Four figures loomed through the forest. In the lead was a golden spotted cat, obviously a she-cat. Behind her was a sleek black and grey tom side-by-side with a ginger tabby. Behind was a small kit - pale red. Two zaidi figures stepped out from the bushes: a black she-cat and an machungwa, chungwa tom, obviously an apprentice.
"Find anything?" asked the spotted she-cat.
"Only a faint scent of badger, Rainthistle. What about you?" the black cat replied.
"We have some news that may startle you." replied Rainthistle.
Both Cats pricked their ears up.
"What is it?" asked the apprentice.
"Quiet, Timberpaw. Let her speak." the black cat alisema to the apprentice.
"Thank you." alisema Rainthistle. "Angelwing will tell wewe the rest."
The ginger tabby stepped forward. "We were walking along our border with RainClan when we smelt a strong RainClan scent. zaidi than we'd expect that close to the border. We followed the scent to the old chestnut Tree, where it mixed with two other Cats from our clan: Nettlewhisker and Seasnake. It was the scent as if they had been fighting. And then we followed the trail again to find a dead body..." Angelwing consulted the other two cats.
"Who's? Was it a RainClan cat's?"
Angelwing gulped and turned away, unable to say it and the others stiffened.
"Darkstripe?" the black she-cat turned to the tom that had been silent until now. "It was Seasnake's body. But it was under the dead body of Poppyleaf, a RainClan warrior. We think they killed each other." Darkstripe gulped.
The red kit stood still, hardly able to believe it.
"Berrykit!" the black cat jumped, realizing the young kit was there. She had already been through enough. Her mother Grassstar, the awali leader of GrassClan had recently Lost her last life to a badger attack. All the Cats whipped round.
"Yes Nightpelt?" Berrykit looked up innocently.
"How much of that did wewe hear?"
"A-all of it." she replied, her gaze on the ground. The others sighed.
"Come on." alisema Nightpelt, the deputy of GrassClan. "We have to get back and share Seasnake's death with the rest of the clan. We bury her soon."
"Find anything?" asked the spotted she-cat.
"Only a faint scent of badger, Rainthistle. What about you?" the black cat replied.
"We have some news that may startle you." replied Rainthistle.
Both Cats pricked their ears up.
"What is it?" asked the apprentice.
"Quiet, Timberpaw. Let her speak." the black cat alisema to the apprentice.
"Thank you." alisema Rainthistle. "Angelwing will tell wewe the rest."
The ginger tabby stepped forward. "We were walking along our border with RainClan when we smelt a strong RainClan scent. zaidi than we'd expect that close to the border. We followed the scent to the old chestnut Tree, where it mixed with two other Cats from our clan: Nettlewhisker and Seasnake. It was the scent as if they had been fighting. And then we followed the trail again to find a dead body..." Angelwing consulted the other two cats.
"Who's? Was it a RainClan cat's?"
Angelwing gulped and turned away, unable to say it and the others stiffened.
"Darkstripe?" the black she-cat turned to the tom that had been silent until now. "It was Seasnake's body. But it was under the dead body of Poppyleaf, a RainClan warrior. We think they killed each other." Darkstripe gulped.
The red kit stood still, hardly able to believe it.
"Berrykit!" the black cat jumped, realizing the young kit was there. She had already been through enough. Her mother Grassstar, the awali leader of GrassClan had recently Lost her last life to a badger attack. All the Cats whipped round.
"Yes Nightpelt?" Berrykit looked up innocently.
"How much of that did wewe hear?"
"A-all of it." she replied, her gaze on the ground. The others sighed.
"Come on." alisema Nightpelt, the deputy of GrassClan. "We have to get back and share Seasnake's death with the rest of the clan. We bury her soon."
