Warriors: Sunbeam (To The Past Book 1)

Chapter Twelve

Birdpaw couldn't stand her sister. The vision sent to her haunted her every time she looked at Bluepaw. As the days passed, she tried to convince Snowfeather of the prophecy and that she should watch Bluepaw but the deputy wouldn't hear it. Birdpaw kept pushing till she snapped at her in front Froststar and Snakepaw.

"Enough! I don't believe you! How can something like happen? Starclan doesn't exist!" Snowfeather snarled. Birdpaw backed away fearfully as she and the other two cats stared at their deputy in horror. 

"How can you say that?" Froststar demanded. "You've seen me lose a life before!" 

Snowfeather rolled her eyes. "Honestly. You didn't lose a life. You weren't critically injured or sick. You're just faking it for attention." 

Froststar was appalled by her sister's words. She fell silent. Birdpaw growled. "How could you become deputy if you don't believe in your ancestors?"

"My beliefs don't rule how I am as a deputy."

Birdpaw knew she was right but couldn't stand the idea that she didn't believe in Starclan after everything that had happened. "Then how would we know that Windfire died before you even got back?"

"You didn't know until I told you. Pretending to know by saying 'I know' doesn't mean Starclan exists."

"Birdpaw, give up. She won't listen. She's just going to make up excuses for herself so she doesn't have to believe in her ancestors," Snakepaw mewed quietly. 

She looked at him and saw he was gazing at her thoughtfully. Oh. Snowfeather would change her mind when it came time for her to be leader. If Froststar died before her, that is. She sighed. "Fine. But, please, be wary of Bluepaw."

Snowfeather snorted. "You're not telling me what to do just because you think you can talk to dead cats." The deputy turned and stormed out of the training clearing they'd brought her to.

Froststar sat down with a sigh. "I can't believe this. She never believed in our ancestors even after all she's seen with us?"

"Some do not believe even if it is plain before their eyes," meowed Snakepaw.

After that spat, it was obvious Snowfeather and Bluepaw were closer. They would only be with each other, never letting anyone else near them. They were pushing everyone away. Birdpaw couldn't stand to see her sister twist Snowfeather around her paw. But there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. 

One hot day, Birdpaw lay in the drying up stream dividing the territory. Snakepaw was beside her. He let out a groan. "I want the water to come back. Why is it so hot?" He stretched his front legs out and patted the dried stream bed, sending dust swirls up into the air. Birdpaw watched them, intrigued. They reminded her of the billowing smoke in her vision. 

"We need to keep an eye out for fire. The time of Froststar's death may be near."

Snakepaw shivered and she felt him move. "I don't want to lose her. She is such a wonderful leader."

"But she only has one life left. Oaktooth took one of her two lives," Birdpaw reminded him gently. 

Snakepaw sighed. "I know. But she could still have many days ahead with us."

Birdpaw shared his wish. She didn't want to lose another of her kin. Even if she knew it was almost time to end their reign, it still hurt. "Greenleaf is awful this time," she said, changing the subject as Crowfur and Heathertail joined them down the stream. 

Snakepaw snorted. "You're telling me this when you don't know the other greenleafs?"

She hit him with her tail. "I walk often in the past."