With no time, she turned, yanked Larchkit to his paws and tried to make a run for it. But it quickly failed, with the first opponent already on them, Beetail himself throwing himself onto Mapleshade's side with the weight of boulder, causing her to be thrust towards the ground and Larchkit being knocked away, both dangerously close to the Thunderpath. All the instincts, training, panic and savagery just took over. Spinning, she gripped Beetail's neck with her forelegs, knocking him away. However, it only caused him to stagger a few paces away. But Mapleshade wasn't given time to even breathe as the next opponent came bolting in, a hate-fill Frecklewish. Oh, this had been something she'd waiting for!
Both cats reared onto their back legs, trading blows. Using her anger to foul her, she flicked away Frecklewish's pathetic swipes before countering with a swipe of her own, her claws easily slicing through Frecklewish's chest fur. Too occupied with the speckled she-cat, Dawnfeather was easily able to come in, tearing through the tip of Mapleshade's ear. The blood gushing out. Hissing out slightly, Mapleshade just barely kept the former Queen back by blinding her with a thick tail, only able to fight one opponent at a time.
Focusing back on Frecklewish, she continued to pound down. However, Frecklewish ignored the pain of Mapleshade's blows, twisting round Mapleshade's outstretched paw, lunging forward like a speeding pike, biting down hard into her neck. Frecklewish's weren't the only fangs inside her, as a now recovered Beetail chomped down deep into her back leg, leaving a painful wound, dragging her down. Dawnfeather was quickly behind him, aiding him with bringing Mapleshade down. A constant need for awareness of the Thunderpath, less than a tail-length away now. The constant roar of speeding monsters pounding in her ears, just as much as the claws ripping through her fur like thin grass.
All while Mapleshade was overwhelmed trying to tussle with the three warriors, Larchkit was having a battle of his own. Instead of trying to battle two grown cats like a mousebrain, he used his smaller and light build to dodge and weave in-between the constant swipes of Bloomheart and Deerdapple as they struggled to pin him down. Like trying to swat a fly out of mid-air. But Larchkit wouldn't be able to keep it up for long, they needed to get out of here now.
Trying to gather her strength, she kicked out against Beetail's and Dawnfeather's heads, making space for herself. Blinking heavily as blood poured down her head, threatening to blind her. The deep hole in her back leg, draining of blood as well.
In desperation, she sent frantic endless waves of slashes in every direction possible, in an attempt to keep the three warriors at bay. Managing to split Beetail's nose. However, Dawnfeather ducked into Mapleshade's blind spot. Before she could turn round to face her, Mapleshade gasped as Dawnfeather's fangs dug deep into her scruff. Beetail and Frecklewish now lunged on top of her, piling on top of her. Their combined weight overpowering. All she could do was cover her face.
A sudden squeal made Mapleshade's eyes to flick towards Larchkit. Deerdappple had the brown kit pinned by his tail effortlessly with a single paw. He squirmed as the silver warrior hissed in his ear, "Stop struggling before you hurt yourself.", she warned. Yet he didn't, his legs wildly flailing like a fish. Despite how much she wanted to, she couldn't break away from the powerful grip of the three warriors as they kept trying to claw past the paws that covered her head, to the variable face underneath.
Bloomheart kept tightly circling the two cats, but Dawndapple kept her back to him, blocking him from reaching Larchkit under her paws. Mapleshade barely made out Bloomheart's angered words in amongst of the inraged growls of her attackers, "What are you doing?", he demanded, "Let me get to him!". What was he doing? Both Beetail and Dawnfeather seemed to think the same thing, as their attacks ceased as their attention focused on their arguing clanmates. Only Frecklewish didn't seem to care as her mouth hung open to show off fangs as sharp as pine-needles. Her head edged closer to Mapleshade's neck, clearly going for the killing bite, with Mapleshade, still on the floor, barely holding her back.
"No!", Deerdapple countered, "If I let you have him, you'd kill him!".
