AN: A much needed update, I believe. This chapter is particularly long, and choppy in several places. But it gives you a good idea as to why Meadowstar hates the Marked so much...

Chapter 24

A sudden blast of wind shook Rabbitclaw from his nest. The light brown tabby tom sprang to his paws, ready for anything until he saw that it was only windy outside. The torn patches in the Twoleg nest were getting bigger now that the Marked were living in it. Rabbitclaw flicked his ear in annoyance before settling down.

Yet another place has been destroyed because of our powers, Rabbitclaw thought bitterly.

More and more he was beginning to hate his powers. Every time he used his speed meant that he would have to be more careful. When the rogues or loners that lived around the area learned about their powers, he was certain that they would try to control them.

He tried not to think about it as he washed his pelt.

I'm not too keen with the idea of forcing the Clans into an all-out war either, he reminded himself. I don't trust Riverspirit or any of those ThunderClan cats who call themselves warriors….

His thoughts trailed off as he rose to his paws. It would soon be morning, and there were plenty of mice to be caught before the group moved out. Blossomfur and Flowerpelt had to stay in the nest while they were gone. Tigerpounce had agreed to stay and watch them, though Rabbitclaw felt uneasy with that as well.

"Ever the jumpy one, aren't we?" Rabbitclaw's eyes widened in panic when he heard Rainstorm call out. He turned to see the gray-blue she-cat approaching him warily. "I noticed the wind woke you too. I'm not sure if going out now is such a good idea."

"I keep having nightmares about the battle," Rabbitclaw admitted. He hated admitting weakness. It was like giving himself up to his enemies. However Rainstorm wasn't an enemy, and he knew he could trust her.

"I do too…." Rainstorm's ears flattened before she met his gaze. "But we'll make it through," she added reassuringly. "The Marked have always lived in the Clans, and they always will."

Rabbitclaw had his doubts. He knew that Rainstorm's faith in the Marked was strong. Yet he had a sinking feeling that the end was near. The Marked would not live on if Meadowstar knew how to destroy them from their roots.

The two of them bounded down the cliffs until they reached the bottom of the nest. Most of the group was already awake. Blossomfur and Flowerpelt were being closely guarded by Tigerpounce, who seemed to take his job very seriously. Coalfire, Brackenleaf and Lightstep were sitting together in a semi-circle. For the first time Rabbitclaw noticed a real sense of fear within Coalfire's eyes. The former ShadowClan tom didn't have the same attitude he once had as an apprentice.

We've all changed in more ways than one, Rabbitclaw told himself.

When they were all gathered Rainstorm dipped her head to Lightstep, whose tail flicked from side to side in greetings.

"Are we all ready?" Rainstorm asked after a moment of silence passed between them.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Brackenleaf murmured.

Without waiting for another reply Rainstorm led the group out of the Twoleg nest. Rabbitclaw wasn't surprised to see that it was raining. Thunder and lightning rolled across the dark gray sky. His eyes narrowed into tiny slits when he saw it as a bad omen.

Heartbeats seemed to pass before they reached the forest. Coalfire was at the back of the group while Rabbitclaw moved beside Brackenleaf. Lightstep moved along silently as usual. Rabbitclaw hoped that she could use her powers to sneak up on the Clans. Perhaps she could find out how Meadowstar was planning on stopping the Marked from arriving in the Clans.

The rain had soaked Rabbitclaw's pelt to the skin. He tried not to think of the bitter cold when Rainstorm stopped beside Highstone.

"Riverspirit said she would meet with us here," Rainstorm meowed as she sat down beside Coalfire.

Rabbitclaw noticed that she was keeping the rain from dampening her fur. Annoyance flared within him. Couldn't she use her powers to keep the others dry as well?

As if on cue the shrubs began to rustle. Rabbitclaw's whiskers twitched with anger until he recognized Riverspirit and her slim form. The silver tabby she-cat's eyes were dark with worry when she approached Rainstorm. Coalfire gave her an angry hiss, smoke fuming from the bottom of his paws as he prepared to protect Rainstorm.

"I've come here in peace," Riverspirit whispered. "I wanted to tell you why Meadowstar hates the Marked so much…but perhaps it would be better if you spoke to StarClan about it."

"How can we?" Lightstep asked. "StarClan has cut off communication with us."

"I can become a bridge between your ancestors," Riverspirit replied. "One of you will have to stay awake though. If you don't trust me you'll have to keep watch over me."

She's being honest, Rabbitclaw realized.

"I'll stay awake," Coalfire growled. "If you try any funny business you'll be scorched."

Riverspirit simply blinked in response. Rabbitclaw thought that she was either brave or mousebrained.

When the six cats made their way through the cave of Mothermouth, Rabbitclaw thought that he could already hear the whisperings of his ancestors. An uneasy silence had fallen upon the ground. The thunder that had boomed outside seemed to fade.

It seemed like moons had passed before Rabbitclaw saw any light. The light itself was faint at first until it began to expand. He realized that the light was coming from a stone that was stained white. His pelt bristled slightly when he saw that there was an opening in the cave.

