Strangefur- Ah, but you forget – these cats aren't Fireheart from the books. They wouldn't think like he or Brambleclaw would (you know, thinking of the other Clans) and what's more, they haven't saved ShadowClan from a tyrant of a leader, fed RiverClan against the warrior code, and led WindClan home from exile. In other words, they wouldn't be as respected in those Clans…Oh, and as I said before, I don't think that that's even occurred to them. I admit that Fireheart and Brambleclaw are quick thinkers in bad situations, but these cats aren't – right now the only thing on their minds is Spottedlight and their Clan. RiverClan and ShadowClan are not roaming their thoughts. Sorry for the long explanation! Maybe I should bring that up in the story!
PearlH.Sweden- Excellent! If I forced you to do that with my author-skills, I can now consider myself a half-decent author. YAY HALF-DECENT!
Daklotles85- HA! I tricked you, I tricked you, I tricked you! –laughs-
Now, I added some depth to Spottedlight! Yay! Now some of you are going to be disappointed by this chapter because…
Plenty of Dialogue. Too much, if you ask me, making this chapter worse then ANY of the ones before it. (And that's hard to do everyone.)
You aren't going to like some of the things that Thorntail admits.
Note: Steeltalon, I re-wrote the ending. I messed up before. Sorries!
…
WindClan territory was known to be harsh – that was one of the reasons WindClan lived there. They were terrible fighters – and they didn't have to be good ones to live there. No other cat in their right mind really wanted their territory.
And, Thorntail decided as he more or less leapt up and down North so he wouldn't sink in the snow, could anyone blame them? He had never been so cold in his entire life! And Thorntail had once fallen in the river during Leaf-bare – he knew what cold was like!
As Thorntail leapt into the air once more, he used the quick heartbeat that he received away from the snow to look over his gray coat. His pelt was icier then Icepelt's! When he got to HighStones, before he killed Spottedlight, he would ask for a few moments to warm himself.
The thought of Spottedlight distracted Thorntail from the pain as he dove back into the deep powdery snow once more. Rosepaw – exactly, Rosethorn now (oh how sweet! She got her medicine cat name to carry a little bit of him in it! He would have to thank her later.), Applefur, and Blackshadow had been quick to tell him about Spottedlight's affair with Runningstar, and her rise to deputyship in both ThunderClan and WindClan.
Thorntail hadn't realized how quickly the day went by. The sun was already starting to set, and as he stared up at the fiery sky, he remembered Rosethorn's tale about how StarClan spilled Emberstar's blood over them every day – in exchange for letting him stay in StarClan, and not go to the Dark Forest. Such bloodthirsty warrior ancestors. He couldn't help but resent them slightly for that. They claimed to love every cat in the forest, but to do that to a former leader of ThunderClan – a leader that they had given nine lives to?
But the gray ThunderClan warrior quickly jerked himself out of his thoughts of Rosethorn, and Emberstar. He had been told to find Spottedlight and kill her at HighStones before Moonhigh – otherwise Spottedlight would become Spottedstar, leader of WindClan. And if his friends failed at the home front, Spottedstar would also be leader of ThunderClan – bringing the two Clans together through one leader. Thorntail was very thankful of course, that his pals had decided to let him have the honors of killing her. Maybe they knew that Thorntail wanted nothing more then to wipe his claws with Spottedlight's blood?
…
The dark ginger she-cat's heart plummeted as she stood outside of the gorse tunnel, and heard the sounds of ferocious warriors spilling one another's blood, and felt the scent of WindClan enter her nostrils. Applefur took in a breath, and beside her, her mate, Blackshadow started to enter the camp. Rosethorn hesitated for a moment – always hesitating, before finally the medicine cat followed the black tom. Applefur was somewhat surprised that Blackshadow went in so quickly – after his long rant of protecting her and such. However, she supposed, his loyalty to the Clan came first. Stupid tom.
Though Applefur heard the hisses of fury from within her home, and instinct screamed at her to rush in and help her Clan, she thought for a moment. She knew she'd have to defend her underbelly at all costs – even more so then usual. As if there was a traitorous ThunderClan cat right in front of her right then, she protectively attempted to wrap her tail around where her unborn kittens were resting.
"It's funny," Applefur sighed peeking a glance down to her underbelly. "I've only known you guys for about a dawn, and I'm already willing to die for you." Chuckling to herself, almost giddy, she threw herself into the gorse tunnel to take on whatever waited within the camp.
