Chapter 14 The Terrible News
Cloudberry and Whitestar headed to the punishment den with Whitestar carrying Lightpaw and the clan behind them with Icetuft carrying Darkpaw. They reached the entrance of the den as Whitestar gently placed Lightpaw on the ground and signaled for Icetuft and Snaketooth. Both cats approached Whitestar and Icetuft placed Darkpaw on the ground.
"Where do you want them Whitestar?" Snaketooth asked.
"Put them in here and have them placed... together." he meowed.
"Are you sure Whitestar?" Icetuft asked.
"I want Lightpaw to see Darkpaw one last time before we bury him." he nodded.
Icetuft and Snaketooth nodded and grabbed the apprentices. They brought them into the den as Whitestar headed back to Lightclan with Cloudberry and the clan behind him. Cloudberry knew what would happen: Lightpaw would wake up, find his best friend dead, and Lightpaw would fall into a grieving spiral and that was what devastated Cloudberry, but now... all she could do was watch the scene unfold and hope that Lightpaw would understand that what Whitestar did was to protect him, but deep down, Cloudberry didn't see it that way. To her, there was always another way; Cloudberry would've risk her own life to save Lightpaw or at least find a way to give Whitestar enough time to come up with a backup plan. Cloudberry was furious that no cat came to help her, Whitestar, Lightpaw or Darkpaw; then again, no cat had expected or had ever seen a cat fight Moon and managed to claw her left eye and tore off her left ear. Whitestar, Cloudberry and the clan reached the entrance and warriors headed into the warrior's den, Daisypetal went into the medicine cat den, and the apprentices went into the apprentice's den. The elders, queens, and the slaves got out of their dens and saw the warriors and apprentices return; all of them too disturbed to tell them anything. Whitestar licked the blood off his fur before entering; almost forgetting to do so. As Whitestar and Cloudberry entered the camp, the elders, queens, and the slaves looked at them.
"What's the news?" Patchtuft asked.
Whitestar and Cloudberry didn't answer; both cats were too emotionless to say anything. Whitestar approached Shinefur and Rivershimmer while Cloudberry approached the slaves; the elders joined her as well. Tinydawn, Blackfur, Flowerpaw, and Petalpaw ran straight towards Cloudberry with Darkheart, Doespring, and Loudtooth behind them; all of them had concerned or worried expressions on their faces.
"What happened?" Tinydawn asked.
"Was Darkpaw found guilty?" Blackfur asked.
"No he was found not guilty but..." Cloudberry meowed.
"Oh thank Starclan." Tinydawn said relieved.
"I knew Starclan would be behind us." Blackfur meowed.
Cats all around them cheered to the news and thanked Starclan for being on their side. However, Petalpaw noticed Cloudberry's upset gaze; like if there was more to the story. Petalpaw's stomach turned as she thought of the worst.
"Cloudberry, why do you have that look?" she asked scared.
The other slaves looked at Cloudberry and saw the upset look on her face. Their eyes wided when they realized that there was never a happy ending to these things. Tinydawn, Blackfur, Flowerpaw, Petalpaw, Darkheart, Doespring, and Loudtooth looked at her; fearing that something else had happened.
"Cloudberry... what... what happened?" Tinydawn asked scared.
Cloudberry's ears flattened, her paws shifting uncomfortably, and she held back tears. Cloudberry was forced to tell Tinydawn some news a mother never wants to hear and now... all she could do was let them grieve and offer them comfort.
"Darkpaw was found not guilty, but Moon stopped us from leaving. She said it had something to do with some sort of deal she and Whitestar made." Cloudberry explained.
"What was the deal?" Darkheart asked.
"From what I could gather, something about if a slave was found guilty, then Whitestar would kill it." Cloudberry presumed.
"But Darkpaw was found not guilty wasn't he?" Blackfur asked confused.
"Yes he was, but according to Moon, her "patience" was thinning and well... she... she crossed the line." Cloudberry meowed angry.
"Cross the line?! What do you mean cross the line?" Poppycloud asked.
"Moon ordered Daisypetal to kill Darkpaw, but Lightpaw intervened and well, this big fight broke out. Daisypetal lost, but then Moon attacked Lightpaw and well..." Cloudberry explained.
"Well what?" Darkheart asked.
"Lets just say Lightpaw tore off Moon's left ear and clawed her left eye." Cloudberry meowed.
Cats eyes were wide in disbelief. No cat has ever fought Moon and manage to tear off her ear and claw her eye; it just seemed impossible. Moon was known as one of the best fighters in all of Starclan and yet, she managed to be beaten by an apprentice. Unless... she wasn't.
"That's when Moon went mad. She attacked Lightpaw; this time she kicked him to the other side of the cave and ordered Snaketooth to knock Lightpaw out, then Moon grabbed him by the scruff and dragged him until they were underneath her seat. She threatened Whitestar that if he didn't kill Darkpaw, then she would kill Lightpaw. Whitestar... Whitestar was forced to choose." Cloudberry finished.
"So you're saying that..." Tinydawn teared up.
"I'm so sorry Tinydawn. Whitestar never wanted to kill your son I swear. He was just trying to protect Lightpaw from Moon and..." Cloudberry broke down.
