Warrior cats: Snow and Briars DISCONTINUED

Chapter 17

Briarheart stepped away from the body, fear etched in her face. 

'Please... I didn't do it... I heard his yowls and came over... it must've been a fox...'

Ravenblaze fell beside the dead deputy, mourning. Emberpaw stayed back, horrified. 

'If it was a fox, where did it go?' Ravenblaze asked. 

'I... I don't know... it must've run away when I came...'

'Foxes don't just run away!' The black warrior snarled. 'We'll take his body back to camp and tell Lionstar what happened. Emberpaw, help me get hid body back'

Emberpaw ran over and helped Ravenblaze lift the body. Briarheart watched uncertainly, and Ravenblaze signalled for her to come with an annoyed flick of his tail. 

'I need to watch Dappledpaw... I left her hunting when I went over...'

Just then there was a rustling from the bushes and Dappledpaw came awkwardly through.

'Briarheart? Did you find out what happened- wait, is that Blazefur?'

Briarheart nodded and the apprentice followed the others on the long trek back to camp. They stumbled slowly over the stepping stones, and after what felt like the whole of leafbare, reached the camp. Lionstar met them just inside, ear twitching with anxiety about his deputy's yowls of pain. He saw Blazefur's dead body and charged over.

'Blazefur... my deputy... what happened?' He questioned. Ravenblaze lay his bloody body in the clearing and spoke. 

'I don't know. Me and Emberpaw heard his yowls of pain when we were returning from the two leg place - he was waiting at the fallen-tree - and we ran back to find him dead, with Briarheart standing over his dead body,'

'Emberpaw, bring the catmint to Brightleaf and then go back to your den. Dappledpaw, go back to the apprentice den as well.' Lionstar commanded. Dappledpaw tried to complain that briarheart was her mentor, while Emberpaw padded off, feeling like it was ages since she left camp. 

She entered brightleaf's den and saw the young medicine cat, who hobbled gratefully over.

'Thank you, Emberpaw. One of Cinderstripe's kits died as well... Anyway, did you heard the yowls? Do you know what happened. 

'It was Blazefur.... he's dead...'

There came a howl of agony from the back of the den and Emberpaw turned to see cinderstripe, sorrow in her blue eyes.

'Blazefur! My mate!' She cried. Brightleaf ran over and tried to soothe the queen, but Cinderstripe got to her feet and ran out of the medicine cat den, crouching beside her dead mate's body to mourn.

'Cinderstripe! You have whitecough! Don't infect anyone else...' brightleaf called. Emberpaw padded away from the den, shocked, and entered the apprentice den, where Dappledpaw was lying, watching Lionstar's den.

'Hey Emberpaw...' the apprentice greeted sadly. Emberpaw licked her ear comfortingly and lay down beside her. 

'Feeling ok?' She meowed, though she knew her sister wasn't.

'I wish I was. Surely Lionstar will realise that briarheart would never kill Blazefur!'

'He's a fair leader. He wouldn't do anything too mean. Besides, he's her mate.'

'Is he?' Dappledpaw was shocked, and Emberpaw nodded. 

'Yes, don't know how it happened, but it did. Bright leaf is their kit'

Dappledpaw sighed, and then sat up as Lionstar left the leader's den, followed by Ravenblaze and Briarheart. 

'Let every cat old enough to catch their own prey gather for a meeting!'

The clearing was soon full of cats and Emberpaw sat next to her sisters to listen. There were a few surprised meows at seeing Blazefur's corpse, but they silenced for Lionstar to speak.

'Blazefur is dead.' He began. 'And briarheart was found at the scene of the crime.'

Shock rose from the cats and a few gave Briarheart incredulous or mean looks. She recoiled and Lionstar continued. 

'I don't know if she did it, and don't want it to be true. She will remain without punishment until we get more information. In the meantime, Brightleaf has got some more catmint and the ill cats are getting better. And more good news, since Blazefur is dead, I will need to choose the next deputy. I say these words before starclan, so our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The next deputy of flameclan is Ravenblaze'

 Emberpaw felt a jolt of joy at  mentor being deputy, and watched the black-furred warrior pad dream-like towards the rock-pile. Flameclan yowled his name, and he ducked down, embarrassed. 

'Thank you... I don't know what to say... I never expected this...' he meowed. 

'Those who are sitting vigil for Blazefur, go and do that. The rest of you, you are dismissed.'

Emberpaw joined the cats sitting vigil, knowing that he was Reddapple's brother, and therefore her uncle. Dappledpaw and Hollypaw joined her, as well as scar eye, Lionstar, Ravenblaze and others. The sun had set, and a new star twinkled down on the clans.