So I LOVED Shattered Sky! It was a brilliant book! However, one thing ticked me off. What about Whitetail and Heathertail? After all, they're Onestar's kit/mate! So, I made this in honor of them, because I can imagine them being very confused after his revelation.
Family Ties (and Knots)
Heathertail stood numbly in place several heartbeats after the ThunderClan cats had left. Her paws were seemingly frozen, her mind whirling as she fought to comprehend the information her Clan Leader - her father - had just relayed.
He had just told the entire Clan - and some of ThunderClan, mind you - about his first mate, a kittypet called Smoke, and his son, Darktail, (who also happened to be the tyrant over in RiverClan) and how he'd left them, making Darktail hate him and the rest of the Clans with a passion.
Onestar had never told any other cats this secret of his, not even us second mate or his daughter. Heathertail couldn't comprehend all this. Her father was mates with a kittypet? He left her and his son behind? She had a half-brother?
Her mother, Whitetail, stood next to her, green eyes wide with disbelief and hurt. Heathertail felt compelled to do something, perhaps place her tail on her shoulder, but she still couldn't move.
Onestar had leapt down from the ledge he'd been standing on, and now he sat down heavily a few fox-lengths away from them, head and shoulders sagging wearily. He looked like he'd fought the entire of StarClan.
"How could you?" Whitetail rasped, and it took Heathertail a few seconds to realize that her mother was talking to Onestar. He looked up, his amber gaze flashing with something she didn't recognize.
"How could you have kept that from me?" Said Whitetail. Her tail lashed angrily as she took a few pawsteps towards her mate. Heathertail stood still. They were now attracting attention from other Clan members, judging by the sudden gathering of cats, but Whitetail didn't seem to notice the new arrivals.
"I didn't think you'd understand," Onestar offered, wincing himself as he head the pathetic excuse leave his mouth. "I was with Smoke before you, Whitetail."
Heathertail snorted ad stepped forward herself, a sudden anger propelling her paws to finally move. "That's all you're going to say?" She challenged. "Not even an apology?"
Onestar stared at her, and she met her father's gaze boldly. He broke eye contact and sighed heavily, exhaustion seeming to sweep through every bone in his body. "I am sorry," he said. He blinked slowly, looking around the camp, at the cats gathered. "I truly am sorry.."
Whitetail shook her head, sadness flickering in her eyes. "I'm sorry too, Onestar," she said, tail drooping. "But that's not enough for me." She turned and disappeared into the Warriors den, tail whisking out of sight. Deep pain lanced through Onestar's expression for a heartbeat, and then was gone. He looked at Heathertail, shuffling his front paws. "Heathertail?" He croaked, standing up and trying to press his muzzle to her side, but she backed away, out of his reach.
"You- I- I can't-" She spluttered for a moment, then turned and followed her mother, flattening her ears against her skull as her father gave a groan behind her, his pain echoing throughout the camp.
She slid into the Warriors den, noticing that Whitetail was the only cat other than herself. Heathertail's mother was lying on her nest, head tucked under her forepaws. Heathertail slowly made her way over to her, treading carefully.
She sank down beside Whitetail and gently placed her tail onto the white cat's flank. Then she began to groom her mother, licking the pure-white pelt carefully.
Whitetail stirred, and she removed her head from her paws to look up at Heathertail. She opened her mouth to say something, but Heathertail shook her head. "Just rest," the brown she-cat said. Whitetail seemed to contemplate this a moment before nodding and lowering her head back to her paws.
Heathertail continued grooming her until she was sure that the older cat was asleep. Then she lay down herself, tucking her forelegs underneath her and resting her chin on Whitetail's back. She fell into an uneasy sleep.
Screeches rang out all around her as darkness slowly fell, turning the fighting cats into nothing but silhouettes. The battle was harsh, cats ripping at each other all around her as she turned in place, unaware of where to go.
Shaking her head and unsheathing her claws, Heathertail turned back and leaped into the fray. She smelled rogue cat and lashed out, unable to see very well from the darkness. Her claws caught one cat - a brown tabby - in the shoulder, and he hissed in pain, aiming a blow at her ears.
Another cat - a ShadowClanner, tackled the brown tom, and Heathertail turned back to attack another enemy. This new assailant was a golden tabby she-cat, and Heathertail snapped at her ears, grabbing hold and ripping a large, V-shaped notch.
The she-cat hissed in pain, and was about to retaliate, when a cold voice said, "Sleekwhisker, STOP."
The she-cat froze. She and Heathertail turned towards the speaker, and Heathertail's eyes widened when she realized that it was Darktail.
The big black-and-white tom stalked towards her, dismissing the golden she-cat, Sleekwhisker, who ran back towards the battle.
Heathertail was suddenly aware of how far away she was from the rest of her Clan- of any Clan. She bared her teeth at the tyrant, lashing her tail as he came closer, bloodstained teeth showing with a wide grin.
"Hello, half-sister," he crooned, stopping a few mouse-lengths away. "So good to finally meet you."
