The scent of blood hung in the air. The Blood of comrades, friends…and new enemies. As Applefur flung herself at her best friend she had to remind herself that she was indeed flinging herself at an enemy – not a friend. Featherfrost rolled onto her back as the ginger she-cat flew towards her, forcing Applefur to meet five ferocious pointy ends as she landed – four claws, one mouth full of fangs. The white she-cat dug her teeth into the spot that was the easiest to do so – the spot that had landed, more or less, right on her mouth. So Featherfrost pierced Applefur's chest, all the while clawing her sides with two available claws. The ginger she-cat was forced to endure Featherfrost's fury, until finally the snow colored sorry-excuse for a warrior kicked her away either because she felt an aching in her heart as she attacked her old friend that Applefur didn't feel, or because she was hoping that when the scarlet warrior pounded against the earth, the shock would force her to lose consciousness, or maybe get severely injured. Luckily however, though it did leave a stinging sensation in her side, the worst injury Applefur had received was a dusty pelt. Applefur leaped to her paws – while attempting to shake her pelt clean at the same time, and ignored the trickle of blood that was streaming down her forehead. She couldn't recall Featherfrost clawing her there, but apparently somehow she had received an injury.
Luckily however, Applefur felt no bursitis of pain in her stomach, and she felt a wave of gratefulness. Her kits – Blackshadow's kits – were safe. It was hard being a warrior queen! It was hard enough keeping yourself alive in the thick of battle – but yourself, and your unborn kits? Next to impossible.
However Applefur couldn't worry about her kittens very long, because Featherfrost reared up onto her hind legs raising her front claws high into the sky, and before Applefur could even register what she was doing, Featherfrost's front paws came crashing down onto the ginger cat's forehead, almost knocking Applefur to the earth once more. Miraculously however, she remained standing, and the friction between the two she-cats seemed to send Featherfrost back a few paw-steps.
Now it was Applefur's turn.
Remembering what her old mentor taught her a few moons back, Applefur started to weave in and out of the range of Featherfrost's claws as the enemy tried to slash at her, confusing the white she-cat very much. Applefur weaved in once more, and Featherfrost seemed to expect her to simply back away as Applefur had been doing the past couple of times she had been weaving, because Featherfrost barely put up any guard whatsoever, besides baring her fangs. Perfecto! Applefur lifted up a claw, and scraped it down the white she-cat's cheek. It ruined her good look, that's for sure.
"C'mon Featherfrost!" Applefur hissed at her friend, as she she-cat shook her head violently to shake off some of the blood, "Show me how a senior warrior fights, not some stiff elder!"
Insulted at the comment on her age, Featherfrost let out a ferocious hiss. She bunched her muscles together to pounce, and Applefur tensed, ready to meet Featherfrost in the air if she had too, but the white she-cat never did get to fly into the air.
A ferocious growl interrupted her from taking flight. "Don't touch my little sister!"
Applefur had to keep herself from squealing in delight. Behind Featherfrost, was her big 'ol oaf of a brother, Badgerclaw. The narrow-muzzled black-and-white tom had his beady little eyes rested on the white she-cat. And his eyes weren't the only thing resting on her. Shortly after announcing his presence, Badgerclaw must've dug his fangs into Featherfrost's throat, because that was where they still were buried. The snow-colored she-cat didn't seem to be able to move – she was in such shock, and her dirt-colored brown eyes were already staring at nothing as Badgerclaw ripped his fangs from her neck. Okay, so maybe she wasn't so much shocked as she was dead.
The corpse of Featherfrost's body fell the ground, with a thud, and it was the first time since she had attacked her friend that Applefur felt a wave of sorrow – and not just hurt and betrayal. Featherfrost had betrayed the Clan…yes…but no matter what any cat had said, Featherfrost had been her best friend – even though the white cat had been a couple of seasons older.
"That takes care of that," Badgerclaw meowed simply, flicking his tail dismissively, as he stared down at the body of the cat he had just killed. Applefur felt a fuel of rage burn within her, as she realized that her brother didn't necessarily have to have killed Featherfrost, and she was about to rebuke him, but she stopped herself. Badgerclaw probably wasn't showing much remorse now, but he definitely would be showing that later. He was the type of tom that charged into battle like a WindClan cat charges at a rabbit, but once the enemy retreated he would start to claw his own ears off, as if he was sorry that he had harmed so many cats. And what's more, Applefur wouldn't have had time to scold him anyways, because he spoke before she got the chance. "Take care, Applefur." He mewed with a curt nod of his head. "Thorntail would be disappointed if his mate died while carrying his kits. You're not only responsible for yourself now. You have – who knows how many – lives in you now, and you have to survive for all of them." Badgerclaw's tiny eyes narrowed into slits. "Understand?"
