Tragedy {A Warrior Cats Fanfiction}

» Chapter Nineteen «

"Mom, you're going to have to get up so I can place this moss down," mumbled Kestrelfur with moss in her mouth.

      "Sorry," said Morningleaf quietly. She squinted as she got up as though it took effort, and maybe it did. Her belly was swollen from being pregnant with her and Crookedtail's kits. It had been two moons ago when Kestrelfur had found out that she wanted to start a litter with him, and Kestrelfur still couldn't understand why she chose him.

         Kestrelfur set the new moss down in place of the old moss. She was a little upset that she had been doing more and more apprentice duties lately while Waspfang took the apprentices out training every single day.

         "Thanks for changing our moss," said the other nursery queen, Acornfrost. Her three kits were bouncing up and down beside her.

         "Are you Waspfang's mate?" asked one of her kits, Emberkit. "You're lucky; he's so cool!"

         "He's going to make us the best warriors ever!" said another one of her kits, Redkit.

         "Well..." said the third one, pawing the ground. Her name was Vixenkit. "I'm kind of interested in being a medicine cat. It seems like it would be fun to learn all the herbs."

         Cherrynose will be thanking StarClan that a kit finally wants to be a medicine cat, thought Kestrelfur.

         She left the nursery and looked around for Rainfoot. She wanted to tease him about his recent relationship with Violetheart.

         She saw him sharing prey with Violetheart, talking happily to each other. Kestrelfur suddenly felt different, seeing them so close, and she marched up to them.

         When they didn't notice, she cuffed Rainfoot on the ear to alert his attention. It worked; he sat up immediately and turned around. "Why'd you do that?"

         Kestrelfur laughed. "You should see yourself. Your fur is all fluffed up."

         Violetheart was smiling too. "You do look kind of funny."

         Rainfoot looked embarrassed and sat down again without saying a word.

         That wasn't as fun as Kestrelfur had hoped. She tried to ignore the aching in her chest as she turned away from him. Rainfoot didn't like her anymore.

         At least she had Waspfang.

         Kestrelfur grabbed a squirrel and started eating it, trying not to look at Violetheart and Rainfoot. Waspfang was still out training with the apprentices, like usual. She didn't understand why he was so focused on making them the best. They were just apprentices.

         Then the three apprentices padded back into camp. All of them solemnly padded up and took one piece of fresh-kill for themselves. Once they sat down, they started talking about training.

         "Waspfang is even better than my own mentor. He's going to be the leader, and I'll serve him," said Sparrowpaw.

         "We might as well start calling him Waspstar," said Chervilpaw with a mouth full of food.

           Nightpaw nudged him. "We're supposed to look like loyal and dignified warriors. We can't talk with our mouths full!"

           They both nodded quietly, as both their mouths were filled with prey.

         Kestrelfur sighed inwardly. She hated to admit it, but lately she had been feeling left out. Rainfoot was hanging out with Violetheart, Waspfang was always busy with the kits and apprentices, and her relationship with her mother was pretty much out the window. It was making her frustrated because she had never felt so alone. When she was an apprentice, she was on top. Noticed. Now she felt invisible, and she felt like she had to do something to get noticed. She clenched her teeth.

         After lunch Kestrelfur went out collecting catmint for Cherrynose. Apparently all the apprentices were busy with Waspfang. After Beetlestar lost two lives to blackcough and the elder, Yellowfur, lost her life to greencough, Cherrynose really wanted to stock up. Especially since it was leaf-fall and leafbare would be approaching soon.

         When she returned to camp the sun was setting and the camp was full. Everyone was gathered around the fresh-kill pile and eating—everyone except Beetlestar and Waspfang.

           Kestrelfur decided not to ponder where they went. Wherever it was, she wasn't there so it wasn't her problem. She grabbed a shrew from the fresh-kill pile and angrily sat down, away from Rainfoot and Violetheart. She wondered how she went from being loved by all to feeling invisible. She had to do something to get noticed again.

           Just then, Waspfang bolted into camp. He was gasping for breath, and the fear and shock in his gaze was genuine.

         The entire clan sat up and began to crowd around him. Kestrelfur padded up beside him. She had never seen Waspfang so distraught.

         "What is it?" she asked quietly. He didn't seem to hear her.

         "Waspfang?" asked someone else. It sounded like one of the apprentices.

         He snapped out of it and straightened up, his breaths becoming even again. "Beetlestar..." he said. "He—I saw his body. Covered in blood. There were claw marks across his neck."

         He paused, eyeing everyone, almost suspiciously.

         "He's been murdered."

A/N::

Hey guys! Things are about to get intense! Please keep reading because you do NOT want to miss out on all the craziness that's about to unfold. Everything has been leading up to this moment. Waspfang will embrace his destiny and become Waspstar!

What will happen? Any predictions? Don't forget to comment and vote!

//Edited