eternal: primrose || warrior cats

chapter 10

snakestrike

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SNAKESTRIKE QUICKLY organized patrols, sending them out to ThunderClan and WindClan's borders to check for the rogues as Ivorystar made her way into the medicine den to be fixed up. A very somber Mintberry had followed her. Snakestrike didn't understand why; despite how mean it might sound, he felt very little grief toward Clearfrost's death. She'd gotten what she deserved in his opinion.

It's simply karma.

After the patrols, Snakestrike posted two guards, promising them easy patrols the next day for sitting out in the rain. He dismissed all the other cats back to bed and finally padded over to the medicine den to check on Ivorystar.

Poor Ivorystar, he thought, slipping into the cave. Her eye. He shuddered; Snakestrike could only imagine the pain. Ivorystar must've fought very bravely.

Snakestrike had a strong hatred for the medicine den. The herb scent disgusted him more than anything, and everything reminded him of Clearfrost and her negligence, but to mention the hours he'd spent in here as a kit sorting herbs, being punished for causing trouble around camp. Just bad memories all around.

"Ivorystar's not here."

Mintberry's voice startled him, and Snakestrike had to force himself not to jump. Looking around the empty patient area, he replied flatly, "Yes, I can see that."

"She's back in her den," the gray tabby continued, her voice wavering. "She should probably rest up due to the wounds, but if you want to speak to her about these... rogues"- she spat the last word out -"just be quick about it."

Snakestrike shook his head. "No, I just wanted to check up on her. Make sure she's alright."

"Right, of course, it's what a good deputy does," Mintberry replied emptily, sitting down and staring out into the rainstorm. Snakestrike had a feeling this was one of the rare times she's being vulnerable and genuine with him. "Poor Clearfrost."

Snakestrike's ears folded onto his head, any thoughts of gentleness and comforting his sister thrown out the cave. "Poor Clearfrost?" he all but snapped. "She got what she deserved."

Mintberry's eyes sharpened, and her guard was back up again, all vulnerability gone. "And what in StarClan's name would she have done to deserve this? Being murdered brutally?" 

"She's a foxhearted cat," Snakestrike snarled. "She never shows a single sliver of grief for our dead Clanmates, why should we mourn her?"

"That's how she operates, Snakestrike, she separates feelings from her work," Mintberry defended angrily.

Snakestrike lashed his tail. "Well she's great at that, isn't she?"

The gray tabby's pelt started to bristle. "You still haven't answered my question," she pointed out angrily, "what did Clearfrost do, in your opinion, to deserve this?"

Snakestrike hesitated. If bad-mouthing Clearfrost had gotten him into a full blown argument with Viperfoot, what would it do with him and Mintberry's already rocky relationship?

"Ivorystar says Clearfrost tries to undermine her a lot," he meowed. "She tries to challenge Ivorystar's orders all the time."

"So what?" Mintberry scoffed. "That's why there's a medicine cat and deputy, to offer the leader different opinions."

"Well according to the code, 'the word of the Clan leader is the Warrior Code'," Snakestrike quoted. "Clearfrost isn't bringing up these new ideas to try and help Ivorystar, she's trying to dethrone her and become the leader herself."