Mothfall braced her paws as she faced off against Ratpelt. The other Clanmembers backed off, forming a ring around them. Ratpelt glared, the only movement the ticking of his tail. "Well?" he growled.
"This is ridiculous," Ambereye protested. "Berrystar, you can't be serious. Mothfall's half Ratpelt's age! She's never even been in a real fight before."
Berrystar grunted. "Very well. If you insist. We'll hold both cats prisoner in camp while you go to the moonpool to ask StarClan's wishes."
"No." Mothfall surprised herself with the tenacity of her own meow. Berrystar turned to her, face as deadpan as ever, but Mothfall swore she saw a flicker of surprise hidden in her steely gaze. "No," she repeated. "I want to do this. Ratpelt deserves to be taken down."
Berrystar flicked her ear.
"Are you sure?" Ambereye murmured, his breath warm and reassuring as it tickled her ear.
"Yes."
Her father lied, manipulated and abused his way to get to his status. Pricklepaw, Creekfur, Wildstep, herself… Who knows how many other cats he used to get what he wanted?
If it meant he'd never hurt another cat again, she would gladly end his time on earth.
Ratpelt lashed his tail and circled around the edges of the crowd. Mothfall followed, circling opposite him. She eyed her opponent, stuffing down her feelings of conflict and trying to formulate a strategy in her mind. She'd never fought anycat, outside of her apprentice training. How ironic that her first real fight was against one of the cats who helped her become a warrior.
Ratpelt snarled, and Mothfall bared her teeth.
She had the advantage of size, and her thick, long fur that would protect her from injury. On the other paw, Ratpelt was nimble and light on his feet, and he had seasons of experience on her. He'd been in real fights, real border skirmishes before.
And, of course, he had one advantage that she could never make up for. He didn't have a coordination disorder. His body moved the way he told it to, and he didn't struggle to judge distances or depths. Mothfall swallowed thickly, realizing how unevenly this fight was stacked against her.
But she had one thing Ratpelt didn't. He had a reputation to uphold.
And Mothfall? She had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
She lunged forward, claws unsheathed and fangs bared as she let loose a shrill yowl.
Her teeth snapped on empty air.
Already, she had misjudged her distance. Cats around her cried out, cheering for Ratpelt or herself. The sounds filled her ears like water, and she shook her head, trying to clear it. She struggled to block out the sound and remember something, anything, from her days as an apprentice.
She blinked, trying to focus her vision, and her gaze fell upon Shortleg. The small gray-flecked cat stretched their eyes wide as they locked gazes. So subtly she was barely certain she saw it, they spread their paws and pat the ground.
Of course. Don't focus on Ratpelt. Focus on landing on the ground where he's standing. She knows this camp like the back of her paw and from the hours she's spent running all over it tending to sick patients or caring for her Clanmates, she could leap anywhere from any spot. Focus on the where, not the who.
She turned towards Ratpelt, who was crouching a few tail-lengths away, recovering his balance. She could do this. She dashed forward, swiping at his legs with her paws. He hopped backwards to avoid her attack, and while he was airbound Mothfall darted underneath him, twisting around to slash at his underbelly with her claws.
As her legs collided with his body, he threw himself upwards, using her momentum to roll away from her and safely onto the ground.
Nights spent training on that very move as an apprentice whirled through Mothfall's mind. Of course, he would use the special moves he taught her against her now! Mothfall growled, but before anger could cloud her vision, she took a deep breath. This was just like any other training session.
Except this training session had claws unsheathed, she thought, swallowing thickly at the sight of Ratpelt's large claws scraping the earth.
Ratpelt ran forward this time, and Mothfall leapt to the side, trying to dodge his attack. He had anticipated her move (of course he had; they'd trained this move together, too) and swung around to headbutt into her exposed side, knocking the air out of her lungs and barreling her over. Mothfall yelped as Ratpelt pinned her down, one hind leg resting on her belly as he bared his teeth dangerously close to her neck.
Mothfall kicked with her legs and kicked again. She managed to unbalance him just enough to wriggle free. Dirt and pine needles clung to her fur as she rolled to her paws, puffing to catch her breath.
She flung herself at Ratpelt again, this time aiming at his legs, hoping to unbalance him. She knocked him over, but he rolled forward and back onto his paws, swiping at her leg with his claws as he passed. Mothfall hissed and bounced back as her leg stung. She didn't have time to check if she was bleeding.
She swiped at Ratpelt, and grinned as she felt her claws hit flesh. Ratpelt stumbled backwards, blinking in surprise. Blood trickled down from a scratch across his cheek. He snarled and paced in a circle. Mothfall fell in pace opposite him, and the two circled each other, seeking an entrance.
"Go for the throat!" Ferntooth snarled.
"Hit her legs! It's her weak point!" called out Snailwhisper.
"Silence," Ratpelt rumbled. At his command, the crowd died down, until all Mothfall could hear was her own gasping for breath. Ratpelt smirked at Mothfall, whiskers twitching as if to say, See how I control them? I'm already their deputy in everything but name.
