Healing

Fallen blinked the sleep out of his eyes. He was a little surprised when he saw it was night. But he supposed that made sense. He had been sleeping a lot, and had last done so in the middle of the day. Of course he would wake up when it was night.

Sighing, he hauled himself up on his front paws and turned around. He wasn't about to spend the rest of his live, however short it was, in the doorway of his home. That was when he noticed the cat inside. He could barely see her, but her pelt sparkled like the stars. "Starclan." He breathed.

The cat came out of corner so he could see her better. It was still hard though. "Yes, I am Briarlight."

"Well . . . why are you here?"

"I'm here to help you with that." Briarlight gestured to Fallen's lifeless legs. Despite his plan not to, he felt his hopes rising again.

"You can do that?"

"I'm Starclan. Of course I can. I just have one request."

Fallen's hopes fell. Again. What could a dead cat possibly want of him? "What is it?" he asked. He was aware how extremely tired he sounded.

"Never give up again." Fallen looked up. He was a little shocked, that was the last thing he'd been expecting. "Fallen, you're a leader. The cats need you. So I will heal you."

Briarlight came up and touched noses with him. For a second she shone brightly, and he could see more exactly what she looked like. Then she faded and disappeared altogether. Fallen looked around. Nothing seemed different; it was like she'd never been there.

He was almost afraid of what would happen next, but he'd promised not to give up again. So, slowly he lifted his hind legs. His eyes widened as he stood on all fours again. "It worked." He said to the air.

I told you it would.

Fallen gave a little gasp. That hadn't been his thought. He had recognized it as Briarlight's voice. It was possible he was just imagining things. "Thank you Briarlight." He whispered anyway.

You're welcome.

Fallen had definitely not imagined that. Even if he couldn't see her, Briarlight was not gone.

Lighting twitched her ears. Flame was watching her, she knew it. She pretended to ignore him. But he walked up to her. "You should hope we don't run into any cats today." He whispered.

Lighting spun around. "Is that a threat?" she hissed. She was careful to say it quietly, in case Death should find out.

"No, it's a statement. The fact is, every new cat has to kill someone before they're fully accepted."

So that's why you wanted to kill me. Lighting thought. Well, it doesn't matter how many cats I kill. I would never be accepted. What she said, sarcastically, was, "Wonderful. Well, I won't do it."

"Death won't give you-"

Lighting cut him off. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to hunt." She walked away, fighting the urge to storm away. She wouldn't give any of the cats here that satisfaction.

Unfortunately for Lighting, Flame was right. Later that day Death called her and Flame over. The other members came to watch, but kept their distance. "Look down there." He gestured toward the Thunderpath. Lighting looked down. There were two cats down there. She knew what he wanted them to do. "I want you to each kill one. There's one for each of you."

Flame nodded. Lighting bristled. She had said she wouldn't do it. She would keep that promise. "I won't do it."

"What?" Death and Flame asked. Flame just sounded surprised she had made good on her promise. But Death sounded angry.

"I won't kill them, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Titanium bounced on Lighting and pinned her down. She unsheathed her claws and sunk them into Lighting. Lighting was about to fight back when Death said "Oh, is that so? If I remember correctly, you have a sibling. Fog?"

How did they know that? She wondered. "Leave him out of this!" Lighting snarled.

"Then attack one of those cats." He gestured at the cats on thunderpath. One of them, the white one, flicked his ear. "And hurry, before they notice us."

Titanium got off and gave Lighting a little push. Flame climbed down the building they were on. Lighting looked at the cats down below. She wouldn't kill them, but she wouldn't refuse to Death's face again either.

She climbed down after Flame. Flame launched himself at the gray cat. "Ice, watch out!" the white one shouted.

The gray one, Ice, spun around and clawed Flame. Lighting came out of her hiding spot and started toward them. The white cat jumped in the way. He hissed and unsheathed his claws. Lighting took a few steps back. "I don't want to fight you." She told him truthfully.

"Ha! All you rouges like to fight. But I won't let you win." He snarled.

Lighting realized there was no way for him to know she was being forced into this. She might not be evil, but she had still become a cat she hated.

There was yowling in the fight next to them. "Ice!" the white cat cried. Flame had Ice pinned and was sinking his claws into her neck. The white cat ran over to help Ice.

Now was definitely a good time to run. But apparently not. As she turned around to run away another gray cat came out and pounced on her. Death jumped out of hiding. "Fallen!" he hissed. "Well, this is good. You'll die, and I hate to see what will happen to your group without you."

"Fallen!" The white cat spun around again. Then he seemed to get confused. "But . . . how. . ."

Death charged and Fallen. Fallen jumped up landed on top of him. "Explain later Fang." Fallen said. They began fighting.

Then Flame went back to fighting Ice, and Lighting, though she didn't want to, fought Fang. In the end no one won. Fallen, Ice and Fang took off. Ice a little slower than the others, considering how bad she was bleeding.

"After them!" Death shouted. Flame jumped after them.

Lighting didn't want to go, but she didn't want to argue either. Wings jumped down. "They've got a head start. We'll never catch them."

Death spun around. "If you weren't my sister's kit, I'd kill you right now! You're completely useless."

Wings shrunk back. Death grinned, clearly pleased he'd gotten his point across. Then he walked back to the two leg place.

"Thanks Wings. I really owe you." Lighting said.

Wings didn't look as pleased as she usually did when Lighting said this. "Thanks Lighting." She sighed.

"What is it?"

"Oh. Nothing." She got up and walked back toward the two leg place. Lighting followed.