Her ice-blue eyes scanned the area, and her out-of-character giddiness disappeared, and Applefur was forced to become the hard shell of a blood-thirsty warrior in battle. Her camp had exploded in a furious fray – ThunderClan against ThunderClan and WindClan! Applefur wasn't sure she would be able to tell who was on her side and who wasn't, as she noticed Icepelt and Howlingheart rolling with one another by the elder's den, where Swiftfoot was viciously clawing at a WindClan cat's eyes. Applefur suddenly caught the eye of Rosethorn who was standing protectively beside Badgerclaw outside of the nursery to protect the kits – even though Rosethorn wasn't exactly a skilled fighter. Blackshadow was next to Streamstar, the two of them clawing a birch-colored tom – probably of WindClan. Applefur was still trying to find an enemy, or a Clanmate in trouble, though Applefur couldn't dwell on that long. The decision was made for her, as Featherfrost barreled into her, knocking her off of her paws.
At first, Applefur was shocked. Especially as she knew not just from scent, but by sight that it was Featherfrost who had attacked her as she stared into the white she-cat's dark brown eyes. Featherfrost…had been her best friend! Featherfrost…and the late Dawnshimmer! And Rosethorn now! However, Rosethorn was different. Featherfrost…Dawnshimmer and Applefur. They were supposed to be there for each other forever! And Dawnshimmer was dead now...and Featherfrost was a…
"Traitor!" Applefur screeched up at her attacker. Featherfrost indeed looked hurt at the insult, but that didn't stop her from leaping onto Applefur – who had stupidly stayed on the ground where she had fallen, and started slashing ferociously at her side. Applefur was thankful that her stomach was spared, but furious nonetheless!
"Traitor!" Applefur repeated, as the ginger she-cat started to try to wiggle free from Featherfrost's fury of attacks. Amazingly, her friend let her go – and even gave her time to leap to her paws! Though she was thankful, Applefur's blue eyes ignited with rage, and she glared at Featherfrost, half-hoping that she would drop dead right then and there. However, cats never randomly dropped dead when you wanted them too, and Featherfrost certainly didn't. However, Applefur's anger ebbed away when she saw that Featherfrost's eyes had almost as much hurt in them as Applefur was feeling. Almost.
Applefur wanted to scream out once more that Featherfrost was a traitor, and (really needless to say) that their friendship was over but she decided against it. Featherfrost had placed her paws on a path, and now she would die walking it – insults wouldn't bring her back.
Screeching, Applefur flew like a hawk at her pal.
…
Thorntail stumbled to a halt as he stared at the deep blackness of Mothermouth. He could just claw his own eyes out! He was too late! He had been told to kill Spottedlight before Moonhigh…and as he raised his eyes to the night sky above him, he knew he was too late.
He lowered his sapphire eyes down from the darkness of the sky, and instead stared into the blackness of Mothermouth, realizing with a pang that Spottedlight was in there now, probably receiving her nine lives from StarClan. For a heartbeat Thorntail was tempted to enter, and kill her maybe while she was still sleeping, but decided against it. He was more honorable then that…and what's more, there was probably some stupid rule in the Warrior Code that said you couldn't kill cats who are taking a nap in Moonstone.
And what's more, he seemed to be too late to kill her in her sleep anyways. Because out of the cold lightless cavern of Mothermouth, stepped Spottedlight – no…probably Spottedstar, with her golden-spotted coat igniting in a silver fire as the pale moonlight rested on her fur.
"Spottedstar," Thorntail meowed curtly, giving her a brief nod.
Spottedstar's emerald eyes ignited with a mixture of fear and surprise, and she stumbled back a few paw steps before recovering her composure. For a moment she seemed confused, as if unsure of what to do – almost fearful. Finally, she mewed, "Wh-what are you talking about, Thorntail? I'm Spottedlight… deputy of ThunderClan. I was just in there," she flicked her tail into Moonstone, "too…uh… Well you see I was chasing a mouse…no…no! A rabbit! That's it, a rabbit…and it ran all the way here, and into Moonstone, and I chased after it."
"Oh, really?" gasped Thorntail, faking surprise. He was surprised however that Spottedstar…or Spottedlight didn't seem to confident. Didn't she know that Thorntail knew everything now? Any half-decent traitorous cat would have killed him right then and there! She called herself a tyrant? She failed at everything! Being loyal, being a traitor, being a fine leader, being a ruthless, blood-thirsty one whose name would be used to scare kits. Spottedstar was a failure at life. She didn't do anything half-right…or wrong… "Well then…where's the rabbit, Spottedstar?" he asked making a great show of looking around.
