A/N: This one-shot is a companion story to Silverkit's Struggles. It contains a major spoiler, so I don't recommend reading it until after Silverkit's Struggles.
Treepelt pounced. His jump carried him four tail lengths across the ground. He landed squarely on the lizard and killed it with a smooth blow of his paw. Collecting the rest of his catch, he trudged home. Upon slipping into camp, he deposited his prey on the pile and headed for the warriors' den. After his long night hunt, nothing felt better to him than a good rest. He slept dreamlessly.
When he woke, he felt refreshed and ready to greet the day. He joined his clanmates in the clearing. They were all huddled around their deputy Whitespot, who was announcing the patrols for the day. "Lionwing, take Snowpath, Hawkstripe to patrol the Thunderclan border. Blackshadow, you'll patrol the Windclan boundary with Pebblespots, and Wavestripe. Stormfang will you and Treepelt take out hunting patrols?" The cats nodded their assent. Those called for the boundary patrols left, following the patrol leader out of camp. The rest of the warriors were divided up into Stormfang and Treepelt's patrols.
Treepelt decided to hunt by the burnt sycamore tree. With him in the patrol was Gladepelt, Wavestripe and Flowerpetal. The brown and black tabby tom sighed as he fell into the same hunting crouch as the previous night. Easily he caught a sparrow. By the time he and his patrol had enough prey, it was Sun-high. He took them along the quickest path to camp, eager to see his friends.
When they returned, the camp was bustling with activity. Another hunting patrol was leaving. Most of the clan was sharing tongues. Mudstar was talking with Whitespot. Blackshadow was fixing the elder's bedding since there were no apprentices. Runningfire had been eating a shrew when Hawkstripe padded up to him. "I got a thorn in my pad, will you take it out?"
Runningfire swallowed and nodded. He licked Hawkstripe's pad until he found the thorn. He gave a grunt, pulled it out and spat it away. The warrior thanked him and went to choose a piece of prey from the pile. Treepelt choose a piece for himself and carried it over to where Snaketooth and Frostclaw were sitting. He ate the lizard and exchanged gossip with his friends.
"Snowpath has been spending a lot more time with Lionwing hasn't she?" Frostclaw asked.
"Yeah, the whole clan is expecting her to move into the nursery with his kits soon!" Snaketooth meowed. Treepelt purred. New kits meant there would be more apprentices in the future; maybe he would be a mentor soon!
"And I hear Gladepelt was moving to the Elders' den soon. It's long overdue." Treepelt contributed his own news. Everyone knew that Gladepelt was the oldest warrior but not very many knew he wanted to die a Warrior's death. It seemed he had given up the notion of it.
The three cats purred. "I can't wait to have an apprentice! It'll be great to train an apprentice in the ways of a warrior!" Frostclaw meowed.
"You would know, seeing as you already were a mentor." Treepelt said dryly. He was envious of Frostclaw since he himself had yet to be a mentor.
"Yeah! Give us a chance!" Snaketooth added.
"Treepelt!" Mudstar called. Curiously, the brown and black tabby tom hurried up to his leader. "You are needed on a very important warrior mission. Come into my den and I will brief you on what will be expected." The leader started toward his den, Treepelt behind him, when Whitespot spoke.
"Mudstar, I still say that this is wrong. There are other alternatives. Fighting isn't the answer." Mudstar just turned to glare at him.
"I am the leader; my word is law." The brown tom said angrily before continuing to his den. Treepelt followed, more reluctantly than before. What Whitespot had said unnerved him.
Mudstar settled himself on his mossy nest and waved his tail, indicating that Treepelt should make himself comfortable. The tom had never seen the inside of the leader den and stared in wonder around him as he sat down.
"Mudstar, can I ask why you chose me for this mission? There are a lot more experienced warriors in the clan."
"That is a fair question and I understand your concern. I feel that you will understand what I am asking of you and why I ask." Treepelt nodded, satisfied with the answer. Mudstar continued, "I need you to go into Riverclan territory and kill Rainstar."
The warrior's mouth gaped open, his eyes as wide as the moon. All understanding vanished immediately. Is he seriously sending me into enemy territory to kill the leader of a rival clan? Has he gone mad? The brown tabby couldn't find a reply. Farcically, he casted around in his mind but came up empty. Maybe he's got a fever, I should get Runningfire to take a look at him…
"I understand your speechlessness. It is completely against the warrior code, what I am telling you to do. But so is what he did to my sister." Mudstar had a sister? "Moons before you were born, when my name was Mudtail, I had a beautiful, kind sister. Her name was Hazelfoot and she had cream colored fur with brown stripes."
"She and I were the best of friends. We told each other everything. There wasn't anything she couldn't do. She was the best hunter, she was strong and noble in battle. I wanted to be just like her. At a Gathering, she met Rainstar, Rainclaw at the time. He was recently named deputy. She was quite taken with his good looks and charm. She thought he was sweet and funny. I knew she fell in love with him before she realized it herself."
