Weird Werecat Warriors

Chapter 7

  Splashwing walked into the medicine building.
"Splashwing," Mothwing greeted him.
He raised a hand, "Hi, so... my knee is bleeding a bit."
She lifted her golden gaze from the book of modern medicine she was reading. "Would you like a bandaid?" She asked plainly.
He nodded, "Please." But then thought on it and said, "Actually if you have the spray-on stuff that'd be better."
She stood up and opened a drawer. "You know I have it. You've always known my stock well."
He blinked, "No, I just don't want to keep getting bandaids. The knee bends a lot so they'd keep falling off."
She told him, "A warrior wouldn't consider that."
He shook his head, "I'm a warrior. Splashwing, it's a warrior name."
She rolled her eyes, "Leopardstar only called you -wing because you remind her of me."
"No," he argued, "that can't be."
Mothwing sighed, "I wish you wouldn't idolize your father the way you do. When you were a small kit you'd spend your days with me!"
"I think you remember it wrong," Splashwing told her, flinched at the instant of pain as she spritzed him with a medicine, and then he stood up and began walking away. As he reached for the door, she called to him.
"Splashwing."
He stopped and looked back at her. "Yes?"
"Your father is a bad werecat. As is his father. Tell me if they ever try to indoctrinate you, okay?"
Splashwing wasn't sure what to say. He decided to just leave, but before he turned the doorknob he asked, "If they were doing something evil, and say I somehow found out, what would happen?"
Mothwing honestly answered, "that depends on your actions."
He nodded, "Of course," and left before she could say anything more.

Splashwing sat next to Duskpaw at the round table in the pub's back room.
"So when do we make our move?" Ashfur asked.
Tigerstar told him, "Patience."
And Hawkfrost added, "We have other matters to manage first."
Everyone looked at him with surprise, "Leopardstar is obviously aging, faster than before now. Since newleaf began, she's obviously dropped weight. Her pelt clings to her, her cheeks are sunken."
Leopardnose stated, "And Mistyfoot is still deputy."
Her half-brother nodded, "Exactly."
Mossmask suggested, "Well, if we kill Mistyfoot and Leopardstar together, we could manipulate Mothwing into showing a sign from StarClan putting you as the next leader."
Hawkfrost grinned. Splashwing was suddenly very uneasy.
"Good thinking," Tigerstar praised his eldest grandkit.

Father and son were trekking home. They had recently entered RiverClan territory. The sun was just about to peer over the horizon.
"How many will have to die?" Splashwing burst.
Hawkfrost scorned him, "Hush!" But then answered quietly, "As many as it takes."
Splashwing wasn't sure how he felt about that. Something prickled inside of him, about where his heart was placed.
"Don't ruin it," Hawkfrost growled, sensing his son's unease.
Splashwing promised, "I won't."
But he did not yet know if he could really stay true to his word.

"Hawkfrost!" Mosscloud was at the door, waiting for her former mate and their son.
Hawkfrost moaned, "Oh not you!"
But she was brave, she stood before the larger werecat and squared her shoulders, "You will not pull any of our kits, and especially not Splashwing, into your games!"
"What games?" Hawkfrost asked and told her, "He wanted to watch the sun rise. Wanted to talk."
Mosscloud growled, "Since when are you that type?"
"Always," he uttered with a shrug.
He pushed her to the side and walked into the home. Splashwing looked at his mother before following.
"Splashwing," Mosscloud took a gentle tone, "Did you ask Hawkfrost to take you out for the sunrise?"
Splashwing found his voice caught in his throat. He looked between his parents.
Hawkfrost urged him, "Well go on, tell her!"
He could not meet his mother's gaze, "Yes Mosscloud."
She shook her head but did not push him further.
Splashwing went into his room, his brother was still asleep. He crawled into his bed and fell into a deep slumber.

Later in the day, Splashwing wandered into the medicine building.
"Mothwing?" He called out.
But she didn't appear. He looked around. The lights were off, though sunlight streamed through the windows. He did not want to be nosy, but he felt the need to move deeper into the building. There were several rooms for the ill and injured. A room was in the very back for Mothwing. Another was for her future apprentice. It was all empty. He could scent the medicines when he passed by the room where they were stored. The door was closed but he could still catch the scent.
Eventually, he found a closet. Without thinking, he was compelled to open it. As the door opened, something crashed to the floor.
Splashwing jumped back in surprise. He saw what had fallen was a board with letters and numbers, yes and no, hello and goodbye. With it was a triangle thing with a glass center.
"Weird," he murmured.
He collected the fallen items, took them into an open room and sat down at a barren desk. He placed the board in a way that he could read it. He put the triangle on top of the board where there were no words or letters or numbers. He places his finger tips along the triangle, so that he could look through the glass.
For a second he paused and laughed, "What am I doing?"
But it felt so serious. Something wanted him to use the board and accessory.
So he inhaled deeply and called out nervously, "Hello?"
His fingers twitched individually. Then they were moving with the triangle along the board. He looked down at the word: Hello.
"This isn't real," he muttered.
And yet, he allowed the triangle to move to the 'yes'.
His fur began to rise, the back of his neck bristled.
He decided to ask, "Who is there?"
He was not familiar with the name that was spelled out to him.
Mapleshade.