Warriors: Mistybreeze's Choice (SOB Short Story)

Chapter 11

The sun shone brightly in the pale sky, a soft breeze wafting through the pine branches. Mistybreeze sat between Revengeheart and Mottledface in the shade of the thorn barrier, quietly grooming her silver fur.

"Hey, Boost!"

She flicked an ear at Coldpebble's voice and looked up. Her brother was crouched by the fresh kill pile, tugging a mouse toward him by it's tail. "Want to share this with me?" He offered. "It's the last one."

The fresh kill pile was certainly low. After Coldpebble claimed the mouse, all that remained was a couple day old frogs. Boost had been sniffing at one of them hesitantly. Mistybreeze guessed that the prey caught this morning had already been given to the only queen, Greenpine, and the elders.

"Sure. Thanks!" Boost blinked gratefully and moved to Coldpebble's side.

As the two toms took turns nibbling at the mouse, the clan deputy, Cobratail, padded toward them, giving the fresh-kill pile a look of disapproval. "I'm sending out a few hunting patrols," He announced, raising his voice so the other cats in the clearing could hear him. "Are there any volunteers?"

Coldpebble swallowed and looked up from the mouse. "Can I lead one?" He asked brightly. 

The clan deputy frowned. "Didn't you lead the dawn patrol?"

"Well, yes." The dark silver tom looked embarrassed. "But I'd be happy to lead another."

His former mentor, Song, walked by and purred, flicking him on the shoulder with her tail. "You are a great hunter, Coldpebble. Every hunting patrol could use you."

"Very true." Cobratail's amber eyes gleamed. "Very well, Coldpebble, you may lead a patrol. Boost, Song, why don't you join him?"

The two warriors looked ready to go. "Great!" Song meowed. "I'll fetch Stripednose. I'm sure he'd love to come."

As the white she-cat ran across the clearing to the warriors' den, Mistybreeze stared at her brother, standing proudly between Cobratail and Boost. Coldpebble is so lucky to be... Free. I'd like to go hunting. Her heart sank with disappointment. But Revengeheart won't let me go anywhere without him.

She cast a careful look at the white warrior, who observed the camp like a fox studying it's prey. Nothing about this is right. I shouldn't be treated this way by my own mate. I shouldn't be forced to follow Poisonedsap's plot. But what choice do I have? 

As Coldpebble led his patrol out of the camp, Cobratail spoke again. "We'll need another hunting patrol. Diamondrain, will you lead it?"

Mistybreeze saw her mother by the nursery, speaking to Greenpine. When her name was spoken, she flicked her ears forward and turned to the deputy. "Of course, Cobratail." She waved her tail in farewell to Greenpine as she headed to the center of the clearing.

Not far from Mistybreeze, Blackstorm exchanged a look with Foxshadow. "Me and Foxshadow will go," Blackstorm meowed, rising to his paws. He looked over at his brother. "Brownstripe, care to join us?"

The tabby warrior blinked warmly. "Sure."

Dread dropped like a hard stone in Mistybreeze's stomach. At once she understood. A moon had passed since the night she and the others had met with Castiel. They'd agreed to launch an attack on another ShadowClan patrol. And Deserve wants Brownstripe on it... He's going to kill him. Her heart sank as she watched Brownstripe start toward Blackstorm. And he completely trusts his brother... How can Blackstorm send his own brother to his death?

"Brownstripe! Brownstripe! Wait!" 

Tinypaw echoed Mistybreeze's thoughts as she bounded across the clearing, her tail high in the air. Brownstripe turned to his daughter and let out a purr. "What is it?"