Manglethorn stepped through the open moorland. His pawsteps were unsteady and he wheezed, shaking his head. Tiredness spun in his head from the lack of sleep. He was alone, trotting to Highstones.
The bitter taste of herbs was still in the back of his throat. He swallowed hard and thought, I was about to become leader. He stepped past a trail of rabbit dirt and shut his eyes. I will become the best leader of the forest. One paw after another, trampling the grass on the floor. It was what I wanted. He thought of Applewing and their kits, in the nursery and waiting for him to come back excitedly. Our father would become leader! He could almost hear Mistlekit's squeak and the thump of her tiny white paws on the ground. We would be the kin of the greatest leader among all Clans!
Thank you, Maggottail, he thought. I owe you a lot.
Yet, the pale old elder did not appear. He have disappeared for so long Manglethorn felt unfamiliar without the constant blabbering of his vice mentor. Maybe it's because I've finished all his missions, and he would leave me when I've done that, Manglethorn thought. He didn't know whether to miss the old spirit or feel glad. I should just focus on what's going to happen in front of me right now. He shrugged shakily and continued walking.
His tail swished and he headed for a different direction. No. Highstones is that way.
Manglethorn wondered why the sky was so purple today; pink and gold and purple and blue, glowing like it was the last day of the world. Despite the mythical glow, the entire moorland was dark. Darkness spreading its vine-sewn blanket across the flat, open moorland, shielding it from the light and faraway sun. The glowing orb seemed to stop at the horizon as time went on and never come up again. Manglethorn raised his head. Highstones seemed far away, as he couldn't see the looming cliff-rocks yet. Somehow a cold feeling at the back of his heart told him that Maggottail would appear soon, and something bad was about to happen. He swallowed hard and looked down again. No, he thought. This is supposed to be a happy moment.
Applewing's proud gaze pierced his mind again, and he remembered Mintkit, who asked Manglethorn to promise he would come back as the best cat she would've seen. His heart wrenched at the thought of his family, his family that was waiting for him back at camp, for him to come back and receive his new name and new position. His kits have been climbing all over him, congratulating him and becoming so excited they were talking the fur out of the warriors.
Manglestar! The legendary Manglestar! Forestkit have boasted.
He was my father! Mintkit's cute giggling have tugged Manglethorn's heartstrings. Daddy will soon become the mightiest cat of the forest. I'm sure of it!
And then there's Mistlekit, the mini copy of Manglethorn. Oakstar's death may have been very sad news, she have announced. But soon Manglestar will rise!
Sure-pawed now, encouraged by his kits' squeaking and his mate's memory in his head, Manglethorn padded on. WindClan scent bathing around him, he went forward to Highstones with determination shining in every hair on his pelt.
It wasn't long before he smelled stronger WindClan scent. He wrinkled his nose. Rabbit-chasers, he thought disgustedly. They carry the stench of rabbit and buzzard droppings! Tussocks tickled his nose and he shook them away. His claws pressed against the flat earth. Highstones was looming up above him, its jagged peaks and sharp ledges gleaming under the sky. The scent was so strong Manglethorn thought a patrol was coming. Wind whistled past him, making a groaning sound. Grass waved in the wind, and Manglethorn bristled.
Someone was coming, and he was sure of it.
He whirled around.
A weight crashed on Manglethorn. Claws pierced his skin and he screeched. Brown tabby fur flashed in his vision and burning amber eyes glared into his. Manglethorn gritted his teeth and flashed a glance around. He immediately recognized Laurelleaf's scent.
Aha, he thought. Laurelleaf. You came.
He instantly went limp under Laurelleaf. Horrible WindClan rabbit-chasers. Anger rose in his throat. Pitiful and wanting everything from me.
However, Laurelleaf did not loosen his grip and instead hardened it. "Trash ThunderClan tricks!" He screeched and clawed Manglethorn hard on the head. "I'll never let you become leader!"
Rage pulsed through Manglethorn, and he lurched up, shaking Laurelleaf off. Laurelleaf charged at Manglethorn again, his fangs bared. Manglethorn whirled around, his claws placed firmly on the earth in the meanwhile, and swiped a cloud of soil into Laurelleaf's eyes. Laurelleaf hissed and clawed blindly at the air, and Manglethorn ran behind him. He made a flying leap and landed on Laurelleaf. "You hopeless runt!" He snarled. He unsheathed his claws and dug them into Laurelleaf's pelt. "What right do you have to stop me from becoming leader?" "You don't deserve it!" Laurelleaf roared, then kicked up his hind legs. Claws scraped Manglethorn's belly, and he shrieked in pain. Dropping off, he pretended to be severely hurt as he writhed on the ground.