"I'm not a kit," Applefur flared back, this time angry that her brother had felt the need to defend her, – though her anger didn't last long. Her elder brother, who had also at one point been her mentor, was only trying to help. So what if he was a mouse-brain, and couldn't let her fight her own battles? "I can take care of myself,"
Badgerclaw seemed to not think it necessary to answer, because he dove back into the fray. Applefur noticed him latch onto a WindClan she-cat that Applefur recognized as a Gathering Pal – Timidleaf. She didn't get to see how that battle went, however, because Blackshadow and his opponent – Robinwing's old mate, and Spottedlight's father, Howlingheart – rolled in front of her vision. Traitors came in all shapes and sizes, she supposed. But still, now she couldn't see her brother! She had a big black lump of fur viciously slashing at another lump of fur – she couldn't see Timidleaf lose an eye-ball!
"Blackshadow! You're always in the way!" Applefur snapped, more out of habit then the fact that she meant it. She then noticed that the elder tom, Howlingheart, had just dug his claws into the black tom's chest, and seemed to have him pinned down.
Suddenly Applefur saw red.
"Blackshadow!" she hissed forgetting about Badgerclaw and Timidleaf for the moment. "You're not aloud to die yet! Do I always have to save you?" with that, she rushed towards Howlingheart, because apparently her mate couldn't even kill his own Clanmates. What the heck was his problem?
…
The metallic taste of blood seeped into Thorntail's mouth, as he dug his sharp teeth into Spottedstar's raw flesh. As much as he enjoyed the warm taste, he didn't get to savor it for long. Because Spottedstar was quick to knock him away, knocking him into a rather deep pit of snow.
Once Thorntail climbed out of it, Spottedstar spoke, "Thorntail!" she hissed. "I have nine lives now. Do you honestly think that you can kill me nine times?"
"Yup," the gray tom answered simply, slightly surprised that Spottedstar had suddenly become cocky. "And I'll kill the whole of WindClan too, if I have too." He thought for a moment. "Heck, I might kill them all now. They haven't done anything but cause trouble recently."
Spottedstar let out a disgusted snort, and her leaf-green eyes suddenly glowed with some emotion that Thorntail didn't recognize. "But…Thorntail," she meowed in her forest-famous fake tone – the one that almost demanded sympathy, "I don't want to fight you,"
"But I want to kill you…" Thorntail's voice was a high squeaky mew – almost as pitiful as Spottedstar's, and Thorntail felt a wave of joy at knowing that he could mock her, because it seemed to be irritating her as much as a thorn in her side would. "I have an idea!" he purred. "How about, we not fight? You just lay down, and let me kill you, yes?"
"You do that," Spottedstar hissed, her tone getting much more malicious – so much so that Thorntail almost stumbled back in surprise, "And you might as well just rip out Applefur's unborn kits out of her stomach right now, and throw them off a cliff. If you kill me, they'll have about as much chance surviving."
Fear jabbed into Thorntail's heart. Had Spottedstar set up some kind of trap for his pretend-mate? "What do you mean?" he snarled, slashing his claws into the air in a rage.
"I mean that only with me as leader will they grow up safe! Otherwise, they'll just grow up to get ripped to shreds by a ShadowClan patrol or something similar! Every cat in this forest is doomed to die defending their Clan from other Clans!" Spottedstar shook her head violently, as if the thought disgusted her. "I won't let that happen,"
"Yeah?" Thorntail sneered, "Well I'd be glad to watch them get ripped to shreds by a ShadowClan patrol, and they will too, because you won't be leader!" As soon as the words were out of Thorntail's mouth, he wasn't sure if what he said made much sense, or if he had even listened to himself. "I'm not here to listen to you defend what you're doing, or hear you rant about how I should spare your pathetic life! I'm here to wipe your blood from my claws!"
"Innocent kit's blood?" Spottedstar asked, flicking her tail lazily.
"I already told you, if they die they will join StarClan and…" Thorntail came up short, as he realized that he hadn't told Spottedstar that, but then, he didn't particularly care. He instead tensed his muscles, getting ready to kill Spottedstar right then and there, but then he seemed to scent something…peculiar…
He shook what he realized away. She had to join StarClan…er…wherever she would go, no matter what…even if what he suspected was true. "Good bye, Spottedstar." He hissed and was about to pounce, but before he could, Spottedstar did something heroic, and brave, and spoke well of her new leadership.
She ran South faster then a rabbit ran on a hot Newleaf's day as it was being chased by a hawk.
"Oh, come on!" Thorntail sighed. "I wanted to fight, not have a debate match and then a chase!"
However, he still found himself chasing after her.
…
Applefur's attack on Howlingheart hadn't gone as she had planned. Now Howlingheart held Applefur down by her shoulders, his breath pounding against her cheek, as his pale yellow eyes burned into her sapphire. She expected him to say something, but he didn't. Instead he opened his jaws, and before Applefur could push him off, he dug his fangs deep into her neck.
