Just need to clarify a few things, I think I may have been confusing when I explained how many chapters are left so I'll try again! So, this chapter and the next chapter are part 2 and 3 of the finale; Then I will post an alternate ending as a different chapter on the same day as P3 of the finale. A week or so later I will post an epilogue and then I'll wait about a month before I do acknowledgments! I hope that clears it up!
OMIGOSH I REACHED 100 REVIEWS! You don't know how much this means to me and I can't thank you enough! You are all FANTABULOUS people 3
Snowcrystal of Thunderclan: He will pay… Just you wait. Thanks for reviewing
LuffyOmgCowz: I hope the above cleared up the chapters left :3 Blossomfall's death will be explained here but I can't believe you like Brokenstar! WHY? XD Haha, hopefully a month or so after I completely end this story I'll start on my next warriors fanfic; I have a couple of ideas that I'd like to try The kits will appear either in P3 or definitely in the epilogue Tysm for the heartfelt review :')
Guest (1): Thank you *blushes*
Guest (2): I do ship Bumblewing (how could you not!) But ngl I prefer Tigerwing but sadly, Bumblewing is more realistic :P
WisteriaMoon Fan: Hmm… Okay thanks for pointing that out! When I eventually go back and edit this I'll take that into account!
Guest (3): You're right, in Warriors they don't use censored language but I changed that up in this fic (It's rated T because of that) :)
iDragonSpyro: Oooh okay I'll give it a try!
Starrysong likes Spring: I'm guessing you don't like Blossomfall? XD Thank you! As I said above, there will be an epilogue and maybe a few novellas to explain what happens after this book.
Finale Part 2 (Tribulation)
Blossomfall lay across their backs as Dovewing and Bumblestripe padded back to camp. Silence dragged behind them as they made their way to camp, filling Dovewing with a worry that could drive someone mad. She glanced at Bumblestripe, whose gaze was fixed to the ground. His eyes were like tunnels, filled with an everlasting darkness that Dovewing couldn't shine a light through.
She brushed her tail towards his and sighed of relief when he twined his with hers.
"She'll be high up the ranks of Starclan," she whispered. His eyes met hers and she saw the gratitude etched there.
"I know," he replied, his mew hushed, "But I'm scared. I'm scared for what this could mean."
Dovewing nodded, "I know. But Bumblestripe, remember that I'm always here for you; no matter what."
"Thank you," he brushed his nose up against hers, "For always being there; I don't deserve you."
"Yes, you do. What you don't realize is that no-one deserves you." He was silent after this so she continued. "And I know, that when you see Blossomfall again. I'll still be right by you side." She met his eyes, the gateways to his soul, and gave him a sad smile, which he gladly returned.
She continued to walk and listened as Bumblestripe told him 'the tales of Blossomfall,' some sad, some joyous; but all were filled with love. The love of a brother to a sister. What they didn't know is that Blossomfall was looking down from Starclan. She was finally at peace and laughing along at the short, loving stories that Bumblestripe decided to share.
A short silence stretched between them as they reminisced about the brave she-cat and imagined the horrors they had yet to see. As they walked into camp, solemn, they froze at what they saw.
Half the clan was huddled by Bramblestar's den, terror clouding their eyes. Queens shrouded their kits with their bodies and families hunched together. The atmosphere was one of pure horror and Dovewing felt dread pool within her. They were like a band of rogues, being haunted by some unknown evil. A few cats registered the cat that hung over their backs and shrill wails filled the camp, causing Jayfeather to hurry towards them.
Dovewing knew Jayfeather well enough to tell when he was worried. Right now, she could tell he was frantic. His calm medicine cat exterior contrasted to the helplessness that filled his sightless eyes.
"Not another one," he whispered and Dovewing felt her stomach seize as she considered the meaning.
"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice coming ouch hoarse. Jayfeather looked at her and indicated for her to follow him into his den.
Plants and herbs lay scattered on the floor. Some clearly regurgitated, with no effect. But that wasn't what caused tears to flood out of her pale green eyes. Cats she knew, cats she loved lay limp on nests, clogging up the den, leaving little space for survivors. She choked on her own words as she recognized faces. Berrynose and Poppyfrost lay together, noses touching, but eyes sightless in an expression of pure terror. Dovewing turned and gasped at the next sight that greeted her; Whitewing lay next to Maplekit, Birchfall hunched over them both, she couldn't tell if he was alive or dead. The sight filled her with sorrow and she let the tears flow freely.
A stumbling behind her caught her attention. Squirrelflight stumbled into the den, her coat losing color as she stopped in the center of the den, coughing. Jayfeather rushed around the corner, carrying a large array of herbs in his mouth, which he frantically fed to Squirrelflight. She began to gain color and a small meaningless hope pooled inside Dovewing, this lasted a split second. In the next she was coughing blood over the dead, herbs flowing out with it. Dovewing turned around, unable to watch the tragedy unfurl in front of her eyes once more.
