𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 - seasons of revenge - book three

Chapter 59

"But where are the kits?! They're all gone!" Darkwing winced as shouts of scorn pierced her ears, BirchClan looking up at her with angry eyes. Two of Brackenflower's kits had gone missing through the night.

"Look. Panicking won't do us anything." Darkwing spoke down from Moss Rock, eyes averted to Meadowtail. "Did you scent anything?"

"There was an unfamiliar scent of rogues outside the nursery and beside the apprentices den." The ginger warrior dipped his head, holding back a flush.

"I think we should get a patrol out there and attack these fox-dung cats who dare steal our warriors!" Applestream hissed beside him, drawing his claws across the ground in a powerful swipe. The deputy winced as he did so, turning her head away.

Quickly, Darkwing allowed herself to jump down from the rock, pacing over to Leopardshade and Brackenflower who were huddled together.

"We'll get a search party out for them down where Meadowtail directed." She meowed, a sympathy in her voice.

"Thank you." Leopardshade responded, amber eyes glimmering with worry as he lapped comfortingly at Brackenflower's ear.

Soon enough, Darkwing gathered Meadowtail, Galewing, Swoopfeather and Mistflower to aid the search for the kits. The she cat was hesitant about informing Duststar, he hadn't shown up all day.

Perhaps he doesn't want to think about the lost kits. After all his mate did leave with his sons, so probably not the best reminder.

Darkwing grimaced as she took a glance at the leaders den, a flash of sympathy running through her for the brown tabby leader. He'd always been a strange one, quiet and cold.

The trail of cats lead out the camp, into the birch forest - Meadowtail running beside her as his eyes scanned the clearing. Darkwing looked behind here seeing Swoopfeather scoping out some bushes with Galewing, and Mistflower looking strangely disturbed.

"What have you found?" Darkwing addressed her mother, voice stoic. Call her fuzzy, but the black she-cat didn't think she could ever forgive the senior warrior for her past actions.

A flash of hurt flashed in Mistflower's eyes, and Darkwing almost smirked in light pleasure.

Just because you're putting a sympathy act doesn't make things anything less different.

"Nothing." Mistflower shook her head in response, head looking at the floor. But Darkwing wasn't fooled. She could tell the curly furred she cat was lying, her shoulders timid and eyes refusing to look into hers.

"You did see something, now tell me what it is."

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Just- just because. You wouldn't understand." the she-cat shrugged, and Darkwing felt anger flash through her through lightning. After moons and moons of her mother - Darkwing didn't even want to address her as such, neglecting and ignoring her, she thought she wouldn't understand?

"You think I wouldn't understand? I wouldn't understand the moons of neglect after you dumped me off to Juniperwish like I was some petty pawn! You didn't even name me!" Darkwing yelled, a snarl caught in her throat as Mistflower jumped back, pelt puffed up, eyes as wide as moons.

"You wouldn't understand. Because you never take the chance to listen. And if I told you what I knew, you'd be off telling all the cats that knowledge and making this whole situation even worse, even potentially deathly." Chills shivered down her spine as Mistflower approached, eyes narrowed into slits. "I have seen horrid things in my life, Darkwing. Cats taken advantage of, manipulated till their mind is no longer their own. I've seen cats turn to some of the most bloodthirsty monsters this forest has ever witnessed."

And with that, Mistflower turned tail, and stalked off into the bushes.

It took a fair while to process, as the warrior took deep breaths, trying to intake the information. But what were those such horrors? Which cats was she talking about?

"What in StarClan's name was that about?" Swoopfeather muttered as he came beside her, blue eyes with worry.

"Nothing." Darkwing dismisses it, then looked up at the tom. "Did you find anything?"

"AmberClan scent." the black speckled tom growled, blue eyes hardening like ice.

"No QuailClan involvement, so that's good." Meadowtail came beside them, his ears flattening. "I don't think that Clan could withstand another battle."

"There's no sign of Rainclaw either!" A muffled voice came from the bushes, where Galewing was nosing around absentmindedly.

"We're looking for kits. Not for Rainclaw." Meadowtail raises an eyebrow, sending a questioning look to the brown and white cat.

"Oh." Galewing dropped his ears, then flushed. "Well, I was just hoping we'd find her, y'know."

"And why's that?" Swoopfeather trotted over to the tom, a cheesy grin plastered on his face. "Has someone got a crush."

"Have not!" Galewing hollered, swatting the white tom away. "But I mean like, Pondmist is a medicine cat, so he can't be with her anymore. And like y'know, I gotta take my chance when I can take the chance. But as soon as that comes she had to disappear-"

"Since when have any of you been interest in what Rainclaw says or does?" A new voice entered the crowds, banishing Galewing's nattering. It was Mistflower, approaching wearily, scanning all of them up and down.

"Well, I do like her a little bit." Galewing inputted, flushing again.

"She's a good fighter I guess, bit angry though." Secondly Swoopfeather inputted, his tail flicking.

"Do you know why she's angry?" Mistflower gave him a sharp sideways glance, which Swoopfeather shook his head to. Darkwing narrowed her eyes. What was Mistflower playing at?

"Do you even know how she got her scars?"

Again, with the weird question. Admittedly, Darkwing didn't know. It had always been a bit of a mystery how she'd gotten them scars. The deputy did know that Pigeonfrost had died of an infection from her wounds, somehow? She wasn't a medicine cat. She didn't know.

"You probably won't believe me." Mistflower shrugged. "But she got them from Duststar."

A/N: double chapter upload, whoop whoop!

Happy late 4th July! I'm a bit off by two days, but does it matter? I had writers block for a little while, but I'll try and maintain a better schedule this time.

Writing in new characters is pretty fun! Especially Darkwing and Mistflower clashing - and Galewing having a small crush on Rainclaw, lol.

See ya!
~ Ember <3