Moonfeather curled up next to Emberblaze's body, closing her eyes. Smokestrike killed you… StarClan forgive me for what I'm going to do…The she-cat pretended to sleep when she heard pawsteps approaching and someone nudged her. She yawned and blinked open her eyes, squinting at Jayfeather. "It's time for the elders to bury him," he murmured and padded off.
The compacted white she-cat stood and sat down, as Sandstorm and Dustpelt padded over, picking up her brother's body and padding out of camp. Fresh grief washed over her and she closed her eyes, before opening them again, grief mixing with fury as she spotted her brother pad in from the dirtplace, looking heartbroken from their brother's death.
She sighed and turned her head away, watching the camp entrance. Maybe Sandstorm and Dustpelt will come back and say Emberblaze isn't dead, but is deeply unconscious. But that was not so. Sandstorm and Dustpelt padded into camp, their paws dark with the soil that they dug to bury Emberblaze. He really is gone… Moonfeather whimpered silently and hung her head, flattening her ears.
"Moonfeather," a voice mewed and the compacted white she-cat looked up at her sister and brother. "I need to collect more herbs and Bramblestar said to take two warriors with me because we don't know who or what is out there, will you come with us?" Hollypool asked softly, eyes dull with grief. Smokestrike stayed silent, still looking like he was grieving.
The white she-cat hesitated, worried that if she went Smokestrike would kill Hollypool, but it might happen anyway if she didn't go. Finally, Moonfeather nodded and stood, following her siblings outside of camp. StarClan, please forgive me. I can't let him kill more innocent cats. Smokestrike slowed and meowed, "Hollypool, what herbs do you need to get?"
The black she-cat flicked her tail and murmured, "Rosemary, catmint, cobwebs, and marigold." The golden tabby tom with gray stripes nodded.
"Led the way!" Hollypool snorted and turned, padding toward the abandoned twoleg den. Smokestrike followed behind before turning to Moonfeather and meowing, "You should scout the area to make sure there's nothing hanging around." He turned and bounded after their sister. The compacted white she-cat narrowed her eyes and slunk after the, swiftly. I'm not letting you get away with the murder of our brother and you won't hurt our sister!
A blurred figure bowled into her, sending the warrior sprawling across the ground. She scrambled to her paws and glared at her brother. "I knew you were following me," he hissed, claws unsheathing, hackles rising, ears flattened, and amber eyes narrowed. "You were too suspicious for your own good." He smirked and darted forward, tearing his claws across her nose, sending his sister tumbling back with surprise. "Come on, too weak to fight back?" Smokestrike sneered.
Anger surged through Moonfeather and she lunged forward, lashed out an unsheathed paw and tearing it through the flesh on his shoulder. He howled in pain and spun around, grabbing his sister with his powerful paws and pushing her down, digging his claws into her skin, blood beading up and spilling over. "You need to die," he hissed, eyes blazing, digging his claws in deeper when the warrior struggled. "You know too much." Moonfeather closed her eyes and prayed, StarClan… please forgive me. She suddenly pushed upward with her back paws, taking her brother off guard and sending him flying.
She rolled over and stood, deep dark green eyes blazing as she stalked toward her brother, claws unsheathed all the way and teeth bared, the fur on the nape of her neck bristling in anger. Smokestrike stood, baring his teeth, standing his ground. The two cats circled each other, watching and waiting to see who would strike first. Moonfeather darted forward, surprising her larger opponent and tackled him to the ground in a flurry of teeth and claws. As claws tore through skin and flesh on both cats, the white she-cat managed to get a clear way to her brother's neck. Her head snapped down and her teeth sank into the soft flesh, a bubbly yowl escaping her brother's lips as she crushed down.
Smokestrike struggled, gasping for air as his blood spilled onto the ground, staining it. Soon, his pupils widened and he fell limp. Moonfeather unhooked her jaws and pulled away, staring down at her brother. You can't hurt anyone now. She thought as she bounded toward the lake and washed off the blood, forgetting to remove the white hairs from Smokestrike's claws.
xXx
Hollypool raced toward the sounds of fighting and gasped when she saw Smokestrike's dead body. "No!" She cried and raced forward, pushing her nose into her brother's fur and nudged him. Sure, they both hated each other but they were kin and he was the only cat she had left other then Moonfeather, Lionblaze, and Cinderheart.