Enough. Yowling with anger, Mothfall flung herself at him, slashing in abandon. Ratpelt grinned and ducked. Mothfall's yowl of anger turned into a screech of pain as her belly burned. She stumbled and fell, tumbling and rolling over.
Claws dug into her tail, and Mothfall screeched as Ratpelt dragged her backwards. "Disabled welp," he growled. "You're too broken to fend for yourself. You are nothing without me."
"I'm not alone," Mothfall panted, fighting to get back her breath. "My family fights alongside me today."
"Your family? What family?" Ratpelt snarled. He dug his claws into her tail, grinning as she winced and cried out in pain. His claws raked down, stopping when they met resistance. "What's this?" he growled. He split the fur on her tail and scoffed. "Is this a token? From a RiverClan cat, I presume? Are you in cahoots with a RiverClan cat?"
"Like you're one to talk," Mothfall hissed.
Ratpelt laughed. His fangs flashed, and Mothfall braced herself, expecting to feel pain surge through her flesh. Instead, she felt Ratpelt's hot breath on her tail, and heartbeats later the sound of something skidding across the ground. He spat out a leather cord and a chewed-up flower on the ground.
Rage flared through Mothfall. She struck out with her back legs, pleased to feel her paw smack solidly into flesh. Ratpelt yowled and stumbled back, shaking his head and staggering.
Mothfall gasped for breath. Blood roared in her ears. The Clan pressed in around her, and she felt like the world was pressing down on her, suffocating her.
"Get up," Ferntooth urged. She pushed through the cats until she was next to Mothfall. Her dark yellow eyes flashed. "Don't give up!"
Don't give up. All of those moons training, with Shortleg, with her littermates, with Ratpelt, came down to this moment. Mothfall rolled onto her side, gasping in pain as her belly screeched in pain. Ratpelt stalked towards her, tail ticking side to side. He licked his lips and sneered. She watched him approach, her body limp. Her paws scrambled at the ground.
Victory flashed in Ratpelt's gaze. He stood above her, leering down at her. "So, this is what you've become?"
"Yes," mewed Mothfall.
And she swiped at Ratpelt's legs with her outstretched claws.
Snailwhisper had only been partially right. Her legs had been her weak point, at one time. And with all of her moons of training with Ratpelt, she knew the distances between her and him, as easy as breathing. Moons of training and vigilance had made her strong. She could move every muscle with the strength of a striking snake.
Ratpelt, on the other paw, had never fought for anything in his life.
He didn't even cry out as the ground was swept out from underneath his paws. In a flash, Mothfall leapt at his throat. "That's what you get for underestimating the cat that you trained." She pinned his side down with her paws and dug her claws into his side. He squirmed, but she had him pinned.
A hush fell over the crowd. The cats leaned forward, waiting to see what would happen.
Mothfall met Ratpelt's eyes. He spat at her paws. "Kill me, then," he growled. "I'll haunt your dreams for the rest of your days. I'll make you so miserable that you'll beg to join the Dark Forest when you die, just to be rid of me." He sneered, and his tail curled around her back legs. "Unless... you're afraid to miss?"
She hesitated, white paws digging into the dark tom's side, considering his glittering gaze as her belly roiled with unease. If Ratpelt died tonight, would he go to StarClan or the Dark Forest?
Like a star shone down on him from the sky and caused him to glow, she caught sight of Ambereye. He didn't speak, but he nodded when he caught her eye. His amber eye glinted with reassurance. No, not reassurance. Concern.
Ambereye's words from long ago rang in her ears, as clearly as if he had just spoken: It's hard for a cat to enter the Dark Forest, unless they've specifically aligned themselves with the cats that reside there.
Her pelt prickled as she silently begged the stars for a sign. As if he had heard her pleas for help, Ambereye leaned forward, and as if he had whispered in her ear, she heard his steady, calm meow: "You got this. We believe in you."
Most cats that leave the Clans, whether it's of their own choice or not, turn their backs on all aspects of Clan life. That includes StarClan.
The cats around her pressed forward, calling out and cheering her on. Every cat called her name, now. Somewhere behind her, she heard a call rasp, "Go on! Kill him, already!"
Mothfall stood up, facing her father. He met her gaze, eyes burning with defiance. She backed off, leaving Ratpelt to roll to his paws.
"Killing him would be a mercy. The true punishment would be to exile him and remove his opportunity to lie and cheat his way through life. Tell the other Clans that if he ever sets paw in the territories again, he's to be treated as a warrior would a fox or a badger."
"What?" Ratpelt's eyes widened. "But think about everything I've done. Would you really have me roaming around the world, free to do as I please? Wouldn't you rather I be in your Clan, your loyal servant? Or perhaps up in StarClan, offering guidance?"
"You don't deserve StarClan," Mothfall hissed. "You turned your back on family when you decided your actions had no consequences, so now your family turn their back on you."
"You wouldn't," he hissed.
"She already did." Berrystar pushed him forward. Ferntooth hissed at him, and Smallheart spat. "Get out of here. Leave."
"What? Now?" Ratpelt asked. He shrank back, looking pitifully small. His yellow eyes stretched wide. "I don't know how to survive without a Clan."
