Chapter 15

I jerked awake. I sat up and quickly realized I was the first one awake. Judging by the early morning critters' chatter I figured it was probably around dawn. I got up quietly and walked out of the den.

I had fallen asleep last night, not being able to keep my eyes open. Lightstar's latest offers were still fresh in my mind. 'I could help you get everything you desire and more. You could help with the downfall of the Clans themselves.' I would never. She can't make me. Except something in me wondered if she could. I suppose I'd have to tell Tallblaze sometime today.

"Morning, Shorty," Tallblaze said, coming out of the log. Great timing.

"Hey. You think they'd mind if we just went off and hunted without telling them?" I asked. "I need to talk to you."

"Let's wait for the first of them to wake up, then we'll go," he said. "Don't want them worrying."

"Makes sense," I said. "They should be getting up soon anyway."

Silentstorm was the next out. "Oh, you two," she said. "I'll go back to my nest then." She turned to leave.

"Actually we were waiting to tell someone we were going to go hunt," Tallblaze said. "We won't be annoying you this morning."

"Thank goodness," Silentstorm muttered.

"We'll annoy you another time," I promised and the two of us left.

We kept going until we were far enough away. "It's Lightstar, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, it is," I told him.

"What happened this time?" he asked.

"She was trying to convince me to help with the fall of the Clans. She kept telling me they were against me. That they don't accept me. That I should prove them my strength and help destroy them," I explained. "I don't want to, but I'm scared when the time comes I won't have a choice."

"I don't think she has the ability to force you to destroy the Clans. She can make every sleeping moment miserable, which is really awful, but I don't think she can make you," Tallblaze said.

"I told her there was no way I would, but she told me there was and it shouldn't matter since StarClan's not gonna take me anyway," I said, looking at the ground.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she doesn't control who StarClan takes and who it doesn't. You're a good cat, I truly think that's where you'll go when you die," Tallblaze reassured me. "And if the forces of StarClan don't accept you because of this, I will literally fight them until they let you in because that is what you deserve."

"I'm not sure if you can fight StarClan," I told him.

"When there's a will, there's a way," he said.

"That's not how it works, but do what you want," I said. "Let's actually begin hunting."

"Okay," he agreed. "I bet I'll catch something first."

"Oh, you really think so?" I asked.

"I know so," he responded.

"You're so on," I told him.

I would like to state I did catch something first.


We walked back to the temporary camp for the evening. Although I had caught something first, Tallblaze had ended up catching more. Not everything in life is a competition though. It didn't really matter.

"Race you back to the log!" Tallblaze declared and took off in a run.

I quickly changed pace. "That's not fair!" I told him, closing the distance between us.

"All's fair in love and war!" he said.

"This is neither, you mouse-brain!" I said.

He turned his head to look at me and said, "At least I'm not slow!" That was not a wise idea on his part and he ran into a tree.

Any good friend would check to make sure he's okay. "I bet you didn't tree that one coming!" I exclaimed as I passed him. I never said I was a good friend. I heard him laughing, I'm pretty sure he's okay.

My mood had improved as the day went on and I was further distracted. Which as far as distractions go, Tallblaze is the best one to exist. Nothing draws your focus like a complete mouse-brain. It had turned out to be a good day.

I touched the log and turned around. Tallblaze appeared out of the underbrush. "I beat you!" I exclaimed.

"You cheated," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I definitely placed that tree in your way," I said.

"Exactly," he agreed.

"Mouse-brain," I muttered.

We went to go to Silkshade and Silentstorm who had arrived before us only to notice they were deep in thought, and it didn't look like they were having happy thoughts. I realized who was missing.

"Where's Boulderfang?" I asked.

It was Flurrytail that answered, though it would've been appreciated if she hadn't. "He started coughing so was sent to camp. Probably whitecough. Might turn to greencough though. Might even kill him." She smiled with a false sympathy though her eyes glimmered with amusement. "We can hope." There was silence for a moment.

"Sometimes I forget how heartless you are," Tallblaze muttered.

"It's not like you consider me your sister," Flurrytail said. "You've even gone the lengths replaced me. Though you'd think you'd choose one that's not evil."

