The Wrong Time and Place

Characters:

Ospreyfeather - mottled brown and grey tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Kestrelflight – elegant, pretty spotted tabby she-cat with very pale yellow eyes

Burnstar – young, smoky grey tom with ginger speckles, a white ruff of fur around his neck, and gold eyes

Narrowstar – skinny dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes

Marshwing – stocky grey and white she-cat with blue eyes

Breezemist – long-furred grey tom with green eyes

Archpaw – brown and gold tabby she-cat with amber eyes

"Forward, LightningClan!"

Burnstar's yowl was charged with energy. The smoky grey tom stood atop the hill that they had stolen, golden eyes gleaming brightly. His thick, ginger-speckled pelt was waving in the stormy breeze that had kicked up. The sky was dark and overcast with thick, roiling clouds that growled with thunder and promised a storm.

Ospreyfeather growled. LightningClan only attacked during storms, because their warriors had been trained to fight in blinding rain and ignore lightning that would ordinarily scare other cats. As a result, they won nearly every battle they initiated.

Of course, Burnstar was a young cat and had been the leader of LightningClan for less than a moon. His skills were being put to the test, and it was entirely possible that his Clan would lose this battle.

But then Kestrelflight appeared next to Burnstar. The golden tabby's eyes gleamed as she looked down upon the ShadeClan warriors, and Ospreyfeather snarled. It figures that she'd be here. Now we'll lose for certain. The LightningClan deputy was an older warrior with much more experience. Every cat had expected Kestrelflight to become the leader of LightningClan, so it had come as a shock when Burnstar – formerly Burnclaw – was chosen to be deputy.

The entire situation with LightningClan was strange. Burnclaw had been a warrior for all of two seasons when he was made deputy, and only three moons after that Waspstar had died and left him as the leader. The tom was young and foolish, and it became clear how naïve he was when he chose his mother as deputy – that was Kestrelflight. The elegant she-cat was ambitious and clever and nothing about her was kind or motherly.

Just then Ospreyfeather had to banish the thoughts from her mind, because LightningClan began to charge down the slope. Narrowstar, ShadeClan's leader, let out a yowl of fury and twitched his tail to direct the Clan up. The line of warriors surged forward and crashed into the enemy.

Ospreyfeather hissed at the first warrior she encountered, swiping claws across his face. The tom snarled and arched his back as he leaped away to dodge the blow, but she managed to nick his ear.

Spitting with rage, she lunged at him and managed to bowl him over, clawing tufts of his blue-grey fur out. "Filthy snake-heart!" she growled, sinking her teeth into his scruff and shaking him vigorously. The tom tore free and fled, screeching in pain.

All of a sudden there was a brilliantly bright streak of lightning that soared from the heavens to touch the ground, making the air itself tingle. Just after it was an earsplitting crack of thunder, and the skies opened up.

Blinding rain drove the ShadeClan warriors to the ground. Ospreyfeather fought to stay on her paws, flinching as the sheer force of the icy rain sapped her strength from her body. She struggled to climb up the hill, though the grass was slippery and mud seeped into her sodden grey and brown pelt at every pawstep. Off to one side, she knew, there was a ditch sheltered by shrubs several tail-lengths high – it was there that she aimed for, pressing forth against the driving wind and rain. She could see almost nothing, for the storm was thick.

Then, to her right side, a dark shape loomed up. One massive and powerful paw struck a glancing blow to her shoulder, unbalancing her. Ospreyfeather let out a yowl as her paws slipped and she flopped sideways, revealing her soft underbelly – but before her attacker could react, she began to slide down the hill on a mat of soaked grass. There was a smug growl, and the form faded into the rain, presumably to find another victim.

Ospreyfeather floundered to regain her paws, but her ungainly wriggling served only to make her slither down the hill more quickly. Then a large, solid object jabbed her in the back, abruptly halting her fall, and the tabby warrior managed to twist around.

"Got you!"

Voices? She crouched, sheltered from the storm's fury by the large shrub that had stopped her decline, and peered through its wide branches. That sounds like Burnstar! The tom's youthful voice was unmistakable.

