Warriors: Retribution (Book 2)

Chapter 2

Shellstar wanted to find that Vertexclan cat Shredflash, not because he wanted to kill him, but because he wanted to question him for his actions. Why would he kill Icejaw and Blizzardfluff? Did he do it for Vertexclan? Did he do it for himself? Did he do it for another cat? Those questions pondered Shellstar's mind as he watched his clan from his den. He saw as his clanmate Dampbreeze was padding up to him; he seemed to have a serious look on his face. Shellstar smiled at him, "Hello, Dampbreeze." He meowed.

"Hello, Shellstar." He meowed back, his right ear twitching.

"Do you need anything?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something if you don't mind..."

"I don't at all Dampbreeze." the leader mewed, "Ask away."

"I want to be part of any patrol that finds any traces of Shredflash, if that's okay with you?"

"But, why? Water washed the last trace of his scent away. Featherdrip and I have decided that we will stop looking for that cat." Shellstar said.

"H-He killed your clanmates... He killed my mate! Don't you want revenge? Don't you want Shredflash to suffer?" Dampbreeze growled lowly.

"Dampbreeze, stop this at once! Killing another cat for revenge is not a way to solve things!"

"I never said I wanted to kill-"

Shellstar put his tail on Dampbreeze's maw. "You may not have said it, but I can see it in your eyes, Dampbreeze. You want to kill him yourself. We cannot do anything about Shredflash anymore, it's been two moons since the last sighting of him and if he hasn't come back by now, then there's nothing we can do," He meowed.

Dampbreeze removed Shellstar's tail off his maw. "He can't get away with this, though... I want him gone!" Tears were falling down the tom's face now as he looked at his leader.

"I understand how you feel, but killing will not make things any easier for either clan. Blizzardfluff is in a better place now, and she wouldn't want you to do this."

Dampbreeze looked down at his paws in sadness as his tears fell onto the ground. He said nothing more.

"Go to the Warriors' den and get some rest, Dampbreeze. You need it."

Dampbreeze turned around and muttered something before he headed back to the warriors' den.

Shellstar worried for Dampbreeze. He hoped he wouldn't try to find Shredflash on his own.

He couldn't risk losing another clanmate.

*

"Mistkit, I'm bored. Can we play?" A brown and gold-furred she-kit mewed to her brother and prodded her paw against his side.

Mistkit groaned. "No Hollowkit! I was sleeping... We can play later!"

"Aw, come on please!!" Hollowkit begged and prodded him some more.

There was another she-kit was behind their mother, Rushstreak. She had white fur as she came from behind her. "Mistkit, we will play a new game!" she mewed.

Mistkit then hopped up quickly. "A new game?"

The white-furred she-kit gave a smile. "Yep! I don't have a name for it yet, but we just explore around camp!"

"That sounds fun!" Mistkit gave a wide smile.

Rushstreak looked at her three kits, "Ripplekit, I hope you're not trying to get in any trouble..." She licked her head.

"No, I'm not! I just want to explore around camp!" Ripplekit exclaimed.

Rushstreak sighed, "Okay, you three can, but don't be out for too long. You know how worried Sandcoat gets..." she meowed.

All three kits nodded and then ran out of the Nursery.

"What do we do now?" Hollowkit questioned.

"Uh, let's go to the elders' den first!" Ripplekit mewed and ran over to the elders' den, along with Mistkit and Hollowkit. The three stood out in front of it. "Hollowkit, you go in first and see what's up!" Ripplekit mewed.

"Okay!" she replied happily and trotted into the elders' den.

Mistkit would go in there, but Ripplekit stopped him in his tracks. "Come on, move Ripplekit! I want to go in too!"

Ripplekit shook her head, "Mistkit... There's something important I need to tell you..."

"What is it?" He tilted his head to the side.

"It's about your mother..."

"It's about our mother, Rushstreak?" Mistkit questioned.

"No! Rushstreak is-"

"Hey!" A loud meow came from inside the elders' den, cutting Ripplekit off.

"Come meet Tansytail, she's so cool!" It was the voice of Hollowkit.

Mistkit's eyes widened and his ears perked up. "Really?!" He ran into the elders' den.

Ripplekit gave a heavy sigh and padded in.

*

Later, Mistkit, Ripplekit, and Hollowkit came out of the elders' den. Tansytail had told them the story of how she lost her eye.

"Do you think I could fight a fox?" Mistkit mewed.

"You probably wouldn't last a heartbeat!" Hollowkit stuck her tongue out at her littermate.

"Says you!" He replied.

Ripplekit was quiet as they headed back to the Nursery.

"What about you, Ripplekit? Do you think I can fight a fox?"

"Huh? Oh uh, yeah sure..." She looked back down at her paws.

"See! At least Ripplekit thinks so." Mistkit said to Hollowkit.

Hollowkit looked away with a pout on her face. The three kits were at the Nursery now, they all padded inside. Rushstreak looked up and saw them. "Well, how was your brief adventure?" she meowed.

"It was great! We got to see a lot and Tansytail told us a story!" Hollowkit mewed.

"Yeah, it was about how she fought a fox and lost her eye!" Mistkit added.

Ripplekit only nodded.

"Well, I'm glad you all had fun, but it's time for your pelts to be cleaned," She smiled and then picked up Hollowkit first by the scruff and set her down by her and cleaned her.

"Aw, Rushstreak!" she protested.

Mistkit looked at Ripplekit. "Didn't you have something to tell me back at the elders' den Ripplekit?"

"No, it was nothing... What's that behind you?" She mewed.

"Huh?" Mistkit turned around, but once he turned back, Ripplekit had pounced onto her brother and pinned him. "Hah, I got you!"

"No fair!" Mistkit said.

"Ripplekit, get off of your brother and come get your fur cleaned." Rushstreak meowed.

"Fine..." She got up and padded over to her mother.