"That's the entire point!", Bloomheart loudly yowled out, above the racket of monsters, for all ears to hear.
As soon as he said that, Beetail's face twisted in disgust and Dawnfeather mouth opened in a silent gasp. Even Frecklewish stopped in her tracks. Beetail stepped away from Mapleshade, furiously marching up to the lean tom, "What are you talking about?!", he demanded. With only two cats now pinning her down, both distracted, the exhausted Mapleshade made her move. Suddenly, Mapleshade jerked forward, making Dawnfeather lung back in shock while Frecklewish took some force to move. Now free, she didn't even pause for breath, she was imminently on her paws.
Ignoring all the warriors rushing towards her, trying to swarm her, she just focused on Dawndapple and her helpless son in the distance. She ducked under Dawnfeather as she threw herself forward and leapt over Bloomheart charging at her from the side, the two mates colliding, falling into a heap. Luckily, instead of attacking Mapleshade, Beetail runs over to help his winded Clanmates. As Mapleshade reached Deerdapple, Larchkit's eye lit up with faint hope. Quickly she dropped into a hunting crouch, preparing to leap at the warrior.
Surprisingly, Dawndapple withdrew her claws from the kit's tail, releasing him. Immediately, Larchkit flew into his mother's paws, relief flooding over him like waves. "Just remember, if you weren't a nursing queen, I'd kill you myself.", Deerdapple remarked. Resisting the urge to spit in her face, Mapleshade wasted no more time, she looked to the Thunderpath, with the patrol closing in alarmingly fast, swarming them like a hive of bees. The multicoloured monsters stampeded past with such speed, their spaces blur into a stream. Larchkit clung to her paws tightly, shaking. The air shifted behind her as a cat leapt directly from behind her. Now! Without even thinking, Mapleshade just went for broke, grabbing Larchkit awkwardly by the shoulders blades and scripted with what little energy she had.
The earth under her paws turned to humid gravel, as she sped across the Thunderpath, the muscles in her back leg screaming out in pain. Piercing noises exploded inside her ears, turning them numb. Shutting her eyes as if she was about to lunge into jaws of death's itself, without nothing left to lose, Mapleshade blindly rushed into the incoming waves of Monsters. Yet, somehow, Mapleshade had managed to find the narrowest of gaps between the endless flow of Monsters, freed from the vortex of screeching noises and battering winds. Gasping as her grip on Larchkit loosen before both of them were sent crashing onto the Shadowclan border, getting sand into her eyes and hanging mouth.
There were sharp blasts of pain in her back as Mapleshade skidded across the mossy sloop until eventually slowing to a stop. Getting control again, she attempted to get up on shaky paws, a groaning Larchkit next to her. She glanced over the Thunderclan's border. Surely none of her former Clanmates would be willing to an act as reckless as to that. However, there was a sudden surge of panic when she released there were. Bloomheart and Frecklewish. Both cat's faces twisted with fury and hatred as they sped across the Thunderpath, their eye glittering in the blazing sunlight, making their eyes glow with a fierce orange. Why were those cats so determined to kill them?
Seeing her mate's example, Dawnfeather looked about her, reluctantly following them, leaving the rest of the bewildered patrol behind.
Tearing a muscle or two by forcing herself to her paws too quickly, she nudged Larchkit to stand and began to make her way to the Shadowclan's cover of dim ferns. Rounding up Larchkit like a prisoner, she edged closer to the undergrowth. Just then, Bloomheart's darting head struck out like an adder, snatching Larchkit from Mapleshade's useless grip. "No!", she screamed, viciously tearing after them as Bloomheart ruthlessly dragged the kit away. Although, Dawnfeather was right behind her, latching her jaw around the she-cat's throat, effortlessly flipping Mapleshade over her back. Piling on the pressure onto Mapleshade's throat and exposed stomach, she was soon pinned in place. Her energy already drained and deep wounds still bleeding, made lashing out now impossible. Her legs like twigs, flimsy trying to strike out against Dawnfeather's belly, only ruffling her long ginger fur, not doing a thing to move her.