Stiffing a whimper, she checked his claws to see if they held the fur of his attacker and her eyes widened with shock. "White fur," she murmured. "But Cloudtail, Whitewing, and Snowfall are back at camp…" Realization struck the medicine cat apprentice hard, causing her to stumble back. "Moonfeather is a murderer!" She cried softly, grabbed her brother's scruff and dragging it back to camp quickly.
xXx
Cinderheart was laying in the shade of the Highledge as her mate groom her, soft purrs radiating from his throat. Lionblaze was doing his best to comfort her, but she felt heartbroken and devastated from the lost of her second son. Opening her blue eyes, Cinderheart gazed at the camp entrance, wanting to see all five of her kits bounding in from a training session as apprentices, wide-eyed and happy. Instead, she was greeted by her daughter dragging in a fallen tom.
Smokestrike.
The gray tabby she-cat wailed and got to her paws, racing over to her son's body. She started to lick him frantically, hoping that he wasn't dead. Hollypool padded away toward Bramblestar and Squirrelflight, tail dragging and ears flattened. Lionblaze whimpered and nudged his mate away so he could bring their son to the clearing of camp. Shocked and angry wails filled the air as ThunderClan cats saw that yet another warrior was dead.
Cinderheart dragged herself over to her son and started to groom the blood away, body shaking violently from grief. Lionblaze crouched down next to his mate and started to help, eyes closed in his own grieving state.
xXx
Hollypool padded over to Bramblestar and Squirrelflight, ears flat and tail dragging. "Do you know what happened?" Squirrelflight asked gently, resting her bushy tail on the medicine cat apprentice's shoulders.
Hollypool shook her head and whispered, "No, but there's… there's… wh-white fur, between his claws."
Bramblestar narrowed his eyes and thought out loud, "But Cloudtail and Snowfall were in camp and Whitewing just came back from the dirtplace…" His amber eyes widened and he exchanged a glance with Squirrelflight. "You mean Moonfeather killed him?"
The black she-cat nodded slowly and whimpered, turning and racing over to her brother's body and crouching down next to her parents, licking his fur clean.
xXx
Moonfeather headed back to camp, guilt weighing her stomach like a large stone. It was for the best, she reminded herself, a tail-length away from the camp entrance. Suddenly, Bramblestar padded out, followed by Squirrelflight, Hollypool, Foxleap, and Thornclaw, all hostile. She backed away, ears flat and eyes wide. Foxdung! I forgot to remove my fur from his claws! "How could you?!" Hollypool wailed, stepping forward slightly and staring her sister in the eyes.
Moonfeather backed away some more, staring at her sister. It was for your safety…
Bramblestar curled his lip and snarled, "Exiled!" Moonfeather stared at them before turning around and racing away, hiding the limp. I had too! She wanted to yowl. He was going to kill Hollypool and he murdered Emberblaze!
Heart heavy with grief and guilt, the white rogue raced out of the forest and onto WindClan territory, two fox tail lengths away from the lake shore, and toward the barn.
I have to admit this chapter was probably the most emotional one I have made so far.
While I was writing this, I was listening to 'What I've Done' and it was sung by Marie Digby instead of Linkin Park which fit it better since Moonfeather is a female and Marie is a female so, yeah. It fit perfectly, really.
Warriors and Anime Lover: So glad that you loved it! :3 And it was suppose to shock readers. And as you read, Hollypool is alive. Moonfeather will get a mate later on.
Guest: No problem! I'll try to feature them more often in later chapters.
The Gone Angel: Too late! xD yeah, Smokestrike died instead and Moonfeather's on the run. I would do a ShadowClan tom but I have a more… unusual, choice in mind.
WildCroconaw: Yeah she is. Any mother would be. Thanks! :3 And I choose Brightheart to mentor Moonfeather because they both have a disability that they need to learn to live with.
Auntietwinkle: Thanks and I will! :3