Brambleheart was alone.
He wasn't actually alone; Tigerstar lay not even a fox length in front of him. But no one else was there. They were in a den, away from the rest of the Clan. After the attack from those BloodClan cats, it seemed Leopardstar trusted that Brambleheart would not escape. No guard was watching him. Only Brambleheart was here and Tigerstar's sleeping form.
Brambleheart watched the TigerClan leader's side move steadily as he slept. His death played through Brambleheart's mind as he looked at the cobwebs wrapped against his chest. That black cat had taken the Great Tigerstar out so easily. He never would have expected such a thing. He certainly knew Fireheart had had difficulty taking his life before.
He had almost taken Brambleheart out just as easily. A shiver ran down his spine.
His gaze remained on the cobwebs. He had heard Littlecloud and Runningnose's words. This injury had been severe and it might take a while for him to recover.
Brambleheart glanced toward the entrance. He quietly rose from his crouch.
The young tom padded over to his birth father. He shot one more glance toward the entrance of the den. No one was in sight. He let out a breath, no one could see them.
He raised his paw, carefully removing the cobwebs from Tigerstar's chest. His gaze focused on the deep gouges. The warrior extended his claws, laying them in the same spots.
He found this to be difficult. While they were thick wounds, his paw was much bigger than the one that had dealt it. Would they notice how big the new claw marks were? Brambleheart wondered. He looked back down at the cat in front of him. A wave of fury engulfed him. If they killed him for this, so be it.
Brambleheart moved his paw to the other tabby's shoulder. He glanced back over his own as he carefully flipped Tigerstar onto his back. There was no movement. All he could hear was a muffled breeze.
He moved on top, extending his claws again. As Brambleheart went to move Tigerstar's head back, the tom stirred.
Brambleheart froze as amber eyes flickered open. Sleep filled the other cat's eyes before they seemed to focus on the warrior above them. Tigerstar's eyes widened, something between panic and fury filled them. He bared his teeth.
Brambleheart needed to keep him quiet. He slammed his paw down on the bottom of Tigerstar's muzzle, forcing it closed as he forced his head back against the ground.
Tigerstar dug his front claws into Brambleheart's chest. He slammed his paws into his underbelly as he let out a growl from deep in his chest. Brambleheart's eyes widened as the vibration caused the punctures to reopen.
Brambleheart put his other paw on Tigerstar's chest, right over the wound. His heartbeat quickened with excitement as he extended his claws again. Tigerstar was weak. Weak from hunger, weak from his injury. He could do this! Brambleheart sunk his claws in. Blood was oozing out of the wound; it took everything in him not to bite down on the exposed throat. Brambleheart looked up as he forced that thought away. He leaned forward, forcing his claws deeper into Tigerstar's chest.
Blood drooled out of the wound, dripping down the large tabby's throat and turning Brambleheart's paws red. It did not take long for Tigerstar's struggles to grow weaker. Brambleheart's ears were roaring.
Once he fell still, Brambleheart looked back down at him. His heart slammed against his chest and his paws tingled. No one knew – no one knew! He could take care of this; he could end it all right here. Take each life as needed and –
A paw pushed into Brambleheart's side.
His eyes snapped open. He turned, uncurling himself and looked up. Leopardstar was at his side.
"You said you could fish, yes?" Brambleheart blinked blearily at Leopardstar. He nodded.
"Mistyfoot taught me." His voice came out gruff, heavy with sleep.
"Come." The leader turned away and Brambleheart rose, forcing himself to follow. His eyes trained on her tail, ignoring their surroundings.
They had wound up at WindClan's old camp. The one past Highstones. Brambleheart hated it.
Cats were huddled throughout the camp. There was not enough room for every cat in dens and many had been sleeping outside. Even with warriors out hunting, it was still packed. There was a tension in the air.
It had been days since Tigerstar lost that life. Brambleheart was not sure how long it had been exactly. He was tired. Tired of this whole situation as much as physically so. He spent most days sleeping. At this point, they had warped together.
Tigerstar was still alive, the wound to his heart had been deep and he was fragile. He had been unable to lead. He was sleeping in what had once been Tallstar's den. It made Brambleheart's blood boil.
Since that night, Brambleheart had been having these dreams – he did not know what to call them exactly but they were certainly not nightmares. In every one of them, he had killed Tigerstar in a different way.
They just made him want to go into the den more.
Brambleheart looked up, trotting to Leopardstar's side as they left the camp behind. Leopardstar was more benevolent. With Tigerstar incapacitated, she had allowed Brambleheart to be treated. He was healing fine.
His tail twitched. This was his first time alone with Leopardstar and this almost seemed to restore something in him. There were cats he cared about coming. He needed to protect them. That was his duty. It took him a moment before he spoke.