Turning her head, she was helpless as Bloomheart aggressively shoved the bundle of fur into Frecklewish's paws, like a scrap of crow-food. "Here.", Bloomheart coldly insisted, "You should have the honour.". The golden she-cat stared blankly at the kit trapped in her grip.
Larchkit's teeth gritted together as he tensed up in pain as she tested him, flexing her whining claws against his spiky brown fur. Larchkit twisted until he faced Bloomheart, who frantically paced around the two cats as he waited for Frecklewish to give the killing blow.
"Y-you tried to kill my sister.", he stuttered.
Frecklewish flinched at this information, staring at Bloomheart. Ignoring her, he leaned directly into Larchkit's face, "I didn't enjoy it but it had to be done. Her destiny is set in stone.", he explained, "Your litter will bring ruin to Thunderclan if you're allowed to grow up. So if you have any honour, just accept your death for everyone's sake.". The claws digging into Mapleshade's skin loosen slightly as Dawnfeather watched the entire scene as well, revulsion tinting her face.
Cats like Frecklewish and Bloomheart were hopeless to reason with. But maybe not every cat left in Thunderclan was a foxheart, maybe there was still some hope. "Dawnfeather.", she harshly whispered, grabbing the she-cat attention. The Thunderclan warrior stared down at her like she was a piece of foxdang, showing her the tips of her teeth. Mapleshade trod carefully with her words, "From one Queen to another.", she began, "If this was Nettlepaw was right now, would you let your mate kill him?".
Her gaze flashed with a sudden coldness like it was flooded over with a sheet of ice. "Of course not!", she growled, offended. Mapleshade had to keep an awareness of Bloomheart and Frecklewish's distant conversion the whole time, knowing Larchkit's life was at their mercy. She needed to convince Dawnfeather quickly.
"Then why should Larchkit be different? He's a kit, for Starclan's sake.", she challenged, getting slightly worked up, "Are you really just going to let Bloomheart and Frecklewish murder him?!". Strangely, instead of Dawnfeather's face flashing with something like shock or alarm, it flashed with shame and guilt, all too aware of her mate's murderous intent.
Bloomheart's irritated voice caught both of their attention, "Think about what his parents did your brother, Frecklewish.", he mewed, leaning over her shoulder like a whispering wind, "Mapleshade used his name and Appledusk killed him. Do you really think this kit can shake that kind of influence?". At those words, Larchkit coiled back into the ground, trying to find a non-existing hiding spot, from the paw that hooved just a tail-length above him, armed and ready for the killing blow. A panicking heartbeat racketed inside Mapleshade's head, Frecklewish couldn't!
Frecklewish's paw stayed in place, before eventually falling to the ground, with a sigh. Bloomheart's eyes widen, his tail lashing, "What you are doing? Kill him!". Slowly, Frecklewish shook her head, clear regret making her hanging tail twitch, "I can't.", she muttered, "Even if this thing, isn't a kit, it's still innocent. And I won't go down to their level.".
Then she suddenly swung round to the pinned Mapleshade, "But you on the other hand-".
Before all the words could flow out, Bloomheart snapped, barging past Freckwish, shoving her out the way until he stood directly over the terrified Larchkit, "Then I'll do it myself, traitor!", he bitterly hissed. Frecklewish was sent tumbling onto the Thunderpath, landing into the pile of glittering green shards, her leg painfully scraping over it.
Her back leg was covered in deep scarlet cuts, bleeding badly, now too weak to stand. "My leg!", Frecklewish exclaimed, still laying in the middle of the Thunderpath. The patrol on the Thunderclan side, eyes widen, still too cowardly to cross. "Serves you right. If you ignore Starclan's warnings, it will lead to more tragedies like Flowerpaw and Birchface.", Bloomheart retorted, his back to her. Abruptly, the huge glowing eyes of a Monster appeared in the distance, charging straight for Frecklewish. Yet, Bloomheart took no notice.
