Chapter Thirty-Six: Watery Grave

"NO!" someone screamed into the howling wind and snow.

Lionpaw felt himself moving, running, falling, through the ice. He was barely aware of Rowanpaw at his heels, crashing along after him.
They were suddenly there, and Lionpaw threw himself on top of Featherfoot, knocking her away from Brightpaw.

"YOU MURDERER!" he bellowed at her over the mocking screech of the snow. Too shocked to do anything, Featherfoot fell back.

The snow had mounted rapidly, and was now blowing crazily around them. Whiteness in every direction, cold and numbness threatening to overwhelm Lionpaw. He searched blindly, relying on his hearing and scent to tell him what was going on.

"The cub!" Rowanpaw shouted; suddenly, amid the blinding whiteness, he was standing beside Lionpaw, a body of warmth and color.
Lionpaw's heart was hammering, the blood roaring in his ears. "Lionpaw! We have to go in after it!"

Lionpaw stared at him. "It's too late," he croaked. "The water's too cold-"

"We can't give up!" Rowanpaw commanded.

Brightpaw was suddenly beside them; a flash of pale red and black against the snow. One second he was there, the next he was gone.
Lionpaw realized in shock what he'd done. "BRIGHTPAW! NO!"

Brightpaw had crashed into the waters; the water, below freezing, would destroy him in minutes. He was as good as dead, the same with that cub. Featherfoot had sentenced them to a watery grave.

"Brightpaw!" As if he could hear him, Lionpaw bent down towards the river, paws scraping at the huge hole he'd made through the ice. It was cracked, and water seeped around it. There was no sign of him anywhere. The snow bank was slippery, and Lionpaw gasped as he felt himself falling towards the icy waters. He would meet the same fate as Brightpaw.

As rapidly as he'd begun to slip, someone strong grabbed the skin at the nape of his neck. With a mighty pull, Lionpaw felt himself thrust away from the water and safely thrown into the firm snow. Heart thudding, Lionpaw looked through the snowy winds to see his savior: Rowanpaw.

"Thanks," he gasped.

Rowanpaw gazed down at him, a striking figure against the blowing white snow. "Don't mention it," he hissed.

"The cub! He's- he's in the water!" Featherfoot screeched, pounding through the snow towards Lionpaw and Rowanpaw. Lionpaw struggled up, and faced her head-on with Rowanpaw.

"And so is Brightpaw!" Rowanpaw snarled.

Lionpaw screamed, "Thanks to you, they're both dead!"

"No! It- it was a misunderstanding!" Featherfoot pleaded, eyes stretched in raw fear as she suddenly wondered if she was indeed responsible for the deaths of two innocent cats.

"Save your excuses for StarClan!" Rowanpaw roared, shoving past her and loping down the snowy bank, searching the cracked ice and black waters for any sign of life. Featherfoot turned to Lionpaw, ears flattened against her exotic, striped face.

"Your apprentice was trying to drown my cub!" Featherfoot declared, all signs of fear gone. She stood up against the raging winds, fur tossing wildly. "I only reacted to his treachery!"

"Treachery?" Lionpaw screeched, reaching his boiling point. "You're the only treacherous one here, you fool!"

In a howl of rage, Featherfoot launched herself at Lionpaw. Lionpaw's whole body tensed, ready for whatever she had. He didn't care anymore; Brightpaw was dead, and this was his murderer. He didn't care that she was older than him and more advanced in training; he didn't care that she was the daughter of the WaterClan leader; and he really didn't care that this was Brightpaw's kin. Lionpaw was ready to flay her.

Featherfoot's claws raked across Lionpaw's skin. They wrestled in the snow, a mass of screaming and fur. He threw in a swipe, she knocked him away. Claws extended, lips drawn, ears flat. Lionpaw didn't think at all as all his training came back to him; he just did.

Featherfoot was extremely strong. She battled Lionpaw with a rage he could match, but he felt his strength waning. With each new stab, he suffered a punch. The snow was smeared with blood, and he ached all over. To his pleasure, Featherfoot was bleeding as well.

"Lionpaw!" someone cried. The voice was vague, at the back of his mind. He kept fighting the voice as it grew louder. Finally the voice- who Lionpaw realized was Rowanpaw- said something that got his attention. "I found Brightpaw!"

Lionpaw froze for an instant. Featherfoot froze as well, and Lionpaw took the chance to break away. He pelted through the snow, racing as fast as his legs would let him towards the bank. Wind thundered around them, and the cracked ice was overflowing with black water.
The wind cut into his fresh wounds, and he clenched his jaw, determined to focus on his friend's life.

