Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 2. (A Path Beyond Stars)

~A Path Beyond Stars: Chapter 20~ (FLASHBACK)

Reedkit stumbled away from Specklefern, looking around to make sure the queens were still asleep. She saw Grayfur's kits and Silver-Eye's son asleep in different spots around the larger nests.
Reedkit grinned and crept out of the Nursery and scampered over to the warriors' den where she saw Silver-Eye sitting. The old white tom looked up at the moon, barely full. Reedkit hid as he turned his head in her direction. She didn't want to get caught out at night and told off.
Silver-Eye shrugged and padded over to the Medicine Den where Russetwhisker sat, waiting for him.
Reedkit peeked inside the warriors' den to check if the older cats were still asleep and, to her relief, they were.
The young black she-kit followed the deputy to the Medicine Den and listened from outside under the cover of the remaining moss that surrounded the den. It was quite warm, which she appreciated in the cold leaf-bare.
"Do you really think we should?" said the Medicine Cat's voice from inside. Reedkit listened curiously.
"Yes," said Silver-Eye. "He cannot survive. We must act."
"But, Silver-Eye, he was Stonestar's mentor," Russetwhisker protested quietly.
"He is of two Clans," the deputy argued. "We cannot trust him if he is truly part ShadowClan."
"The other elders would be able to confirm what Clan he is from. Don't forget, Flowertail was once of the Forgotten Clan in the forest far away, and she is more trustworthy than Tigerfur, who is a full-blooded ThunderClan warrior."
"My brother is not evil," Silver-Eye growled.
Wow! thought little Reedkit. Tigerfur is related to the deputy!
"If you can believe in Tigerfur, then why not Half-Sight?" Russetwhisker asked. "What is so different of the two that you trust the descendant more than the half-blood?"
"The difference is that Tigerfur is my brother, and if he is a supposed descendant, then so am I," Silver-Eye retorted. "My son will not grow up believing that his kin is capable of treachery when Tigerfur is one of our most loyal warriors."
The Medicine Cat and deputy continued with their conversation. Reedkit burrowed further as she saw Half-Sight creeping over. The old tom had always scared her, with his blind eye and multiple scars. His large build towered over the spot where Reedkit crouched. Her legs began to cramp, but she didn't dare give away her position out of pure fear.
The elder's nose twitched slightly, but he gave no sign of noticing her.
Half-Sight sat near Reedkit's hiding spot while they both listened to the cats talking inside.
"Russetwhisker?" interrupted another voice, which Reedkit knew as Crookedpaw, Russetwhisker's apprentice. She always thought he was quite inexperienced.
"Yes, Crookedpaw, what's wrong?"
"I just checked the herbs again and we're missing some poppy seeds and juniper berries. Can I go and find some?"
"You should wait until tomorrow so I can accompany you," Russetwhisker suggested. Crookedpaw huffed. "It's not that I don't trust you to find them on your own, Crookedpaw," Russetwhisker said before he could complain, "but it'd be difficult already to try and search for berries and seeds in this weather and at this time. It's just so I can help you find them if you need it."
Crookedpaw sighed and left the Medicine Den. He passed Half-Sight, nodding to him. The elder nodded back and the Medicine Cat apprentice continued on his way over to the fresh-kill pile that had been refilled yesterday.
I still don't understand, Reedkit thought suddenly. I thought Tigerfur's only kin were Creamfur and Pineear. That's what Fernfeather said. What happened to Pineear?
After Crookedpaw left, Russetwhisker said to Silver-Eye, as though she had heard Reedkit's thoughts, "You can change your name, but not your entire identity. To me, you will still be Pineear until I die."
Silver-Eye purred for two seconds before stopping to say, "We need to rid ThunderClan of Half-Sight. Grayfur was an exception because Stonestar was Leafstar's grandson, but Half-Sight is of an enemy Clan and an invader of our own."
Half-Sight looked like he wanted to growl, but instead kept silent.
"Then we will do it tomorrow night, if you are so desperate," Russetwhisker decided harshly.
Half-Sight sauntered away back to the elders' den before Silver-Eye walked out with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Him and the rest of ThunderClan who doubts me and my siblings."
Reedkit waited for him to disappear in the shadows of the warriors' den before running quickly back to her spot by Specklefern.
That was weird, thought the little kit. What did they mean by 'it' I wonder?
With that thought, Reedkit slept through the rest of the night.

