Chapter 25. –puts flowers on Bumblepaw's grave- May he be happy in StarClan. Now. Onward with the plot!

Brightheart opened her eye to sunlight streaming in through the tree the warriors were sleeping under. She turned to check on Bumblepaw. She paused, remembering what happened yesterday. Bumblepaw was dead. She could have saved him. If only the other her did not stop her. Then maybe Bumblepaw would still be alive.

She closed her one eye and thought of the burial that took place yesterday. Brightheart had refused to move from Bumblepaw's body until the almost half moon was rising over the now empty sky. Brambleclaw did Firestar's job, telling about all the good Bumblepaw did. How Bumblepaw would never let anything get him down and how he always tried to help everycat around him. After the speech, Berrynose and Dustpelt went to bury Bumblepaw's body while Brambleclaw and Rosepaw went to catch some fresh-kill. Cinderheart stayed behind to keep Brightheart company.

"He deserved to be sat vigil for," thought Brightheart, opening her eye again. The cats had moved past a line of bushes, to a small patch of forest that were near the large thunderpath.

"In case you forgot, you are on a quest to find Sol here," snapped the other Brightheart, "There's no time to sit vigil. Sol will get away by then."

Brightheart ignored the impulse to growl. "Oh be quiet. If you…if you had let me I could have saved him!"

"And risk us being killed? I'm sorry but I don't understand why we need to risk our life for him."

"Would you risk your life for Dustpelt?"

The other Brightheart was silent for a moment. "It depends on the situation. If he messed up then he can die."

Brightheart blinked. Here she had thought the other her would do anything to protect Dustpelt. However, it seemed like the other Brightheart truly did not care for anyone but herself.

"Are you alright?"

Brightheart turned to see Brambleclaw getting to his paws. "I'm alright," said Brightheart carefully. "It wasn't the first time I have lost somecat so suddenly." She swallowed down sobs that she knew was rising.

"You are talking about Swiftpaw right?"

Brightheart nodded.

Brambleclaw walked over and licked her on the head. "Don't worry. We will have a vigil for him back in camp when we return. He will understand why we are doing this from his place in StarClan."

Brightheart held the questions that were on the tip of her tongue. Was Bumblepaw really in StarClan right now? Did he know where it was? Did StarClan's territory extend to this area? Was Bumblepaw really lonely up there?

"Do you want to go hunting? It might help get your mind off things. You don't really have to bring something back."

Brightheart gave Brambleclaw a grateful look before getting to her paws. "I'll be back soon," she said.

"I'll send some of the other warriors to go out hunting," promised Brambleclaw.

Brightheart thanked him again before heading deeper into the small patch of forest. She could hear the sounds of a river nearby and decided to head over there.

"You can't stay angry with me forever. We are one in the same. If you are angry with me, then you are angry with yourself."

"I'm already angry at myself," snapped Brightheart as she roughly pushed her way through a growing bush. The branches caught her fur but she just yanked it out with force. "I'm angry that I couldn't stop you from stopping me."

Brightheart felt the other Brightheart give a mental shrug. "That doesn't really matter to me. I'm just getting stronger. That's all. Ah. What a pretty river."

Brightheart hated to admit it but the other her was right. Running along the banks were water plants. Since she was not from RiverClan she did not know the names of them but they looked like they accented the fast moving water. Nearby was a group of rocks that overlooked the river. The rocks reminded of Sunning Rocks from the old forest. Feeling nostalgic, she climbed on the rocks and sat there. The river water, Brightheart figured, was fast enough to kill a kit but an older cat could stand in it without worry. She thought the water might be as tall as half the length of her legs.

"I can't believe we are just sitting here," snapped the other Brightheart.

"Shut up. Brambleclaw gave me time to grieve. For that I am grateful. I want to use the time as much as-"

Rustling in the bushes behind her forced Brightheart to get to her paws. She sniffed the air but the wind was blowing against her back. She was in the wrong direction. She relaxed when Berrynose came out of the bushes.

"Oh. Brightheart."

Brightheart felt the other her suddenly perk up. "I know how to get us a new apprentice."

"Hi Berrynose. Did you catch any prey?" asked Brightheart. "What are you talking about?"

"Listen to this. Firestar probably will not give you another apprentice in the future since the chance of another cripple cat is slim. So, why don't we just get an apprentice you have trained before? Like Rosepaw?"

"That's a good idea," thought Brightheart, "But how?"

"I'll take care of that."

"Why are you on those rocks?" asked Berrynose, "Shouldn't you be out getting fresh-kill or something? We still need to travel."

Brightheart, now the other one, stretched up to her full height. She needed to be careful to make sure her plan worked. "I was just remembering the Sunning Rocks. The rocks were a piece of territory ThunderClan owed back in the old forest. We used to fight RiverClan for it all the time."

"Oh. Well sitting on some rocks will catch no prey. I don't smell anything here. You can sit on the rocks all you want." Berrynose turned to leave but Brightheart stopped him with a gasp. "What?" he asked.

"I can't believe you would say something like that," said Brightheart, "The Sunning Rocks were an important part of ThunderClan! In fact, I think you should get up here and see for yourself why we fought for the territory. These rocks aren't the same but they will work."

"How is this going to help us train Rosepaw?"

"Patience. Just wait." Brightheart stepped to the side, "Come on up here. Or are you not a true ThunderClan warrior? I remember Brambleclaw loved sunning himself on the rocks back when he was a warrior."

Berrynose's eyes widen and he ran up the pile of rocks until he was right next to Brightheart. "I don't feel anything," said the cream colored tom, looking around.

"Of course you don't," said Brightheart. She moved back a bit. "But now, I will be taking your apprentice."

"What are you talking about?" spat Berrynose, suddenly turning hostile. He turned his head to Brightheart, "Rosepaw is my apprentice. You may have gotten to train her for a day but you will not have her to replace Bumblepaw."

Brightheart did not even react. "Do you really think I wanted to train a cripple? Firestar made a very bad choice there. Along with the choice of giving Rosepaw to you." She charged forward and pushed her whole weight against Berrynose.

The tom yowled and tried to keep his footing on the slippery rocks but he was able to find no purchase. He tumbled into the water with a loud splash. "What are you doing?" screamed Brighthheart.

"Opening up Rosepaw for a new mentor."

Brightheart leapt from the rocks, landing on Berrynose before the tom could get up. The tom thrashed wildly but Brightheart shifted her weight until she had a better footing. His head tried to lift above the water but Brightheart used a paw to shove it back under.

"Stop it! You're going to kill him! I don't need an apprentice that badly!"

The other Brightheart ignored Brightheart's pleas. Instead she pushed Berrynose's head deeper into the sand at the bottom of the river. Brightheart wept from within herself. This was not like Leafpool's death. Leafpool had died from deathberries. This time her paws would be actually soiled.

After what seemed like forever, Berrynose's struggles weakened until finally he did stir. Brightheart moved her paw away from his head but she still kept her weight on him. When he did not move or try to attack, Brightheart removed her whole weight off Berrynose. Immediately the river took over, dragging the tom's body with it downstream.

"That takes care of that."

"You…you killed him!"

"So? He would never let you train Rosepaw. I was just helping you. Now. Let's get back to the others." She climbed out of the river and shook her fur off before returning to the others.