The thorn-sharp teeth made Applefur wanted to wail in pain, and she in fact, might've wailed, but she wasn't sure if she had. However, she found herself attempting to wriggle free from him, but to no avail. Her vision started to darken, and for a moment, Applefur could've sworn that she heard Dawnshimmer's voice calling out to her. And…and…Featherfrost's too…she wanted to run towards them…but as she ran…some black cat stopped her and…
Wait a second!
Applefur suddenly realized that she no longer felt Howlingheart's teeth in her neck. For a moment she thought that Badgerclaw had rescued her…but he hadn't….curious who it was, she turned her head. Suddenly she knew who the black cat was that stopped her from either running to StarClan, or having the most embarrassing hallucination ever. Her favorite black tom, Blackshadow!
Wait no… Blackshadow's eyes were amber, and this cat's eyes were sapphire. What's more, this cat was a she-cat…and smelled of RiverClan…and she was…beautiful. Blackshadow was handsome, but he wasn't beautiful.
Then Applefur knew who it was.
"Shadenight?!" she gasped, staring at the RiverClan medicine cat in awe. Why was she here? And how did she… "How did you know how to chase Howlingheart off?" she assumed that Shadenight didn't kill him…
"I trained as a warrior first," the gorgeous ebony-colored cat explained briskly. Shadenight's voice was melodic, and soothing, and just a beautiful as she looked. Applefur hated her just then, even thought she had probably just saved her life.
"Oh, thanks." Applefur shrugged her shoulders, "Uh…why are you here?"
"Owlpelt and I have something to…talk about, with," Shadenight didn't seem to keen on answering, because that's when she flung herself at some WindClan cat that the other RiverClan cat she had brought, Owlpelt, was fighting. Well, Applefur decided, they were useful. They were fresh too, and weren't having much trouble chasing off some of the WindClan cats.
Applefur shook her pelt clean from some flecks of dirt, and rushed after another opponent.
…
Rosethorn's eyes widened, as she noticed her favorite black tom lying in the middle of the camp, somewhat motionless. What had Blackshadow done now? Such a clumsy cat!
The medicine cat was tempted to go help him, and check on his wounds, but if she did, the nursery would be left unprotected. Most of the WindClan and ThunderClan traitors seemed to be ignoring the nursery, maybe considering keeping the kittens alive for whatever their goal was, or maybe it just hadn't occurred to them yet to pick off some of the young ones. She couldn't risk looking after Blackshadow if it meant endangering the Clan's young ones. If only Flowertail, the nursing queen, hadn't gone out hunting earlier – she still hadn't come back. She would've been able to defend the kits! Applefur and Sandpelt, the other two queens, were both a tad preoccupied defending their camp to do so – Applefur was batting ferociously at some brown WindClan tabby, and Sandpelt was rolling on the ground fighting ferociously with a traitor, Bearmoon.
Rosethorn's eyes scanned for any cat that could be spared to guard the nursery – just long enough for her to go check on Blackshadow. Suddenly, her sapphire gaze rested on Icepelt, the cat who she had helped recently recover from The Blood chasing off a few invaders. Icepelt was simply yowling insults at them as they retreated, and she looked ready to take on an opponent. But before she did, Rosethorn called out her name. Icepelt turned her brown gaze towards her, and Rosethorn flicked her tail for Icepelt to come towards her.
"What is it?" Icepelt hissed, and from her tone she was rather annoyed.
"Icepelt, you have to defend the nursery," Rosethorn sighed, and then she flinched as she saw the look of annoyance flashing within the warrior's eyes. "Icepelt, these kits are the future of the Clan." She was starting to sound like a mentor, but she ignore that odd feeling within her, "Are you saying that they are any less important than any warrior? Icepelt, they need you. It won't be for long," she promised, pleading with Icepelt not only with her voice, but with her eyes as well. If worse came to worse and Icepelt refused, Rosethorn would order her to with her authority as a medicine cat – it would be her first order.
Icepelt hesitated for a moment, as if she really wanted to claw some of her enemy's fur out, but finally she sighed, "Fine," she flexed her claws, clearly longing to dig them into some cat's pelt, "But uh…what are you going to be doing, Rosethorn?"
"Blackshadow's injured," Rosethorn explained breathlessly, "I have to check on him,"
…
Applefur's whiskers twitched, as she heard Streamstar's commanding hiss, "Drive them back!"
They could easily do that now, thanks to the two random RiverClan cats that had shown up. Applefur started to drive her opponent, a young, WindClan she-cat whose name was probably Weaktears, because she wouldn't have been able to defeat a half-dead squirrel in battle, and would've retreated if a rabbit looked at her with fury. Timidleaf…Weaktears… WindClan didn't have very fierce names, Applefur decided, as Weaktears fled through the Gorse tunnel.