I felt myself freeze up. Of course she dragged me into this. What if she revealed something to Silkshade and Silentstorm? They had to at least be watching at this point.

"This has nothing to do with Shorty. Leave her out of it," he told Flurrytail. "This is between you and me. Go ahead, throw whatever pitiful insults you have at me."

"You don't tell me who to drag in and who to leave out," Flurrytail said. "When trying to get to some cats you have certain things that are necessary. Like knowing how to get to them. And I know very well that this bothers you a lot more than any insult. You're too prideful for that to work."

"Coward," Tallblaze said.

"Says the same cat who used to follow me out of fear," Flurrytail retorted.

"Really? The reason I thought I followed you was because I was a misguided mouse-brain who thought you had a point. Turns out I was wrong, but I've fixed that. Also turns out I'm not down with murdering cats who've done nothing wrong," he said. "You're the one who's afraid of Silentstorm. And you keep bothering Silkshade less and less I notice too. At least Shorty has the courage to take on cats bigger and stronger than her."

"It's cute how you think so highly of Deathfire," Flurrytail said. "It'll be a shame when you all die because of her."

Silkshade has walked up to my other side at this point, and both her and Tallblaze had unsheathed their claws. Flurrytail's claws were also unsheathed, but she looked entertained, much unlike Silkshade and Tallblaze's anger. All looked ready to fight. I motioned for everyone to stop.

"We've got more important things to worry about right now. Our Clan is what is important. We need to all attempt to get along," I said, my voice low and filled with a lot more emotion than I would have preferred. "We can't fight right now, especially over something as worthless as me. I'm going to my nest. Goodnight." I slipped away before anyone could get another word in.

I heard peaceful conversation so they at least listened. It wasn't until now I had a real chance to think about the recent news. Boulderfang was sick with whitecough. He could get worse. He could die. And only five remained caring for the Clan. What if more got sick? What if our Clan was truly doomed to die out? I didn't want to think of the idea, but I couldn't stop it. After all, with a death curse like myself in the Clan, it wouldn't be a surprise.


I lie in my nest, fighting to keep my eyes open. It was almost morning, I was almost there. The sounds of coming morning were beginning to be heard. Soon enough I could get up. For not the first time over the night, I heard coughing. I sat up to see someone doing so as well. And that seemed to be where the noise was coming from. So it wasn't my imagination.

"Are we gonna tell someone?" Flurrytail asked, the threat left unspoken.

"You realize you have to go so you don't get us sick or the entire Clan might die," I told her.

"Or you could keep your mouth shut and be safe," Flurrytail told me.

"Or you could wake cats up by threatening Deathfire not to say anything much too loudly," Silentstorm said.

"That seems like the most likely scenario," Silkshade agreed.

"It does, considering it happened," Tallblaze said.

"I've wanted to say this since we've been stuck out of camp," Silkshade said. "Leave, you fox-heart."

"I wanted to say go die in a hole, but leave works too," Tallblaze said.

"I want to say that as well," Silkshade said.

"For the sake of everyone in this Clan, get out of here," Silentstorm said.

Flurrytail glared at us all in turn, her gaze lingering on me the longest like it was my fault, and slunk out.

"Good riddance," Silkshade muttered.

"You realize this means only four of us remain to take care of an entire Clan," Silentstorm said.

"Oh, that's really not good," Silkshade said.

"Then we should get started," I said. "It may be a little earlier than usual, but we're down by two and already up."

So we all set out for the day. Things were getting worse, and I had a felling that would continue. At least we don't have to put up with Flurrytail anymore. I sure won't miss her.


Author Note: Welp, four cats left. Let's hope they at least don't get sick. But anyway, my daughter Deathfire made a pun! I am so proud of her! I found it punbelievably funny. Anyway, I'd like to thank the two new reviewers; I've been kind of in a slump with this book for a while and have always had motivation issues for the longest time, but I always get motivation from the fact people are enjoying my story. I mean, how could I abandon my characters and my readers? Y'all are awesome! Please leave a review if you feel like it! Merry early Christmas and happy holidays depending on what you celebrate! See you all next week!

-Rowan W