"Run all the way back to your forest, coward," Burnstar continued. As Ospreyfeather's eyes began to adjust to looking through the driving rain, she saw the ginger-speckled grey tom watching one of her Clanmates run away. His golden eyes were lit with adrenaline and excitement.

Ospreyfeather forced herself to hold back a growl when she realized that Kestrelflight was on the leader's other side. The elegant golden deputy managed to look flawless even with rain pounding into her pelt. "Good job, Burnstar," she meowed coolly.

Burnstar's eyes glowed at his mother's praise. Ospreyfeather winced; couldn't he see that the she-cat was just feeding his ego? Don't listen to her, she wanted to yowl, she's just playing with your mind! But to do so would almost certainly end with her being attacked, so she stayed put. Hopefully they'll join the rest of the battle soon enough.

"Well," Burnstar mewed at last, puffing out his chest in a show of bravado, "we should get back to the battle. My warriors are probably about to win – I want to watch ShadeClan run with their tails between their legs!" He turned towards the hill and Ospreyfeather ducked her head behind the bush. Did he see me?

But when she peeked out again, Kestrelflight was barring Burnstar's way with her long gold and brown tail. "Wait just a moment," she meowed calmly. "I need to speak with you."

The tom turned, tipping his head to one side blankly. "Huh? What is it?"

Kestrelflight faced him, eyes gleaming. "I want to know honestly, how long do you think you'll be leader of our Clan?"

Burnstar blinked, looking puzzled, then shrugged. "I don't know. A long time, though. Long enough so that LightningClan will be the most powerful one in the forest!" He laughed. "I won't let you down, Kestrelflight, I promise!"

She regarded him coolly. "Oh, my son," she purred, "you already have."

What? Ospreyfeather froze, staring in shock at the golden warrior. What is she saying? That seemed to be Burnstar's reaction as well. The grey tom had gone perfectly still, head cocked to one side.

"What do you mean, Kestrelflight?" he began, but before he could finish speaking the golden tabby was a blur of motion.

She sprang at him, claws unsheathed, and in a single powerful blow she had knocked the LightningClan leader to the ground. She stood above him, pale yellow eyes glittering maliciously, and sneered. "What do I mean? What do I mean, you fool? You've always done nothing but hinder me. I was supposed to be the leader by now. If I had been chosen as deputy, I could have gotten Waspstar out of the way and become leader already. But that bumbling old fool had to choose you instead – you, a puffed-up warrior who was barely out of the apprentices' den!"

Burnstar no longer looked like a powerful leader. Instead he seemed to have shrunk into himself. The mud splattering his pelt made it seem as if he were sinking into the ground, and his wet fur clung tightly to his body. His ears were flat against his skull and his eyes were enormous, sparked with hurt. "But I'm your son!" he mewled pathetically.

Kestrelflight leaned down and thrust her muzzle into his face, snarling. "Don't be a fool. Don't you see? I never wanted a kit." She locked eyes with Burnstar, glaring right at him. "I never wanted you."

Ospreyfeather watched this scene unfold, eyes wide. She saw as Kestrelflight thrust her son's chin out of the way and sank her teeth into his neck. Burnstar let out a strangled cry – of pain, of betrayal, of protest – and his legs convulsed in powerful spasms briefly. He stilled, then began to struggle once more. Ospreyfeather gazed on in silent horror as she watched Burnstar return to life eight times. Finally Kestrelflight stepped back, swiping her tongue around her jaws to clean them of blood, and Burnstar's body went still for the last time.

How could a cat sit and watch as their leader – and their son! – dies nine times? What sort of ruthlessness would such a thing take? A gasp of shock burst from Ospreyfeather, and the golden tabby looked up again, eyes sharp and alert. "Who's there?" she growled. "Who are you?"

There was no way to escape now, Ospreyfeather realized. Kestrelflight would search for her, certainly checking under the bushes, before she left. The ShadeClan warrior couldn't climb the hill to escape without being seen. So she slid out from under the bush and faced the LightningClan deputy.

