𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 - seasons of revenge - book three

Chapter 60

The wind ruffled her pelt as Mistflower returned back to camp, the four cats trailing behind her. Their eyes were wide with shock, ears flattened.

"I can't believe he did - that!" Galewing stuttered, yellow eyes wide as he teetered on his paws, collapsing to the camp floor.

"I knew he was up to something, but not that." Swoopfeather spat beside her, as Mistflower gave a solemn nod.

"It's all true. Every last bit of it." The senior warrior sighed, her attention gazed over to her daughter. Darkwing wouldn't take this news well, judging by her panicked eyes, she wasn't.

"Are you telling me.. he's murdered cats.. even his own kin?! Rockheart? Stalkstar? Otterpaw? Lightpaw?!" The deputy paced around, her pelt puffing out on her back. Her eyes glistened back to Mistflower. "I don't trust you. You know that. But, it's such a horrific claim that it couldn't be false."

The conversation was paused by Pondmist flitting by them, herbs trailing to the floor as he muttered to himself. Mistflower followed his path to the den, just as she was about to intercept, Galewing stepped forward.

"Pondmist. Did you know?"

"Know what?" The grey tabby turned, his head tilting.

"About Rainclaw, and Duststar. The whole situation?"

Pondmist's ears dropped in realisation, but it wasn't as if they needed an answer. Of course he knew - him and Rainclaw were best friends. (Now, Mistflower wasn't so sure on their relationship status).

"Yes. It was.. traumatic to say the least. He threatened her, injured her, threatened me, threatened her kin.. even poisoned Pigeonfrost."

Now it was Mistflower's time to pause in horror.

"He poisoned, Pigeonfrost?! He was the one who killed him?"

A silence fell among the group as they bowed silently, Swoopfeather pressing his flank comfortingly against Mistflower.

"Yes. With deathberries." Pondmist fumbles, herbs falling out of his mouth. "He tricked Rowanface into feeding Pigeonfrost deathberries, and it killed him. I don't know why he targeted Pigeonfrost."

Her mind sparked with thought as Mistflower growled lightly. Why had Pigeonfrost of all cats been targeted? It couldn't have been because of Rainclaw. Perhaps his relationship with Hareleap? But that didn't make sense either. Maybe he was angry at Hareleap for pursuing another mate after Rockheart?

But Duststar has killed Rockheart, so Mistflower doubted the regards for his brothers feelings. When Otterpaw and Lightpaw died, he showed no sympathy.

Wait.. Otterpaw and Lightpaw. They were with Hareleap and Reedpaw when they died. Pigeonfrost had mentioned he was going to meet them by the river that day, but he was late.. he was late! So he got there afterwards?

No, no.

He got there when it happened, he saw Duststar pushing Reedpaw in the river, figured it all out. And somehow Duststar knew that he knew, too.

"Finally! I was beginning to wonder when you'd all figured this out." A voice rang shrilly in the clearing, making all the cats freeze.

"It can't be." Swoopfeather froze, blue eyes wide at the familiar voice. And then, infront of the group, materialised a spirit, sparkled with stars, sporting a scarred throat and yellow eyes narrowed cockily.

Mistflower's jaw dropped, and she struggled to remain standing as the spirit continued walking. "You? How, but you're dead!?"

"Pretty obvious." The figure jeered, looking down at their translucent self.

"Rowanface." Swoopfeather swallowed, eyes wide at the sight of his deceased mentor. "I- I didn't know what happened to you. You were dead, but no one knew how!"

"At the claws of that piece of fox dung, that's how. Killed me in the rogue territory. I came back as a spirit, I still have unfinished business here - when that's done, I can go to StarClan." Her eyes dimmed with regret as she turned to Mistflower. "I've no doubt you could take a guess. After the way I treated Rainclaw, I have to make it up to her."

"Why are you here, and not with her?" Darkwing jutted in sharply, stepping towards to the former deputy, her tail spiked out. "How do we know you're here for that? And not, I don't know, try to take over the Clan? You're just as bad as him!"

Her protests turned into screeches as Darkwing surged forward, mouth forward and teeth bared into a yell, stopped by Swoopfeather dragging her back.

"That's enough." Swoopfeather growled, his paws pressing firmly down on Darkwing. "Can't you see she's sorry?!"

Rowanface seemed to have a stricken look on her face, before she shook her head quickly. "Anyway, I'm here to tell you something. Something big is coming, the missing kits, apprentices, it's all down to this. Rainclaw - she's, she's not thinking right. The rogue group, they've captured AmberClan and are fully willing to fight BirchClan if it means the downfall of Duststar."

"We could just take him down, that simple." Darkwing muttered, eyes narrowed

"No you couldn't. He's dangerous. Rainclaw thinks that killing Duststar will be the end of this."

"But he's still got, StarClan knows, six lives left?" Mistflower twitched, eyes focused on her paws.

"That brings us into another thing." Rowanface flinched, facing away from the group for a heartbeat. "This battle she's talking about - it's happening tomorrow."

A/N: sorry for not really being active, but here's another chapter.

See ya!
~ Ember <3