"Bloomheart!", his mate called desperately, "Get Frecklewish out the way!". Yet he still didn't. Instead, he started to lean over, opening his mouth to give the killing bite to a squirming Larchkit, now screaming in terror. "Bloomheart!", Beetail and Deerdapple cried out from the other side of the Thunderpath.
All-time seemed to slow now. Despite all yowling his name, despite the car still careening towards a defenceless Frecklewish, it didn't stop him in his quest to rid the world of half-breeds. Mapleshade looked at a terrified Dawnfeather, who prepared to lunge away from her and go after Frecklewish. A sudden wave of numbness coming over her. If he took Larchkit at this moment, it would only be fair for her to take one of his.
Life for life.
Just as the tips of Bloomheart's snake-like fangs began to dig into the throat of his helpless victim, Mapleshade forced herself, despite all the pain and exhaustion to grasp Dawnfeather's underbelly with her back legs, just before she could leap away. Without a hint of remorse, Mapleshade sent Dawnfeather flying through the air like a hawk, directly in front of the speeding monster, now tail-lengths away from Frecklewish.
They didn't even have time to scream out in pain, as their last breaths were torn from their bodies in less than a heartbeat. Dying in a gruesome explosion of blood and guts. The Thunderpath now stained with thick sticky red rivers. The air itself rippled as it was filled with the; yowls, cries, screams, shouts, wails and howls of the cats around her. The most Satisfying one by far being, Bloomheart's, as he tore away from Larchkit, "Dawnfeather!", his voice cracking like ice shards.
She stood now free. She stared. Taking the brief moment to marvel at her creation, the shattered remains of Frecklewish and Dawnfeather; the cat that had sent her into exile and the mate of her kits' attempted murderer. Now nothing but a mushy pile of shredded bones, skin, pelts, and organs. Revenge was sweet.
Bloomheart stood at the edge of Thunderpath like he was made out of stone, completely frozen; Motionless, Speechless, Emotionless, Useless, Pointless. He continued to stare. Just stare. At what was once his beloved Dawnfeather. The cat he'd had a son with.
Now free, Mapleshade hurriedly limped over to the silent Larchkit, the blood draining from her ear and leg. Past Bloomheart. Her head now light. Together, they rushed into the deep thicket of Shadowclan territory with nowhere else to go, like submerging themselves an endless green lake, filled with predictors to snatch them up.
A quick glance told her, Nettlepaw had returned with Oakstar at his side. Just in time for them to see their dead loved ones.
Finally, Bloomheart managed to shake himself out of his horrified dazed, his legs still violently and uncontrollable trembling. What had he just watched? First, he had that piece of filth finally in his paws and the next this... Dawnfeather's mutilated body laying out before him, lifeless. In the distance, the Monster, that had taken his beloved mate's life, veered to the side of the Thunderpath. It halted suddenly, with a twoleg tumbling out of the swinging side, flapping its arms wildly, making angry bellowing noises as stared at its blood-drenched monster.
Not caring in the slightest, Bloomheart rushed over to Dawnfeather's side, carefully grabbing her by her mangled scruff, dragging her to safety. Now by his side, he looked into her beautiful ice-blue eyes one last time, now clouded over with the emptiness of death. She wasn't truly dead, was she? It couldn't happen again, not after their kit, Flowerpaw died. As if he expected a Starclan miracle to happen, he prodded at Dawnfeather's flank several times, silently praying for her to wake. Yet, nothing, not even the slight twitch of an ear or tail.
As the reality of his situation come over him, overwhelming anger and guilt sunk into him in an explosion of emotion, coming out as one massive deafening wail. As it faded, Bloomheart slowly wrapped himself around his mate protectively. It was similar to how they went to sleep every night in their Thunderclan nest. It was warm against her body, but not in the natural the way, instead, the sicky warmth coming from her blood. But he still refused to move, as it dried on his pelt, mattering his fur into clumps.
