Brindleface's Love: A Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 29

The Clan gathers underneath the Highrock, waiting to hear Bluestar's words. Brindleface exits the nursery with Ashkit and Fernkit at her tail, who are now bigger than ever. The clan has just finished battling Brokentail's rogues yet again successfully, but the Clan leader seems extremely bothered and broken.

I wonder what's wrong. We should be celebrating our victory! Brindleface thinks as her kits sit beside her.

She watches as Cinderpaw limps over to Tigerclaw, giving him some herbs for his wounds, and then the rest to Graystripe. Bluestar watches Tigerclaw for a moment and begins to speak.

"I present you with Tigerclaw, now a prisoner. He—" Bluestar begins, but then worried murmurs interrupt her.

Prisoner? What did Tigerclaw ever do?! Brindleface thinks, until one of her kits takes her words right out of her head.

"What did Tigerclaw do?" Fernkit asks Brindleface curiously.

"I don't know, dear." Brindleface can only respond.

"A prisoner?" Darkstripe speaks up. "Tigerclaw's your deputy. What has he done?"

"I'll tell you." Bluestar meows. "Just now, in my den, Tigerclaw attacked me. He would have killed me if Fireheart hadn't arrived in time."

"What?!" Brindleface can't help but meows in disbelief. She hears sounds of protest and disbelief from her clanmates as well. She hears an elder wail.

"Why would Tigerclaw do that? What warrior tries to kill his own leader?" Ashkit meows.

"A bad one, that is." Brindleface responds to her son.

"There must be some mistake." Darkstripe blusters.

Bluestar raises her chin. "Do you think I can't tell when a cat tries to murder me?" She meows  dryly.

"But Tigerclaw—" Darkstripe continues, but Fireheart speaks up, interrupting him.

"Tigerclaw is a traitor to the Clan!" He spits. "He brought the rogue cats here today." Darkstripe talks back.

"He'd never have done that. Prove it, kittypet!" He meows.

Brindleface watches with shock as Bluestar beckons Fireheart forward. "Fireheart, tell the Clan what you know. Everything."

Fireheart pads slowly to Bluestar's side.

"Cats of ThunderClan, do you remember when Redtail died? Tigerclaw told you that Oakheart killed him, but he was lying. It was Tigerclaw who killed Redtail!" Fireheart reveals. Brindleface feels sick to her stomach.

Is this true? Oh StarClan... poor Redtail. He was brutally murdered by his own clanmate who he trusted. I miss him. Brindleface thinks.

"Who's Redtail?" Fernkit murmurs.

"He was Bluestar's first deputy." Brindleface quietly answers.

"How do you know?" Longtail asks with a sneer on his face. "You weren't at the battle."

"I know because I talked to someone who was." Fireheart steadily replies. "Ravenpaw told me."

Ravenpaw! Brindleface thinks.

"Oh, very useful!" Darkstripe growls. "Ravenpaw's dead. You can tell us he said anything, and nobody can prove you wrong."

"Ravenpaw isn't dead." Fireheart explains.

He isn't? Where is he then? Brindleface thinks, worried about her brother and foster kit.

"I took him away after Tigerclaw tried to kill him for knowing too much." Fireheart continues.