Applefur stopped then, and took a look around the camp, and felt a pure feeling of joy when she saw the last WindClan cat flee over the brambles. The only enemies left were the traitors, and they were now all huddled in the center, their eyes round with fear.
Applefur stretched her gaze over to Rosethorn, who had begun to treat her injured Clanmates, and felt a rush of relief when she saw that she was okay. She suddenly noticed Blackshadow pad towards the nursery, and peek inside. She was relieved to see that he was alive, and she felt warmed in her heart when she saw how Blackshadow cared for kittens. If only if he could claim his kittens for his own…
Blackshadow let out a mew of alarm, when the kits, Ebonykit, Onekit, Aquakit, and Morningkit all pounced on him, and (once they tumbled to the earth) started to circle around him, squealing with joy that they were aloud to come out of the nursery. However, Ebonykit only circled around him once or twice, before she darted over towards Rosethorn, and started to annoy the medicine cat for some reason.
Ebonykit's quirks weren't of any Applefur's concern, so she turned her attention to Streamstar, who was speaking to Badgerclaw, trying to figure out what just happened – why her Clan had fallen apart, and why everyone betrayed her. Though she seemed furious that this battle had happened, she still had that calm serenity, and Applefur felt calm just by watching her.
She let out a sigh of relief. It was over.
…
Thorntail raised his head to sniff the air, and as he did so his eyes took in the sight of the Four Great oaks around him. He shivered, feeling as if they were watching him and judging him as he tracked down his enemy.
And track her down he did.
He lowered his gaze, and saw Spottedstar sitting on the Great Rock where leaders of Clans addressed the cats of the forest during Gatherings. She looked very regal as the light shimmered on her fur, and her leaf-green eyes glowed with an emotion that Thorntail didn't understand.
"You found me," she meowed quietly.
"Yes," Thorntail agreed. "Are you going to run away again?"
Spottedstar was silent for a moment, and Thorntail half-expected her to run off again, but she didn't. Good. His paws were about to fall off from running through the snow so much.
"No," she answered. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?"
"That's the goal here."
Spottedstar closed her eyes for a moment, satisfied with the answer. "Do you know where we are?" she asked casually.
"FourTrees." Thorntail answered bluntly. "You should know that."
Spottedstar nodded, a knowing look glinting in her eye. "I know that better than anyone." She rasped her voice quiet. "Its beautiful here at night, isn't it? It's better, when there aren't so many cats too…" she raised her gaze to the heavens, where SilverPelt was sparkling, and judging the two cats. "And StarClan…they glow brilliantly up there – and the Moonlight comes right between the leaves of the Great Oaks, only giving light to the best things,"
"Thanks for describing the scenery to me like I was some blind kit," Thorntail snapped, impatient. "What are you doing, Spottedstar? Come down here and fight me!"
"This is where I and Runningstar met," Spottedstar murmured softly. "I was a medicine cat apprentice. My mentor, Flamesoul, had left me for a single moment on one of our trips to MoonStone…I think he had gone to investigate something. I don't remember…" she shook her head gently. "And Runningstar came. He was so handsome then – so young, Thorntail. He was just deputy then though. Runningstream. That was his name." she explained, as if Thorntail actually cared. "We mated for the first time then."
"The first time you met him?" Thorntail burst out.
"Well…" Spottedstar drawled, "I didn't really have much say in the matter." Thorntail gaped, and a shiver crawled down his spine. Rosethorn had almost been forced into that as well. Thank StarClan she hadn't been.
"But when it was over, I was in love." Spottedstar flicked her tail gently. "I loved Runningstar…" she murmured softly. "He loved me." She shook her head gently. "We didn't see much of each other for a few moons. I had stopped being a medicine cat then. I was determined to be his mate…the only way to do that was to bring the Four Clans together. I tried… but this is the closest I've gotten to being successful."
"And you're going to fail, as soon as you get off of that rock." Thorntail informed her. He wanted to go and claw her open right now, but if he did that she'd have an advantage of the High ground. He wasn't suicidal.
"But during those moons apart I was unfaithful," Spottedstar continued.
"Spottedstar, disrespect is intended, I don't want to hear this…"
"I was your mate."
Thorntail's tail jolted up as he remembered. "Yeah…" he murmured thoughtfully. He shivered, realizing that he and Runningstar had both had their eyes set on the same cat at one point.
"Thorntail, I loved you. I did…but then the next day, you were with…who was it?" she looked thoughtful. "Lightheart?"
"Lightheart," Thorntail agreed.
"I felt so betrayed…fore you see, not only had you moved on, but Runningstar had kits in WindClan. He announced it at a Gathering shortly after he became leader."
