i updated !!!!no complaining if its short!
Nightmare trotted into camp with a large rat dangling from her jaws, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion. Who would have known that these stupid rodents could move that fast when startled? She shook her head as she headed for Megatron's den, planning on handing this monster of a rat off to her leader and take one of the mice that her father had caught earlier that day. She paused and blinked in shock at the sight of her mother standing vigil outside the den, her tail curled around her paws.
"Vhat's vrong?" she asked as she dropped the rat on the ground with a soft splat.
"Nothing," Eternalscream replied with a slow blink. "Just standing here to stop anyone from tempting Megatron with food."
"Vhy can't Megatron eat?" she asked in surprise, looking at her rat guiltily.
"Just an old tradition," her mother replied before pointing with her tail. "Go give the rat to Obsidian; he should eat before heading out on patrols."
She nodded before trotting briskly over to the grey tom, not wanting to keep the rat anywhere near her leader if he was supposed to be fasting. Obsidian was thankful for the rat, gulping it down before Strika's loud voice called him. He said his farewells just as quickly, licking her ear before he turned and sprang after the retreating form of the magenta she-cat.
She flicked her tail several times before she turned and headed back to where her mother was standing guard outside of Megatron's den. She wanted so badly to know what was going on, even though she had a feeling that she wouldn't be told a thing. Her mother flicked her tail in greeting while she whispered something insisting to Cyclonus, who nodded before darting away, shooting her a worried gaze before vanishing into the alleyway. She tilted her head before she stopped beside her mother, who had started to clean her paw.
"Vhy is Megatron fasting?" Nightmare asked, licking her mother's shoulder.
The older cat looked down at her and smirked before licking her daughter's flank. "I told you, it's an old tradition," she replied.
"Ja, but vhy," she asked again. "I mean, it's not like Megatron to skip meals."
"Don't let him catch you saying that behind his back," she teased before licking her ear. "I'm not sure if I would be allowed to tell you, to be honest; he wants everything to remain pretty quiet until he is ready."
"But vhat is he doing?" she meowed, wrinkling her nose.
"That's for him to know and you to find out," Eternalscream purred before she licked her forehead.
"Eternalscream," Megatron called from inside his den, "I'd like to have a word with you."
"Coming, sir!" Eternalscream replied. "You, stand here and make sure that no one comes to bring Megatron food; tell them that he's already eaten his fill."
Nightmare nodded her head dutifully as her mother vanished into her father's den. She sat still in front of the entrance, her chest puffed up proudly at the thought of standing vigil for her leader while he fasted for whatever it was he was planning. Inside, Eternalscream licked her father's shoulder gently as he lay in the middle of his den, staring off into nothing. He flicked his ear towards her, but said nothing for a moment.
"Is Starscream still looking for a place to hold the ceremony?" he asked.
"Yes, father, she is," Eternalscream replied. "She should be back soon with news."
"Good," he purred before stretching his paws out in front of him. "As soon as she returns, we will make our way to the spot she has found. That way, she won't be able to fast as well."
Eternalscream rolled her eyes before she playfully bunted her father's shoulder. "You worry too much about her; she isn't going to try to kill you."
"She is my mate and I know her traitorous ways," he replied coldly before he rested his head on his paws. "She will do anything to be leader of BloodClan."
"Yes, but she's loyal in other ways," Eternalscream sighed before shaking her head. "Nightmare's asking why you aren't eating."
"Do not let her know yet," he grunted as he shot her an even look. "Is she knows, then her siblings will know, then they will tell everyone else, and then Starscream will find out."
Eternalscream nodded with a light chuckle before she rested her head on her father's back. "So, will you be wanting an escort?" she asked.
"Only my family will accompany me," he replied. "This is going to be a momentous occasion for us all."
She purred in agreement before she started licking her father's back again, feeling a need to at least make sure he was clean. He glanced at her and bared his fangs in mock anger before he rested his head on his paws again. She continued to clean him for a while, content to be allowed to be in his den again. Usually, he gave her a forceful bunt back to her own den if he was heading into his, most likely to try to get her to feel more comfortable in her now empty den. Ever since her kits had moved out into their own den, hers had felt far too empty for her liking so she tried to sneak into her parents' den whenever she got the chance.
"I still think we should bring a small patrol group," she commented as she licked his ears.
"And you say I worry too much," he snorted before looking back at her. "What do we have to worry about? We are BloodClan."
"We also have Forest Cats running wild in our territory," she replied while narrowing her eyes. "We should not go off anywhere while you are weaker than normal without proper back up."