Laurelleaf turned around, head high in triumph, when Manglethorn quickly scrambled under his belly and slashed upwards with extended claws. Laurelleaf barely dodged and screamed. Blood poured out from his wound and he staggered. Manglethorn slid out from under Laurelleaf, but the brown tom was recovering fast. He grabbed Manglethorn by the tail and pulled. Manglethorn's vision darkened in the first pull, and he gasped for air. Laurelleaf pulled again, and Manglethorn fought back a yowl of pain.
His fluffed out all his fur until he looked twice his size, which seemed to strike a cloud of fear-scent into the air, and he turned around so quickly Laurelleaf lost his grip. Instead of attacking this time, Manglethorn crashed his entire body on Laurelleaf's, using all the force he could muster. Laurelleaf's eyes were wide with surprise as the impact caused him to fly several fox-lengths into the grass, and he rolled several times before being able to stand up again. Manglethorn ran up to him, raising his claw to slash again. Laurelleaf rolled the other way, though his eyes were glazed and looked dizzy from the rolling. He hissed angrily, then tried to push himself up.
Manglethorn didn't wait for him to climb back up. He placed his claws firmly on Laurelleaf's shoulders and pinned him down with all his force. Strength pulsed in his arms and he glared at his enemy. "You won last time, with help," he snarled, his eyes brimming with danger. Laurelleaf stared up at him, and for once Manglethorn could see a thin thread of terror in those amber pools. Rage pooled in his veins and hissed in his ears, but the look in Laurelleaf couldn't help but strike him deep in his heart, despite how angry he was about someone coming into the way of him becoming leader.
He must be as scared as... as I am about fighting to death.
"But not this time." He slashed Laurelleaf on the face.
Laurelleaf went limp for a moment, his eyes glazed. Manglethorn gripped his shoulders hard, knowing not to fall for the trick of faking death. Bubbles of fury burned in his gut again. I just wanted to become leader. Why would a mangy WindClan cat always want to stop him from doing something so simple? Go on and stop me! Wind roared at his ears.
The sky was black-purple, and the mythical light was still shining in the edges of the darkness. Manglethorn screeched and continued attacking Laurelleaf's limp body, landing deadly slashed on the brown cat's face and shoulders and belly and anywhere he could see. Deep marks were left everywhere he slashed, and he finally aimed for the throat. He bared his fangs and lurched down into the final bite. Wind roared again, and it swirled until a cat seemed to materialize beside the two cats.
A force struck so hard into Manglethorn's belly that he screeched in alarm and flew backwards. A spiritual figure formed into the shape of a cat, silver-pelted and glowing with stars on her fur. The cat swirled in the sky and flew into Laurelleaf. Instantly Laurelleaf's eyes flew open, and his muscles rippled beneath his fur. Manglethorn yowled in alarm as Laurelleaf lurched towards him with indescribable force, so much stronger than before.
His StarClan ally!
Laurelleaf slashed Manglethorn's face, ripping grass beneath his hind claws and sending dry frost raining down into the earth. Manglethorn felt like his old face wound just reopened. Agony flared in his veins. He was shocked by the strength of his opponent, and Laurelleaf dashed behind Manglethorn in surprising speed, headbutting him with the force of burning stars. Manglethorn tumbled several feet away, and he knew to quickly whirl around to defend himself. Surely, Laurelleaf was rearing up and preparing to slash him.
Maggottail! Manglethorn found himself yowling in his mind. Help me! Desperation clawed at him and he wished the pale old spirit was there to help balance the fight, just like how the silver she-spirit have merged with Laurelleaf. Please! He screeched, waiting for a response as he ducked a blow from Laurelleaf's unsheathed claws.
Yet, no one was there. The spiritual cat on Laurelleaf's side gave him unlimited strength, but Manglethorn? Where did Maggottail go? You couldn't win even if there's a StarClan cat at your side! Manglethorn thought, trying to force strength into his body, and he crashed on Laurelleaf's belly. Laurelleaf staggered, his legs unsteady, and Manglethorn sank his teeth into the brown tabby's hind leg. Laurelleaf yowled in pain, but Manglethorn did not show any thread of mercy. He pulled, dragging Laurelleaf as he backed away, while Laurelleaf thrashed under his grip. Finally, he threw Laurelleaf upwards, and he stared as his enemy flew above him and landed behind, gasping.