"It uh…disappeared…?" Spottedstar ended her sentence as if she were asking a question, clearly making it up as she went. Thorntail just leveled his gaze with hers, and the WindClan leader finally decided to give up her charade. "Look…Thorntail," she sighed, "I'm…I'm sorry about calling you and Rosepaw mates,"
Wow, this was some tyrant. Apologizing? Great StarClan! Thorntail had to keep himself from sighing. There was just not any decent evil cats anymore! What the heck were the queens doing? Raising their kittens right? Didn't they know that to have heroes there had to be villains? Good villains?
And what about the murders? How come Spottedstar didn't go 'I'm sorry' about the murders. Thorntail was tempted to ask, but he bit his tongue. Instead he meowed, "You know, I really don't care about that." He decided to be honest. She wasn't going to live very long to tell the tale anyways. And to be honest, I don't truly care about what you did to Robinwing and Scornpaw either," Thorntail shuffled his paws, and chuckled lightly. "You know, I might've done some of the things you did. I think…I could maybe see myself killing to get what I want." The image of Graywhisker's body – his body – sprawled out on the Thunderpath flashed in his mind, and a shiver crawled down his spine as he realized he already had killed for his desires. "Like now. Spottedstar," he continued chasing Graywhisker's haunting dead gaze from his mind, "I think I am truly furious at you for not only jeopardizing my relationship with Rosethorn," he emphasized the end of Rosethorn's name, to give her the status she rightfully deserved, "but also for stealing the title that could've been mine. There weren't many cats that were available for deputy…" Spottedstar looked confused – of course she'd be confused. She was a mouse-brain, and probably couldn't catch a squirrel if it ran between her paws. So he decided to throw out a few examples. "Howlingheart was old, Icepelt had declined once before… I could've actually been chosen." Thorntail flexed his claws, and took a few steps towards Spottedstar, and he felt the blue fire flashing in his own eyes with such intensity he thought that Spottedstar might even be burned by it. However, she didn't. "You stole my deputy-ship," he snarled, trying to hide his disappointment that she wasn't bursting into flames.
Spottedstar's eyes widened in surprise, and for a few moments she gaped in silence. Finally she was able to stutter out, "This worked out for the best then, Thorntail! Streamstar never would've chosen you for deputy… but I will! Thorntail, you can rule – both ThunderClan and WindClan by my side," she was nodding as she said this, as if she was making the plan up as she went. "And once day, when I join StarClan…you'll become Thornstar." Thornstar, eh? Had a nice ring to it. "And by that time, all Four Clans will be jointed as one!" Spottedstar was nodding vigorously as she said the words, as if her plan was the most brilliant one in the entire forest. "You'll be the leader of all of the Clans, Thorntail."
As much as that idea pleased him, Thorntail shook his head gently. "I don't like you, Spottedstar." He meowed simply. "I think I would rather claw my own eyes out then be deputy under you…" he trailed off, and thought for a moment. "Spottedstar," he meowed curiously, "Why do you want to joint the Four Clans? You could've just became leader of WindClan, and truly, no cat would've really cared." ThunderClan would've just been pleased that a burr in their pelt had left, and WindClan seemed to have accepted her leadership just fine.
Spottedstar let out a purr, as if she was looking forward to explaining it. "Thorntail…almost every cat in the forest has lost another due to violence!" True. "Take The Blood for example." Okie-dokie. "Heatherpelt, Silverpaw, Raykit, Twigkit, Blindeye, Turtlefeather, Furrytail, Cheerysong… that one attack alone killed so many cats! If WindClan and ThunderClan had been one, they would've embraced each other, and kept each other strong! Everyone would still be alive…" Thorntail wasn't convinced, and Spottedstar seemed to sense it because she went on, "Remember the attack on Swiftfoot that ShadowClan did? Swiftfoot would've been able to continue on with his life, if ShadowClan hadn't been enemies with ThunderClan! No cat would've been hurt! Everything would've been fine…"
True…true…very true….but… "It wouldn't work!" Thorntail snapped. "StarClan put four Clans in the forest so they would survive! The Clans help each other live." Or something like that.
"By killing each other?" Spottedstar put in, curling her lips into a sneer. "Thorntail, I placed my paws on this path long ago, when I saw how medicine cats could live in peace with one another – even though they're in different Clans!" Thorntail suddenly remembered that she had trained as a medicine cat for a short period of time. "I thought…If medicine cats can do it, why can't warriors? So I dropped out from being a medicine cat, and set it up." Thorntail suddenly thought of how life would've been like if Spottedstar had stayed a medicine cat…life would've been easier. Spottedstar wasn't warrior, deputy, leader, of tyrant material. Definitely a born medicine cat.