"Brightpaw!" Lionpaw staggered over the snowy mounds, finally scrambling to the snowy bank, where a sopping heap of fur lay, motionless. Rowanpaw stood over him, inspecting the faintly striped body with cold interest. His chest and paws were soaked, from where he'd dragged in Brightpaw's body from the ice.

Lionpaw came to a dead stop, and collapsed beside his motionless friend. The cold water lapped at Brightpaw's tail, slithering through his fur like little snakes. Placed halfway on the ice and the water, Lionpaw's best friend looked utterly helpless. His chest didn't rise, and his eyes did not open.

"Brightpaw," he breathed, body trembling from a combination of heart-break and sheer numbness. "Please..." Sobs ripped Lionpaw's chest, and he closed his eyes, burying his face in Brightpaw's soaked fur. He was truly gone. Forever.

"Lionpaw... look," Rowanpaw said quietly, his voice unnaturally soft. Lionpaw lifted his head, and gasped. Hidden between Brightpaw's huge motionless paws was a tiny scrap of fur, trembling and opening its miniscule pink mouth. Hardly daring to believe, Lionpaw shakily peeled away Brightpaw's foot, and gazed at the little animal who'd been resting there, Brightpaw's body a cave of warmth to him.

"Hey there," Lionpaw murmured, gently nudging the tiny WaterClan cub. It shivered, and shrank back into Brightpaw's stomach fur. The sight of seeing the innocent cub fall into Brightpaw's body for protection was heart-wrenching. Lionpaw's eyes turned glassy as he lowered his body, and murmured gently to the cub.

"Murderer!" Rowanpaw snarled suddenly. Lionpaw didn't have to turn around to know that Featherfoot had snuck up behind them.

"Is the cub alive?" Featherfoot whispered.

Lionpaw, struck by sudden inspiration, gently placed Brightpaw's huge paw around the kit again, doing two things at once: protecting him from the bitter cold, and hiding him from Featherfoot's view. Face grave, he lifted his eyes to meet his enemy's. Hers were wide and glassy; Lionpaw liked to think he could almost see himself reflected in them.

"He's dead," he said, voice cracking at just the right moment. If Rowanpaw was confused by Lionpaw's acting, he gave no sign of it; he simply flicked an ear, and twitched his whiskers in Lionpaw's direction.

"No," Featherfoot moaned, sinking into the snow. "Nooo. StarClan, no." It was miraculous, how this furious fighter had been transformed into a grieving queen within heart-beats. Lionpaw suddenly wondered if maybe, she wasn't as tough as she liked to be seen. Maybe she was just as soft as the rest of them.

"It's all your fault," Lionpaw said coldly.

"You're to blame for the deaths of a LightningClan apprentice and a WaterClan cub. How's it feel to own the title... murderer?"
Rowanpaw's words were low and deadly, with hatred forced into every syllable.

Featherfoot was stricken. "Your... your cross-Clan brat is to blame!" she spat, fumbling for words now. Her power was stripped; she was utterly alone. They all knew it, especially she. "I saw him! I saw that the cub was missing from the nursery, and go to the river to see him trying to drown it!"

Lionpaw's whole body boiled. He was ready to leap at her again. "How dare you accuse Br-" He choked on the name. "How dare you," he hissed brokenly, tail lashing.

"He was probably trying to save the cub from the water!" Rowanpaw snarled. "Your foolishness got them both drowned."

"I didn't tell Brightpaw to jump in after the cub!" Featherfoot sneered. "It's his own fault he's dead!"

"THAT'S IT!" Lionpaw roared. He flew at Featherfoot, ready to pick up their fight where they'd left off. She shrank back, shocked by his rage, and fell prey to his claws at once. She didn't even bother to defend herself.

"LIONPAW!" Rowanpaw tackled Lionpaw, and thew him off of Featherfoot. "Lionpaw, you can't do this! Let her face her own penalty!"

Featherfoot lay in the snow, smothered, and didn't bother picking herself up. She lay there, staring at the misty sky, eyes glazed over. Lionpaw spat in annoyance, and swerved away from her.

There suddenly came a roar from the jungle. Lionpaw spun around, wondering what in StarClan's name was happening now. He watched in astonishment as a small LightningClan patrol thundered from between the snowy trees... Curlclaw, Blackscar, and Bluefur... all led by Snowstar. Lionpaw's chest swelled with pride when he saw his father leading them.

