Mallowpaw
14/100
For most of the meeting, Mallowpaw hadn't really been paying attention. But when the topic turned to a raid, Bumblestar immediately had Mallowpaw's attention.
Battle.
Dread lay in the pit of her stomach like a rock, dragging her down. Battle. She didn't want this to happen. Would she have to fight? Would she have to face off against cats who wanted to kill her? Would she live another day?
I don't have any training, Mallowpaw thought.
Surely Bumblestar wouldn't make me fight? The thought made her feel marginally better.
Mallowpaw looked around for Mushroomcloud, but a commotion caught her attention. Some warriors were whispering, their words lost before they reached Mallowpaw's ears. She recognised one of them as Sunglow, the warrior who had been misbehaving.
Then the other warrior was attacked.
Mallowpaw blinked in shock as the commotion increased, as warriors gathered around them, as accusations of treason were flung into the air. Then Bumblestar pushed through the crowd, glaring at Sunglow, and Mallowpaw knew what she was going to do before it happened.
She closed her eyes. Images of Bumblestar ripping out Mapleface's throat flashed through her mind.
When she opened them, Sunglow was lying still on the ground. Bumblestar was threatening the other warrior. Turns out she was a queen.
Why did this always happen? Why did clanmates kill clanmates? Why was the camp, which was supposed to be a safe place, shadowed with treason and death and sorrow? Mallowpaw swallowed. Her throat was dry.
As Bumblestar's threat echoed through the clearing, Mallowpaw turned and headed towards the apprentice den. She wanted to lay in her nest and block out the world. Block it out until the next death brutally pulled her back into reality. Until someone she loved died in the raid.
With a chill, she realised Mushroomcloud would most likely be participating.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
It'll be okay, she told herself, but she knew it wouldn't be.
Nothing was ever okay.