Heathertail's eyes widened. "How do you know that?" She spat, fur fluffing up. "Onestar just told us recently!" In the back of her mind she knew that she should attack him, but she also knew that he would have no trouble restraining her.
"I know many things, my sister," chuckled Darktail. He sat down and folded his tail neatly over his paws, as if they were having a pleasant chat. "And if I may say what a pleasure it is to see you for the first time."
Heathertail's fur bristled as she snarled at him, "Your father may be Onestar, but that does not make us related. Maybe by blood, but not by mind." She paced restlessly, keeping her gaze locked with his.
Darktail seemed to get even more amused. "Oh, really?" He said.
"Really." Heathertail said firmly. She crouched down, seeing Darktail's concentration flicker.
He was looking at something over her shoulder, and he stood quickly, unsheathing his claws.
"It's been a nice chat, but I must be going now," he said, smirking. "I have to. . . take care of some things."
He tried to run past her, but she leaped at him and fastened her teeth into his shoulder, ripping her claws at his pelt. He hissed and threw her off, clawing at her flank in the second it took her to stand again. She aimed another blow at his ear, and he dodged it narrowly. Blood was now staining the ground, from his shoulder and her flank. Darktail sprang at her as she tried to catch her breath and pinned her to the ground, raking her belly with his hind paws.
Pain shot through her as she struggled to escape, but he held her down and raked again. "You are very unhelpful, sister," Darktail panted, a red gleam showing in his eyes.
Blackness was now setting in her vision, and Heathertail felt most of her strength leave her. She tried to struggle free one last time, but he was too strong.
Then the weight disappeared. Heaving for breath, Heathertail surged up as Darktail stumbled away. Regaining her vision, she saw a golden tabby pelt grappling with Darktail, both cats similar in power.
She blinked as she tried to recognize her rescuer, and was stunned when Darktail suddenly gave a last swipe and darted away, back into the throng of battling cats. The golden tabby cat turned to her, and her eyes widened- it was Lionblaze!
His amber eyes were pale with exhaustion, his tail drooping. But he still stood strong, muscles tense in case of sneak attacks. "Are you okay?" He asked her, stepping forward to sniff at her flank, which was wet with blood.
"Why do you care?" She asked. It came out sharper than she'd meant, but her eyes were narrowed with confusion; why would he save her?
Lionblaze flinched, but kept eye contact. "I wanted to apologize," he said. "About everything I did. When I was younger...-"
Heathertail stopped his soon-to-be babble with a glare. "You save me and then expect me to fall all over you again?" She ignored the small pain in her chest- just seeing him gave her hurtful memories. "You-y-"
It was his turn to cut her off. "I know what I did was terrible. I did everything only for myself back then." His eyes glowed brighter. "I'm sorry, Heathertail. That's all I can say. I'm truly, sorry."
Heathertail felt her anger waning, and her tail dropped from the angry stance she'd taken on. "I'm not sure if I can forgive you right now," she said. "But perhaps in the future, we can be friends again."
Lionblaze straightened up. "That's all I can ask," he said honestly.
Heathertail sat by her mother in the rain, alongside the rest of WindClan. The loss of their leader, Onestar, had shell-socked the, all, and they were silently waiting for Harespring, the former deputy, to return from the Moonpool with Kestrelflight.
"I don't know how to feel," Whitetail broke the silence. Her voice was subdued, and Heathertail recognized that her mother was trying only to make herself heard to herself.
"Onestar was my mate, and I loved him.. but-" The older she-cat broke off, looking at the ground. "But somewhere inside I feel that it was best for him to go.." She looked back up, her eyes connecting with Heathertail's.
"I feel the same way," Heathertail confessed. She squinted in the heavy rain, drops running off her muzzle. "He was my father, but.." She also trailed off.
It was silent. The WindClan cats spoke no more, for a long while. They just sat, unmoving, in the chilly rain, as if sitting vigil for the lost leader, just without the body. Wind rippled throughout the camp, and even the smallest kit stayed silent. Then two cats padded into the clearing- Kestrelflight and Harespring. The Clan watched with bated breath as the latter climbed up to the ledge where the Leader gave announcements.
"Cats of WindClan!" The warrior yowled, his gaze sweeping around the camp. "StarClan has accepted me as Leader. I go by Harestar now!"
The crowd of cats dissolved into an uproar. "Harestar! Harestar!" They cried. "Harestar! Harestar!" Harestar stared down at them, pride lighting his gaze. He caught Kestrelflight's eye, and the medicine cat nodded respectfully at him.
"Harestar! Harestar!" Heathertail yowled to the sky, feeling her blood boil with energy restored. Beside her, Whitetail cried out just as loud for the new leader. The two she-cats rejoiced for Harestar, a new beginning for WindClan, and perhaps a more peaceful one.
Heathertail turned to her mother, dipping her head to her. "Onestar will always be my father, wether I like it or not," she began. Whitetail tilted her head to listen.
"But I will move on and forgive. It might be best he is gone, but I know that he will be watching over us." Heathertail's dark eyes gleamed.
Whitetail smiled, dipping her head slowly. "I agree," she said.
Well, that's that. I honestly hope you like it! :D