His gaze hardened for a moment before he flicked his ears. "Alright, who do you suggest we bring?"
"Obsidian, for one," she replied as she flicked her tail around. "He is a good scout and one of our best trackers."
Megatron nodded slowly. "Yes, having him along for the journey would indeed be a good idea. Who else?"
"I think having Oil slick nearby would be a good idea, just in case we run into trouble," she replied. "And have Firescream's patrol group nearby as well."
"That's an unnecessary amount to bring," he snorted.
"It will be necessary," Eternalscream pressed. "Think, father; you have not eaten all day and the place that Starscream found for the ceremony could be half-way across the Twoleg place! We need to be prepared for an attack."
He narrowed his eyes at her and bared his fangs. "Since when do you order me around?" he demanded.
She snorted before shoving her face in his. "Since you keep skipping all the important details," she replied.
He was silent for a while, glaring back at her before he flicked an ear. "Perhaps I have allowed our recent victories to get the better of me," he replied evenly before sitting up to tower over her. "But none-the-less, I am your leader and I expect you to respect my authority."
"I do respect you, Father," she purred before she rubbed her head against his chest. "You just need someone other than Starscream to point out your mistakes."
He chuckled before he licked her back gently, purring deep in his chest. They groomed each other for a short while before Nightmare poked her head into the den and called to him.
"Megatron, Starscream has come back requesting to see jou," she meowed. "Do I let her in?"
"No, I'm coming out," he replied before they both padded quickly out to meet the she-cat. "Report Starscream."
"Give me a minute," Starscream snapped, dragging her paw over her face to wash it. "I just ran all the way here to tell you where a stupid park is!"
He snarled at his mate, his one eye twitching in annoyance. "Starscream," he growled.
"Oh go hack up a hairball," she spat before glaring at him. "Do you want me to show you what I found or not?"
"Yes," Megatron growled before looking at Eternalscream. "Go do what you suggested," he ordered. "Get back here as soon as you can."
Eternalscream nodded before vanishing in the direction of Oil slick's den. Nightmare glanced at the mates glaring at each other and wondered if she should run as quickly as she could towards the den she shared with her siblings and Sari. However, as she stood up to sneak away, Megatron turned towards her and gave her what was probably supposed to be an even stare, but since his eye was still twitching, it look very angry.
"Go collect your siblings…and Sari," he ordered. "They will be accompanying us."
"Uh, yes sir," she squeaked before she turned and darted away.
She reached her den just as Eternalblitz poked his nose out and stared at her curiously. She quickly repeated Megatron's order and he vanished back inside to drag his younger sister out. Sari was apparently out on patrol with their fathers so she wouldn't be back anytime soon. She twitched her tail and wondered if she should go out looking for them. However, that idea was quickly forgotten when she heard the sound of Random's laugh. She turned quickly and darted off to where her father, his brothers, and Sari were trotting into camp, meowing a greeting as she slid to a stop in front of them.
"Megatron has ordered us to accompany him," she told Sari quickly. "He's in a bad mood so ve better not keep him vaiting."
"Yeah, good idea," Sari agreed before they both darted off to where Megatron was still having a shouting match with Starscream.
Eternalblitz and Thunderblast were shuffling their paws nervously nearby, eyeing the two squabbling higher-ups. They both trotted over and sat near the other two, waiting for the two adults to finally stop bickering and actually do something. Sari settled down to clean herself and Nightmare quickly followed suit, dragging her paw over her face to have a reason not to stare at her grandparents as they continued to snarl.
"Are you two still fighting?" Eternalscream demanded as she came back with Obsidian and Oil slick. How she had managed to find the tom so fast was a mystery. "Honestly! You act like a pair of kits fighting over who gets to eat first!"
"It's her fault!" Megatron snarled as he glared at the smaller she-cat.
"Is not, you bumbling idiot!" Starscream spat in return, puffing herself up to try to match her mate's height.
"Ugh! You're both idiots, leave it at that," Eternalscream snapped before she walked forward and gave Starscream a shove. "Get moving."
Starscream glared at her before snorting and sticking her nose in the air. Megatron repeated the order with a much harder swat to her rear end, making her yowl and leap away hissing. She glared at him before sticking her tail in the air and stalking away. Eternalscream darted into Megatron's den as they set off and returned a moment later with something wrapped in a dark green leaf. Sari opened her mouth to ask what it was, but the she-cat's glare was enough to silence her.
