The night of the execution was a rather dark one. The moon was only a sliver and most of the stars hid behind clouds. This made viewing the event only harder, especially for a certain one-eyed tom. He was sat in the back of the crowd.
His black pelt made it almost impossible to see him. The only part of him that didn't blend into the darkness was his one bright emerald eye, which focused on the two cats in the front of the feline crowd.
One of these cats was the deputy. He stood in front of group with his silver furred chest puffed out to show his importance and superiority. The other cat was a young pregnant queen. The color in her eyes seemed to dull, her posture was slumped down. She had given up all hope.
"Cats of Rainclan" The silver-furred deputy meowed quietly "We gathered here tonight to cleanse this once pure clan of its dirt. Tonight we get rid of this code-breaker, this fox dung, this sinner" he turned to the dull eyed queen "this filth" he spat his vile words at her direction.
The one-eyed tom listened intently; clinging on to each word like it was a fat squirrel in the middle of a cold leaf bare. He told himself that he was paying attention because it was the rules, but he was just deluding himself. He was listening because a small part of him was hoping the words would cleanse him as well.
"This is Swiftheart" the deputy stated as if her clanmates had forgotten "Over the past moon she has broken the warrior code"
Shouts of outrage came from the on lookers. A few toms come forward to spit at her. Others flung gravel and dirt on the queen perfectly groomed pelt. She had spent all afternoon washing it, she at least wanted to at least look decent when she died. Oh well.
"She not only trespassed onto Gorgeclan territory but she got impregnated by a Gorgeclan tom." the deputy continued to shout in hate "Thanks to the recent invasion we have also learned that this flea bag told this tom of Rainclan's schedule."
The day before, Gorgeclan had attacked the camp conveniently when most of the warriors were out. Luckily one of the patrols had heard the battle cries and came running home. Feeling horribly guilty, Swiftheart admitted that she told the Gorgeclan tom.
"What if Gorgeclan won and drove us away!" The one-eyed tom called from the audience.
"What if they hurt the kits or elders" another tom yowled "You put innocent lives in danger" he looked at her swollen belly "And you call yourself a mother when you could have been responsible for the death of kits."
The queen couldn't take it anymore. Each outcry was a scratch to the chest. The queen's guilt and fear was building up. She fell to the ground with a dull thud.
"What's wrong with you can't face up to your crimes?" The deputy asked. There was no response from Swiftheart. The deputy crouched down to become eye level, he unsheathed his long claws.
"I said, can't face up to your crimes?" then in one quick motion he raked his claws across her delicate face.
As Swiftheart wailed in agony, the one-eyed tom flinched. The scar that imprisoned his left eye started to sting. He was remembering his own blow.
The deputy deiced not to stall this any longer. The clan was in an up roar and Swiftheart was shaking in pain and fear, it was time to strike. At this point, the black tom couldn't take it anymore. He shut his one opened eye.
He heard the single squeal of pain, then the deafening silence. When he had the courage to open his eye, he saw the deputy standing with his silver, blood-stained chest puffed out in pride. The pregnant queen was on the ground in a pool of her own blood. The code breaker was dead; the clan was once again pure.
The angry crowd turned into cries of glee and pride. The one-eyed tom said nothing.
"You okay Wolfscar?" Snowstorm asked.
"Yes, of course" he answered. Of course he was okay, because the body of the queen could have been him. He was lucky just to have a scar.
After a while the clan went to bed, their hearts filled with pride. Starclan was once again watching over Rainclan.