Warriors: Rising Tide

Chapter 26: Mapleclaw

I had washed my paws in the river we share with Windclan. Foxhop's blood that stuck itself to my fur washed off and muddled itself with the clear water before ultimately disappearing entirely. I check myself for any wounds, but thankfully he just took some fur.

Oh Starclan... please forgive me... I thought as I pictured his bloody body in my mind again. I was surprised how quickly I took him down since I will admit Foxhop was a great fighter. Puddlesplash is gonna hate me when he finds out... but what else did I have left to try?! Foxhop has no sense of grounded leadership! I tried to argue in my head. I walked off into the woods and found the mouse I caught and took it back to camp as an excuse for what I was doing. As I walked my ears picked up crying from the direction of camp, or a mixture of crying and screaming really. Did they find his body already? I ran the rest of the way back to camp in a panic. After entering I quickly spotted Foxhop's body, with Rainstripe standing over it mournfully. The crying screaming combo was coming from the nursery. Kinda sounded like Sagelight.

"Mapleclaw!" Orchidfrost said, walking over briskly. I forced the groan I had coming up down and gave my sister a small smile. "Poor Sagelight..."

"What is wrong?" I asked dropping my mouse. Is Foxhop's death really causing her to sound like that?

"She is having her kits early and now Foxhop.." she trailed off and looked at the body. I pulled my ears back in surprise and looked back at the nursery.

I didn't know she was having kits today! Foxdung! I wouldn't have killed Foxhop today if I knew that! "Is she gonna be okay?" I asked concerned.

"I hope she will, but Moonwater said it's getting really bloody..."

Fox dung! Fox dung! Fox dung!

"Puddlesplash is taking it even harder. Looks like that screaming bird last night was an omen like everyone thought"

Fox dung! Fox dung! Fox dung! I panicked and guilt built up even more.

***

Dusk was almost over when Sagelight stopped screaming. A litter of five kits, or at least four alive kits and one dead one. Many cats were getting ready for tonight's vigil, but rumors were starting to spiral around.

"Do you think Foxhop was killed by the cat who killed Petalclaw and Pineclaw?" I heard Iceeye discuss with Coppernose.

"The position of deputy seems to be cursed..." Silverfeather hissed. She must have been thinking about Skyleaf as she said that.

"Poor Sagelight" Dawndrop muttered.

"Who is gonna be deputy now?" Branchtail asked Darkcloud.

"They better be prepared to die it seems" Darkcloud responded.

"Mapleclaw?" Mothdusts voice shook me out of ears. I looked over at my old apprentice.

"What?"

"This feels like Petalclaw and Pineclaw all over again"

"Don't remind me" I mumbled. I looked over at Foxhop's body and grimaced at my actions yet again. My eyes drifted from the orange tabby's body to the medicine cat den. Puddlesplash hasn't left the cave since he came out to see his brothers body the one time from what Cardinalrush said. I am sorry Puddlesplash, I let my hatred and anger and jealous bubble up and hurt you...

"All warriors old enough to catch their own prey, join under high rock!" We all looked up at Applestar once he called our attention. I stood up a little taller as I prepared myself in case I am called. "I must make a new deputy, to which I feel reluctant to do"

"He could wait, we would all understand if he wait till tomorrow" Ravenclaw reasoned

"That would be against the warrior code" Rainstripe said, almost choking.

"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirit of Foxhop may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of Thunderclan is Mapleclaw" I looked up surprised. The guilt left my mind as joy of the achievement I long awaited was called out. I walked over before my leader and bowed. I put on a sad smile as I did. "I do accept, and hope that I live up to the standard Foxhop and Skyleaf had set"

"Mapleclaw! Mapleclaw! Mapleclaw!"