He was back.

The four lions drew to a stop, scattering snow as they ran. Their chests rising and falling with power, their eyes cold and confused.

"What's going on here?" Snowstar rumbled.

"It's- it's hard to explain-" Rowanpaw managed.

Blackscar suddenly let out a stricken cry. His eyes had fallen on his son's limp body, and he staggered forward. "Brightpaw!" he wailed.

He fell over his son's body, shivering with disbelief. "What's happened here? Who's fault is this?" he snarled, with murder in his eyes.

"Brightpaw was trying to save the runaway cub from the water... but Featherfoot intervened, and they fell into the river," Lionpaw recounted the horrible story, voice shaking. "I- I don't think he made it."

"It's YOUR fault?" Blackscar screeched, eyes falling on Featherfoot. The she-tiger had stumbled up, and was staring at them all through dark eyes.

Curlclaw had padded over to Brightpaw's body, which was suddenly dwarfed by the huge deputy. "Peace, Blackscar," he murmured.
"She murdered my son! I knew it! I knew you had it in for my family!" Blackscar howled.

"IT WAS MY FAMILY TOO!" Featherfoot screamed.
Bluefur jumped in between the two, eyes panicked. Snowstar padded over to stand by Curlclaw. Lionpaw and Rowanpaw watched with silent eyes.

"Blackscar..." Curlclaw tried again.

"Why can't you face the truth? That Littlecloud loved me more than you mongrels! She LEFT because of YOU!" Blackscar snarled in Featherfoot's face. They were now feet apart, separated only by Bluefur's slim body. Lionpaw's mother shuddered, feeling the hatred burn the air around her.

"She's DEAD because you got her pregnant!" Featherfoot wailed.

"We FELL in LOVE!" Blackscar screeched. Featherfoot seemed taken aback by what he'd said, and stared at Blackscar with a new emotion in her eyes... an emotion Lionpaw couldn't place...

"BLACKSCAR!" Curlclaw thundered. Everyone fell silent, staring at him. "Blackscar- it's Brightpaw. He's not dead."

Lionpaw lifted his head immediately, shock wafting through his body. The words rang through his head, but he could barely process them. He didn't dare to hope... or did he?

"Not possible," Rowanpaw hissed. "I- I checked him. He wasn't breathing!"

Right on cue, Brightpaw spluttered. Gagging, the striped apprentice coughed up mouthfuls of water, then vomited. His whole body shook violently, but as he gasped for air, a silent scream of joy whistled through Lionpaw. He was alive!

"Brightpaw! Oh, Brightpaw!" he cried, slicing through the small group and making a beeline for his friend. He crouched beside Brightpaw, eyes shiny with disbelief. "You- you're alive! I don't believe it," he whispered, pressing his face to Brightpaw's soaked chest.

Brightpaw coughed and spluttered a bit more, before wheezing, "Of course I'm alive. Can't leave my mate alone, now, can I?" His voice was very weak, and ice was beginning to form on his whiskers and fur-tips. But none of that mattered. None of it.

A wave of emotion raged through Lionpaw. He closed his eyes and buried his face in Brightpaw's wet fur. "Never do that to me again. Never." His voice trembled.

Blackscar was right behind him. "Son," he whispered, slowly licking Brightpaw's face. Brightpaw smiled weakly, then coughed violently again. His spasms sent up a small mewling of protest.

"Is that your stomach growling?" Rowanpaw asked Blackscar.

"It's a kit," Bluefur whispered, pushing forward. Brightpaw lifted his paw, to reveal the wriggling cub. It seemed to have had enough with hiding, and wanted warmth and food. Now.

Featherfoot staggered forward. "You said he was dead!" she gasped.

Lionpaw fixed her with a cold gaze. "My mistake," he growled.

"Now that everyone's alive and accounted for," Rowanpaw said tersely, "can we please move on to more exciting things? Like, say, flaying this fool?" He eyed Featherfoot with intense dislike.

"Peace, my friend," Snowstar rumbled. "It's time for much more than that." He turned to Featherfoot, who was licking the cub warm with her red tongue. "Brightpaw saved that cub's life," he said quietly. "He risked his life for an innocent one, one who will grow up and be trained to hate him." His eyes narrowed towards Featherfoot.

She met Snowstar's eyes for a long, long moment, before finally tearing her eyes away. Brightpaw shakily stood up, his father still intensely licking him to warm him up. "Dad, get off," he mumbled, eyes fond as he nudged Blackscar away. Blackscar gave him a gentle cuff before stepping away.

