Tawnystar's Secret

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Tawnyflame watched all of the cats sitting vigil for Skystar go back to their dens. Tawnyflame had retired to Reedstorm before getting to sleep.

"Good night." Reedstorm murmured.

"Good night Reedstorm." Tawnyflame whispered.

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Tawnyflame woke up in the Dark Forest. Splashheart was sitting next to Thornwhisker and Smokewhisper. Splashheart spun around. "Your here." He smiled. "Thornwhisker, go get Whitefur. He has some competition."

Thornwhisker snorted. "Competition?" He whisked away before Splashheart could look at him.

"I'm competition!" Tawnyflame snarled. She turned to Splashheart. "Skystar got killed today."

Splashheart smiled. "Then my apprentice is now leader. Tawnystar. I like it. But you will have to go back to Tawnyflame when I become Splashstar."

Tawnyflame nodded. "As long as I get a fair share of my being in your clan."

Thornwhisker appeared, a disgusted Whitefur behind him. "Again? I thought I taught you a lesson!"

Splashheart silenced him. "Claws unsheathed. Now...attack!"

Whitefur leapt at her, and she leapt at him. Her paws collided with his chest, and he fell on his side. Tawnyflame raked her claws down his side.

"Enough!" Splashheart shouted. "Now, recenter. This time, Tawnyflame leap. And Whitefur, don't try something she tried on you, because she's prepared for it."

"I know what I'm doing." Whitefur spat. "I'm not a kit."

Tawnyflame crouched down, preparing herself for leaping. "I'm surprised, you fight like one too."

Whitefur growled. "I'll let you know-"

He was cut short as Tawnyflame leapt at him. He only sidestepped, but she twisted in air, landing square on his shoulders. She smiled. Splashheart hadn't taught her these moves. Whitefur did the thinkable, and did the submission trick. Tawnyflame let go, and as he was about to fling her off, she leapt off his back. He spun around to face her, and she swept a paw against his face. The blow was powerful enough to send him staggering, but he leapt for her. She reared up, side-stepping. But she left her paw out to take his side as he crashed past her. "Not much of a kit now, hm?" Tawnyflame said after she put a paw in his back.

"Great job! Tawnyflame wins!" Splashheart shouted. "Or I should say, Tawnystar!"

Whitefur staggered up awkwardly, keeping his weight off of a deep gouge in his shoulder. "Tawnystar? How?"

"Because I am a loyal clan-mate." She said simply.

"All of this clan and warrior code, and even StarClan! This is the Dark Forest, not a happy reunion place!" He spat.

"I'm sorry to say, but all of that has made me leader...when your still the medicine cat apprentice who's grumpy all the time. Let it go, it was your choice to become a medicine cat." Tawnyflame taunted him.

Splashheart laughed. "You can do another battle tomorrow night. Now is time to get back. Tawnystar. Your getting your nine lives today."

Tawnyflame smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow night!" She beamed at Whitefur. "And YOU too." She closed her eyes, letting herself be waken up by Nettlesplash. Reedstorm was still snoring.

"Let's get to the Deputy Ceremony." She whispered. Tawnyflame nodded, getting up. "Is that a cut? Oh no, not another thorn..."

Tawnyflame flicked her tail on Nettlesplash's back. "Let's go." Tawnyflame searched her mind for all cats she could choose from. Suddenly, she knew. As she walked up SkyStone, she felt a weird feeling in her stomach. "Let all cats old enough to swim njoin beneath SkyStone for a clan meeting." Cats emerged from their dens like shadows. "The new deputy of RiverClan will be Applefire."