She hoped that their Medicine Cat was loyal to Eaglestar, especially since she had recently fought on the Tinypelts' side.

"Look here," Mossypaws rounded on Eaglestar. "The news isn't good." She lifted her voice so all the cats could hear. "Littlesnow's shock from the battle made her start kitting early, which is extremely dangerous. One kit died already, a pale silver tom, her second kit, also a tom is nearly dead. In fact," Mossypaws snarled. "Littlesnow's half dead herself, so I hope you're happy Eaglestar."

Swiftkit was shocked to see the playful and witty Medicine Cat so angry, and she thought Mossypaws was being unfair.

Eaglestar barged past Swiftkit and stood nose to nose with Mossypaws. "StarClan didn't agree to this when they gave you nine lives," Mossypaws spat. "You said you'd be different from her."

Eaglestar didn't respond, merely whirled around to face his clanmates. In the process, Swiftkit heard Eaglestar's tail swipe across Mossypaws' face. She watched eagerly, ready for Eaglestar to finally tell the clan that Littlesnow was going to be exiled, or even killed. She was ready for all the Tinypelts to be exiled, especially since they had not only destroyed her eyes, but also had killed warriors.

"Mossypaws, go put all your effort into healing the Tinypelt and the kit."

"What!" Swiftkit couldn't help but let out an indignant cry. Around her, some of her clanmates were also bristling up their fur, and eyeing Eaglestar as though the leader was crazy.

"Th' kit's right!" Applefire exclaimed from where he lay, stiff from his injuries. "All the Tinypelts should be exiled at the very least."

"Yeah!" Donnockpaw, an apprentice mewed in agreement.

"Silence!"

Eaglestar's eyes blazed, raking the crowd. Even without being able to see them, Swiftkit felt the resentment and power that Eaglestar's glare bore. Every cat seemed to avoid his stare, but their pelts were still ruffled in agitation.

"Just saying," Applefire muttered. "You were a good deputy, but it's a stupid cat who leads their clan into warfare with itself."

Swiftkit saw all the cats suddenly stare up at Applefire as though they were shocked by his brutal honesty. Swiftkit could hear one or two even backing away from him. In all the shock, one cat stepped forward. Eaglestar's son and deputy Redmoth.

"Well," he began in his irregularly high-pitched voice. "Would you like to join the Tinypelts, Applefire?"

"Sorry," Applefire grunted, looking at the ground.

Eaglestar took a deep breath, clearly about to begin his speech again. "As I was saying," he meowed stiffly, "These Tinypelts need punishment. Littlesnow will need a far greater punishment than merely killing her." Swiftkit heard Eaglestar dig his paws into the earth. "No, you will see my loyal warriors."

"In the meanwhile," Eaglestar began, "I believe our Prey-Runner head, Brownspike, has just a few more announcements before we send out the patrols. Because, yes we will continue as normal."