Bluestar
Weakness. Weakness. Weakness.
Terror. Terror. Terror. Terror.
Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure.
Bluestar awoke into the forest within her dreams. Her little Dark Forest. It was like an island within the chaos of her mind. She no longer knew when she was dreaming or sleeping, unless she was in her Dark Forest. It was the one thing that made sense. It was the one thing that held her together.
She stood up on the dry dirt and dead leaves that carpeted her haven. She was surprised to find Sparrowfeather facing her, alone. It was only the two of them inside of the entire forest, it seemed. There were no sounds of birds or bugs. No falling leaves or crackling underbrush. No whistling wind.
Sparrowfeather sighed heavily, "You don't belong here, Bluestar."
"What? Please don't make me go. It's worse out there. It's not safe out there."
The dead cat shrugged, "I won't force you to go. We've hurt you enough, it seems. I just wanted someone to talk to. Someone who would understand. I've needed to talk for so long. I have a feeling you might be the same way."
Bluestar looked into Sparrowfeather's eyes. There was a sadness buried in that gaze that devastated the leader of ThunderClan. Sparrowfeather wasn't like the others. She had a heart.
She nodded, and Sparrowfeather understood, "I'm glad. Really, I am. You're the first cat who's ever listened. Do you know what this place is?"
Bluestar shook her head.
"This," Sparrowfeather mewed, "Is where the bad cats go. The cats who don't deserve StarClan. The cats that are so twisted, so evil, that this is the only place that can contain them." The dead warrior looked up at the trees, "Sometimes I wonder if it was us that killed these trees. Maybe they've just seen too much evil. Maybe they wanted to die."
Bluestar considered the foliage above her. Maybe it had been green once. The thought made her sad.
"Is this where I will go when I die?" Bluestar asked, "Is this my punishment?"
Sparrowfeather shook her head, "No, Bluestar. You will go to StarClan. You regret what you did. You've helped many cats. I'll make sure you go to StarClan."
Bluestar stared at Sparrowfeather for a long while.
"You don't seem so bad," she meowed, "Why are you here?"
Sparrowfeather grimaced, "It's not a pleasant story, Bluestar."
"I want to hear it."
Sparrowfeather sat down, "Then I'll tell you, Bluestar. I'll tell you all of it."
Bluestar sat silently as the tale unfolded. A tale of sorrow, and regret. A tale full of both hope and crushing defeats. A tale of love and blindness. There was also horror, and death. Blood and slaughter. And finally, Bluestear understood the sadness in her eyes.
Sparrowfeather sat still when the tale was done, "That is why I am here, Bluestar."
Bluestar shook her head, "It seems so unfair."
"No, Bluestar. It is fair. Justice must have no emotion, or it would be useless. I deserve my punishment."
"I'll ask if you can go to StarClan. If Spottedleaf can go to StarClan, then Justice must be faulty anyway."
Sparrowfeather sighed, "Don't you see Bluestar? I'm still bad. I did this to you. You should hate me. Like every other cat. Hate me and forget me."
"But I don't hate you," Bluestar whispered, "I forgive you." For a second, Sparrowfeather's face welled with such emotion that she looked like the most tortured cat in all of existence. Then she turned and padded away into the forest.
She had left Bluestar alone. But she had let Bluestar stay.