Mintfeather's Secret

Chapter 15:

Warning: This is where all shit breaks loose

Dawnstar stood in front of his clan, staring down at them with sad amber eyes. Mintpaw craned his head, sniffing the air to try and get a scent of Thrushpaw. He found it and he padded towards it to sit next to the tom.

"Hey. Were you out of the apprentices' den last night?" He whispered to the tom. Thrushpaw looked exhausted and rather spooked by something.

"What? Oh, yeah... Robinpaw was kicking me in his sleep again." Thrushpaw mewed. Mintpaw frowned. Even though he couldn't see Thrushpaw's face, something about the tone of his voice set off warnings in his mind.

"Did something happen?" He whispered at the tom. Thrushpaw glanced at his father, who was sitting beside Snakefern and staring up at Dawnstar with determined amethyst eyes.

"... I'll tell you later." He whispered back. "I can't right now." Mintpaw's frown deepened, but he nodded in compliance anyways.

"As most of you may have heard, Russetfoot has joined the ranks of StarClan last night. It's a sad day, seeing that a deputy so wise and caring should die so young. But enough of that. We shall all have our time to grieve, however it is time for me to announce a new deputy, and to give Redpaw a new mentor." Dawnstar mewed, looking down at the ginger apprentice, who was staring at his paws with dull eyes. "I make my choice before the spirits of Starclan so that they may accept it. Nightshade shall be the new deputy. And he will also be the new mentor of Redpaw." Dawnstar mewed. Mintpaw frowned and turned his head when he heard Thrushpaw make a choking sound.

"What's wrong?!" He asked with worry, sensing the fear that radiated from the apprentice.

"This is bad. Very bad. Why did Dawnstar choose him?!" Thrushpaw muttered to himself. Mintpaw blinked with surprise.

"I thought you would be happy for your father." He mewed, confused.

"No! That's the last thing I would be! That's the last thing anyone should be!" Thrushpaw hissed. Mintpaw frowned and shook his head, growing even more concerned and confused.

"Why?" He asked. Thrushpaw hesitated.

"Follow me." He whispered before leading Mintpaw through the throng of cats and towards the medicine cat den. There was no one inside when they padded in, and Mintpaw sat down, tilting his head to the side.

"Now tell me what's going on." He mewed seriously. He was growing worried about the light brown apprentice every moment that passed.

"Look, you can't tell anyone about this. If my father finds out I've told you... he'd kill both of us without batting an eye." Thrushpaw mewed nervously. Mintpaw jerked back, his eyes wide.

"What?! What do you mean?! Surely you're joking?!" When there was no response, Mintpaw's heart dropped into his stomach. "Thrushpaw... what happened?" He mewed gently.

"When you were going to Dawnstar to tell him about Russetfoot, Nightshade took me out of camp and told me that he had slipped death berries into Russetfoot's prey. He planned for him to die so that Dawnstar would make him deputy!" Thrushpaw hissed.

"What?!" Mintpaw gasped. "Thrushpaw, we need to tell someone!" He mewed, getting up and padding towards the entrance of the den. The light brown apprentice quickly tackled him to the ground and pinned him there. "Thrushpaw?! W-what-?!"

"Mintpaw, you don't understand! No one would believe us! We have no proof! Not only that, but Nightshade would probably kill us both. You because you now know, and me for telling you this!" Thrushpaw paused before cursing under his breath. "Mouse dung! I shouldn't have brought you into this!" He muttered. "Forget I said anything. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." Thrushpaw mewed. Mintpaw shook his head firmly.

"No. I'm not going to let you live with the burden of this knowledge alone. You said you'd always be there for me, right?" Thrushpaw nodded, frowning with confusion. Mintpaw guessed the tom had nodded and continued on. "Well, I'm going to return the favor. I'll always be here for you, too. If you would just count on me." Thrushpaw's emerald eyes softened and he leaned closer to Mintpaw.

"Mintpaw, I lo-"

"What are you two doing?" Robinpaw's voice mewed from the entrance of the medicine den, and Thrushpaw stumbled off of Mintpaw.

"Robinpaw!" He screeched with embarrassment. Mintpaw sat up and started to groom his fur, his pelt heating up. Robinpaw gave Thrushpaw a knowing look and smirked at his friend.

"Oh, I get it. I'll just leave you two to it then." He chuckled before turning and padding away. Thrushpaw growled after the tom and turned to Mintpaw.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be. What were you going to say before we wer interrupted?" Mintpaw asked. For a split second, he thought Thrushpaw was going to confess to him. But he was probably being silly. Thrushpaw glanced away in embarrassment.

"I-it's nothing! I-I'll tell you later..." He mewed. Mintpaw felt a slight tug of disappointment in his heart, but brushed it off.

"Alright. Well, let's get back out there so we don't look suspicious." Mintpaw mewed, leading the way out of the den. As they padded back towards their clanmates, Mintpaw couldn't help but wonder...

Where would Nightshade lead the clan?