The next morning Reedkit woke, the sky was gray and rain was beginning to fall. The other kits were already awake and playing in the den while Specklefern had disappeared.
Hmm.
Reedkit poked her head outside the Nursery and looked around. Crookedpaw wasn't in the Medicine Den and she couldn't even see or hear Russetwhisker. They must have gone to get herbs.
Half-Sight was talking to Flowertail outside the elders' den and Reedkit could see Stonestar talking to Fernfeather and Silver-Eye.
"Hello, Reedkit," said the soft voice of Grayfur. "I see you're finally awake."
"Hello, Grayfur," Reedkit said cheerfully, sticking her head back into the Nursery. "Can I go outside? I'm hungry. I can bring some prey from the fresh-kill pile if you want some."
Grayfur smiled and said, "No thank you, Reedkit. But you may eat." Reedkit padded out of the den and over to the fresh-kill pile, picking out some mice and a few sparrows.
She made her way back to the Nursery with the load, occasionally dropping something by accident.
Reedkit dropped a sparrow by Grayfur anyway, then left the mice for the other kits and took a sparrow for herself. She gave the other sparrow to Specklefern, who she found in the elders' den, talking to Rockhopper, Beeflower and Mudreed.
Reedkit spent the rest of the day playing with the other kits in the Nursery. Finally, dusk washed over the camp with a cold light. Soon, the moon would rise.

Reedkit woke up to an ear-shattering scream coming from the clearing. She sat up instantly and stared outside the Nursery. Half-Sight, the elder who had been talking with Crookedpaw just the night before, was standing over Russetwhisker's body with his claws unsheathed.
"Half-Sight, what are you doing?!" shouted a voice from outside. Reedkit poked her head further out of the Nursery to see Half-Sight turn around to glare at Stonestar.
The old tom merely chuckled. "You are a fool, Stonestar," he rasped.
Grayfur attempted to keep her kits quiet while Specklefern tried to push Reedkit back to the nest. Shocked gasps sounded from the other dens.
"Traitor!" she heard one of the warriors cry.
"He killed Russetwhisker!" yelled another voice.
Grayfur's kits mewed feebly, frightened by the commotion. "Shh," Grayfur said, trying to calm them. "It'll be all right, little ones, don't worry."
Reedkit moved past Specklefern and crouched near one of the remaining bushes outside the Nursery. "Where is Silver-Eye?" she heard Fernfeather, one of the senior warriors, ask fearfully.
A slight pause before the elder answered. "Your deputy is dead, too."
Stonestar's face was twisted with rage and confusion.
"He lies!" exclaimed Tigerfur. "He was here at dusk, just before night fell!"
"You shouldn't have any say in this matter, descent!" Half-Sight snapped, remorse fading quickly from his voice. "You would've done the same, had he not been your kin! If you knew what I knew, you would've wanted to take the matter into your own claws!"
Angry murmurs surrounded the elder.
"She and your precious deputy were plotting against me! They would've tried to do the same to you if I hadn't done something!"
"They wouldn't plot against us," Fernfeather said boldly. "If anyone here is plotting against our Clan, it is you. Traitor."
Traitor. The word echoed in Reedkit's tiny brain as she still tried to understand what was happening.
Suddenly, the brown she-cat lunged at the elder, jabbing him in his side and almost toppling him over.
Stonestar and the other senior warriors fought alongside her while everyone else ushered the apprentices, and Reedkit, back to their dens.
"Specklefern, what's happening?" Reedkit mewed.
"Just stay here and stay quiet," Specklefern said sternly. "It'll be over soon."
"But where's Silver-Eye?"
Specklefern shook her head, her tortoiseshell pelt letting off a faint glow in the moonlight that shone through the Nursery entrance. "Russetwhisker and Silver-Eye have been murdered in cold blood," she said quietly. "The best thing to do now is wait it out, no matter how badly we wish to fight."
Reedkit flattened her ears as the battle sounds continued. Grayfur's kits cowered near her while Fuzzyear kept Flamekit close. Voleroach kept Iriskit at her side as the fighting went on, the young kit trembling by her mother's shoulder.
Will he come back again? thought the little kit, staring outside at the fighting cats.
The cats fought for most of that night. Eventually, Reedkit and the others fell asleep after Half-Sight had run off. The last thing she heard before falling asleep completely was Specklefern whispering, "Please live..."