The Thorns of Death

Milkythorn pretended to sleep, as though it would make her actually fall asleep, but in reality, she'd never been more awake in her life. The rustling and stomping outside frightened her, but she couldn't bear to think about what she'd done. Any noise could be a clanmate, and they'd see she killed him. She shuddered- hard. All he'd done was help her, but she had to kill him. She was a murderer. A daughter of a warrior and  the medicine cat, and she went and killed someone. He did nothing to her. But she had to. She'd been threatened. Milkythorn had seen the outsider, he had offered her a tour. All he'd done was get her lost and nearly attacked, so she killed him. She'd lured him to the Thunder path, and when he was on the edge, she slammed him into the path of a massive monster. How could she be so cruel? Not even Milkythorn knew. All she could think of was how she was a murderer. She'd never be able to tell the truth, she wasn't even sure if she could go home. No. She could go home, but it was too dangerous at the moment. So she waited in the ditch, huddled for warmth and her tail tucked over her nose.

Dark dreams held her in their grasp. "Help me! Please, help me, Leo!" She'd yowled from her hiding spot. "I'm stuck on the side of the Thunder path! M-My paws! The mud!" She held back her fury and replaced it with terror. She felt like she sounded pretty terrified. A few moments later, the friendly tom, Leo, raced toward the Thunder path. "Milkythorn, where are you? I can get you out, I know how." She pressed back the skeptical twinge. "Here!" she called out feebly. But the moment he arrived, an evil smirk spread across her maw. "You try to kill me, I try to kill you. Let's test your luck!" She body slammed into the bigger golden tom, and watched as he scrambled to his feet. But Leo wasn't fast enough.

Milkythorn jolted awake with a gasp. It was morning. She knew bad dreams would plague her thoughts for a long time after this. She was certain. She needed to confide in someone. She thought over her mothers, and decided, Firestorm. Firestorm was a warrior. She might understand. Yes. She'd go home and confess her murder. Her murder of an innocent cat. Her murder that would haunt her.

Forever.