Thorntail let out a growl, "Not as betrayed as ThunderClan feels now, I bet!"
"Thorntail," Spottedstar meowed ignoring his comment, "Don't you see? I still love you! I do! Become my deputy! We can rule the forest – as mates!"
"I hate you," Thorntail answered, and that ended that matter. "And your true loves tend to die by your claws. Runningstar, for example."
Or so he thought.
"Runningstar was a forbidden love…" Spottedstar murmured softly. "You'd know about that, wouldn't you Thorntail? I wasn't making everything up when I accused you and Rosethorn of being mates. You love her don't you?"
"She is a great cat," Thorntail agreed, not answering Spottedstar's question directly. She didn't deserve that.
"But you know…she doesn't love you, right?" Spottedstar shook her head. "She doesn't, Thorntail. She'll be done with you in a moon."
"Yeah, sure." Thorntail growled. "Would you just come down here, Spottedstar?"
"She's had a mate before, you know." Spottedstar continued her leaf-green gaze thoughtful. "Probably others that I don't know about. You know something, Thorntail? Rosethorn never wanted to be a medicine cat. She always wanted a mate. But toms never wanted her, because she was so average looking compared to cats like me, and Lightheart." Average looking? "So she had to play hard to get to get their attention. She became a medicine cat for that reason, and that reason alone. She's dirty, in StarClan's eyes."
Thorntail shook his head violently. Okay, that was a lie. He knew it. Blackshadow had told him that Rosethorn had been tom-phobic, not a multi-mate she-cat! He knew Blackshadow was right- Rosethorn wouldn't even speak to him at first. How dare Spottedstar lie about her!
"You piece of fox-dung!" Thorntail yowled. Forgetting about the high-ground Spottedstar would hold, Thorntail leapt onto Great Rock.
…
Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief, as she noticed that ThunderClan had won the battle – StarClan had probably been fighting by their side. As relieved as she was though, she was probably even more joyous by the fact that Blackshadow had only lost consciousness from banging his head against the earth too hard. She had woken him up by using the smell of mouse-bile (a trick that only ThunderClan medicine cats were sadistic enough to use,). But…as she scanned the camp for Thorntail, she couldn't see the gray half-Clan cat.
"Blackshadow," she asked, turning her attention onto the dark tom – who no longer had kits circling around him, which was currently washing some of the blood off of his fur, "Did you happen to see Thorntail?" What if Spottedlight had killed him? Or maybe he had come back to the camp and had his blood spilled by some other warrior…
"I haven't seen him," the tom answered, with a twitch of his whiskers. "Don't worry too much though, Rosethorn. He had to go all the way to HighStones and back, it takes awhile. Not to mention, he had to kill Spottedlight as well."
Rosethorn was about to point out that when walking all by oneself, a young cat could make the journey fairly quickly, but she was interrupted by Ebonykit's squeak, "Rosethorn," the kit mewed, and Rosethorn turned her gaze onto the black kitten, "Shrewtail looks injured,"
Rosethorn sighed, and let her glance stray towards the light gray tom, and Ebonykit was right – Shrewtail was bleeding from a deep slash in his side. "I'll take a look at him," Rosethorn assured her. She was curious to why Ebonykit was so worried about Shrewtail, and was about to ask when Ebonykit continued, "And…and…and Icepelt is bleeding too…and so are Applefur…and Swiftfoot…and Badgerclaw, and…" Rosethorn let out a purr, and chuckled. "Ebonykit, I'll look at them all right now. They just fought a rather vicious battle, only StarClan cats wouldn't be injured," grateful for something to keep her thoughts off of Thorntail, Rosethorn mewed a good bye to Blackshadow, and trotted over to her den. She grabbed her supplies, and place them all in a rather large leaf to make transporting them around the camp slightly easier. Grabbing the stem of the leaf, she started to drag her cob webs, horse tail, and marigold outside of the den. As soon as she was out in the sunlight once more, Ebonykit decided to annoy her once more.
"Hey, Rosethorn," the kit squeaked leaping into the air with joy, "Can I help?"
"Uh, sure." She purred, staring thoughtfully at the kit. "Would you like to hand me the supplies when I ask for them?"
"Would I ever!" Ebonykit squeaked, and she then took the liberty of grabbing the stem of the leaf Rosethorn had dropped when she spoke to the kit. Rosethorn purred with amusement – the leaf was at least three times the size of the dark kit, and she predicted that Ebonykit would have technical difficulties lugging the leaf around.
"C'mon," Rosethorn purred, padding towards Shrewtail, who's wound looked the deepest.
The gray cat's blue eyes glowed with thanks, as Rosethorn began to lick the wound clean of specks of dirt and leaves.
"Ugh," Rosethorn spat crossly as she realized how much there was. She turned to Ebonykit, and the kitten's eyes glowed with joy. "Could you run into my den and fetch some garlic for me?" she asked. "Shrewtail's wound is a little dirtier then I thought."