She heard the thump as Squirrelflight collapsed, Jayfeather letting out a pained hiss and calling Brialight. Brialight came rushing around the corner, her face stark white with horror. Her eyes first fell upon Squirrelflight who lay motionless, in a pool of her own crimson blood. Dovewing watched as she closed her eyes, breathing deeply, before getting to work cleaning the blood.
"What are we going to do?" She whispered to Jayfeather. Whatever it was killing them, killed mercilessly. It killed kits like they were traitors and warriors like they were newborn and sickly.
"I don't know," he replied, A new wave of terror flooded her as she realized that Jayfeather was hopeless, "It's poison, I'm sure of it. We need to tell the clan to not eat, wash or drink before we find the source." He turned to Dovewing and she nodded quickly. Her and Bumblestripe lowered Blossomfall to the ground, onto a soft nest of feathers.
Brialight turned from her job, set on talking to Jayfeather but she stopped. Three pairs of eyes shot to her as they felt tension fill the dead room. Brialight stood, staring at the body they had dropped.
Dovewing lurched over to her as she collapsed. "No," Brialight whispered.
"No," she repeated in disbelief "No, no, no, no." She moaned, her words dragging a sorrow she could never understand.
Dovewing was catapulted back as she let out a wail; it echoed around the clearing, shaking the trees from their very roots. She looked up to see the beautiful she-cat's head hung back, rivers flooding from her eyes. Bumblestripe had pressed himself against her side and when the wail was over, Brialight pushed her head into his fur, soaking up her sorrow.
Dovewing turned away, shook, and ran out to Bramblestar, who was sat at the head of his clan. He looked up as she came over.
"Squirrelflight?" He asked, no hope shining through his eyes… he already knew. She shook her head anyway and watched as he looked down, a single tear escaping into the grass.
"You need to be strong for the clan," she urged, knowing how much an act as such would cost him. She was barely holding herself together. "They need you," she felt the blank stares of the remaining clan behind him. "No more eating, washing or cleaning. Doing so would be fatal." He nodded and turned to face his clan. In that moment, Dovewing again respected her leader. He stood strong, no shake in his shoulders, a true leader. Even if he'd exiled Hawktail, he must've thought he was doing the right thing. She couldn't forgive how Hawktail had been treated. But she could respect the choice he was making.
All cats looked up at him as he relayed her information to them.
"How long are we going to survive without anything to drink?" Asked Hazeltail, her eyes filled with fear for her kits huddled beneath her. "My kits are weak already they won't survive much longer," she saw Daisy huddle against Hazeltail, trying to give her hope amount the tragedy. Dovewing realized that she was right. There was no way they'd last days without water.
The lake, she thought and then raised her voice, "We'll go to the lake!" She rose, clearing her eyes and showing a surface of strength, not something she was used to, but something that was necessary.
She breathed a deep breath, hiding the images of the fatal poison's effects and facing her clan. "The lake water won't have poison in, there's nowhere for the poison to come from and whoever did it," a new fear rose within her as she thought of who could've done this, "Would need fresh water at some point."
Bramblestar nodded and the clan hurried around, grouping into what could've been a parade. "Get the clan to safety then find the source," he whispered and she nodded in agreement. She ran back to Jayfeather's den, meeting Bumblestripe on the outskirts, Brialight at his side.
"We need to leave," she began and they both looked up at her.
"I'm not leaving her," Brialight murmured and Bumblestripe nodded at her. It seemed that Brialight's sorrow had been registered by him and now he was falling, with no-one to catch him.
"Bumblestripe," she begged, pressing herself up against him in comfort. "Don't let her death bring about the death of you too. She wouldn't want that." Bumblestripe looked at her and sighed, searching her eyes. She maintained eye contact and felt his defense loosen as he gave in.
"She's right," he mumbled to Brialight, who lifted her eyes to his. She shook her head.
"Any cat that's eaten, drank or even washed recently will have to stay behind. Jayfeather and I will work towards a cure and help those who are heading towards a similar fate," She said before adding quietly, "then all this death won't be for nothing."
"What if you get attacked?" She asked, "You would be defenseless. Two medicine cats and a bunch of potentially ill warriors?"
"Who would attack us in a time like this?" Jayfeather asked, his mew toneless as he came around the corner. Dovewing knew he was right but couldn't prevent the worm of fear that was creeping inside her.
"I'll send any cats who have eaten recently," she sighed and guided Bumblestripe towards the rest of the clan.
Thunderclan trudged through the forest in silent sorrow. No-one could've convinced Birchfall to follow them. He'd lost his mate and child- he was broken beyond repair. The cats left behind had watched as the strong ones left. They had huddled in terror as they realized what could be coming their way, thanks to a poison no-one knew about. Dovewing and Bramblestar lead the way to the edge of the beach, where weeks before Hawktail had declared his love for her sister. She knew he couldn't have done this. However, she also knew where the fault would be placed and she worried for him. She worried for him and Ivypool and even more so for the unborn kits, which would soon be born into a world filled with so much hate and death.