However, he adverted his attention back towards Spottedstar as she continued, "Slowly. Slowly, cats joined me in my quest – fore they had lost loved ones to other Clans! Thorntail, if I succeed in bringing the Four Clans together, not another drop of blood will ever be spilt again!"
Thorntail's hackles rose. Oh yes, it sounded good alright! But… "So in order to not spill blood, you murdered your mother? Face it Spottedstar! You killed Robinwing just as much as you killed Scornpaw – and Runningstar too!" Blind rage overtook him, as he remembered Scornpaw's joy as the apprentice had caught his first vole…his first had been one of his last. Poor lil' guy. "Your mother, your nephew…and your mate! You murdered for peace!" he shook his head violently. "That makes no sense!"
The wind ruffled his fur, as Spottedstar grew silent as she thought of a retort. Well…maybe she wasn't thinking, Thorntail realized. She was panting heavily, and her eyes were clouding in pain. "I loved Runningstar!" Spottedstar snapped, swiping her claws into the air as if she were fighting an opponent. "I loved Scornpaw and Robinwing too! I loved them all Thorntail – believe me!" Then why'd you kill them? Thorntail was tempted to ask, but Spottedstar must've sensed his question, because she swept on. "But I love the forest more! The Clan comes first – the Clans come first! They were sacrifices, I know…but in the long run, it will be fine! Generations from now, I will be told in stories as a heroine!"
"You will be told in stories as a traitor!" Thorntail screeched. And a bad traitor too His muscles tensed and instinct screamed at him to follow through with his rage and kill Spottedstar now – nine times. She was an older warrior – but older didn't necessarily mean better. But he didn't attack, something told him not too. Something about Spottedstar's hysterics.
"Thorntail," Spottedstar meowed, "That's not the only reason I did what I did – you know the peace thing…" Interested, Thorntail sat up a tad, and leveled his gaze with Spottedstar's. "…I come from a strong line of fantastic warriors…every one of them. Robinwing…Howlingheart… Heatherpelt… Hollowstar… They were all so great – legendary!" Yup. "I knew since I was born that I could never live up to any of them…" every word seemed to have to be torn from Spottedstar's throat. Thorntail was half-expecting to see blood spurt out. "I'm not a good warrior!" she finished, speaking the obvious.
"You got that right," Thorntail agreed, but Spottedstar ignored him and continued, "And…and my sister, Scarface was always such a good one!" she yowled, and Thorntail remembered Scarface for a moment. He was having trouble – he wasn't attracted to her (as odd as that was) so he never really got into a deep conversation with her. However, Spottedstar was quick to remind him of how great her sister was, "She was strong, a fantastic hunter…great personality…she was never pretty because of something during her birth…but she was always better then me!" Thorntail could believe that easily. "I was always being compared with her!" Spottedstar spat out the last words. "They…they expected so much from me though! So much! They seemed to think that I was Hollowstar…but I wasn't!" she yowled to the night sky, as if she was screaming her rage out at her grandfather, Hollowstar. "I couldn't have ever life up to their expectations… I know my limitations better then anyone, but still…they always thought I'd be some great warrior! I'm not Thorntail! I'm not!" Spottedstar was partly sobbing now, and Thorntail had to harden his heart from her. A pretty she-cat, depressed, at night? Even if she was well…her…it didn't make her unattractive.
She continued. "…You don't know what its like Thorntail, for everyone to expect so much from you! Nobody ever expected anything from you…you live however you feel like!...I can't do that…and you wouldn't understand,"
Thorntail waited for a few moments after Spottedstar finished her sob story before speaking. "You're right." He admitted. "No cat ever expected much from me. Partly because of my mucky heritage," he was referring to his being half RiverClan and half ShadowClan – and making the Clan to give his loyalties to ThunderClan,
"And partly because I'm stupid. But don't worry, Spottedstar." He soothed. "You've finally outsmarted everyone. You became the exact opposite cat everyone wanted you to be. I'm sure you'll make a fine leader of the forest," the dark gray cat bunched his muscles together to pounce onto the spotted she-cat.
"But don't worry," Thorntail meowed, flexing his claws into the air. He enjoyed the flash of fear the fluttered into Spottedstar's eyes.. "If things ever get to hard as leader – you know, cats questioning you, or expecting too much of you…you could always kill them to silence them. Or you could set up a fake sign from StarClan. Whatever works I suppose."
The WindClan leader opened her mouth to object, but didn't get much of a chance. The gray tom dived towards her – like an eagle at its prey.
The fight had begun.
…