"Oh, of course, Rosethorn!" Ebonykit purred, nodding her head vigorously. "Where is it?"
"I usually keep it by the marigold." Rosethorn answered, and then she thought for a moment. "Do you know what garlic looks like?"
"Yeah," Ebonykit was already racing off as she answered, "It is kind of circly, but it comes to a point kinda."
Rosethorn purred, and while the black kitten was gone, began cleaning the wound of Shrewtail.
"That is a keen little kit," Shrewtail pointed out, clearly amused by her eagerness to help. "She takes after Turtlefeather in that right, I suppose." Turtlefeather was Ebonykit and Aquakit's mother – she was passed away now though, from The Blood.
"She does seem to want to help out a lot," Rosethorn agreed between licks, her ears twitching with amusement.
"She reminds me of another cat we have around here," Shrewtail purred, and Rosethorn blinked. "Who? Dusktail?"
Shrewtail let out a raspy mew of laughter. "Rosethorn, she's just like you were to Flamesoul when you were a kit. So fascinated by what he was doing."
Rosethorn didn't get to answer, because Ebonykit rushed back, carrying a bulb of garlic in her small jaws.
"Thanks, Ebonykit." Rosethorn purred, and she then started to dress Shrewtail's wound with some of the Garlic's juice by pushing it into the wound, squeezing the liquid out – all the while Ebonykit was watching, fascinated.
"Next you're going to cover the wound with cob webs, huh?" Ebonykit asked, curious, and Rosethorn nodded agreement. "That's what I'll be doing. Hand me some, would you?"
Ebonykit wrapped some of the white substance around one of her dark paws, and Rosethorn carefully wrapped Shrewtail's wound. "Alrighty," she purred nosing it curiously. "You'll live, Shrewtail. But that wound is a little big for my liking…and I'm worried it might open again."
"Oh, mouse-dung!" Shrewtail swore, lashing his tail. "You don't mean I have to stay in camp, do you?"
"That's exactly what I mean," Rosethorn sighed. "Shrewtail, if it opens you'll lose a lot of blood. Just stay in camp for a day or so, okay?"
"Don't worry, Shrewtail!" Ebonykit piped up. "There's a lot to do in camp! Like throw a moss ball around, or toss a mouse…or bury your sister in some of the softer dirt over there," she flicked her tail over towards the fallen tree that was the Elder's den.
"Bury your sister?" Shrewtail echoed, letting our a purr. "Lightheart would claw my ears off first. She was always the leader of my litter…which was just me and her…"
"Oh." Ebonykit was quiet for a moment. "Then bury Aquakit. I'll lend her to you, if you'd like."
Shrewtail seemed to think that Ebonykit was a hoot, because he seemed to be purring uncontrollably.
"Don't purr too much," Rosethorn growled in a mock-scold as she turned to look after Icepelt's wounds, "You'll open up your slash,"
"Yeah, you'll open up your slash." Ebonykit echoed, as she trotted over to where Rosethorn had begun to look after Icepelt.
It wasn't long after Rosethorn had finished looking after Icepelt's injury that Streamstar called her over to the HighRock. What the heck could her mother want now? Didn't she know she was busy?
"Ebonykit, you saw how I looked after Icepelt, right?" she asked turning to the kit.
"Yup! You cleaned it off with your tongue, then dressed the wound with marigold, and finally you went 'wrap wrap wrap' with the cob webs."
"Yeah," Rosethorn nodded vigorously, happy that the kit had paid so much attention. "Can you look after Badgerclaw? His wounds aren't too bad – but tell me if it's too dirty, or if you have trouble. Streamstar needs to speak to me…don't know why though," she mumbled mutinously, as she turned to see what her leader was up to. She didn't really want to leave Ebonykit to look after Badgerclaw all by her, but time wouldn't stand still as she spoke to Streamstar.
"What is it, Mother?" Rosethorn sighed as she trotted towards the ThunderClan leader.
"Rosethorn," Streamstar growled, "Blackshadow and Applefur tell me that Spottedlight did all this," Rosethorn was about to confirm that cat's words, but Streamstar went on, "And that Thorntail went to kill Spottedlight before she got nine lives and became leader of WindClan, yes?" Rosethorn was surprised that Streamstar seemed to be taking this in so calmly.
"That's true," Rosethorn purred, and she was about to elaborate, but Streamstar left no room. "He's not back yet,"
"No he's not,"
"Take a warrior and go find him. If he's injured he'll need you to heal him, and the warrior will have to protect you from Spottedlight…"
Rosethorn sighed heavily, slightly miffed. As much as she wanted to go find Thorntail – and as much as she was surprised that Streamstar was ordering her to go, she couldn't help but wonder if… "Did you forget that some of our warriors in the camp are injured? I need to look after them,"
"Shadenight can do that. She offered to, which means we have you to spare."