He buried his head into her thick yet soft ginger fur, quietly whimpering. This wasn't how it was meant to end for her. She was meant to either grow old and die peacefully in her sleep or the glory of battle. A proper battle. Not whatever type of skirmish that turned into. Dying to the claws of that traitor of all cats. Why did Dawnfeather have to fall to Mapleshade? Waves of shames rippled down his spine, clawing the rocky ground. He'd failed again. If he had just managed kill Mapleshade on that border patrol three moons ago, none of this would've happened. He would still have his eye, he would still have his dignitary and he would still have his mate.
And to think that in time not so long ago, he would have considered Mapleshade, an old friend, and respected clanmate. But what did he know about anything? She'd become the worst type of traitor. She let the purest blood in the entire forest become toxic. And toxic blood needed to be wiped from the face of the earth, Starclan demanded of it.
The guilt began to boil up instead of him as his mind wandered to his son, Nettlepaw. He was only an apprentice and already lost his littermate. He shouldn't have to go through this. As those thoughts drifted through his head, new cries filled the air as two new cats emerged from the undergrowth; Oakstar and Nettlepaw. Bloomheart let out a sadden sigh as his distressed son spotted his mother's twisted corpse, crying out louder than the loudest of birds. Oakstar having a similar reaction as he spotted his daughter, furiously pounding down at her corpse-like an enemy warrior, trying to wake her up.
As Oakstar's broad head swung round to Beetail and Deerdapple, yowling his head off in anger, Nettlepaw waited for the Thunderpath to clear before timidly crossing it. Trying to ignore the background racket of Oakstar's fox-like howling, Bloomheart stood a little straighter, as Nettlepaw approached, his eyes unmoving from his mother. Seeing his son suffer like made him like he was going to split in two, just like Dawnfeather's head. Suddenly Nettlepaw began to wildly swing his head side to side, "This isn't real- This isn't real-", he stuttered.
Bloomheart took a small step towards him, "Nettlepaw.", he mewed, trying to reach out to him.
Suddenly Nettlepaw's snapped his head round to stare his father with those same pale blue eyes as his mother, "This isn't real!", Nettlepaw screeched out from the top of his head. Slowly, he dipped his head, "I'm sorry, son. But it is.", wrapping his blood-covered tail over Nettlepaw's drooping shoulders.
The young apprentice breathing became heavy with panic, he physically started shaking. He swore he could even see the swollen heart beating in Nettlepaw's ginger chest. Trying to deal with the raw emotion, Nettlepaw started to flex his claws against his own face. "Don't do that.", Bloomheart quietly muttered. Netllepaw stopped but it didn't make the pain go away, instead of crumbling to the floor, curling up against Dawnfeather's ripped open belly, miserably sobbing.
For the briefest moment, the blood from Dawnfeather's body was gone, instead lit up with the warm glow of the Nursery. Instead of being a traumatized apprentice, Nettlepaw was a tiny ginger bundle beside his grey sister. The two mates nuzzled each other as they celebrated the gift of a new life. Not the taking of one. At least Dawncloud was united with Flowerpaw in Starclan.
A haunting, eerily, devilish silence hung around the grieving family, like a vile scent that refused to lift. A sudden and unwanted spark of rage come to life inside of him, making him tense up. In past, it's been the half-clan rats was his main focus- But now- Mapleshade had finally done it. Not just a threat to Thunderclan anymore, but to Bloomheart's own family. Was this in Starclan's plan?
He then realize Nettlepaw looking straight at him, "What happened!?", he aggressively demanded, a rare sight of anger from his son. Very rare indeed.
"Mapleshade happened!", he loudly exclaimed, "If it wasn't for her, your mother would still be alive!". Nettlepaw eyes widen, suddenly speechless. Bloomheart took a step forward, shaking his head, "You'll understand someday.", he mewed, nudging Nettlepaw to the side as he grasped Dawnfeather's body again, trying to get her on his shoulders. "Let's just get her body back for brutal .", Bloomheart mewed. All Nettlepaw could do was nod, as he took hold of her flank, hanging limply as they carried her the edge of the Thunderpath. Several Monsters sped past, the Twoleg in their stomachs, staring at the gathering of cats.
