Hexagon
Chapter 55: Honeyfern's Goodbye
Welcome back, peeps. I don't have that much to ramble about today, so I'll just get right to business. Thank you to the following wonderful people for their reviews:
-Runereader of the Nightwings
-Snowcrystal of ThunderClan
-Zoeybug
-Guest
-Feathershade
-CinderBlaze4Ever
-Mapledusk
-xbloodywhalex (x2)
-WildxPaws
-HollyleafML
Thanks again! Now let's get on with the chapter, shall we?
Heathertail's POV:
God damn.
I eased myself into a sitting position, coughing. My fingers found their way to a freshly formed lump on my forehead. I cast a hateful glance down the hall, where Lionblaze was rapidly disappearing from sight. There was no catching him now. There was no way the reinforcements would get here on time. Another burst of hatred swelled inside me, and I screamed, "Coward! Fuck you, Lionblaze! Run, like the damn coward you are!"
Not so much as a flinch. He acted as if he hadn't heard me, as if the words had bounced right off of him. I continued like that, screaming every curse word I knew, every hateful, derogatory name I had ever heard, even when I knew he had to be far out of earshot.
The two grunts, Ratscar and Crowfrost, were slowly starting to wake up. "M-mah...lady..", Ratscar slurred, looking disoriented. "Didya catch...him?" I didn't even grace him with a look. "Obviously not", I snapped. "If I had, he would be here, wouldn't he?"
"O'course, ma'am. Right as always. Your impeccable judgement has never failed us or Sir Brokenstar."
Ratscar continued to ramble praises, obviously trying to make up for how quickly he had been taken out. He could have spared himself the trouble; I was going to report him and his partner to the Circle one way or another. I slowly rose to my feet, supporting myself on the wall.
By now, the reinforcements had arrived. A platoon of Dark Forest members was marching down the long hall, led by Hawkfrost. Hawkfrost smiled charmingly at me, tapping his long, rhinestone studded acrylic nails against one of his hoop earrings. "Well?", he asked silkily. "Where is Blaze-dear?" I didn't trust myself to answer. Underneath all the makeup, rhinestones, and glitter, Hawkfrost is in the Circle for a reason. He's one of the most dangerous fighters in the Dark Forest. I admire him for it.
"Heather-dear", he said, a sinister snarl starting to color his tone. "Where is he?"
I dipped my head into a low bow. "Sir….he escaped…".
Hawkfrost started to walk towards me, his metal tipped pumps making ominous clacking noises on the linoleum. I was about to pay for what I had done.
…
Jayfeather's POV:
It was the middle of the night when my phone went off. It was vibrating obnoxiously, the loud buzzing ripping me out of my dream. I turned over, fishing for the nightstand, getting tangled in my sheets as I did so. I kicked the sheets off my body, having finally gotten ahold of my phone. What time was it even? It had to be somewhere around 3 am.
My fingers found the accept call button with practiced ease, and I raised the phone to my ear.
"For fuck's sake, what?", I snapped. "It's the middle of the goddamn night, you had better have a damn good reas-". I broke off. "Lionblaze?" It was my brother. He laughed wearily over the phone. "I….I fucked up. Can you get everyone else into the room? I'll be there in a bit."
"What? Lio-" I didn't get the change to finish. He'd hung up.
Grumbling under my breath about how goddamn cryptic he could be, I pulled on a pair of slippers and made my out the door. The first place I headed to was Cinderheart's and Hollyleaf's dorm, banging on the door until it was finally opened.
Out stepped Hollyleaf, who cracked her knuckles menacingly. "It's literally 3 am you asshole", she hissed. "Mind telling me why exactly you're pounding on my bedroom door like a madman?" I cringed. "It's Lionblaze, alright? He told me to get everyone into our room. Where's Cinderheart?"
My brother's girlfriend appeared behind Hollyleaf, yawning and shuffling her feet. "What's up?"
"You can ask your boyfriend that when he gets back. Something must have gone wrong, he sounded like a mess."
Cinderheart was alert instantly. "Hollyleaf, go get Briarlight, Half Moon, Hazeltail, and Honeyfern. I'll go with Jayfeather to get the boys." Hollyleaf didn't protest, although she still looked confused. Without missing a beat, Cinderheart seized my arm and dragged me down the hall to find Fallen Leaves, Foxleap, and Berrynose.
…
It didn't take long for the three of us to get everyone together. The others were bedraggled, yawning, rubbing eyes, and running hands through messy hair. The room was full of quiet chatter, and everyone had their own speculations as to what this emergency situation was.
Berrynose must have gotten fed up with waiting, as he turned to me. "Alright, you dragged us out of bed in the middle of the night. I think you owe us all an explanation, Jay."
"For the last time", I said irritably. "I don't know either. He just called me and told me to get everyone together. Now if you would just wait for him to get here, th-"
"There's no need."
I spun. Lionblaze had stepped into the room, voice hoarse with exhaustion. The smell of blood hit my nose and I was immediately wary. What had happened?
"My brother sat down, and took a deep breath. "I...I have a confession to make." Another shuddering breath. "It's about time I came clean."