He blinked in confusion when the others circled around the stone. Riverspirit stood in the center of the cave, while Coalfire stood behind her. The ginger tom was ready for any attack she might provide. When he joined Brackenleaf beside the stone, Riverspirit coughed quietly.

"I wasn't even born at the time when Meadowstar learned to hate the Marked," she explained. "My mother, Quailfeather, told me everything that happened. But this is what you will see through Meadowstar's memories." Riverspirit's voice faded away when she touched the stone with her nose.

Rabbitclaw followed her movement, along with the others around him. His pelt stood on end when an instant chill swept over his spine. Within heartbeats his body slumped the ground when sleep suddenly took over his body.

. . .

Meadowstar, Meadowpaw, at the time, was standing in a shaded part of the clearing of ThunderClan camp. Her dark amber eyes glowed with envy as she watched her siblings leave the camp for battle training. Normally she herself would have gone out with them, but she was under strict punishment.

The light brown tabby had found herself stuck in another bad situation. She had followed the current Marked of ThunderClan. Grasspelt, the ThunderClan Marked, was always off on his own. She had decided to follow him when she saw that he wasn't going with border patrol.

"It is forbidden to follow the Marked while they are on their duties," Bumblestar, the current leader at the time, had meowed when he caught her. "You are refined to camp for the next moon, and you will have elder duties as well."

Now she was fuming after he had given her punishment. Rosepelt, her mentor, was smirking at her from a distance. The dark ginger she-cat had never liked her apprentice. Meadowpaw couldn't blame Rosepelt for hating her. She was always looking for trouble, trying to find things that would keep her entertained. In the end Meadowpaw had found herself punished yet again for her curiosity.

"Come on, it's not that bad," Acornpaw, an older apprentice reassured her. "At least you're not stuck in the medicine cat's den all day, listening to grouchy old Frostwing complain."

"I wouldn't be stuck here if it weren't for Grasspelt," Meadowpaw grumbled. "Why do the Marked have privileges warriors and apprentices don't?"

Acornpaw shrugged and flicked his tail tip in amusement. "The Marked protect us from dangers outside the Clans," he replied. "Without them we'd be destroyed."

"Yeah well, sometimes I wonder if we'd be better off without them." Meadowpaw added the last statement in a whisper. Secretly she hated Grasspelt. Everything about him made her feel uneasy. The way he behaved just seemed too abnormal for her liking.

. . .

"What have you done?" Grasspelt's voice was thick with anger as he stood in front of Meadowspring. Her eyes were wide with terror when she looked at the body that was splayed across the ground.

"I…I don't know," she rasped. The tortoiseshell fur belonged to Robinsong, the Marked of SkyClan. She had found Robinsong slipping across the border. Within heartbeats the two cats had fought. Robinsong had tried to use her powers, but Meadowspring had learned to avoid them. In the end Meadowspring had managed to take down her opponent by slamming her claws into Robinsong's chest, killing the Marked on contact.

Grasspelt had found her soon after standing near a band of birch trees. The gray and white tom had bounded forward, pelt standing on end with horror when he noticed the body splayed across the ground. The stench of blood lay heavily in the air. Meadowspring noticed how his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"You're insane, Meadowspring," Grasspelt snarled. "I should have known from the start that you were up to no good."

"She was willing to kill me," Meadowspring replied. "I simply took care of an enemy who needed to be dealt with."

"Robinsong was innocent," Grasspelt hissed. "What you have done is a crime that cannot go unpunished."

Meadowspring's eyes hardened with outrage. For moons she had dealt with the atrocity that her Clanmates faced her with. Now that she was a warrior she was being told what to do again. And by a Marked, nonetheless.

"I'm not letting you tell the Clan what happened," she spat. Grasspelt's eyes narrowed in confusion when she took a threatening step forward. "I'm tired of being told what to do."

"Are you sure you're willing to sacrifice so much?" Grasspelt sneered. Meadowspring flinched at the harshness in his voice. "You have kits in the nursery…I don't think the Clan would mind if they went missing." She could hear his claws scraping against the ground as they sheathed and unsheathed. "If you know what's good for you, you won't show your face around me for some time," he added in a low snarl.

She ran after he was finished speaking. Meadowspring felt her tail tucked between her legs, something she rarely did while running. The hatred stirring within her chest rose until it reached it's boiling point. She couldn't believe that Bumblestar would allow Grasspelt to kill her kits. She was only defending her territory when Robinsong decided to attack.

When she reached the camp she saw that most of her Clanmates were gathered around the center. Her pelt bristled with unease when she saw that the body of a kit had been found at the nursery. She padded into the camp slowly at first, until Bumblestar spotted her, and the blood that now stained her paws.

"What have you done?" He repeated the question that Grasspelt had asked earlier.

Meadowspring stared at the dead kit. Brindlerose was at the front of the body, sobs wracking her body. The dappled tabby was unaware of Meadowspring's arrival until more cats began to whisper among themselves. Meadowspring simply stared at them until glares were sent in her direction.

