Chapter 17: Pinestar
Pinestar yowled to his clanmates, calling off the battle. He stormed off, racing home as fast as he could. He would be ridiculed, he knew. Shadowclan should not have given up so easily, especially since they were faring so well.
Pinestar sprinted past the boulder that guarded the entrance and into camp. He rushed into his den and sat there, back to the entrance, staring at his stained paws.
White.
Claws unsheathed, scratching mercilessly.
Red.
The spray of crimson flying.
Blue.
Determined eyes, opposing.
Black, Gray.
Darkfur, Badgerfall.
Three to One.
Unfair.
Blood.
Pooling around the body.
Blood.
On my paws.
Blood.
On my muzzle.
Blood!
Tearing me apart!
Greyleaf.
Her face
Pinestar remembered the look on her face, utter betrayal. When she'd struck him, the anger and horror she felt was so obvious.
That was when he realized what he'd done.
How could he not have known? The signs were everywhere. If he had just taken the time to look, things could've been different.
I am a murderer!
He tightened his grip on the earth below him, digging his claws in. Disgust and brokenness, that was what he felt.
I don't deserve her!
He was a monster. Warriors never have to kill to win! Why did he do it? Couldn't he have stopped? He never had to go for the kill, slashing his claws down the other cat's belly. He could have stopped, right?
She will never love me again!
It was only a few minutes ago, but to Pinestar, it was as if it had been days. As if Greyleaf had given him her look of utter hatred sunrises ago and had left him. Forever.
"Pinestar," An angry Ravenclaw yowled from outside of the leader's den.
It was obviously a summons, one that Pinestar should not allow his deputy to make, but he just didn't care. Pinestar got to his feet, not bothering to wash off the, already crusting, blood, and he exited his den.
"Yes, Ravenclaw," Pinestar answered, his voice monotone.
"What were you thinking," The black tom spat, the fur along his back prickling up, "We were winning!"
Some of the clan gasped at this blatant act of disrespect. Pinestar aught to have retorted, asserted his dominance, but he didn't have it in him. He felt that he didn't deserve to be leader.
"Well," Ravenclaw fumed, lashing his tail, "Answer me!"
"Wedidn'tdeservetowin." Pinestar mumbled, his amber eyes unfocused.
"WHAT!"
"We didn't deserve to win!" Pinestar yowled so loudly it echoed, glaring at the black tom. He breathed heavily, the only sound in the stunned silence.
After a few astonished heartbeats, Ravenclaw growled, "Why!?"
"Because I KILLED A CAT," Pinestar shouted at the tom, before continuing quietly, "I killed him, and then watched as," He chocked, almost saying Greyleaf's name pained him, but he had to keep their relationship a secret, even if she didn't love him anymore, "As his queen rushed to his side and cried over him. While I stood by, covered in his blood! I took away a kit's father," He wispered, remembering Greyleaf telling him about her little brother and sister's, his deep voice almost impossibly small, "I can never forgive myself for that."
The brown tabby tom walked away, tears streaming down his face, dripping off his muzzle, their color tainted red.
I have to make this right.
Pinestar padded into his den, the sounds of the clan going into an uproar behind him. He laid down in his nest, and then remembered that one cat would never lay in his nest again, so he ripped it apart, sending peices of moss flying. Pinestar slept on the cold floor that night.
The next morning, Pinestar awoke early, and left the camp alone. He made his way back to his small pool and lapped up the crisp, clear water, letting the cool drink running down his throat.
The sun painted the sky a brilliant purple-red, and the birds sang, their beautiful carols lifting into the air. The morning was peaceful, elegant, its loveliness a blanket enveloping the pine forest. Pinestar drunk it in, the exquisite smells and feelings calming him, soothing his mind and momentarily freeing him from his turmoil.
The chittering of squirrels distracted Pinestar and cut through the peace. Pinestar watched intently as two of them danced around one another, flicking their tails and baring their teeth. No blows were exchanged, only chittering and tail flicks, and the mock battle ended too soon. The squirrels ran away from one another, skittering up different trees.
Pinestar's amber eyes lit up, and he had an idea.
Mock battles. That's it! I can't bring her father back, but I can end this war!
Pinestar sprinted away, back to camp. He knew what to do. He knew how to fix everything.