Suddenly, Tinydawn let out a devastating wail and collapsed on the ground crying. Blackfur laid next to her; tears streaming from his eyes. Flowerpaw and Petalpaw nuzzled each other close; both grieving for their younger brother. Loudtooth grieved for her apprentice with Leaftumble beside her; his head on top of hers and his ears flattened. Tears were forming in Darkheart's eyes as she weeped for her nephew. She placed her paw on Blackfur's back as she comforted her younger brother. The slaves either stared at Cloudberry in disbelief, were grieving for Darkpaw, or had their heads down and their ears flattened. Cloudberry sat there crying and her ears were flattened. She had to tell the heartbreaking news to Tinydawn that her son was dead and seeing her and her family grieve broke Cloudberry's heart, but the worst part was that she was going to hear and see the horrible agonizing grief from Lightpaw. Cloudberry stopped crying and signed for a moment. She turned and headed for the medicine cat den; giving one last glare at Whitestar in the process. Shinefur, Rivershimmer, and Whitestar stared at Cloudberry as she headed to her den, then Whitestar looked at Shinefur and Rivershimmer.
"Whitestar, what happened?" Shinefur asked.
He didn't answer. Whitestar's ears flattened, his paws shifted uncomfortably, and his head was down; feeling guilt and shame.
"Was Darkpaw found guilty?" Rivershimmer asked.
"No, he was found not guilty." Whitestar meowed.
"So what's wrong?" Shinefur asked.
"He's dead Shinefur." Whitestar meowed.
He looked behind her and saw Stormkit, Blizzardkit, Glimmerkit, and Shimmerkit peering out of the nursery; all curious about what was happening. When they heard that Darkpaw was dead, Stormkit stared at his father horrified, but Blizzardkit, Shimmerkit, and Glimmerkit stared at Whitestar confused. Shinefur and Rivershimmer glared at the kits and signaled them to go back to their nests. Blizzardkit, Shimmerkit, and Glimmerkit obliged, but Stormkit backed a few feet where Shinefur, Rivershimmer, and Whitestar couldn't see him, but could hear them. Shinefur and Riershimmer stared at Whitestar in disbelief.
"What?! But how?!" Shinefur asked.
"It's against the slave law to kill a slave if its been found not guilty!" Rivershimmer snarled.
"That's what a few Star council members said as well." Whitestar commented.
"So what happened?" Shinefur asked.
"Moon crossed the line. She ordered Daisypetal to kill Darkpaw, but then Lightpaw intervened and this big fight broke out. Dasiypetal walked away with a few injuries, but then Moon attacked Lightpaw and..." Whitestar explained.
"And what?" Rivershimmer asked.
"He tore off her ear and clawed her left eye." Whitestar signed.
Shinefur and Rivershimmer stared at him; shocked and in disbelief. Stormkit gasped in horror. From what he had learned, Moon was the best fighter in the history of the clans. To hear that his half brother had fought her had really surprised him.
"That's when Moon went mad. She kicked Lightpaw to the other side of the cave and ordered Snaketooth to knock him out, then Moon dragged him to the other side of the cave; underneath her seat. Moon pinned Lightpaw to the ground and threatened me to kill Darkpaw or she would kill Lightpaw. I...I was forced to choose." Whitestar finished.
"So you killed Darkpaw." Shinefur meowed horrified.
"I didn't have a choice Shinefur. Moon had her claws unsheathed; ready for the killing blow. It was either kill Darkpaw and Lightaw would live or don't kill Darkpaw and Lightpaw dies." Whitestar reasoned.
"Whitestar, do you have any idea what Lightpaw's gonna do when he finds his best friend dead and that you killed him?!" Shinefur asked enraged.
"He'll understand." Whitestar insisted.
"And if he doesn't?" Shinefur asked rhetorically.
"Then he has every right to be angry with me." Whitestar meowed defeated.
Meanwhile
Lightpaw was laying on nest in the punishment den with Darkpaw. One was dead while the other was unconscious. Lightpaw started seeing blurry vision as he woke up. As his vision became more clearer, he tried to find his balance as he stood. After regaining his vision and balance, Lightpaw looked around his surroundings. He was in a dark cave that had a big hole on the top where you could see the stars and the full moon. Its moonlight shone down on both Lightpaw and Darkpaw. Lightpaw looked down and found him laying on the nest, then he looked at the entrance; seeing a little bit of light from it. After a few moments, Lightpaw realized he was in the punishment den and jumped for joy; thinking that he won the fight. Lightpaw looked at Darkpaw and rubbed his head; trying to wake up.
"Hey Darkpaw wake up! Come on we did it, we survived!" he meowed excited.
But when Lightpaw touched Darkpaw's head, it was cold and Lightpaw couldn't hear any breathing. Then he heard two cats entering the den. Lightpaw looked and saw Flowerpaw and Petalpaw; both cats had expressions of grief on their faces. Lightpaw was confused; he looked away and kept tugging at his ear.
"Come on Darkpaw wake up, we're home now." Lightpaw urged.
"Lightpaw... Darkpaw is..." Flowerpaw choked.
"Come on Darkpaw wake up!" he pleaded.
"Lightpaw look at his neck." Petalpaw meowed.
He didn't want to believe it, but deep down, the thought lingered that Darkpaw was dead. Lightpaw couldn't bear the thought; he just couldn't. What would Lightpaw do without his best friend? How could he live without him? These thoughts made him tear up as he moved Darkpaw's head and saw the scratch marks on his throat. Tears were streaming from Flowerpaw and Petalpaw's eyes.
"I'm sorry Lightpaw but..." Flowerpaw whispered.
"He's gone." he whispered horrified.
Lightpaw looked at Darkpaw's body; tears streaming from his eyes. He barred his teeth and closed his eyes; anger, grief and sorrow overwhelmed him. Lightpaw laid on his belly and buried his head into Darkpaw's fur. Flowerpaw and Petalpaw came over and laid with Lightpaw. Flowerpaw licked his cheek, then both she-cats laid next to him; all three of them mourned for Darkpaw.