Ivypool relayed the death as she trudged to the stream. She felt like a blank canvas; there was no color left for her now. She had followed the scent trail deep into Shadowclan territory until she caught the whiff of fear that penetrated from it. He had turned rapidly back into her territory. Probably to finish what he started, she realized. Her iron defense went up as she pushed all thought of Blossomfall to the back of her mind. She would take vengeance for her death and then she'd meet her again, in Starclan.
The scent trail grew stronger and Ivypool stopped, looking through the trees as she caught sight of him. Red filled her vision and she let out a mighty howl. All the rage pent up inside her was let out in that sound and his gaze turned slowly to be fixed on her. Her body cut through the air as she ran down to where he stood, unsurprising to see him waiting for her. Images of him flitted through her mind but she focused on just the one.
"I am Hawkfrost."
She stopped a few meters away from him, controlling herself just enough. She couldn't let her hate control her, she realized; he was too clever for that. She noticed a pile of dark flowers, soaked and oozing dark liquid beside him. Without a doubt, she knew who and what had killed Blossomfall. What she needed to know was why? Hawkfrost had been cruel, she knew that. But why her?
He had noticed her straying eyes and a kind of desperation filled him icy eyes. She wouldn't fall for it. "I was taking it out," he said. "It's nightshade it was poisoning the water supply." Ivypool gazed upon him coolly.
"Of course, you would know that. You put it there." She said. She kept the hate from her voice and spoke in a serene way, lacking all feeling and forethought.
He looked at her in disbelief, "No Ivypool," she couldn't help but flinch when he said her name. "Darkstripe did it. He has done all of this." She couldn't hear any more of his lies. She felt heavy and weak but couldn't suppress her anger as she jumped, colliding, claws outstretched, straight into his chest.
She drove him backwards, tearing at him viciously, the red attempting to seize control of her vision. She tore at his leg, realizing that although his paws were held up in defense, his claws were sheathed. She had no time to consider this, however, she had him here. She was going to end everything. She clamped her jaws down on his hind leg and he howled. A dark pleasure filled her at the sound; she was doing this for them; the ones he'd hurt and for herself, who without a second thought he had broken. She felt herself get thrown back, her back colliding painfully with a rock. He had assumed a position she knew well and she'd let herself be put into it. Anger swirled inside her as she realized she was trapped. Her anger had taken control and she would pay for it. She struggled vainly as the red vignette disappeared, showing a clear outline of him and his stark blue eyes.
"Ivypool!" He shouted but she wouldn't stop struggling, "He was sent back. Mapleshade did it. They want revenge on all clans. Darkheart is Darkstripe!"
"You're lying! You were sent back not him," she hissed, thrashing her body around, searching for a weak point.
"No I'm not! Spottedleaf sent me back. She sent me back to stop it but I came back because of that, I came back for you."
"Stop lying!" She howled but she couldn't prevent the images of him that flew across her memory. They filled her with excruciating pain.
"I'm not," he shouted with rage filled eyes. "Why won't you believe it Ivypool. I fucking love you!"
The fight left her. She realized that after all of this, she didn't want to die trying to prove him wrong. Letting him hurt her more with the words that pierced her heart as well as her mind. Hopelessness crashed down like a wave upon rocks and she stopped struggling. She wanted to die in peace.
"Just end it," she whispered.
His heart broke at the words. Hawkfrost looked down upon her as she gazed up at the sky and not at him.
"Why won't you believe me?" He asked, lowering his voice, letting the truth in his words seep out. He searched desperately for ways to show her the truth around a bed of lies she'd created for herself.
"I'm still trying to forgive myself for the things I've done. I don't expect you to forgive me. All I need is a chance." He got off her and stood a meter away, giving her a chance to run. To his horror, she stayed laying on the floor, her eyes stuck to the sky as though it was the one thing in her life she could count on. He understood how that felt and the thought that he'd done this to her tore him all to pieces.
"Please Ivypool. I love you. You want to know why I've changed? It's because of you. You were the light in the dark. You were the stars to my dark sky. Memories of you is what kept me alive in the loneliness of the destroyed dark forest. I need you. I love you." He repeated, in barely more than a whisper, and her eyes snapped to him.
Why did he keep saying it? She thought as she rose, her vision foggy from pain. Ivypool had never felt three words hurt so much. As she rose, she felt a stabbing pain in her belly. Her words failed her, but she gasped, collapsing back to the floor. Ringing sounded in her ears as she squeezed her eyes shut to close off the pain.
"Ivypool?" He shouted and she pelt a paw rest on her. She had no strength to get away but for some reason, she didn't believe he would hurt her. She fathomed this thought, as her pain caused her to lose consciousness and succumb to the darkness.
I'm so sorry *cries* I felt weak writing this I almost deleted all 3000 words and just wrote "it was all a dream" but I guess this is the reality. At least there seems to be some hope for Hawkpool! But what about Shadowclan?
Who would attack them now, Jayfeather had asked.
Well I think I know who would…
ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO NOW! R&R