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you got yourself exiled," Briarstreak grumbled from somewhere in the crowd.
"You only know how to bend other cats to your will," Berrystar sneered. "I won't repeat myself again. Get out." She glaed at the Clan. "Anycat who disagrees with me is welcome to go with him."
Ratpelt gazed at Grassyes. The speckled tom shuffled his paws and looked away. "My family is here, Ratpelt," he mumbled. "Besides, why would I want to go with you? You're not offering me anything I don't already have here."
"What about friendship?" Ratpelt pleaded. "Or a like mind? None of these ShadowClan fools come close to matching your intellect."
"Oh, and you do? Please," Grasseyes snorted. "Get out of my sight."
Ratpelt crawled towards the entrance. At the entrance, he stopped and turned around. "You'll regret this," he snarled.
Just like that, he was gone. The only sign of his passing was the hint of his fear-scent in the air, and the slight movement of the brambles along the camp entrance as he had pushed past.
Berrystar sniffed. "Good riddance. Shortleg, take a patrol at sundown and make sure he's left the territory. I'll personally visit the other clans and share the news."
Shortleg dipped his head.
"Now," Berrystar mewed, back to business. The rest of the Clan stared at her blankly, still in shock from learning that one of their supposed loyal warriors had betrayed them.
"Who's going to be our deputy now?" asked Rapidfoot, glancing at the entrance where Ratpelt had just disappeared, as if a new cat would burst through and declare themselves deputy.
"Isn't it obvious?" Fernooth mewed, interrupting her. "It has to be Mothfall. She earned it, fair and square."
"Mothfall?" asked Birdsong. "But she hasn't had an apprentice yet."
"She'll mentor Adderkit," Ferntooth insisted. "His apprenticeship is only a few moons away."
"She's already had an apprentice. Several of them, in fact," Shortleg hopped forward, and gazed at Mothfall with amazement evident in their blue eyes. "Ever since she became a warrior, she's looked out for the entire Clan like we were one of her own. Even when we weren't there for her, she was there for us. Who could ask for a more caring deputy?"
Oakpaw stepped forward. "I agree," he declared. "Mothfall took care of me when I was sick. She looked out for Tawnywhisker when no cat was around to listen to her. She taught us how to pad the left side of Shiningeyes' den more than the right, to support their aching bones. She taught us things our mentors never could." He blinked at her.
"What about her injury?" Snailwhisper sneered. "She'd be a liability in a battle."
"It's a disorder, not an injury. And Mothfall can hold her own," Shortleg countered. "She takes good care of her body. Better than most of you, I might add," they glared at Snailwhisper, who curled his tail around his weak leg, weakened by arthritis, and flattened his ears against his head. "She stretches every day, has trained harder than any cat I've ever seen to become a warrior."
Mothfall lifted her chin. "With all due respect, I disagree," she mewed. "I am qualified to be deputy because of my disorder, not despite of it. My disorder is a part of me. When you say you value my compassion, or my hard work, you are loving the cat I am because of my disorder."
Ambereye nodded, eyes glowing. "Well said."
One by one, cats murmured their agreement, all calling for Mothfall to be deputy. Even Grasseyes nodded in agreement. "I had hoped to be deputy one day, and leader after," he admitted, "but I'm far too old for that now. I may not agree with everything Mothfall's said—or that I think she's said," he added as Ambereye glowered, "but she cares about the Clan. That's one of the best qualities in a future leader I could ask for."
Mothfall turned to Berrystar. The black-and-white molly examined her, expression hard to read. "Well, this isn't how I imagined our deputy ceremony to go at all, but it seems my Clan has spoken. Who am I to disagree? Mothfall, come here, please."
Mothfall stepped up until she was in front of Berrystar. Her paws trembled.
Berrystar dipped her head. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of ShadowClan is Mothfall."
She pressed her nose to Mothfall's. As Mothfall stepped back, blinking in shock as she tried to process everything that was happening, Ambereye pressed his face into her side. "I'm so proud of you," he murmured. "You would have been a good medicine cat, you know." He purred as Mothfall bristled. "But you'll make an even better leader. Go enjoy your victory. You've earned it." His whiskers twitched with amusement as he pressed her towards her Clanmates. "And see me when you're done. You'll need somecat to take care of those wounds."
Glancing gratefully at him, she stepped towards her Clanmates. They stared at her, eyes wide. Ferntooth leapt forward and weaved herself around Mothfall, until their ginger fur blurred together. "Mothfall! Mothfall! Mothfall!"
The rest of the Clan joined in, calling out for their new deputy. Some looked less enthusiastic than others, but, Mothfall noted with a warm heart, not a single cat refused to say her name.
And as Ferntooth, and Ambereye, and Shortleg and everyone else rushed forward to congratulate her, Mothfall relaxed. For the first time in a long time, maybe in her whole life, she was surrounded on every side by family who chose to love her.
Finally, she was home.
Huzzah! Finally! The end of a long struggle. My baby moth isn't so baby anymore :') Please make sure to tune in on Monday for the final update! We still have some loose ends to tie up, after all.