Chapter 2

Blackout!

Gingerstar14: This chapter will be more exciting than the original chapter 2.

As his senses returned, Brambleclaw was aware of a light tabby standing over him. Her green eyes were wide with concern, and as he sat up, dizzy, Leafpool exclaimed, "Brambleclaw! You gave us a scare." then her expression darkened. "Especially since what you did to Firestar." she turned away. His paw throbbed as he tried to stand.

Brambleclaw tried to say something but his throat was sore, and the fuzziness at the back of his vision threatened to overwhelm his sight. "Rest. Firestar will call a meeting soon." the Clan medicine cat sat near the pool of water, not turning to look at him. She picked up a peice of moss, and limped over on three paws and put it down, then padded tensely back over to the pool, where she absent-mindedly dabbed a bit of leaf.

The warrior lay down and closed his eyes. He didn't know how much time had passed before he heard a voice just outside the entrance. "Firestar," he heard Leafpool meow respectfully. "Have you come about Brambleclaw?"

"Yes, is he awake? It's been two days." he heard a familiar- and not pleasant - voice meow.

Leafpool sighed. "Yes, he is. But he needs time to recover. His front paw is badly sprained, but I cleaned up his other wounds nicely."

"Which is more than he deserves," Firestar snorted. "I don't know what happened. I'm calling a meeting to decide what..." his leader's voice dropped to a whisper so that Brambleclaw had to strain his ears, but he only caught, "What is best,"

A few moments later Leafpool nudged him. "Come on, Brambleclaw. Firestar's calling a meeting." she nudged him to his paws, and he winced as his paw brushed the ground. Sprained? It felt like it had been ripped off. He limped out to the clearing, leaning on the medicine cat.

Outside, he blinked, seeing ThunderClan had already gathered. Leafpool helped him sit down, and then veered away to join Gingerpelt. The cats parted as he inched forward painfully, and Spiderleg let out a hiss. Squirrelflight was sitting with Ashfur, his tail curled around her. She didn't look at him. Pain seared his heart at this sight.

"Brambleclaw had now woken up," Firestar announced from Highledge. His fur was sleek, as if he had groomed himself specially for the occasion. This was not the leader Brambleclaw once knew. Hisses of disapproval filled the air. Brambleclaw winced, and he saw Gingerpelt gazing down at her paws.

"So, we must decide what his punishment shall be. As you all know, he took one of my-" Angry yowls cut the leader off.

"Kill him!"

"Exile him!"

"Blind him!

But the worst comment was from Mousefur, who simply muttered, "This is exactly what happened to his father. I knew he wouldn't turn out right."

Firestar lashed his tail. "That's enough. I know Brambleclaw took one of my lives, but I have thought up the appropriate punishment." He had taken one of Firestar's lives? But he hadn't even been fighting that hard! "Brambleclaw will be blinded and retire as an elder. He will still have a place in the Clan."

The tabby found his voice at last. "No!"

Firestar simply shrugged. "It is your punishment, Brambleclaw."

Trembling, Brambleclaw pushed himself to his paws. His paw throbbed even worse, but he paid no attention. "I'd rather be exiled three times!" he turned slowly and limped toward the thorn tunnel. He tripped and flopped on his side. Gingerpelt gasped. He heard a snigger from Cloudtail.

He shook his head and limped toward the tunnel again. But once again he tripped and struck his head on a rock. Once again, everything went black. But this time, there was a new pain.