They trotted down the sidewalk, glancing around slightly as the sun began to set. Obsidian stepped closer to Sari and glanced around, looking for any sign of attackers. Megatron had stepped up to walk beside his mate, his fur brushing against the smaller she-cat in what could have been thought of as protectiveness. Eternalscream was trotting along carrying her bundle without any sign of distress in the failing light, but her ears were twitching as a red tail vanished into another alley, her eyes narrowing darkly. Nightmare wanted to charge down the alley to figure out who the tail belonged to, but a flash of red eyes made her fur lie flat again; it was one of their warriors, nothing to worry about.
Starscream continued to lead them through the Twoleg place, stopping every now and again to scent the air almost anxiously. They crossed several Thunderpaths, luckily without any accidents, until they reached a lush Twoleg park. They stalked into the underbrush, scenting the cool air as the sun vanished and plunged the world into darkness, tasting the scent of pigeons and large rats. Megatron ordered Obsidian to remain in the underbrush and keep a look out for any of the Forest Cats while they looked the place over. The grey tom nodded his head before vanishing into a deeper part of the foliage.
"This place is perfect," Starscream purred as she led the way into a clearing. "See? The moonlight will land exactly in this spot. The starpiece will light up just like the Moonstone!"
Megatron looked around the clearing with a skeptical eye before he nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is the perfect place," he purred before smirking. "Eternalscream, if you will, please bring the starpiece and set it in the center of the clearing?"
"What?!" Starscream screeched before she spun around to gawk at the other she-cat as she trotted forward with her bundle. "You…you…I THOUGHT THAT WAS TRAVELLING HERBS!"
"Why would we need travelling herbs in our own territory?" Eternalscream mumbled out from around her bundle before placing it on the ground and unfolding it. "Now, please, Starscream, hold your tongue for the ceremony."
Starscream's fur bristled as Eternalscream rolled the starpiece out of the leaf and nosed it into the center of the clearing. She moved it around slightly with her paw, trying to see which angle worked best with the rising moon, before she backed away with a nod towards Megatron. The four young warriors looked at each other in surprise before Eternalscream trotted over to them, her eyes warning them to keep quiet as a large form padded over to them. Firescream nodded to his sister before he lay down beside the other four warriors, his red eyes focused on his leader's huge form.
Megatron stood beside the starpiece and waited patiently for the moon to rise higher in the sky. Everyone was trembling in excitement, having figured out what was going to happen now. Nightmare and the other young warriors finally understood what was going on and lay trembling next to each other, their eyes wide in excitement. Megatron was going to receive his nine lives from StarClan!
The moon crept slowly overhead and Megatron lay down beside the starpiece and pressed his nose to it, letting the soft light it reflected wash over him. His grey pelt was momentarily illuminated before a loud yowl rose up and made everyone scramble to their feet in horror.
"GET THE STARPIECE!"
Megatron roared with fury as he was attacked from behind by a large blue tom, rolling over to claw at the other cat's face. Eternalscream raced forward with a gasp of horror before she was rolling around locked in battle with the black and grey tom Prowl. Starscream leapt forward with a yowl of terror and charged directly for the withering forms of Megatron and Optimus Prime, her red eyes huge in fear. Nightmare and Sari charged forward, planning on helping Megatron, but got bowled over by Bulkhead as he tried to get at Firescream. They both yowled in surprise before springing to their paws and doubling up to take on the massive tom.
"Stand down, Sari!" Bulkhead shouted with his claws extended. "I don't wanna hurt you."
"A little late for that!" Sari shouted back before she leapt forward to land a blow to the large tom's shoulder, making him yowl in surprise.
Nightmare lunged for Bulkhead's muzzle and was just able to duck under his outstretched paw and slam into his chest. He reared backwards and Thunderblast leapt forward to shove him the rest of the way, yowling widely. Eternalblitz grabbed hold of Bulkhead's hind leg and began to pull as hard as he could, smirking as Bulkhead yowled in pain and tried to swipe at him. Firescream leapt in and rolled around with the gigantic tom, exchanging blow for blow and yowling louder than Starscream was.
Bulkhead managed to kick Firescream off and rolled to his feet, blue eyes staring around at the six cats that had him surrounded, each darting in to take a swipe at him. Realizing that the odds were not in his favor, he turned and lumbered away, Thunderblast and Eternalblitz hot on his heels. Nightmare and Sari went to follow when Sari was knocked off her feet again and sent rolling away with a small yellow blur trying to get at her throat.
"Traitor!" Bumblebee yowled, his blue eyes narrowed in rage.
"Bumblebee!" Sari gasped out, battering her hind legs uselessly against his stomach as he pinned her down.
"You betrayed us! You gave the starpiece to BloodClan!" he shouted. "I'll kill you!"