Together, the father and son raced across the black surface, as the singed reminds of a burning wildfire. As they crossed with their precious cargo, Nettlepaw whispered up to Bloomheart, "Dad, you're still going to come back to the Clan, right?". His throat become sandy dry with guilt, Nettlepaw would need him more than ever but he still hadn't made up for his growing pile of failures to Thunderclan. "We'll see.", Bloomheart sighed. The thick trunks of the Thunderclan's oaks now in reach. It would be strange seeing the camp again. And all the reactions of his Clanmates. But did he even deserve that? How could he earn his place back in the Clan now with his blind eye and constant loses to Mapleshade? There was no place in Thunderclan for weaklings.
Soon, they meet up with the rest of the patrol at Thunderclan scent marks, still shaken up. Beetail was the first to approach them with stiff movements, "I can take her if you want to.", the deputy offered.
He politely shook his head, "Thank you for the offer. But with all due respect, she is my mate and I'll be the one to take her home.".
However, despite his warning, Beetail stretched up, plucking Dawnfeather from his back, gently pulling her off. "Hey!", Nettlepaw gasped, rearing up to grab her but missing. "I said no.", Bloomheart repeated, angered.
The way Beetail's deep amber eyes were darkened over with an almost purple tint, shook Bloomheart to his core. As if he'd suffered the worst betrayal in his life, even more then Mapleshade's. Beetail crouched over Dawnfeather's body, keeping them separated. Nettlepaw foolishly bared his teeth as he tried to drag her back, all attempts failing.
A low snarl made Bloomheart turn. Concern tugging at his ribs like vines, almost fearful to face the beast that lay behind him. Fizzing foam dripped from the edges of Oakstar's lips, like a drooling dog, seething. Oakstar stood over Frecklewish's body, fur spiked up and the silver tabby, Dawndapple sitting at his side, her tail laying over her paws.
"You killed my daughter!", Oakstar accused, his voice deep with hatred.
Nettlepaw crept back, lowed to the floor like a scuttering spider, revolted, "You did what?". Bloomheart looked wildly among the faces of his clanmates, horrified that he'd be accused of such a terrible act, "I did no such thing!", he argued.
Somehow still remarkably calm, Dawndapple addressed Bloomheart, still sitting, "Don't lie, foxheart. We saw what you did, you shoved her into the Thunderpath.".
Bloomheart couldn't believe the words that were coming out the grey she-cat's mouth for a second. "Mapleshade's the murderer!", he pointed out like they were all mouse-brained, "She's the one that was trespassing on Thunderclan territory and killing our warriors! She killed my Dawnfeather!". He shrivelled up for a moment, "Dawnfeather- is dead because of her.", the words barely coming out.
Oakstar stormed passed Deerdapple, his long claws extended, coming within a fox-length from him. Bloomheart prepared himself. However the brainless apprentice leapt in between them, swiping at the air, "Stay away from my father!", he warned, trying to sound threatening. Dawndapple quickly moved in, grabbing Nettlepaw by the scruff, guiding her struggling apprentice away. Before Bloomheart could stop Dawndapple, an inraged Oakstar stepped into his path, blocking him, growling. Bloomheart snarled back at him.
"I know what she did. And I can assure you, she'll be hunted down and killed.", Oakstar remarked, "But that doesn't change your crime, Bloomheart. You shoved Frecklewish into the Thunderpath and did nothing to save her when Monster was coming straight for her!".
"I occupied was with Latchkit! If I went save her, I'd need to let a future murderer escape. It was a choice between one life now or dozen in the future." he countered, letting all his beliefs flood out, "Your mistake of keeping those evil spawns alive endangers us all!".