"Oh, a ShadeClan cat," Kestrelflight meowed dismissively. She kicked Burnstar's corpse contemptuously with one paw. "Well, I suppose I'm lucky it was just one witness – and from another Clan, at that." She sighed. "There are no hard feelings, you understand. I just have to ensure that this little action doesn't make it out of the clearing. Although I could perhaps pin it on you…" she mused.

"Wait!" Ospreyfeather exclaimed, taking a few pawsteps backwards. Kestrelflight's eyes narrowed. Taking a deep breath, the grey and brown tabby spoke. "My name is Ospreyfeather. You know what an osprey is?"

Kestrelflight nodded slowly. "A bird of prey, yes."

"A fast bird of prey," Ospreyfeather added. Then, significantly, "I didn't just get my name because of my pelt colors." She watched closely and was satisfied when the golden tabby's eyes widened for the briefest of instants. Realization had hit her.

"You think they'll believe you if you say it was me?" Kestrelflight growled.

She nodded. "My Clanmates will believe me because they know I can be trusted. And they know you can't be."

A sly look entered Kestrelflight's eyes. "Indeed. But let me ask you a question: have you ever wanted to be leader?"

Have I ever wanted to be leader? Ospreyfeather glared at her, uncertain as to whether she should answer.

It didn't matter anyway; Kestrelflight nodded. "Of course you have. What cat doesn't dream of it – sitting on the Great Stones at the Gathering, speaking to StarClan, leading their Clan to victory in battle?" She looked down at Burnstar. "Not many cats would resort to what I did," she admitted. "But I see it in your eyes – you were born to lead your Clan."

Though Ospreyfeather tried to ignore it, Kestrelflight's words were bringing images unbidden to her mind. The thought of leading ShadeClan had indeed crossed her mind many times, but what did it have to do with this situation?

The golden tabby took a few steps closer and Ospreyfeather warned her back with a savage hiss. "Oh, so nervous," Kestrelflight purred. "It's okay, you know – I'm not going to kill you like I did Burnstar if you just hear me out. Obviously you're the best choice in your Clan to become deputy, but of course your Clan's current deputy is still in power. She's a strong cat, too – doubtlessly, when Narrowstar dies, she'll be leader for many seasons. So what I propose is this: I cripple your deputy and you become deputy in her place. In return, you tell no cat what I did to Burnstar."

She's… she's offering to help me become leader? Ospreyfeather didn't quite know how to react, but she growled, "More deceit. You'd kill me anyway when you got the chance."

"Isn't that what we always do?" Kestrelflight meowed calmly. "We warriors are always fighting. Sometimes cats die. But this cat –" she broke off to glance at Burnstar's body "– is nowhere near as skilled as you are. Certainly if you were expecting me to kill you, you would always be on guard, and it's not worth my time waiting for you to let down your defenses." She looked straight at Ospreyfeather. "Your choices are simple. Tell the Clans and you die. Keep this as our little secret, and you could be Ospreystar."

Ospreystar… Despite herself, Ospreyfeather longed to yowl, Yes, yes, I'll keep the secret, just make me the leader! She took a deep breath and lifted her head. I'm sorry, Marshwing, she thought, naming the ShadeClan deputy. "Fine," she meowed at last. "I won't tell anyone."

"I don't think it will heal," Breezemist meowed quietly. He ran one paw along Marshwing's leg. "I'm sorry, Marshwing, but you're not going to be able to stay as a warrior with a lame leg."

The stocky grey and white she-cat closed her eyes, huffing a sigh. "Oh, StarClan."

Narrowstar leaned over his deputy and pressed his muzzle into her forehead gently. "I'm sorry, Marshwing," he meowed softly. "You don't deserve this fate."

"Archpaw," she mewed suddenly, sitting up with a wince. "Who will be her mentor?" She looked at her apprentice, a small brown and gold tabby who sat miserably at her side.

