Chapter Ten
Confrontation
Featherpelt's heart stopped. She recognized that voice. She knew who it was without even looking at him. A golden pelted tom stumbled out from behind a tree. Featherpelt gasped at the tom's appearance. Even though he stood more than twenty tail-lengths away from her, Featherpelt barely recognized Falconstar. He was missing tufts of fur from his unkempt pelt, which hung from his emaciated body as if it were trying to conceal how skinny it was. The tom had a nick in his right ear and a fresh wound that stretched from his shoulder to his flank.
His blue eyes locked onto Featherpelt as if she was prey. Featherpelt's fur stood out on end, her body rigid with fear. There was something wrong with the way he looked at Featherpelt. It seemed as if he viewed her as a piece of tasty fresh-kill. Every instinct told her to run, run as far as she could away from him. But she did not obey instinct. She was too scared to move.
"Hello, Featherpelt," Falconstar mewed, his tone unfriendly. His once soothing voice sounded raspy as if he had not drank any water in moons. "What do you think you are doing on Thunderclan territory? I thought I told you to never come back."
Featherpelt could have stayed frozen in place all day. This was her worst fear, meeting Falconstar on the violated terms of exile. Then, she remembered some advice her mentor had once told her: When you face at your opponent, never show fear. This reminded Featherpelt of what she said to herself yesterday: stop acting a like scared kit and start being a warrior.
It's time I start taking my own advice. She thought. Featherpelt tried to make her fur to lie flat and squared her shoulders. "Falconstar, please listen to me," she pleaded, barely managing to keep the tremor out of her voice, "I never killed your father. I don't know who did, but I swear it wasn't me."
Falconstar's expression was unreadable. "I know you didn't kill him," he said, quietly.
Featherpelt felt a rush of relief. He thinks I'm innocent! She ran to embrace him, but Falconstar surprised her. He sprang from his spot and landed on her back. Featherpelt was forced to lay in the dirt, her limbs splayed out. What's he doing?
"I know you didn't kill him," Falconstar repeated above her. "I killed him."
Before Featherpelt could react, Falconstar flipped her over roughly onto her back. Featherpelt's back smacked the ground so hard, she felt the breath whoosh out of her lungs. She flopped on the ground like a caught Riverclan fish and gasped for air. "Why?" she choked.
Falconstar stood over her, rage and hate contorting his features. Featherpelt had never thought her former mate was capable of looking like this. She was used to the kind, courageous tom she had fallen in love with, not the cruel, angry cat standing over her.
"I killed him because of you," Falconstar snarled. His claws scraped across Featherpelt's belly, forming streams of warm blood. Featherpelt, who could now breathe, screamed. Though Falconstar's claws were blunt, they still hurt! Featherpelt tried to wriggle free from his grasp. She unsheathed her claws and attempted to throw Falconstar off her using her back legs. She figured as skinny as Falconstar was, that would be possible. However, the tom just grunted when her paws pushed against his stomach. Falconstar, then, repositioned himself over the she-cat. Featherpelt squirmed until Falconstar positioned his claws on her throat. "You were always Eaglestar's favorite," he growled. "Your mother wasn't even his kin, yet he always made sure you two were always taken care of. What was so special about you? You're not even full Thunderclan! You-"
"How do you even know about that?" Featherpelt hissed.
"Great Starclan, do you not know anything? The whole forest knows about it, Featherpelt! Secrets don't last forever." He smirked. "Although this secret is going to stay between us."
His claws sunk deeper into the soft skin. Featherpelt began to feel trickles of blood spill out. She struggled to take a breath.
Falconstar sneered. "I would think the former deputy would put much more of a fight." He laughed darkly. "I guess not."
Featherpelt knew she was going to die. The she-cat closed her eyes. Returning to the clans' forest was a bad idea. I shouldn't have listened to Night! What kind of mouse-brained fool listens to an exiled murderer?
Featherpelt felt the pressure of Falonstar's claws come off her throat. She knew he was going to slash her throat. His claws pressing against her throat was just a preview of what he was about to do.
She heard a distant yowling, but she assumed she was imagining it. No one was going to rescue her. If any Thunderclan cat spotted them, they would side with Falconstar. Cloudflight would probably just stand back and watch. And Night was entirely out of the picture.
However, the loner was wrong. Featherpelt felt Falconstar fall of her with a surprised yelp. She opened her eyes and gasped. Her rescuer, a battled scarred black tom was grappling with the golden tom. Despite Featherpelt's hatred of Night, her heart swelled with joy. Her father had come to save her!
"Featherpelt, run!" Night yelled before focusing his attention on Falconstar. "Not today, you fox heart!" he growled, scratching Falonstar's eye with his claws. Falconstar released a yowl of pain.
