A/N: Finally, the plot reveals itself! Well, sort… of. And a side-note: In the beginning of the chapter, I expect you all to know who the three cats are. Just can't be bothered to name them, you know? Sigh.
Chapter 5 – Consequences
Duskshadow woke in the middle of the gathering island before the great tree where the leaders stood upon its branches to speak.
Looking around in confusion, he spotted three cats: a blue-gray she-cat, a flame-colored ginger tom, and a huge dark brown tabby tom with broad shoulders. "Who are you?" he challenged.
"You, who were the pride of the Clan, has now fallen," came the meow from the she-cat. "What will you do now, Duskshadow? You shall never end another cat's life, or earn any glory…"
"You'll never look down upon anyone…"
"…And you'll never be a true warrior," finished the brown tabby. "Both StarClan and ThunderClan honor you for your talent and skill on the battlefield, but you will never be recognized as a warrior in either, unless you learn what being a true warrior really is."
"I am a warrior! I was going to save Rowanpaw even if he hates my guts!"
"Rescue him," murmured the blue-gray she-cat, "or humiliate him?"
The flame-colored cat stepped forward. "Will you be able to learn as well as you can master a fighting move? The choice is yours, Duskpaw. Learn and be rewarded, or die with your pride."
Before Duskshadow could argue further, darkness started to swirl and cover the three cats. He started to yowl, defying the darkness—when a huge black face appeared before him. "Duskshadow?"
"—Ravenpaw!" Duskshadow tried to leap to his paws, but the pain in his right hindleg was blinding. He staggered and collapsed.
A gray tabby she-cat rushed to him, mewing, "Stay still! How can you expect your leg to heal if you won't relax?" Leg to heal?
"What do you mean? What happened?"
Ravenpaw rolled her eyes. "You fell from the Sky Oak," she snapped. At first Duskshadow didn't understand her agitation until he remembered. The apprentices hate me too, not just Rowanpaw. I'm so mousebrained!
Wildstorm nudged the rushes binding his leg in place, and meowed sternly, "And make sure you get some more rest after eating. Ravenpaw, fetch him something, will you?"
The black she-cat seemed all too happy to carry out the task, and exited the den. Duskshadow had a nagging feeling in his stomach—not just the hunger; he felt like he hadn't eaten for moons—but a guilt, as sharp as Wildstorm's commands. Is this my punishment? What, then, is the point of a warrior other than glory? Had he really been so blind to the truth?
Wildstorm left the den, probably to tell Foxstar that he was awake, and Ravenpaw reentered with a fat mouse. "Eat," was all she said as she dumped the prey before him.
He started to eat the mouse, grateful for the food, but as Ravenpaw almost glared at him as he gulped down the meal, he felt too uncomfortable. And while he rarely felt uncomfortable, he felt the need to say something. "You're a medicine cat. Don't you have better things to do, other than sit there and glare at me? It won't help anyone, least of all my leg."
Ravenpaw blinked, unable to reply. Weak in the insults, huh? His old confidence was coming back to him, when he remembered the three cats' warning. Were they from StarClan? They must be.
"Still nothing to do? You must be a terrible medicine cat."
"And you?" she retorted. "You're the terrible excuse for a ThunderClan warrior with foxdung for honor."
"So what does the little medicine cat know about honor?" he spat, stung from her reply that was too close to the mark. Duskshadow calmed down and reviewed what he knew of Ravenpaw. She aspired to become a warrior, until it was discovered that her right eye was blind. She could never hunt properly, nor judge an enemy's distance and location properly. Instead of burdening her mentor, Ravenpaw had decided to become a medicine cat apprentice.
"You shamed Rowanpaw in front of the other Clans. What could he do then, but hate you for being so perfect?"
"Well, I think he ought to blame himself for being stupid enough to attack me when he wasn't even strong enough to beat me in the first place!" he snapped. "Don't hate me for being better. Maybe it's better this way, don't you think? I could be of so much help to the Clan, but I'm stuck here when we can have the other Clans trembling in their skins."
Ravenpaw rounded on him and hissed, "You goaded him. You're cockier than Rowanpaw ever was, and everyone knows that somehow you knew how to counter his attack. He told us about it before the Gathering! Either you're really talented and using your gift for the wrong things, or you were spying!"
So Ravenpaw wasn't stupid after all. Her replies were getting ever closer to the mark. "Fine. Believe whatever you like. At least I can catch my enemy, which is more than could be said for you." That produced the desired effect; Ravenpaw stopped talking and glared at him with cold deep blue eyes. He countered that with a stare of his own, until she finally looked away.
Duskshadow sighed inwardly. If this is the punishment for me doing that to Rowanpaw and being so haughty, I'm ready to repent anytime!