Manglethorn panted, and all his senses screamed for rest. His face felt like splitting, and his tail felt like it was yanked off. "Give up!" He roared. His ears flattened and he smashed the ground with one paw. One part of him just wanted everything to be peaceful. Where was everything going? Nothing seemed to be happening right. Manglethorn had a family to return to. Laurelleaf seemed to be wanting to prevent his whole destiny!
Laurelleaf did not give up. He lurched at Manglethorn again, and this time he landed a perfect hit. Manglethorn shot backwards, blood pouring from his mouth. Laurelleaf nearly landed a killing bite when Manglethorn ducked hard and grabbed Laurelleaf's head. He smashed it on the ground and slashed his back. "I said give up!" Laurelleaf tried scrambling up, his eyes blazing with fury and clearly not showing any sign of listening to Manglethorn.
Manglethorn slashed Laurelleaf's spine, then his head then his flank then his face in a craze, until his claws became tired from all the slashing. Laurelleaf was limp under him the second time, and he was sure it wasn't pretending this time. Blood was pooling around Laurelleaf's body, drenching his brown pelt, dyeing it dark red, and wind seemed to come off him. Manglethorn already knew that he defeated a cat and a spirit at the same time. "Weak!" He spat. He gasped for breath, but he curled his claws around Laurelleaf's throat. "I told you to give up!" His eyes glazed and his breath steaming in the cold air.
"I... I..." Laurelleaf gasped under him, and Manglethorn pinned him harder to the ground. All his instincts told him to land the killing bite, but seeing Laurelleaf writhing under him, blood dripping from his mouth and forming a small pool beneath him, he held him down for a while longer. "I am stronger than you," he growled. "Admit it!"
"...not...leader," Laurelleaf whispered.
Before Manglethorn bit down, a force pushed him over. He screeched, tumbling away from Laurelleaf and onto the grass, which tore and struck him with gorse thorns. A claw pressed onto him and he found himself pinned down by none other than Maggottail.
"Maggottail?!" Manglethorn yowled. Surprise flickered in his gaze. "You disappeared for..." Yes, I was gone for many sunrises, Maggottail replied, pinning Manglethorn down harder. And you are about to die.
Manglethorn felt Laurelleaf's rising gaze upon him and Maggottail. He stared at his old mentor, disbelief in his eyes. "What?" He asked. "You are going to kill me?" You faithful little pet! Maggottail roared. Serving under me since the first day! He bared his crooked yellow fangs, which gleamed under the deadly sunlight.
The sun seemed to be rising higher and higher, casting blinding blood-red rays across the sky. You don't seem to get anything! Maggottail continued, spitting out every word. You gullible piece of dung!
"Why?" Manglethorn demanded. "What do you want?" A thin trail of terror sprouted inside him. What have Maggottail planned all along?
Realization was hitting him hard, but he pushed it down. He wouldn't believe a thing he thought about, because Maggottail must mean it when he helped him become leader.
I wanted to thank you for helping me destroy parts of the forest, Maggottail rasped. His voice seemed to become louder, booming through the moor and ringing in Manglethorn's ears, no longer like the quieter voice only he could hear in his mind. For your dear little dream. Oh, of course. You'd sure do anything for your dream, even destroying the forest. Laurelleaf was rolling over, staring at the two cats. I know I couldn't do everything alone. I wanted to destroy every single thing about the forest after what they've done to me. I'm not a mortal cat, so I couldn't possibly do anything. And sure, there was you. There was you, Manglethorn, my faithful, manipulated pet.
Manglethorn's green eyes widened.
Becoming a leader, Maggottail started. I cannot believe that actually happened. Too bad you were only close to becoming leader. You succeeded indirectly killing Beetail. You succeeded bringing ShadowClan to WindClan. You succeeded taking the two WindClan kits as hostages to kill Midgepelt and Swiftrabbit. You nearly succeeded killing Laurelleaf. And you nearly succeeded becoming leader! You know why I made the missions? I knew that Laurelleaf got forces with him. I knew it all along—Brightspirit of StarClan. I purposefully made the missions hard enough so you could die while trying to accomplish it! But you succeeded, and it's my time to finish you off!
Manglethorn felt like his world was breaking, breaking apart. You might ask, 'If your pet died, then why would you make him to help you destroy the forest in the first place?' Maggottail paused, then glared at Manglethorn.
Young cats with bright dreams, he hissed. My favorite target. I had a similar experience like you.
Claws pierced skin. And that was you, Manglethorn. I'm proud of you. You are about to die today. I'm sorry. In your big day.