"Why do you put up with him?" Leopardstar paused in her step, looking at the young warrior. "You've sat back and let him do what he wants. This is wrong." He almost felt like he was reminding himself.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"How don't I?" He responded. "Your warriors are scared of him!" That was what made this wrong, he reminded himself. Just because it was wrong of Fireheart to have taken him, did not mean WindClan was in the wrong. Tigerstar was the one ruling through fear.
Fireheart did not mean to take me. He forced himself to focus, he did not want me. It felt like his chest had been torn open. "Gather them up and turn against him. Tallstar would help you. I know he would! Tigerstar –"
"Has control of ThunderClan," Leopardstar interrupted. "And Mothwing has control of WindClan and for now, Blackfoot has ShadowClan. Usually, Tawnyclaw does and she would not turn against him. Nor would Mothwing, Hawktalon, or Blackfoot. All of them would side with him. All of their warriors know to follow their leader. RiverClan would be destroyed."
"You're their leader. They're all your warriors." Brambleheart looked at her, desperate. What did she mean by this all?
"No, they are not." Leopardstar sighed.
"You are young, Bramblepaw. You think you have all the answers when you do not." The golden tabby turned, "You have made your nest with your adder. I've made mine with my own."
Brambleheart followed after her, realization dawning for him. This was how Leopardstar saw it then.
These cats had the same leaders but they were far from united. This explained so much of what he had seen from Crowpaw and the Clan since he had been here. Brambleheart paused in his step.
"You don't know that Tawnyclaw's coming back," He pointed out. If he could work something else out with Leopardstar, he would. He needed to try something. WindClan did not deserve to get hurt. Her eyes narrowed.
"Yes, I do."
"Tigerstar doesn't want to trade me."
"Do you truly want to stay here?" Leopardstar's tail twitched. "Because your words say otherwise." Brambleheart looked down, Tigerstar's voice filling his head. He did not know. "And frankly, I don't care what you want." Brambleheart was startled by this bluntness. What did that mean?
"Tigerstar is unwell and Tallstar has got to be close. If I am able, I am giving you back. If Tigerstar can come to his senses, he will understand that this is the right thing." A serious glint had come to her eyes, "You are not my prerogative. Tawnyclaw is. You are not my warrior nor do I believe you are here willingly. I want to get my warriors back painlessly. He'll have to settle with three of his kits."
Brambleheart's head spun. But he had chosen to be here – Leopardstar knew that! Everyone kept saying it. How was Tigerstar going to react? Certainly, he did not know of Leopardstar's plans.
"He's innocent, you know." Leopardstar scoffed, Brambleheart moved up on her side again.
"He is. What's so hard to believe that Tigerstar would kill for his own gain?" He still believed that. Stealing a kit was different than murder.
He didn't purposefully steal me, Brambleheart reminded himself. The hole grew. He pressed, "What motivation would Fireheart have?" Leopardstar looked at him. His tail raised, Leopardstar had already admitted to disliking Tigerstar. She had to believe him!
"Might I remind you that Tigerstar has ordered everything you say to be brought back to him," Her voice was low. "He was going for what Tigerstar got." Brambleheart gave her a puzzled look, where did she get that from? "That's what Blackfoot and the rest of those rogues say. They betrayed Rusty and came to us when he failed."
"That isn't what happened."
"He didn't tell you that, did he?" She chuckled, turning away. "Just because there is one danger does not mean there isn't another. What can you expect from a cat that would steal a kit right from its mother?" Brambleheart bristled.
"It wasn't right from her," He muttered.
"He did steal you, though." Brambleheart was silent. Leopardstar sighed, "Bramblepaw, I'll do you a favor. I won't tell your father what we've discussed here today."
They ended up at one of the brooks which ran through this territory. A few RiverClan cats were already there. They had been surprisingly successful here. The water came from the mountains, not the river. They were not tainted.
Brambleheart looked to the mountains, Stormfur and Feathertail filling his mind. How were they doing? Had Feathertail healed enough? Had they come down? He could not remember how long it had been since Squirrelpaw and the others left. If they had, he prayed that they would just continue toward WindClan. Tigerstar is in the wrong, he pushed away a voice. They don't deserve what he thinks they do.
He padded further downstream as the TigerClan leader addressed the warriors present. It was not like he could hear her. He crouched by the bank, happing at the cold water. It was a hot day; the sun was heating up his pelt. It was almost tempting to curl up or even go for a swim. That was not why he was there, though.
Brambleheart lifted his head, looking into the water again. It had been so long since he last fished. So long since he had hunted. Brambleheart stared into the water, his gaze training on a fish.
Despite the heat, he felt like he had frozen. Tigerstar's voice filled his head. He didn't know how to hunt a mouse; how could he possibly catch a fish?
But he knew how to catch both. He just could not.
Brambleheart forced himself free. He could fish – he had fished time and time again!
He could fish.
The warrior took a deep breath as he raised his paw.
It slammed down and his breath caught in his throat as he scooped the fish out, killing it once it had hit the barren shore. Something in him eased.