"When I confronted her, she got angry with me. She told me to stay out of her fur, that it was her life not mine. The closer she grew to Rainclaw, the further she distanced herself from me. Suddenly, it was him who was her best friend, who she told everything too. She snuck away every night to meet him at the border. When she announced to the clan she was expecting kits, I had no need to ask whose they were. They grew up to be Whitespot and Stormfang."
"They were two fine warriors, a credit to our clan. I knew she was very proud of them. I was too. After their warrior ceremony, a Riverclan patrol was caught on our land. Of course, it was Rainclaw who was at the head of it. Hazelfoot and I were part of the patrol that fought them off. We had just chased them to the border when Fishcreek pounced on her. They wrestled together and Fishcreek got away. He ran across the Thunderpath, and Hazelfoot chased him. Then, she got hit by a monster and died instantly."
When the leader finished his tale, he looked sad. Treepelt knew he was reliving Hazelfoot's death. Yet he failed to see how it was Rainstar's fault for her death. "How is it Rainstar's fault?"
"If he had loved her, he would have saved her from the monster. If he was a true warrior, he wouldn't have lead the patrol that invaded our territory." Treepelt still knew that it was no cat's fault, and that he would never ever kill a cat, no matter what the circumstances were. Mudstar just wasn't thinking, his mind was still too clouded with grief.
"Mudstar, I can't go into another clan's territory and kill their leader. And I don't feel comfortable being used for your personal revenge, it's-"
Mudstar's eyes flashed with anger, his voice vibrating erratically and his fur was standing on end. The young warrior had never seen his leader like this. "How dare you defy me!? You will go to Riverclan, and you will kill Rainstar! If you don't, don't bother coming back cause I will kill you!"
Treepelt hurried out of the den, feeling as though it was his life that had been sentenced to murder, not Rainstar's. All his morals told him what he was doing was wrong, yet it seemed he had no choice. What should I do?
Treepelt paced around the camp for the next three days, mulling over his problems. Mudstar continued giving him murderous looks. At last, he had to accept he had no choice. Rainstar would have to die. Starclan forgive me!
On the fourth day, Treepelt left camp way before dawn. He traveled through the territory stopping only for a quick mouse. When he reached the Thunderpath, he glanced in both directions before running as fast as Windclan to the other side. After a pause to catch his breath, he traveled to Fourtrees. It was halfway to Sunhigh when he stood alone with the four oaks. Starclan, I know this is wrong. Why can Mudstar see that? Why am I doing this?
I'm so sorry Rainstar. I never wanted this. I will forever honor your lost and regret what I have done with every breath. With his tail drooping, he left Fourtrees. When he came to the river that marked their border, he hardly flinched. Swimming isn't the worst thing I'll have to do today.
He slowly emerged into the water. Treepelt had never swum before, but his instincts told him to kick with his legs, and keep his tail leveled so he could keep his head above the water. Half swept by the current, he reached the shore within a matter of moments. He pulled himself out and shook out the water from his fur. He gave a sneeze, shooing out all the water from his nose.
When he could smell again, Rainstar's scent almost immediately came to him. Following it downstream he located the Riverclan leader. There, with a silver and black she-cat. They were hidden behind some bushes, seeming to be assessing a white apprentice. Treepelt watched Rainstar as he gave the silver tabby a nod and dash off in a new direction.
Scrambling to keep up, Treepelt followed discreetly behind the gray tom. He must be helping with a warrior assessment. What an awful time to…but I have to. Oh Starclan! The brown and black tom wasn't sure when he should do it, only knowing he needed to get Rainstar alone.
The Riverclan cat scidded to a stop and checked the scents, as though he wasn't quite sure where the other assesments were happening. It has to be now, while he's alone. While he unseathed his claws, Treepelt heard a cat cry out. He slowly padded from where he stood behind a willow tree and braced himself.
"RAINSTAR!" It was the silver tabby from by the river. She had her apprentice with her. Feeling as though he was in a dream, he scored his claws down Rainstar's throat. The white cat let out a fierce caterwaul and gave chase. "Oh Rainstar…NO! Oh no!" Treepelt heard the silver tabby cry out as he ran away from the clearing. What have I done? I'm so sorry Rainstar. So sorry. I should have stood up to Mudstar… How could I have let him change who I am? Rainstar please forgive me!
He forced himself to run faster, knowing that it wasn't the white apprentice he was running from, but his guilt.
Treepelt didn't stop running for a long time. When he reached the shadowclan border, he felt such a distance from his friends. I can't go home. How can I go back to camp and act like a normal cat? Like I was just out hunting by myself or something. A deep pang shook him. I was hunting. Hunting Riverclan prey.