"Leave her alone, furball!" a tom's voice yowled before Obsidian crashed into his side and sent him flying. "How DARE you touch one of BloodClan's warriors!"
Nightmare gawked in surprise before she charged forward and pinned Bumblebee down before he could move, holding him down as she tried to reach his throat. He thrashed around for a moment before his feet collided painfully with her ribcage and sent her stumbling backwards. He leapt to his feet and tore off across the park, his body nothing but a yellow blur as he barreled past Thunderblast and Eternalblitz as they came prancing back. They snapped at his back before they charged back, red eyes filled with satisfaction. Prowl rushed by a second later, their infuriated mother hot on his heels and snapping at his tail as she threw insults after him, blood dripping down her neck from the large gash across her muzzle.
"Ve von!" Nightmare purred as she watched Optimus race after his cats, throwing a defeated look behind him.
Sari started to nod her head before a loud wail of pain reached them. They turned and froze with wide eyes as they looked at the state of their leader. Megatron was lying on his stomach, eyes closed, with blood oozing steadily out of his shoulder, haunches and mouth while Starscream was licking him in desperation, red eyes wide in horror. She spun on them and screamed at Obsidian to go get Oil slick before she returned to her desperate licking, not even caring that Megatron's flanks were heaving with great difficulty.
"No," Eternalscream murmured before she charged forward and started helping Starscream lick away the blood.
Nightmare watched as Firescream stumbled over, red eyes wide as he started bunting Megatron's head with his. "No…no, no Megatron, get up, please!" he begged in desperation.
All the young warriors rushed forward after they managed to get their legs to unfreeze and started crying their own desperate pleas to the dying leader. Oil slick shoved his way past them and started to layer cobwebs over Megatron's wounds, his eyes cold as he worked. Starscream had collapsed beside the massive tom and was murmured in hysteria as she licked Megatron's cheek, not even responding to the others as they tried to get her to move.
"There's nothing more that I can do," Oil slick stated sadly as he pulled away and shook his head. "He's in StarClan's paws now."
"They won't take him away…will they?" Thunderblast asked as she lay huddled against her older sister's side.
"I can't say," Oil slick murmured sadly.
"You did what you could," Firescream meowed sadly. "It's his decision now."
Eternalscream said nothing as she rolled the starpiece over to where their leader lay, her eyes brimming with tears as she placed it against his nose. She lay down beside him and snuggled as close as she could, not caring about the blood that soaked into her own grey pelt. Starscream's sides were shaking as she yowled her pain into her mate's neck, curling her tail around his limp one, and screaming that he couldn't leave her.
"I don't get it," Sari whispered quietly to Nightmare as the five youngest warriors curled up together to watch their leader's life slide away. "I thought Starscream wanted him dead?"
"It's hard to explain," Eternalblitz murmured as he hid his face in his paws. "Starscream's greedy for power and wants the respect that Megatron has, but at the same time she loves him as her mate and couldn't go on without him."
"How can they deal with both situations at once?" Sari asked as she shook her head.
"They've grown so use to it, I don't think they know the difference anymore," Thunderblast mewed softly.
"Mozer is going to be devastated if Megatron leaves," Nightmare whispered sadly, staring at the small cluster of cats that were grieving for their dying leader.
"Most of the Clan will be," Obsidian whispered before he looked at the sky. "He made BloodClan…and he never got the chance to lead us to our rightful home."
"Nine lives," Sari whispered before Obsidian leant his head on hers. "Why couldn't StarClan give him something so simple?!"
Sari hid her face in Obsidian's scruff, crying at the unfairness of it all while Nightmare let out a loud wail of despair. Eternalblitz was shaking against his sister's side and Thunderblast had collapsed into a fit of sobs at his side. Obsidian's tail curled tightly around Nightmare's and his eyes were squeezed shut as they listened to Megatron's struggling gasps for breath slowly grow fainter. The moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the starpiece and making it glow up onto Megatron's face. His eyelids twitched slightly before he grew still and his breath vanished.
The seconds dragged on before Starscream wrenched herself away from her mate's body and howled at the night sky in fury. "I'll kill that ThunderClan cat! I'll kill every last one of them! Their elders and kits! I'll make them all suffer for what they have done to my mate! DO YOU HEAR ME, STARCLAN!? I'LL KILL THEM ALL!" she screamed.