Ospreyfeather sat off to one side, eyes shadowed. She knew that this would have to happen – Archpaw would need a new mentor and Narrowstar would have to move Marshwing to the elders' den – but it didn't make her feel less guilty.

"That battle was no good for either side," Narrowstar remarked sadly. "We lose our deputy… LightningClan loses Burnstar." He sighed. "Marshwing, I'd like to speak with you for a while to determine the new deputy, and we can choose who will be Archpaw's mentor."

Archpaw sat up suddenly, amber eyes flashing angrily. "I don't want someone else as my mentor! I want Marshwing!" She lashed her tail and flattened her ears, glaring at Narrowstar. "Don't change my mentor!"

Marshwing stretched out of her nest to lick the young she-cat's ears. "It's okay, Archpaw," she mewed quietly. "We'll still see each other. Don't you worry, Narrowstar will choose a very good mentor for you." But Ospreyfeather saw the sad look in her blue eyes, and a pang of guilt struck her again.

Narrowstar flicked his tail. "Ospreyfeather, may I speak with you? Marshwing," he added, "I'll be back in a moment so that we can choose the new deputy."

A cold stone of terror dropped into Ospreyfeather's belly. Narrowstar wants to speak with me. He knows… he must know that I made a deal with Kestrelflight! He knows what happened! With great effort, she forced her pelt to lie flat and swallowed hard. "Yes, Narrowstar," she mewed.

The dark grey tabby led the way out of the medicine den. His yellow eyes were calm when he turned to face her, and the cool expression he wore only terrified Ospreyfeather more. "So," he meowed calmly. "Here we are."

She stared at him. What is he going to do? A horrible thought crossed her mind suddenly, making her tail quiver. Is he going to exile me?

Narrowstar's voice was quiet. "You have been a loyal warrior for many moons, Ospreyfeather, and I have not given you an apprentice. I know you are more than capable of taking that responsibility, and so I want to ask you to mentor Archpaw."

What?

That was not what Ospreyfeather had been expecting. He's asking me to be Archpaw's mentor? She blinked, startled out of her fear. "R-really?"

Her leader nodded. "Yes. I must warn you that she will be bitterly angry after Marshwing's unfortunate retirement…" To Ospreyfeather's shock, his voice cracked on the last word. Marshwing was his friend, she thought guiltily, and it's my fault she can't serve at his side any more. Narrowstar licked his jaws, closing his eyes briefly. "… Archpaw will probably judge you harshly and compare you to Marshwing, but I know you can handle it. She's young, but she's strong-willed and I've no doubt that the two of you will become close."

"If you think I'm ready, Narrowstar, I'll do my best to teach Archpaw," Ospreyfeather promised.

Narrowstar looked up and nodded. "I know you will. You're a good cat, Ospreyfeather. And because of that, I have another request." He paused, and there was a roll of thunder – the last echo of the vicious storm they had fought in earlier. "I want you to become the deputy."

Numbly, Ospreyfeather remembered Kestrelflight's silken voice purring, "Obviously you're the best choice in your Clan to become deputy." She heard herself gasping, "Do you mean it? Me?" and nodding when Narrowstar asked if she wanted the position. But inside she felt hollow. I don't deserve this position. But as she thought about it more, she realized that wasn't true. She wasn't the one who had killed Burnstar. She hadn't hurt Marshwing. She was just in the wrong time and place. It was just a sort of perfect disaster.

This story is in the same world as Badgers and Bitterness Changes. It's during the same general time that Badgerkit, Foxkit, Hollykit, and Thornkit go to the badger sets - it features Ospreyfeather, who later becomes Ospreystar (in Bitterness Changes she is the leader, though not mentioned), and Kestrelflight - who later becomes Kestrelstar (immediately after this story takes place). This is actually a little bit before the events of Badgers, but just two moons at most.

Archpaw is Archclaw. Eventually there'll be some one-shot about Archpaw and Ospreyfeather learning to deal with each other and what led Archpaw to becoming Ospreyfeather's deputy eventually, that'll probably be what I work on next in fact. Please review the story if you can. That's all, folks!