Oakstar stared him down, gormless, "You mean the kits?", he questioned, now standing his ground, a fight threatening to break out at any heartbeat. Nettlepaw helpless to do anything as his mentor pinned him down. "Yes, the kits.", he howled, "Especially the kits! Ravenwing's omen coming true, you blind bat. Warriors are already dead because of your inaction. Killing them is not against the code because they're not meant to exist in the first place. They shouldn't even be allowed to be called cats."
For a brief moment, Oakstar becomes thoughtful and quietly uttered, "From where I see it if those kits become killers - You're the one driving them towards it. Every time you try to kill them, more hate will fester inside them. My only mistake was making you a Medicine cat. It's your duty to be the messager of Starclan, not their infallible enforcer. A single cat shouldn't decide on who lives and die."
Horror gripped Bloomheart's chest, dreading where this was going, "Get to the point already!".
Gritting his teeth together, Oakstar went nose to nose with Bloomheart, his foul rancid breath in Bloomheart's nostrils, "If you're really so dedicated to the Code, you'll follow your leader's orders and get out of here.".
"What?", Bloomheart remarked, confused.
"You may have disappeared beforehand, but this time it's official.", Oakstar declared with a booming voice, "I exile you from Thunderclan for the murder of Frecklewish and the attempted murder of Larchkit! If you're found on my lands again, you'll be killed on sight."
Bloomheart stiffened up. His blood turning to ice and venom. He turned hollow inside. Him? Exiled? Exile was for traitors like Mapleshade, not him!
"Don't blame me for your failings as a leader! If you knew anything, you would know the Warrior code expects you take action against a weak leader.", he reminded Oakstar, "So maybe you should be the one getting exiled.". As soon as the sentence slipped out, Oakstar's massive head lunged forward, grasping Bloomheart's throat, yanking the tom off his paws like a kit and effortlessly hauling him away.
Pain striking against his jaw as he landed awkwardly on the hard gravel floor. He collapsed, his head spinning. "Dad!", he heard his son's words ringing in his ears. This couldn't be happening. He was the one enforcing the Warrior code. Things like this didn't happen to honourable cats like him. He lay there on the ground, numb, heavy panting from the shock.
Slowly, he climbed to his paws, shaking his head to wake up from this nightmare. But he didn't. Still crouched, he lifted his narrow head to see Oakstar standing over him, Beetail now at his side. "Get out!", Oakstar ordered. Both bulky built toms' muscles rippling under their dark pelts, eager for a fight. Their claws out. The claws that would rip through his thin ginger fur like a leaf. Unexpectedly, Bloomheart's body betrayed him, pathetically shaking as fear gripped him. This wasn't him.
Staring into the leader's and deputy's eyes for a while longer, he eventually shuffled back, beginning to turn away. Nettlepaw then launched into an outburst, beginning to flail wildly, "No! You can't do this!", he shouted out. Dawndapple was forced to tighten her grasp on the apprentice, to keep him under control, "I need him!".
However, his son's words meant nothing as Bloomheart crept away down the slope, heading to nowhere. Hopelessness now consuming him. Leaving Nettlepaw and Dawnfeather behind. His expression now blanks as it stared at the floor, emotionless. Why had Starclan allowed this? Letting him lose his mate, son and honour all in one day. How could they let this happen? Surely, they'd realized that he'd given up everything in their grand name? Surely, they could see what he was trying to do? Ridding the world of all the cats that Warrior Code spoke against was an honourable thing, doesn't it? What was wrong with it? Why were they punishing him?
He halted, looking back at the patrol, now nothing but specks, surprised on how far he'd walked already. Bitterness making his blood boil. Was it Mapleshade? Was it his destiny to slay the savage? But to be honest, now, it was much more than destiny or any grander purpose.
He couldn't believe it. It was one thing to be mates with his daughter's murderer - But now Mapleshade killed his mate with her own paws. The same cat he'd trained since she left the Nursery all those moons ago. Now he and Mapleshade were at each other throats at every turn. It destroyed their loved ones during the crossfire.
"How long can this keep going?", the sleek tom uttered as he wandered into exile and a bleak future.