Eternalscream was sobbing quietly into Megatron's scruff, her sides heaving with her grief. Her eyes were scrunched tightly shut and the faintest traces of her voice cursing the starpiece to StarClan could faintly be heard. She let out a loud sob before she stiffened and jerked to her feet, staring down at her leader's body. Her tail twitched slightly before a wide grin broke out across her face and she let out a loud yowl of triumph before burying her face into Megatron's shoulder, her voice shouting incomprehensible words out to StarClan. Firescream had jumped at his sister's actions before he was silent and staring at Megatron's snout with his eyes bugging out of his head. There was a lengthy pause as Starscream stared at her daughter in a horrified stupor before Megatron's shoulder twitched and his head rose slowly into the air, eyelids opening to reveal the blood red eyes beneath.
"Starscream, do me a favor and shut up," he growled before he rose shakily to his paws, the last of the starpiece's unnatural glow leaving his face.
"Meh…," Starscream gawked before she let out a yowl of delight and almost tackled her mate to the ground. "MEAGTRON! YOU CAME BACK!"
They went back to the ground in a tangle of legs and tails, Megatron's laughter filling the clearing as he lay gazing up at the she-cat who was pressing her head into his chest with a loud purr. Eternalscream was vibrating on the ground beside him, mewing like a kit as Firescream raced around the mates yowling out that Megatron was alive. Nightmare was the first one to get her paws moving again and she charged forward with a yowl of delight, plowing Starscream over to snuggle against Megatron's stomach. Eternalblitz and Thunderblast charged after her, piling onto the leader of BloodClan like a trio of kits as they let out mews of delight.
"Get off of him, you kits," Eternalscream teased as she nudged them off of the slightly squashed tom.
They backed off, still mewing their delight as Megatron rolled onto his paws. He gave his head a shake, letting the tremor run all the way to his tail before he turned to face them all. His red eyes pierced them all until they were sitting still in front of him, tails looped around their paws, eyes fastened solely on him. He nodded his approval as he sat down, straightening himself up until he towered over them again.
"It's good to see that my warriors are still loyal," he rumbled.
"Always, my lord," Eternalscream purred.
He nodded before eyeing Starscream. "I did not come back from that encounter with StarClan unscathed," he stated. "My nine lives were given as an ultimatum; BloodClan must leave the Twoleg place."
"What?" Sari gasped as the others let out yowls of surprise.
"Why?" Starscream demanded. "This is our territory!"
He gazed at Starscream for a moment and seemed to be weighing his options. "StarClan has promised new territory to the north of the Twoleg place," he replied. "We are to leave as soon as possible and leave the starpiece behind."
"That's stupid!" Starscream screeched, leaping to her paws. "After we worked so hard to obtain it, you want to just LEAVE IT?!"
"The starpiece only ever works in special occasions," Megatron replied. "What good is it if it only grants nine lives when the cat is dead?"
Starscream fell silent and looked at her paws, shifting them around a she sheathed and unsheathed her claws. Eternalscream leant against the other cat's shoulder and whispered something to her, eyes softening as she spoke. Starscream nodded her head faintly before straightening up, red eyes hard again. Megatron's tail twitched before he looked at Firescream.
"I want you and your patrol to find the rest of BloodClan and let them know that the next full moon we leave Twoleg place," he ordered.
"Understood!" Firescream replied before he leapt to his feet, turning to find his other toms. He paused before looking back and at Megatron, his tail twitching. "It's good to have you back," he added before he darted away.
Megatron nodded before he rose to his feet, signaling with his tail for the others to follow. Sari watched Eternalscream wrap the starpiece up again and trot after him, calling the younger warriors to her with a twitch of her tail. Starscream was padding beside Megatron, letting him lean on her shoulder as his strength slowly started to return. Oil slick on his other side, whispering to the leader about the vision he had been given and possible routes they could take out of the Twoleg place. Sari looked over at Eternalscream and gulped as she stepped in front of her.
"Eternalscream…when are you going to tell me my origins?" she asked.
The grey she-cat looked down at her calmly before setting the leaf down and licking her paw. "Soon, soon," she replied gently. "Wait until we get over this little bit of excitement."
Sari's ears fell but she nodded. "Alright."
Eternalscream pressed her nose into Sari's neck fur. "Don't worry, I'll let you know everything soon enough."
Sari sighed before Nightmare nudged her side as Eternalscream trotted off again. "Don't vorry, she'll tell jou before ve leave," she meowed. "Mozer vould never go back on her vord."
Sari nodded, knowing that her word was important to Eternalscream, no matter what she had promised. She trotted after the other warriors, conscious of how close Obsidian was to her and the way his tail kept swinging close to her haunches. She tried to push the paranoia out of her mind, but the look that Eternalblitz and Thunderblast kept shooting her made her think there was something she was missing. It must have been nothing, after all, what could Obsidian want with her