Perfection [ warriorcats fanfiction ]

viii.ii

Nightpaw sighed, relieved that she wouldn't have to explain that to her sister. "It's impossible to change their minds."

Blackpaw wrinkled his nose. "It's not, actually. Larkpelt told me that my mother wanted to change the Code, and she would tell everyone how imperfections were just like us, and we all have differences, and we're all unique, and-"

"Stop." Dawnpaw cut off the other apprentice. "How does your mentor know all this?"

"Larkpelt was my mother's best friend. She was devastated when Leafwhisker died. More than me and Puddlepaw, probably. We didn't even know her."

Puddlepaw padded over, his ears perked up at the mention of his name. "What're you talking about?"

"Our mother," his brother replied.

Puddlepaw frowned. "How she died?"

"Not exactly," Blackpaw replied. "Because you know I don't know."

Nightpaw was curious. How could you not know the circumstances of your own mother's death?

She thought it would be insensitive to ask and was relieved when Blackpaw continued speaking anyway.

"It was a bit peculiar, Larkpelt said," Blackpaw murmured, glancing at his brother. Puddlepaw nodded in agreement.

"What was it- two sunrises after we were born?"

Blackpaw nodded. "I think so. She just died. Just died. She was perfectly healthy, she wasn't injured, there were no complications when we were born...." Blackpaw sighed. "She just died."

Nightpaw immediately began thinking. "So no cat knows what happened?"

Blackpaw nodded. "No cat knows for certain. There's speculations, of course. Larkpelt has a few theories of her own. She told me today."

"How come we've never heard about this?" Dawnpaw narrowed her eyes. "It's like they're trying to keep this a secret."

"Not a secret, really," corrected Puddlepaw, "they want us to accept that her death was an accident, or something just random. They don't want us to think about it any more, because if we think about it, it wouldn't be difficult to figure out what really happened."

"Well," Dawnpaw questioned, "what else could have happened?"

Nightpaw thought the answer seconds before the word left Blackpaw's mouth.
"Murder," he said simply.

Dawnpaw's blue eyes were wide. "Murder? Why would someone murder Leafwhisker?"

"Opposition," Blackpaw said shortly. "She was a great speaker, Larkpelt said. She had convinced about half the Clan that the Sixteenth addition to the Code was wrong and should be changed, and she was going to bring it up at a Gathering. The day she died- there was a full moon that night."

"So you're saying some cat killed your mother," Dawnpaw said softly, "because she wanted to change the Code?"

Blackpaw nodded.

"And you want to do the same thing?" Dawnpaw cried, "If you try to change the Code, you're going to die! Some cat is going to kill you, too!"

"Quiet down," Blackpaw hissed. "They will not. I'm just an apprentice. They don't think I'm any threat."

"Some cat is going to kill you," Dawnpaw repeated. "Just like some cat killed your mother."

Blackpaw shrugged. "I'm okay dying," he murmured. "I'm okay dying for something as important as this. And I already know who will want to kill me." He paused and turned to Puddlepaw. "Larkpelt is sure she knows who killed our mother."

Nightpaw's heartbeat quickened. There's a murderer, there's a murderer here....
"Who?"

Blackpaw looked at Dawnpaw, Nightpaw, and his brother in turn. "There's no real proof, of course. But Larkpelt is sure it couldn't be any other cat. Because don't you find it a bit....peculiar that the day after Leafwhisker died, Froststar appointed a new Enforcer?"

Blackpaw dug his claws into the ground. "My mother was murdered by Duskshade."