Breezepelt's Explanation
Before I start to tell this tale, I must set the scene. I will transport you to a place in the Warriors world, so sit back and relax as I take you away. After you read this bolded part, close your eyes and imagine this:
You are a young apprentice from WindClan. Your ambition is to become a great warrior, perhaps a leader. But your mentor warns you of greed, telling you stories of Breezepelt, the young warrior whose greed and ambition cost him his dignity and respect from other cats. You swear not to let ambition swallow you up, and truly mean it, thinking of Breezepelt's ruined career. One night, while you dream, you are taken from your nest and carried off to a strange forest. The trees are dead. The grass is encased in slime. Dry, cracked leaves fall from withered oaks, their branches fractured and pale, almost white as bone. A chilled, foul wind blows across a mucky marsh, carrying death and blood on the scents from the forest. You glance around, eyes wide in panic as a high-pitched shriek sounds from a nearby bush. Leafless, spiky branches seem to threaten you. Do not pass! The wind seems to whisper through the harsh, splintering wood. Curiosity overcomes you, and you dart around the dead bush, the scent of blood hitting you like a wave. You see a thin black cat lying in the grass before you, his stomach slit open and his life spilling from him. He tries to lift his head, tasting the air. "WindClan…" He hisses softly, eyes sparking with recognition. He turns to you, eyes locked on yours. You stand there, transfixed as he opens his mouth and begins to speak…..
Hello, young apprentice. As you can see, I don't have long. Yes, I am dying. And it isn't fair. Why me? Why must it be me, laying here as my body slowly fades into this revolting grass? It simply isn't fair. You can come closer, little one. Listen. You should know my name. I am Breezepelt. Don't tell me. I can read it in your frightened eyes as plainly as I can see this starless sky. I do suppose that it will be the last thing I see... Those WindClan cats have spread horrible stories about me. My loyalty. Nursery tales, I suppose. Well, they aren't true. Those gossiping elders have spun a web of lies. Don't believe a word of it, okay? I'll tell you what's truth and what's gossip.
Okay, it started long before I was born. Yes. My father. Crowfeather. I imagine that he is living happily in StarClan, his belly full of prey, while I rot away here in the Dark Forest. It makes me sick. Well, long ago, he fell in love with a ThunderClan cat. I can remember her clearly. Her fur was a soft shade of pale brown. She had darker tabby stripes, and she was very beautiful. I suppose Crowfeather actually loved her. I could tell later by the way he looked at her. The heartbreak, the longing. Anyway, he made a huge mistake, in my opinion. She had kits by him, but she claimed that they were her sister's and he fled back to WindClan and my mother. He was so clever, spinning tales of love and loyalty to woo her. She fell right into his trap, and I was born.
He was filled with bitterness still, saved up in his heart from when his first love was lost. He never loved my mother. He never loved me. He ignored his own kit. His own blood. All he cared about was praising this arrogant ThunderClan apprentice. Great job, Lionpaw! Work on your crouch, Breezepaw. Excellent work, Lionpaw! C'mon, Breezepaw, is that the best you can do? Ugh.
As I grew up, the bitterness was my only friend. My only companion all through my apprenticeship. Even my crush, Heatherpaw, preferred handsome, perfect Lionpaw. I grew up twisted, filled with ideas that Crowfeather hated me and that everyone like Lionpaw better. As I grew older, Lionpaw and I obtained our warrior names. I was so proud of myself, but Crowfeather didn't care. He didn't even talk to Lionblaze much anymore. He broke my mother's heart. He didn't seem to care about life any more. He is the one who deserves to be here, fading away into nothing! It's his fault, it always has been. My mother, filled with heartbreak, told me that he hated me. Told me that he never loved me. Told me that he would rather be Lionblaze's father. What a laugh it was when I discovered that he was Lionblaze's father! A laugh, not for me, but for my Clanmates. Ha! They said. Look at him! Him and his disloyal father! Ha, how funny. It stung like a hornet's nest.
And then came Tigerstar. He blew me away with promises of power and achievement, and what I wanted most of all-revenge. All I had to do in exchange was help him with his little plans. I never really cared about who won the Dark Forest war. I never cared about my new 'loyalties'. All I cared was that I could show everyone that I was better than Lionblaze. And if I couldn't do that, I would kill him. Him and my neglectful father.
I tried. I really did. I even tried to kill Lionblaze's littermate to make him feel the pain of loss. Because I had lost so much. My father, my crush, and any respect my Clanmates had left for me. I wish I hadn't been so hateful, but there's no helping that now. And I can hardly blame myself. Crowfeather gave me an example, and I followed it. Hate. Bitterness. That is what he taught me, and I followed.
Now, here I am. My life could have been so much! I could have done good for my Clan, raised a family with Heathertail, become the cat I had always dreamed of being, perhaps even leader. But because of Crowfeather, I am here now. And there's no helping that. No use trying to rewind time. So, goodbye, young apprentice, and take care not to make my mistakes.
And a favor, if you will. Please, please, when you return to your nest, remember me. Please. Heathertail will be an elder by now. Yes? Well, tell her I love her. And tell your Clanmates that I wasn't such a bad cat. Tell them that it wasn't completely my fault. And tell Heathertail that I'm sorry. So, so sorry. So goodbye now, young one, and be careful to pad on the straight and narrow path. It won't be long. I will fade. Goodbye, and remember me. . .
You watch as his head falls back, eyes glassy and sightless. He fades away, and you wake up, safe and at home in your nest. As you train in the training hollow, your mentor mentions Breezepelt. With a small smile, you keep your promise. "He wasn't such a bad cat…" You begin.