"This was because of Grasspelt," she replied after looking down at her bloodied paws. She ignored the shocked gasps of alarm that spread throughout the Clan. "I was patrolling the border when I came across him. I saw blood on his paws and asked where it had come from. When I asked him that…he attacked me. I defended myself."

Bumblestar looked as though he didn't believe her. "I've known Grasspelt all my life," he growled. "We grew up together in the nursery…I know he wouldn't do this."

"But he would have his motives," Rosepelt, who was now an elder, pointed out. "He wanted Brindlerose as his mate, but Redfrost took her."

The ThunderClan leader looked troubled by her words. Meadowspring looked at her former mentor thankfully. They had planned out everything together. In the end Rosepelt had made a valuable ally for her. She knew that Bumblestar liked listening to the elders as they discussed the fate of their Clanmates. He didn't make decisions unless he had their help.

"Grasspelt has done this," Bumblestar rasped as the other elders murmured in agreement.

Just as he had said the Marked's name Meadowspring spotted Grasspelt hiding in the gorse tunnel. The gray and white tom's green eyes flashed with anger when he looked at Meadowspring. She knew that he would blame this on her, but she was about to get her revenge.

Without warning Brindlerose sprang forward to attack Grasspelt. The Marked stared at Brindlerose in dismay when her claws swiped across his muzzle. Meadowspring dodged to the side when the pair rolled towards her. Chaos quickly ensued as cats tried to pull the pair apart. Brindlerose's claws were covered in Grasspelt's blood as she tried to gain an advantage over him.

"Enough!" Bumblestar's order made every cat freeze in midstep. Meadowspring looked up to see that he was now standing on the Highrock, tail lashing from side to side with outrage. "I see now that you speak the truth, Meadowspring. Grasspelt, what you have done is inexcusable. From this moment on you are no longer welcomed in this Clan." His yellow eyes were narrowed into tiny slits when he met the Marked's shocked gaze.

"Bumblestar, please," Grasspelt begged.

Bumblestar refused to say anymore. Meadowspring gave Grasspelt a triumphant smirk when he glowered at her. She knew this was far from over, but this was only the beginning. First Robinsong had been killed, and now Grasspelt had been exiled.

Eventually he could say no more. Without another word he slipped away into the gorse tunnel, leaving a trail of his strong odor behind.

. . .

It had been two moons since Grasspelt's exile. In those two moons Meadowspring's influence on Bumblestar had become stronger. She had become mentor to Mintpaw, who was strong-willed and followed any word she said. Her own kits had become apprentices. Mosspaw and Flamepaw were showing signs of their mother's ambitions, which greatly pleased her. She had been named deputy within the last moon thanks to her influence on Bumblestar.

In the end Meadowspring had kept a keen eye on the kits and apprentices of ThunderClan. None showed signs of being Marked. She was relieved in a way that she didn't need to take care of the young. With her own kits at stake she didn't want to take any chances.

She was patrolling the edge of the SkyClan border when she had caught the stench of blood. Without warning Meadowspring bounded forward, pelt bristling with fear when she caught another familiar scent. Her nose wrinkled when she recognized Grasspelt's stench.

Horror surged through Meadowspring when she saw what Grasspelt was standing over. Her eyes narrowed dangerously when she recognized the slim shapes of her kits.

"What…have…you…done," she choked out.

"I told you it's best not to mess with me," the old tom snarled venomously. "When I said your kits are in danger I meant it."

"You good-for-nothing coward!" Meadowspring spat the words as loudly as she could, hoping any other cat would hear her.

"How am I a coward, when you are the one who has lied to your Clanmates all of these moons?" Grasspelt demanded. "You are the reason behind that kits' death. You are the reason Robinsong is dead."

Meadowspring glared at Grasspelt, feeling a sense of helplessness wash over her. He was right…she had killed the kit before leaving camp. She couldn't stand Brindlerose's happiness, or the fact that Redfrost had chosen Brindlerose over her.

Without warning she lunged forward, yowling in pure rage. She could feel the strength of her kits' death fueling her hatred as she slammed into Grasspelt. Grasspelt didn't have time to react as she sank her teeth into his throat. Her attack had caught the Marked by surprise, giving her enough time to deal him a killing blow.

She felt his sides convulse as blood welled within her throat. She didn't release her grip until he stopped struggling. The blood that streamed down her face had stained the ground where her kits had been killed. She spat out the body and glared at Grasspelt. His eyes were glazed over with death.

My kits, she thought as she nuzzled Tanglepaw's soft body. Splashpaw lay on the other side, torn and battered. Her heart clenched at the sight. Nothing could make her feel better, unless her kits had miraculously survived.

"I promise, I won't let any other Marked harm the kits of the Clans," she vowed.

Revenge was the only thought on Meadowspring's mind after that. She couldn't rest until the Marked were obliterated. Until the day they were destroyed, she wouldn't let it go.

AN: So...what did you think? A little gruesome, I know, but it was better than nothing. Thanks to WildCroconaw, arrowhead154, dragonflames1234 and XxBlazestormxX for reviewing!