Featherpelt tried to get up and obey Night's command, but she felt as if she was frozen to the cold earth. She was forced to remain on the ground and watch her father and her former mate fight.
In retaliation to the scratch, Falconstar batted a paw in Night's direction. However, it was hard to see out of his right eye, so he misjudged where Night's position was to the point where his opponent simply sidestepped his assailant. Falconstar missed and stumbled to the ground as a result. He tried to get up, but Night jumped on top of him, pressing his soft belly in the dirt. "You mouse-brained idiot!" the black tom snarled, all the hairs along his spine standing up.
His eyes blazed with fury as he glared at Falconstar. "My daughter loved you," he said, angrily putting his claws to his opponent's jugular. Featherpelt found it ironic that Falconstar was receiving the same treatment he had just given her.
"But that wasn't enough for you, wasn't it?" Night continued. "You wanted that deputy position so bad, you would kill for it. Cats like you make me sick."
"Look who's talking, Nightfall!" Falconstar croaked.
Before Night could react, Falconstar kicked his assailant off him. The force of Falconstar's kick was so great, Night crashed into a tree only three tail lengths away. There was an audible crack when Night's spine struck the tree. The black tom didn't even scream when he landed on the ground.
"NO!" Featherpelt wailed as she saw Night's limp, crumpled body on the ground.
Falconstar sauntered over to Night and prodded him with a paw. Night didn't stir. There was no indication that he was alive. Falconstar laughed. "The greats just don't put much of a fight," he cackled.
Adrenaline surged through Featherpelt. She struggled to stand up before Falconstar turned around and finished his execution. She took a swift step forward. Just as Falconstar faced her, she sprang from her spot and landed squarely on his back. Falconstar's weight was forced to the ground but not before he swiped Featherpelt's muzzle with his claws. Featherpelt flinched but maintained her position over Falconstar. Without wasting time for words, she quickly bent down and fastened her jaws around her neck. Falconstar's body shuddered underneath her then laid still.
She took a step back and waited for his corpse to be reanimated. Every cat in the forest knew that leaders were granted the gift of nine lives. If a cat killed a leader in battle, unless the leader was on their final life, they would come back to life.
She waited for what felt like moons. Falconstar didn't come back. His body just laid in the dirt. But how? Featherpelt thought. Surely he wasn't on his last life.
"He was," a voice confirmed beside her.
Startled, Featherpelt leaped backwards, the hair along her neck standing in all directions. A russet tabby she-cat stood next to her, her fur fading in and out, like a reflection on a river's surface. "Calm down, Featherpelt!" she said, gently, "Don't you recognize me?"
Featherpelt sheathed her claws. "How could it be his last life?" she asked, numbly. She wasn't in the mood for happy reunions. "He became leader less than four moons ago!"
Cherryheart shook her head. "The Gift of Nine Lives is only granted to those deserving of the leadership role," she said simply. "Those who kill to satisfy their ambitions are not granted additional lives."
"Oh." Featherpelt smoothed down her fur. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Cherryheart didn't reply. She kneeled beside Night's body before answering, "I'm here to take him to Starclan."
"So he is my father?" Featherpelt demanded.
Cherryheart nodded as she pressed her nose into Night's fur. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, my love," she whispered.
"This what you meant by 'fulfilling his destiny?'" Featherpelt pressed.
Cherryheart twitched her tail in annoyance. "Yes, Featherpelt. Now, hush. This is harder than it looks."
Featherpelt's mother murmured a few words to Night's corpse and grabbed its scruff. She yanked hard on it before a black tom emerged out of the body. His glistening black fur was perfect, the gray hair tinging his muzzle was gone, and when the spirit spoke, its voice had no rasp to it. It sounded young and deep. "Greetings, Featherpelt," Night said, his green eyes shining.
Tears welled in Featherpelt's eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise last night," she said, her voice quivering. "You didn't deserve an end like this."
Night shrugged. "It's only fair. As the elders' saying goes, 'A life for a life.'"
A few tears escaped from Featherpelt's eyes. "How did you find me?"
The black tom laughed. "Where do you think you get your excellent hunting skills? I am a skilled tracker. I followed your scent trail, and it stopped here." He sighed. "I wish I could have gotten to in time before that fox-heart scratched your throat." He nodded to the shallow gash on Featherpelt's neck.
"It should have been me who died," Featherpelt murmured. "Not you."
Night gazed at her sadly. "Everything happens for a reason. Always remember that." Cherryheart cleared her throat, indicating that it was time to go. The black tom touched his nose to hers. Featherpelt shivered. His nose was as cold as ice. He chuckled. "I will see you in a few seasons."
Cherryheart wrapped Featherpelt in a quick hug. "See you soon," she whispered.
Featherpelt watched as the two cats faded into a yew bush, tails entwined.