Shadenight? What was she doing in camp? And why wasn't Streamstar alarmed? "Why's she here?"
"Apparently Owlpelt and she have a message from Duststar that they'll be sharing with me, once they are done helping us."
Rosethorn flattened her ears. Another medicine cat healing their wounds? It would give off a sign to RiverClan that not only were ThunderClan's warriors weak enough to get injured, but that they're medicine cat was useless too.
"Fine," Rosethorn sighed. "I'll take Applefur I guess…"
"Applefur is a queen now," Streamstar snapped, her fur bristling. "She must take it easy, for the safety of Thorntail's kits." She seemed quite pleased that Thorntail was the father, for some reason that Rosethorn couldn't understand. "Take another cat."
"Blackshadow," Rosethorn purred turning away and calling the black tom. To her surprise, Blackshadow had been talking to Aquakit about some matter or another, before he padded over to them.
"What is it?"
Streamstar brought Blackshadow up-to-date on the latest peace of news, and he seemed to understand.
"But…before we go," Rosethorn interrupted, "I'm curious. What will happen to the traitors?" she flicked her tail over to the huddle of cats that had fought against the Clan.
"Dusktail and Icepelt have offered to guard them. I will make the decision about their fate by Moon High, when I will choose a new deputy."
Rosethorn was surprised that Streamstar was taking the mass-betrayal so well, and that she didn't seem to be showing any guilt about killing an innocent cat – her deputy, Robinwing.
"Let's go, Rosethorn," Blackshadow mewed into her ear, tearing Rosethorn away from the thoughts of the late ThunderClan deputy.
"Oh…okay," she purred turning to leave camp
…
Blackshadow's black fur bristled as he sniffed the air. "Rosethorn," he meowed turning the medicine cat, "I smell Spottedlight up ahead – Thorntail too." He flicked his tail up ahead – FourTrees.
"I smell blood," Rosethorn breathed, her eyes round with fear that her mate was injured, or worse, dead. Blackshadow felt a wave of jealousy there. Rosethorn… As much as he loved Applefur, Rosethorn's calm, sweet temperament was just…angelic. Why did Thorntail get to have her?
However, he didn't say anything as the two cats started to creep towards the hollow that was Fourtrees. The dip would be rather steep, he knew, but it would give them a bird's eye view of how things were going inside.
Rosethorn started to creep down the side first, her paws making no noise as they came down upon the earth. Blackshadow knew that if Rosethorn had wanted to be, she would've made a fine warrior. In fact, if she hadn't become a medicine cat, Blackshadow would've snatched her up long before Thorntail had…but unlike Thorntail, Blackshadow had had morals, and would never touch a medicine cat.
Blackshadow ignored his thoughts of what could've been, as he saw what was going on. Thorntail was on top of Spottedlight, digging his claws into the she-cat's neck, staring down at her with a malicious look in his eyes.
"Great StarClan!" Thorntail gasped sarcastically. "I think you're bleeding, Spottedstar! This is terrible! Just terrible!" However, he didn't seem to truly think it terrible, because he started to purr as he dug his claws in deeper, and Spottedlight's blood spurted onto his paws. "Stop bleeding on me!" Thorntail instructed, licking his lips as if he were enjoying a tasty morsel as he killed the she-cat, "It's not polite!"
Blackshadow shuddered. As much as he disliked Spottedlight…to see her suffer like this – and to see how much Thorntail was enjoying it, sent a shiver down his spine. It was sick.
Apparently Rosethorn thought so too, because she rushed to the bottom of the hollow, her eyes wide with horror. "Thorntail, stop!" she cried. "Stop it, Thorntail!"
The gray tom wasn't paying any attention to the medicine cat, and Spottedstar coughed a few times. Coughing blood. It got onto Thorntail's chin, and for a moment the warrior didn't seem to notice. But after that moment ended, Thorntail let out a hiss of fury, "You got blood on my chin, you piece of fox-dung! Do you know how long that is going to take to clean!?!" Spottedstar didn't answer – possibly because she had some sharp claws in her throat, and Thorntail let out a ferocious growl.
"Why aren't you speaking, Spottedstar?!" he yowled, waving his tail in the air wildly. "Why not? Can't you talk, Spottedstar? Can't 'ya? Why can't you speak Spottedstar? Why not? Can't you speak? Why can't you speak Spottedstar? Answer me!" Spottedstar didn't answer – or more so, she couldn't, and Thorntail yowled in fury. "Fine! Don't speak! See if I care! But for being so rude…" he bent his neck down, and dug his fangs into her throat as well, along with his claws. Spottedstar let out a short gasp, and her leaf-green eyes suddenly flashed towards Blackshadow. Blackshadow wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment, and he flattened his ears in embarrassment not sure what to do – stop Thorntail, or let Spottedstar die?