…
Lionblaze's POV:
The second those words left my mouth, I saw Jayfeather go stiff. I had an inkling he knew what I was about to say. I grimaced, and eased myself with choppy, pained movements onto my bed. Cinderheart immediately slid onto the covers next to me, silently pressing her should into mine. Although no words were exchanged, I felt the comfort from her presence regardless.
"I'm a member of the Dark Forest."
Silence.
It was as if a lightning bolt had struck the room. Everyone was staring at me, shellshocked. I saw Foxleap, Hazeltail, and Half Moon inch away from me, horror written on their faces. Hollyleaf was staring at me as if she had never me seen before, disbelief and defeat easily visible on her features.
"What…?", she whispered.
"I'm a member of the Dark Forest...or better said, I was", I informed her, my voice meek.
"But why?", she asked, her voice steadily regaining strength. You're a wealthy boy out of a well-to-do family! You're soccer captain! The so called "king" of Hexagon! What could possibly have lead you to want to join the Dark Forest?!"
I felt my eyes start to sting a little bit, although I brushed any traces of moisture away.
I told them the whole story. Any questions they asked, I answered. How I had gotten my scars, when I had joined, why, the happenings inside the Dark Forest, I answered them all. The discussion took nearly an hour, but I had finally arrived at what had happened tonight, Jayfeather stopped me.
"Hold on", he asked. "A meeting?" I nodded. "They're planning something, something massive. They were discussing the launch dates for whatever they're planning." Now Cinderheart was leaning forward in interest.
"Well?", she prompted. "What was said?"
I felt myself burn in embarrassment. "I...I don't know. I wasn't really invested in the conversation. All I was thinking about was getting out of there, not to mention that Heathertail kept touching me under the table, so I wasn't exactly giving what they were saying my undivided attention. I did catch a time range though. February 25-March 10."
Now Hollyleaf spoke up. "I don't think it matters that you didn't actually hear what they were saying. Brokenstar thinks you did, and that on its own is enough."
My eyes hardened. "That means, that they'll come after us. If they think I know when their exact launch dates are, they're going to try to get me out of the way. Not just me, but everyone I care about. From this moment on, everyone in this room is in imminent danger."
...
Mousewhisker's POV:
The silence in the Great Room was borderline oppressive. Students were arranged in neat rows, seated on metallic chairs, facing up toward the front of the room. We were dressed in our uniforms.
Contrary to popular belief, Hexagon does have uniforms, consisting of a gray blazer embroidered with the school coat of arms, a white undershirt complete with a black tie, and black dress pants. What makes them different is that they are only to be worn on special occasions. Such as school showcases or graduations.
Or funerals.
Bluestar stood in the center of the podium, wearing a dressed-up version of our uniform, flanked on either side by the other heads. Behind her was a table covered with a pristine white tablecloth. On it, rested a glossy black casket decked out with flowers.
Bluestar reached for the microphone.
"Today is a tragic day for Hexagon", she began. "We have lost one of our brightest young minds." She bowed her head, bluish-black hair falling forward in a glossy curtain. "Poppyfrost, a Thunder sophomore, committed suicide late yesterday evening." My gaze swept the room, until it finally locked onto Lionblaze's. He had his fists clenched, his jaw tight with fury. I gave him a nod. This was unfair.
This was wrong.
Suicide? Like hell. Poppyfrost hadn't killed herself. Dovewing had done that for her. The scene replayed itself in my mind with such frightening vividity that I almost toppled off my chair.
Poppyfrost, her tennis shoes skidding across the bloodstained mats in her desperate break for freedom. Dovewing, pulling her gun out of its holster with practiced ease. Dovewing, locking the muzzle of the weapon on target. Dovewing, pulling the trigger with no hesitation. Dovewing, putting a bullet through Poppyfrost's heart without so much as batting an eyelash.
Yeah.
Suicide.
Right.
Bluestar went on in a smooth, almost rehearsed tone, going on and on about the deceased girl. My eyes landed on Honeyfern, who was crying into Cinderheart's shoulder. She had found out about the death late last night, and had been unconsolable ever since. I drowned Bluestar's unnaturally silky tone out automatically. That was, until she said this:
"I urge all students who are feeling self-destructive urges to come speak to our counselors. I assure you that everything is kept strictly confidential. The mental health of Hexagon students is one of the heads' top priorities, as well as the general safety and well being of the student body overall. That is all. Anyone wishing to pay their respects to Poppyfrost may stay behind. Everyone else is dismissed. Thank you."
The nerve of this woman. How dare she? How dare she make Poppyfrost into an example? Trust her to take this situation and turn it into a glowing speech about the importance of mental health. The irony of course, was her supposed concern for our safety. The deaths of Beetlewhisker and Poppyfrost, not to mention all the other lives lost to the Dark Forest were Bluestar's fault, and Bluestar's alone.
I paid my respects and left along with everyone else. Before I went back to my room, I turned around. Honeyfern was standing alone in the empty room, her forehead resting on the cool wood of the casket. She was crying, murmuring her last goodbyes.
End Chapter 55
Mousewhisker is salty as hell. Can't blame him though. Also, I imagined Hawkfrost as the evil villain version of Jeffree Star. Don't ask me why.
Reviews? :3
Azra out!
