Warriors: The Third Strike: Book Five: Trail of Malice

Chapter 21

[Witheredsoul's POV]

I flicked my tail annoyed at the young leader. "He obviously cannot lead! You have to go get your nine lives." I hissed at her. Sparkwing did not seem to understand that because of the injury Stormstar had received at the gathering, he could no longer lead. Mintshy had even said that he was not able to walk, and therefore would not be able to lead. 

I had thankfully left the two apprentices to go socialize with the other warriors and the one queen while I took care of things with Sparkwing. She was a young and brilliant cat, I just think she had a lot of self doubt in her. She reminded me of myself. 

"I can't lead! No one will listen to me. Stormstar was the leader when the Dark Forest took a hold of the forest. He will continue to lead until I know what to do!" The ginger and white female hissed at me. She looked back to the medicine cat den where Stormstar laid in a nest. "I don't know what I'll even do." Her voice cracked as she sat down. She looked up to me with her ears pinned back. 

I took a step forward and met her gaze. "You can do this. Your clan will follow you." I told her in a soft voice. I realized that she felt a lot of the same things I did. "You are not alone in those feelings." I whispered hoping that it would be enough. 

I didn't want Tinystar to die because I would not know how to rule after her. I did not like all of her practices to punish her warriors, but if I became the leader, it would be what they would expect for her deputy. When she had hurt Maplesnow, I wanted to stop it right there, but it would make her look weak. She was my best friend, and I could never do anything to hurt her. 

"How do you get through it?" She asked me. 

I thought for a moment and put my head on top of hers. "Through a lot of work, but I believe in you." I have to end this. The thought spread throughout my mind. She thought she could not do anything because of the Dark Forest. It was my fault she felt like this. I had been one of the cats to bring the Dark Forest into the forest. If I had not done that, then Stormstar might not have been injured like that. 

"May I enter?" I heard a tom ask from behind me. I turned to see Bugstar. I gave him a small nod and he walked over to our small group. "I am truly sorry. I wish that there was something we could do to help." He said. 

There is something I can do. I can end this. The thoughts began to eat away at me. I pushed them away like I had done in the past. I was only one cat, and Tinystar would see me doing this. I loved her too much to betray her like that.