He could fish. He couldn't hunt but he could fish.
Brambleheart shook that thought away. He knew how to hunt. A paw touched his side and Brambleheart almost jumped. He looked up, a tortoiseshell who looked like she had recently kitted stood next to him. She dipped her head.
"Leopardstar wants you closer," He saw her say. She looked slightly nervous but there was something else in her gaze. Brambleheart nodded. He grabbed his fish before rising as he moved to follow her.
It was so strange, the way the warriors treated him. Since Tigerstar's injury, he had spoken to more of them. To them, he was a cat to be respected but he was also mistaken. He was as foolish as a kit but he was already a member of the leadership. Maybe he was just tired but something about it seemed to strengthen his confusion. He did not know what he was.
He hated it.
Brambleheart sat, looking back into the water. He turned to the queen as he realized she was still looking at him.
"What is it?" He certainly did not know who she was.
"My name is Mosspelt," Her voice had to have been hushed despite no one paying attention to them. "I'm…Stormfur and Feathertail's mother." Brambleheart looked at the scarred cat, surprised. He had heard her name before. He knew who she was.
"We were made apprentices together," His voice was low. "Warriors, too. They're great cats." Mosspelt nodded.
"I expect nothing less," She replied. "They were wonderful kits. Stormkit was always the adventurer and Featherkit was so determined." Mosspelt hesitated. "How…were they? With what happened to Feathertail…" She looked worried. Brambleheart was surprised.
"You don't care that they're half-Clan?" Even if they were raised by her, things changed. Mosspelt's face darkened.
"They were my kits – no different than their sisters." She replied, "They're RiverClan." Brambleheart was puzzled, he hadn't heard of any sisters before. She had just kitted. Maybe she was referring to this litter? Mosspelt tensed suddenly, lowering her head. "I'm sorry, I –" Brambleheart shifted.
"It's fine," he assured. "I'm sorry to assume. They were good when we left. I'm sure Feathertail's healing well."
"She's as great as ever," Brambleheart continued. "They both are. They're strong." Mosspelt nodded. "I adore them both – Feathertail's one of my closest friends and Stormfur," He paused, his ears warming at the thought of the other tom.
A look of realization came across the queen's face. He knew she knew but he could not recognize whether the reaction was positive or negative. Brambleheart shifted, he had yet to say anything about Stormfur and him to any TigerClan warrior. He did not know what the consequences of this knowledge would be but something told him he could trust Mosspelt.
"Good," Her shoulders seemed to sag with relief. He would not be surprised if it was in her voice, too. "I'm glad they're doing alright."
Brambleheart ripped apart a small chub, stripping it. He had been given a fish to himself. He was fairly certain there was not enough prey caught to allow this but Leopardstar was allowing him to eat unconditionally. He was not going to question it.
He couldn't think of the last time he had a whole piece of prey to himself. He kept his head low as he worked. Brambleheart was in a secluded corner of camp. A RiverClan warrior he did not know the name of sat not far off.
Brambleheart readjusted himself as he began to pull the scales off. He did not need to do this. Not truly. He did not mind the scales at all but it was something to do. Something to distract him from where they were. Of what was happening.
He looked up at the sound of muffled pawsteps. Hawktalon was walking over. He made a face as he caught sight of Brambleheart's fish. Brambleheart's shoulders eased.
"You willingly eat that?" He asked, settling next to the other warrior.
"Yeah," Brambleheart replied. "You don't like them?" Hawktalon curled his lip back.
"No," he said. "They're disgusting." Brambleheart took a bite.
"You know," He licked his muzzle, having to stop his whiskers from twitching as Hawktalon stuck out his tongue. "They're good for your pelt."
"It's food," Hawktalon scoffed. "How can eating something affect how your pelt looks?"
"Different herbs help with different illnesses," Brambleheart pointed out. "Why wouldn't it make sense for other things to affect that?" He pressed, "Why do you think RiverClan cats look like that? It's because of the fish!"
"Oh, like you know about that." Hawktalon shook his head, "Have you fallen for a RiverClan cat that quickly?" Brambleheart chuckled. There was a pang in his heart. "All that prey does is fill your belly and give you strength."
"Something like that." Hawktalon looked at him curiously and Brambleheart pushed the chub toward him. "Try it."
"Fine," Hawktalon muttered. He bared his teeth, sniffing at the fish. Brambleheart couldn't stop his whiskers from twitching at the face Hawktalon made when he finally took a bite.
This was one thing he had not expected. Talking to Hawktalon – it was relaxing. There was none of the guilt he felt talking to many of the others. There was no pressuring one way or the other. Hawktalon did not treat him like there was something wrong with him. He could easily relax with the other tom. This could have easily been a conversation back in WindClan, albeit with a different subject. It was fun and distracting. Hawktalon was.
Hawktalon made Brambleheart feel normal.