"I was mistaken, Brightpaw," she said quietly. "I blamed you- no, accused you- and in that snap decision, I endangered two very... very precious lives." She glanced at the cub, then met Brightpaw's eyes, seeming to say a hundred things at once. Lionpaw watched with pricked ears, wondering where this was going. "I'm sorry," she finished, bowing her head.

Brightpaw gazed at Featherfoot. He sensed she was apologizing for more than just endangering his life. And he was right. But could he ever forgive her, the tigress who had given him hell his whole life?

"You are my mother's sister... we are kin, Featherfoot. I may not look like a lion- and I may not look like a tiger. I am both. My whole life, I've hated myself for being different. For being the strange one with the stripes, when no one else had them. I have to fight twice as hard to prove myself worthy of anything, and it wasn't just my own Clan who hated me; you hated me, too. You hated me even before I was born." Lionpaw's voice was steady, but his eyes told a different story. "You've hurt me, and my father... so much. Why should I forgive you?"

Featherfoot listened, and seemed unable to answer his question. But it was not meant to have an answer. Not yet.

"But I know now who I am. I am Brightpaw, son of Blackscar and Littlecloud. I may not be a Lion, and I may not be a Tiger. I am both. And I am proud of who I am." Brightpaw lifted his head, and his words were so strong, that Lionpaw was suddenly shaken. Brightpaw didn't look like the pitiful cross-Clan runt he'd once been; he looked like a Warrior, full of promise and power. He looked like a- a leader.

"I don't care what you, or any other creature, thinks of me. And I pity you, Featherfoot. You are a shell of who you once were; I know. I've heard stories of your greatness. And I know my mother is sad that you've caused so much destruction to her family. I can feel it in the wind, hear her sobs in the river. And that is why I forgive you, Featherfoot. Because am the person my mother wanted me to be; I refuse to let her down."

There came a long silence after he finished. Everyone was in awe- even Rowanpaw. Lionpaw was bursting with pride and- yes, love- for his friend. He couldn't have been more proud to be friends with Brightpaw. And at that moment, all the taunts, all the threats, all the worries- were gone. They didn't matter. The past didn't matter; it was what one did with the future that truly mattered.

"I have been a fool," Featherfoot said, so softly Lionpaw almost couldn't hear her. "You are... a true Warrior. I have never met a Warrior more deserving of my respect." Lionpaw was shocked to hear her say the words, and by the stunned silence, so was everyone else in the circle. Except Brightpaw. He watched with a serene expression, as if a huge weight was being lifted from his shoulders.

"The war between our Clans is over," Featherfoot murmured, turning to Snowstar. "It- it took so much for me to finally realize it. For the rest of my days, I will regret the things I've done. I know how you see me... and I do not deny it. But from now on, I will try to change it."
Snowstar smiled ever so slightly, a true peace settling in his eyes, and bowed his head. "Very well, Featherfoot. Tell your father; it is done."

Featherfoot closed her eyes, and looked... peaceful. She, too, was finally getting the peace she'd always longed for. But it wasn't quite over. Slowly, to turned to Blackscar, and he narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Blackscar," she whispered. "Littlecloud loved you. I... I understand that now. And I forgive you for what happened."
Blackscar's eyes were wide, and they turned glassy. He couldn't believe it; he was finally at peace with the tigress who'd hated him for so, so long. Lionpaw could only the imagine the depth of pain Blackscar had always felt over Littlecloud's death; perhaps these words from her sister would ease his pain.

"Let us be done with this," Curlclaw rumbled.

"It's a new time," Bluefur added softly. "A time of peace."

They were quiet for a moment; the feeling of true, honest peace settled around them.

"Good bye," Featherfoot said quietly. She gripped the mewling cub with her jaw, and quietly padded away through the snow. Away to her Clan, to break the news, to end their war with LightningClan. It was a time to end this foolishness.

"Let's... go home," Snowstar sighed.

This was a hard chapter to write. I kept writing, and rewriting, always trying to edit it until it all made sense. A lot of characters come to peace in this chapter- Brightpaw finally comes to peace with his heritage, Featherfoot comes to peace with Blackscar- and most importantly, Snowstar returns. It's about time, I was missing the big guy!

In an apology for not updating for... well, a loong time... I am uploading three new chapters. The story is finished, and has 40 chapters in all... I have to say, it's a pretty awesome read. Check out the next two chapters, and feel free to review!