Chapter 8: Breaking the News

Chapter 8:  Breaking the News

     Flamestar looked around the room.  All the color drained from his fur.  Robinsong was dead.  The wolf had killed her.  And he'd never gotten the chance to tell her the truth.  It was all his fault... his own stupid fault!  If he'd been brave enough to just ask her, then she'd never had been killed.  Grayfur and Ashfeather looked down at him.  "You're going to be fine, Flamestar,"  Ashfeather said.  Flamestar sighed.  He slowly rose to his paws.  "Robinsong is dead," he said sadly.  "I'll never be fine,"
     Grayfur sighed.  "You loved her," she said.  Flamestar stared at Grayfur.  "How'd you know?" he asked.  "It wasn't hard to tell, seeing you stare at her all the time," Grayfur replied.  Flamestar looked at the she-cat.  She'd grown a lot.  Grayfur was still small, though.  She also acted wiser and more like a medicine cat.  Medicine cats, he thought.  "There's a few things I do need to do," Flamestar sighed.  "Lots of things need to be done."  Flamestar slowly walked from the medicine cat den.  Whispers echoed through the crowd.  He jumped on high rock, scrambling up.  The jump seemed higher when Flame was weak.  "Clanmates," he bagan, "I have good news, and bad news.  The good news is Ravenpaw is ready to become a warrior."  Cheers rippled through the crowd.  Ravenpaw beamed.  Flamestar figured he should bring some good nws into the clan before presenting the bad. "Ravenpaw, step forward."  Flamestar said as Ravenpaw obeyed.  "StarClan, look down on this apprentice.  She has trained hard, and is ready to become a warrior.  Ravenpaw, do you promise to follow the warrior code and protect your clan at the cost of your life?"  Flamestar finished.  "I do," Ravenpaw said.  "Than on behalf of StarClan, I present you with your warrior name," Ravenpaw beamed.  "From now on, you shall be Raventail.  StarClan honors your bravery and courage,"  Flamestar grinned at Raventail, who grinned back.  "Raventail! Raventail!"  the clan shouted.  After the cheering had died away, Flamestar decided to break out the bad news.  "Fellow clanmates," Flamestar began, "Today we mourn the loss of our brave clanmate, Robinsong,"  Gasps and wide eyes stared at Flamestar.  "We... we were hunting by the river..." Flamestar began.  "A black wolf jumped out..." Flamestar couldn't take it.  He jumped from high rock and hurried to his den.  He heard Ashfeather's voice.  "When Flamestar comes out," she said, "We shall sit vigil for Robinsong,"  Yes, I will come out when I'm ready.
                                                                 End of Chapter 7