"Stop it Thorntail!" Rosethorn repeated her blue eyes wide and pleading. "Please? Please Thorntail?"
Thorntail stopped with his ferocious bite, and lifted his head into the air, most likely to breath, and Rosethorn took this opportunity to lunge at Thorntail, knocking the tom off of the WindClan leader. Blackshadow, unsure of what to do, rushed over to Spottedstar, (who was now coughing for breath) to make sure she didn't escape.
"Thorntail!" Rosethorn gasped. "What were you doing?!"
"Killing Spottedstar," Thorntail answered briskly. "Why'd 'ya stop me?"
Blackshadow was shocked at how casual Thorntail was being. What was Thorntail's problem? Blackshadow started to feel sick in his stomach in battles when he harmed a ShadowClan warrior too much. He'd defend his Clan to the last breath, but he never relished the thought of killing. Oh, he'd killed before in battle – once – it was a RiverClan warrior. He hadn't been thrilled at the prospect. And Thorntail had been asked to go and kill Spottedstar, yeah, but not to enjoy it!
"Why'd I stop you?" Rosethorn echoed. "Thorntail…you couldn't kill her like that. You'd regret it eventually. What's gotten into you?"
Thorntail was silent for a moment, before finally he answered, "She said you were a medicine cat who likes to sleep around." Blackshadow was tempted to go after Spottedstar then, but Thorntail went on. "She said that you have been a 'secret' mate to almost every tom in the Clan…and only used your rank to play hard to get." he trailed off.
Blackshadow flickered his amber eyes over towards Rosethorn, and she looked just like he expected her to – horrified – but he didn't expect her to be that horrified. She looked as if she were seeing a StarClan warrior gone bad in front of her – one that was cursing her name and her Clan. However, she was a medicine cat. He knew that even Applefur would be hurt to be so insulted like that, and she was aloud to have mates. Rosethorn was forbidden – it was a very high insult indeed.
"I don't even know how she knew about us…" Thorntail mumbled almost inaudibly, "But I didn't like her talking about you like that," he repeated firmly.
"I understand," Rosethorn sighed, her tail curling with worry.
"But…" Rosethorn went on, "I…well, you can't kill Spottedstar…"
"Why not?" Thorntail sighed. "She's weak. She's a traitor. She insulted you."
"I say we kill her – if not in such a creepy way," Blackshadow agreed, and a shiver crawled down his spine as he thought of how weird Thorntail had been acting.
"But we can't," Rosethorn growled. "It's against the warrior code."
"To kill a traitor?" Thorntail sighed. "I doubt it,"
"Well, its fine to kill a traitor," Rosethorn agreed, dipping her head to Thorntail. Blackshadow pricked his ears. Why did Rosethorn want to spare the traitor? The traitor that had insulted in the highest way you could insult a medicine cat? "But it's not okay to kill a queen,"
Blackshadow almost stumbled away in surprise, "Do you mean-" he began, but Rosethorn cut him off. "Yes, Blackshadow. Spottedstar is pregnant." Her eyes examined the cat lying motionless on the ground for a few moments. "Whatever Spottedstar – or the father…who would most likely be Runningstar…" she growled, "Have done, those kits that are growing within Spottedstar are innocent. And half-ThunderClan."
"Half-traitor," Thorntail growled referring to Spottedstar, "And half-apprentice molester!"
"Huh?" Blackshadow blinked curiously, not sure what Thorntail meant, and the gray cat quickly brought him up to date, "One time when Rosethorn was going to HighStones, Runningstar started feeling her privates with his tail! He was also a tyrant, if you ask me," Thorntail continued lashing his tail. "Those kits come from nothing but a terrible line!"
"Whatever you say about their mother," Rosethorn sighed, "They are Robinwing's grandkits. Scornpaw's kin. Great-Grandkits of the legendary Hollowstar and Heatherpelt." Rosethorn stared meaningfully into Thorntail's eyes. "I agree, Spottedstar…is a liar…has insulted me…is a disgrace to the Clan...And if it were up to me, I think I would… kill those kits." She meowed honestly, and Blackshadow couldn't blame her. "But the Warrior Code says otherwise. And without the Warrior Code, we aren't…anything."
Thorntail still looked like he wanted to kill Spottedstar, and he hesitated before dipping his head in understanding. "Very well," he sighed. "But have fun convincing Streamstar of the same,"
"Let's get her back to camp," Rosethorn mewed, ignoring Thorntail's comment. "Blackshadow, Thorntail, support her with your shoulders. Drag her to camp if you have to. Thorntail, you're right. In the end, it is Streamstar's decision." She lowered her voice and mewed softly, "Let's hope she makes the right one,"