Cinderleaf's Determination (Discontinued)

Chapter 13

Breezepaw stretched out in contentment. The sun warmed her fur, her stomach full of mouse. She pricked her ears and sat up as the dawn patrol returned. She jumped up when she saw Stonepaw covered in blood. She charged toward him.
"What happened?!" She asked in alarm. Stonepaw looked at her, his eyes bright and triumphant.
"I got rid of a disease." He purred.
Breezepaw looked at him in confusion as he pushed past her and marched to Ruststar's den.
He got rid of a disease? What does that mean?
Stonepaw had entered the leader's den and emerged a moment later, following Ruststar.
Ruststar jumped onto a rock and addressed the clan. "Cats of Dewclan! I bring you good news! This clan has been cured of a sick, disloyal cat!"
The clan murmured in confusion.
"This," Ruststar gestured to Stonepaw at the foot of the rock, "brave and loyal apprentice has saved us all from a threat to our way of life. By ridding this clan of Cinderpaw, I believe you deserve your warrior name. But first, let's see what the clan thinks about your noble actions!"
The clan erupted into cheers. Breezepaw's heart stopped in her chest for a moment. She turned to see her mother's heartbroken expression.
Breezepaw felt her heart break as she turned back to see the cat she loved standing proudly before the clan. Stonepaw, how could you?
"Now!" The clan fell silent at Ruststar's call. "Stonepaw, you're actions prove your loyalty to Dewclan and me. Until the day you die, you will be known as Stoneclaw. Dewclan will forever honor your nobility and resourcefulness. We welcome you as a full member of Dewclan."
The clan once more erupted into cheering. "Stoneclaw! Stoneclaw! Stoneclaw!"
"NO!" A blur of white fur shot through the crowd and hurtled Stoneclaw over.  Frostedflower clawed and snapped at the young warrior madly.  "YOU!  YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER!"  She screamed. 
      Nightwhisker launched himself forward to pull the she cat off Stoneclaw. He grabbed her haunches, but she was quicker. She whipped around and her claws sliced right through the deputy's throat.
Nightwhisker crumbled to the ground, his eyes huge with shock. Blood flowed from his throat. He jerked on the floor, then fell still.
Ruststar snarled and leaped on Breezepaw's mother, pinning her down. He placed his paws on either side of her head. With a quick jerk of his front legs, he snapped Frostedflower's neck.
The clan was silent.
Breezepaw held back a sob of grief.
Ruststar stepped back from the queen's dead body. He stared coldly from her body to his deputy's. "Toadfur. Tend to Stoneclaw." His voice was dangerously low.
The medicine cat quickly padded forward and tugged the bloody warrior by the scruff into his den.
Ruststar looked at his clan. "Mousefang, Badgerclaw, Stormcloud, bury Nightwhisker." 
      The three warriors nodded and started dragging the dark tom's body away. 
      Ruststar turned and stared icily at Breezepaw.  He stalked toward her until they were nose to nose.  "Are you still loyal?"  He hissed. 
      Breezepaw blinked in terror. 
      "I said," Ruststar growled, "are you still loyal?"
      Breezepaw nodded quickly.  Her breath was coming fast and shallow.  She couldn't believe what was happening. 
      "Good."  Ruststar said menacingly.  He looked to the rest of his clan.  "The new deputy will be Stoneclaw.  This meeting is over."
      The clan dispersed and Breezepaw padded slowly toward the camp entrance.  She soon realized there was another cat next to her. She looked over numbly to see Thunderpaw keeping pace with her. Her looked at her. His amber eyes gleamed with sympathy and grief.
Breezepaw wasn't sure how she felt about Stonepaw's brother being around her at the moment.
"Do you kind if I walk with you?" He asked.
Breezepaw shrugged. She looked forward again.
"Were you and her close?" Thunderpaw asked after a while. "Cinderpaw, I mean. I know you and her used to be best friends, but it seems like lately you two haven't been very fond of each other."
"Is that any of your business? Why are you even upset? It's not like you lost anyone you care about! Your brother killed my sister and led to my mother being killed!" Breezepaw snapped, a little harsher than she had intended.
Thunderpaw flinched back from her words. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you...." The grey tom trailed off. "I'm going to miss Cinderpaw... I really admired her. The way she refused to back down, how she fought for what she thought was right, it's amazing."
Breezepaw looked at him and saw emotion swimming in his amber eyes. "Did you agreed that she cat should be treated the same as toms?" Breezepaw asked in shock.
"Yeah, I did actually. The way that she cats are treated is unfair and wrong." Thunderpaw have his chest fur a couple times.
Breezepaw didn't reply, just continued plodding along.

Breezepaw realized that their path had brought them to the Sparrowclan border.
"We should turn back." Breezepaw said, even though she wanted to go anywhere but back to camp and the clan.
"I don't really feel like going back yet. Come on, I'll show you where I go to think sometimes." Thunderpaw turned around and started heading toward the Fireclan border.
The two cats hadn't walked far when they came to a small pool of water. The pool was a crystal blue with water lilies floating on the top.
Thunderpaw sat down and gestured with his tail for Breezepaw to do the same.
Breezepaw sat down next to him.
Thunderpaw stared down into the water.
Breezepaw followed his gaze.

It was after sunhigh but the time the two cats returned. Breezepaw said goodbye and headed back to the nursery.
How can he be so much different from Stoneclaw? She wondered.