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"Drinking Shampain To Forget Yesterday"
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The moon had completed it's cycle, one moon had passed.

Dawnclaw was back to preforming warrior duties, as her kits had been apprenticed.

Meadowpaw to Mallowheart, a good choice as far as Dawnclaw was concerned. Mallowheart was her best friend, though the two had drifted recently.

Coyotepaw had gone to Stormthroat, and whilst Dawnclaw was not a fan of that horrible molly, she had to admit that she was a good mentor to the little ginger tom.

Martenpaw had been apprenticed to Swiftear, no one and seen that coming. The bouncy she-cat had always seemed an average (and not very intelligent, though no one would say it out loud.) cat, but she had really come into her own. Swiftear was very relieved at this, he would be retiring the moment she became a full medicine cat.

Maplepaw had scored Snakestar, though that didn't surprise Dawnclaw. She would either destroy or lead the Clan one day, she was really an extraordinary kit.

And dear little Sablepaw was apprenticed to Rainfleck, intelligent and caring tom. They were all very good matches.

Minkfoot ended up in the nursery once more, and the father was unknown. Well, there was one thing they did know, and that was that the father wasn't her mate.

Needless to say, it had been a scandal.

Another surprise was Cherrystream herself ended up in the nursery, the father was Yellowtail.

"The Clan needed more kits!" He explained himself. Really, Cherrystream was the Clan joke.
But then again, the two had had kits together before, those kits being Waspwhisker, Brindlebee, and Grayfur.

All in all, everything was fine.

Aside from the fact that Rooktail had been found dead.

It was a simple one, a mere slit of the throat, but with that same symbol. One vertical line and two diagonal ones.

No one knew how. No one knew why. It had simply occurred.

On a happier note, Sablepaw really had made an improvement. He was an excellent hunter, and spoke to Dawnclaw willingly from time to time. He interacted with his fellow apprentices more, and seemed to be forming a connection with Deerpaw.

All the thoughts of the past moon accompanied Dawnclaw as she walked with her Clan by moonlight. Leafbare had arrived, no snow had fallen yet, but it was cold. Very cold. Rain poured down most days.

Now was no exception. Dawnclaw's dilute tortoiseshell fur was soaked through, and she shivered with the wind.

"Thank StarClan we're near camp. This rain will be the death of me."
Complained Duckflight, her bicolour fur sodden.

Dawnclaw grunted in response, before an odd sound caught her ear. And she had developed a large hatred to strange sounds and scents.

"Did you.. Did you hear that?" She asked.

"There's a cat over there." Fishpaw motioned, her grey paw trembling.

"You jumpy fleas, that's Minkfoot! Let's leave." Duckflight snorted.

But Dawnclaw was staring at her sister.
"No. She hasn't been feeling herself lately, and I haven't been there for her. Even if she hates me, and I her, I think we need each other right now." Dawnclaw said decisively.

"Suit yourself." She shrugged.
"Come on Fishpaw!"

Soon, Dawnclaw was alone.

"Minkie?" She used her kit nickname for her sister. Neither of them had used it in seasons.

A small sob broke the tension.

"Minkie!" Dawnclaw ran forward. She couldn't help it. Part of her was beginning to appreciate her sister, despite all that had happened between the two.

"Dawnclaw." Her sister's voice was thick with emotion, and it reminded Dawnclaw of blood. Sticky, thick, and metallic.

Her sister was muttering some words repetitively, and Dawnclaw couldn't make them out.

Minkfoot seemed to have forgotten of Dawnclaw's presence, and was crying louder instead, hysteria burst like flowers in her song.

"I'm sorry."

Dawnclaw finally caught Minkfoot's words.

"Rooktail, I'm sorry!" Minkfoot screamed, suddenly.

Dawnclaw jumped, and her mind dissipated into mist.

Was the murderer Minkfoot?

She then noticed silence had fallen.

"I loved him." Her words were calm, quiet, and throbbing.

"I loved him. And we.. I'm carrying his kits... and he's dead!" Minkfoot's howls continued.

"So why are you sorry?" Dawnclaw asked her, starting at the grey back of her sister.

"Because I.. I blamed him. I blamed him for dying and leaving me. For making me love him. For making me feel! I don't want to feel! I want Rooktail!" She pushed past Dawnclaw, hazel eyes wild.

She stopped.
"You won't leave me, right?"

"No." Dawnclaw promised, as rain fell into her eyes and blurring the world.

"Thank you. Your lies will always comfort me whenever I lie in the darkness. It's always there, you know. In the corners of my eyes. I can run from it, but it's always with me."

When Dawnclaw blinked and the world focused, Minkfoot's pawsteps were retreating.

Minkfoot and Rooktail?
She seems sadder than I thought. But after all that happened between us, what can I give her?
What will she take?

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A/N: Kinda short but just a fuller.

I really like Minkfoot.

Fact Of The Chapter: Dawnclaw and Minkfoot have hated each other for moons, ever since Minkfoot withdrew and said things that she shouldn't.

Their history is very vague.