He crossed back over the Thunderpath and headed toward Windclan. He crossed their scent marks and crept through their territory, quiet as a mouse. He had forgotten he still carried his Shadowclan scent. It alerted a nearby Windclan patrol.
"Hey, Bramblestripe, Skyheart, do you smell that?" The Windclan cat Cinderfur asked.
The two lithe cats scented the air. "Shadowclan cat close by." Bramblestripe meowed in response.
"Smells like Treepelt. What's a lone warrior doing so far outside his territory?" Skyheart wondered aloud.
Cinderfur meowed, "Let's find out." She quickened her pace and her clanmates followed behind.
"Tresspasser!" Skyheart called as they neared him. The three Windclan warriors fanned out around him, blocking any means of escape.
"What are you doing on are land?" Cinderfur added.
"I need to visit the Moonstone." Treepelt said. He wasn't surprised when the enemy warriors looked at him suspiciously. I guess it isn't every day when a regular warrior wants to speak with Starclan.
"How stupid do you think we are? Do you really think we'd buy that? Trying to steal time for your clanmates to attack us?" Bramblestripe snarled. Treepelt was suddenly very angry, but he knew better than to let his temper flow freely. It would only make them more suspicious.
"I don't think you're stupid. There's only me here. Surely you can smell that?" The warriors looked at their clanmates, still not trusting the Shadowclan cat.
"Skyheart, return to camp and get a patrol of cats to search the territory for any signs of invasion." Cinderfur whispered. In a louder tone, speaking to Treepelt she added, "We'll escort you."
The light gray cat shot off for the camp while her clanmates led Treepelt through the Uplands to where he would need to cross the next Thunderpath. Beyond that lay Mouthermouth in all of her beauty.
Treepelt waited as three monsters flashed by. Then one more. After it whirled away, he dashed for the other side, relieved he had left the hostile clan behind. The only other time he had been to Mouthermouth was on his apprentice journey there, with his mentor Hawkstripe. It was so magnificent he felt daunted and insignificant in comparison, just like last time. Plucking up his courage, he climbed up the rocks and entered the tunnel that lead to the Moonstone. Quickly he descended the tunnel, trusting his instincts to lead him.
When he entered the cave, he padded up to the sacred rock. Breathing deeply, he pressed his muzzle gently against it and closed his jade colored eyes. Please Starclan. I'm so sorry. When he awoke, Treepelt found himself at Fourtrees, yet everything was sparkling with stardust. In the center of the clearing laid Rainstar. "Rainstar…I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I shouldn't have killed you. I should have stuck up for you when Mudstar told me to-" The tom broke off when a third cat joined them.
It was a cream and brown she-cat with beautiful sea-green eyes. She padded up to stand next to Rainstar who nuzzled her lovingly. She twined her tail with his and purred. Treepelt felt his presence was invading their privacy. He knew that the she-cat was Hazelfoot, Mudstar lost sister and Rainstar's mate. I'm glad to see them reunited, but it doesn't make what I did right.
When Rainstar looked at Treepelt, he was not angry. "Treepelt, this was my destiny. Starclan had already told me what was going to happen. I had served Riverclan faithfully nine lifetimes over. I knew I left Riverclan in good paws, haven chosen Silverheart to be the deputy and now, leader. What more could I have done for them? Starclan need this to happen so Silverheart could save the clans." Save the clans? What?
"If I hadn't met Rainstar you wouldn't have been born, Treepelt. And then Silverheart might not be able to save the clans." Hazelfoot spoke. Her voice was smooth like ice in Leafbare and warm like the sun in Greenleaf.
"Why wouldn't I have been born?"
"Our daughter had her own litter. Whitespot was one of her kits." My mother! So we're…
"We're kin. You're my great grandparents." Treepelt realized. "Oh great Starclan, I killed my own kin!"
"It had to happen. It was our destinies. I don't regret a thing, Treepelt. I am not angery or sad. Please stop feeling guilty. This was supposed to happen. I promise." Rainstar spoke with conviction. He reached out to give the Shadowclan cat a lick.
"Thank you, Rainstar. I feel better now. And it was nice to meet you Hazelfoot." The brown and black tabby meowed. He felt his eyes closing, so he gave into the dark blackness. When he found himself beside the Moonstone, he could feel nothing but peace. Mudstar thinks he got his ultimate revenge by having me murder Rainstar. I wish he knew how happy Rainstar is, being reunited with Hazelfoot in Starclan. Happier than he had been in days, Treepelt headed home.
A/N: Hey guys. I have always wanted to write a one-shot and here it is! I just got to thinking how incomplete Rainstar's death was. I mean, no one know why Treepelt killed Rainstar or how he felt. It didn't fill finished to me. Thus, this one-shot was born! Thanks for reading! Please review!