Chapter 17: Greyleaf
Greyleaf awoke to the warm smell of milk and the sound of mewling. She blinked her tired eyes and lifted her head from her paws. Three little bundles of fur rested at her stomach, kneading her and pleading for milk. She purred, and bent her head to lick her kits.
My kits, She thought happily, They're my kits.
She yawned, her pink tongue curling, and looked around. She lay in a soft, moss nest that was lined with feathers. Goldenfur, Blackfur, Sunstar, Featherheart, and Featherstorm lay next to each other in front of her nest. Greyleaf smiled, the fact that they would care so much touched her heart, and a happy tear slid down her face.
Sparrowkit mewed and kicked her brother, causing the grey-brown tabby tom to cry out and flail, which then woke up Goldenkit. The squeaking kits created such a noise that the group of guardians woke up.
Sunstar opened his brown eyes and stretched. "You okay," He asked.
Greyleaf nodded, and and the leader nodded back before leaving. Featherheart gave the kits a quick check-up, before she left to go and sort through her herbs. Featherstorm smiled and purred, giving Greyleaf a quick lick on the head before she left to take her kits out of the nursery for some fresh-kill. After a few minutes, the only cats left with Greyleaf were Blackfur and Goldenfur. The latter hung back while Blackfur scooted closer to peer at the kits.
"So,"' He said, his voice quavering a little, "Our kits," He gazed at them lovingly, a smile lighting up his green eyes, "What do you think we should name them?"
"Oh," Greyleaf murmured, "Goldenfur and I already named them, sorry," She added genuinely when she saw the hurt in his eyes, "I just couldn't help it. I-if they had died, I wouldn't have had a name to remember them by."
Blackfur nodded and replied, "Yeah, that makes sense, I just wished I could've helped name them," He finished a little bitterly, and then continued, "What are their names, then?"
Greyleaf smiled and purred, gesturing to the gray spotted she-kit, "That's Sparrowkit," then to the tabby tom, "That's Nightkit," And last to the golden tabby she-kit, "And that's Goldenkit."
"Goldenkit? Like, Goldenfur?" Blackfur asked warily.
"Yeah," Greyleaf replied slowly, "He helped me with my kitting, is my best friend, and her fur is golden colored anyways.." Greyleaf curled her tail protectively around her kits, which were still tousling around, trying to get to the warmest spot.
She started to bend down her head down to lick them, but Blackfur grabbed Nightkit's scruff before she could get to them.
"Here," He meowed, his voice muffled with fur, "I'll help." He put a squeaking Nightkit down and began grooming him.
"I'll help too," Goldenfur mewed, and grabbed Goldenkit.
Greyleaf laughed happily at their eagerness, and started to lick Sparrowkit.
Greyleaf looked up from her task of grooming her protesting daughter to look at the two toms. Blackfur was having trouble grooming a rebellious Nightkit. The dark tabby tom was clearly having none of it, and he flailed his little legs like there was no tomorrow. Blackfur wasn't having much luck with him.
And then there was Goldenfur. He and Goldenkit were like best buddies. She sat still and obedient while he groomed her, little kitten purrs rumbling from her tiny throat. She snuggled close to him, their pelts identical and blending together, one almost indistinguishable from the other.
Sporrowkit was quite the pawful herself, but she was no where near as unruly as her brother. She squirmed but stayed in one general area, allowing Greyleaf to groom her to perfection.
When all three kits were done, they were placed back at Greyleaf's belly, where they suckled and kneaded, their squeaking ceasing. Eventually, the three tiny kittens yawned and fell asleep.
"Thank you," Greyleaf mewed quietly, trying not to wake the three kits.
"Your welcome," Goldenfur replied, whispering.
"Yeah, what he said," Blackfur mumbled, bitter about being beat to it.
Greyleaf smiled at them, and then back at her kits, before laying her head back on her paws.
The two toms left the nursery to go back to their duties, and Greyleaf slept peacefully on.
So, I got bored of not updating my stories, and I've been doing challenges for Saberclan, so I decided to do an update that continued one of my storied and completed a challenge! The result is that this chapter is basically how Pinestar felt about killing Leopardheart, and how he came up with the idea of the fake battles. He pretty much is saying that he will never again kill another cat, and the good consequence is that his kits live!