Shellfall chewed the bone from a rather tough trout, spitting out the rest of the flesh. It was dry and old, and he wondered if one of the apprentices had caught it. The bitter aftertaste remained on his tongue, and he knew that no matter how much water he drank, he would not be able to get it out. Grumbling in disapproval, Shellfall got to his paws and started to lick his pelt.
It was the middle of the day, and a few of the patrols sent out were arriving back at camp. Shellfall found his head drifting towards the entrance. Were Dapplestar or Shimmerwing coming? As the ferns to the island rustled, Mistsong leaped out of the ferns, her blue eyes hard.
"Everyone!" Mistsong called out, her voice shrill with panic. "Please, listen to me! I have something important to say!"
"Mistsong?" Whitefeather asked, stepping forward, his tail-tip twitching. "What are you doing?"
Blossomwing padded over to Mistsong, and Thistleflame, Rushfire, and Sparkfire joined them. Shellfall narrowed his eyes. What is going on here? What are they doing? The gray dappled tom looked around camp, sensing that some of the other cats shared his suspicions. Runningflame and Rippleheart exchanged confused glances, while Sunshine had a frown plastered on her usually bright face. Driftheart shifted her paws nervously, and Starlingfern pressed her lips together in a straight line.
"There is something you all must know," Mistsong said, her voice resonating through the clearing. "Dapplestar is dead."
Shellfall's blood turned cold, and his body became numb. His paws stuck to the ground, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. The entire world was quiet as his ears pounded. No. No, that's not true. Dapplestar wouldn't die. No! She wouldn't let herself get killed before she unified the Clans! Shellfall tried to speak, but his lips were dry, and nothing came out.
"That's utter nonsense," Rippleheart spat out, clearly not buying it for even a moment. "Dapplestar has nine lives."
"Not anymore." Mistsong shook her head. "I was out on patrol when I saw her ambushed by a ShadowClan cat. I tried to help her, but the cat pushed me aside and wounded me until I was unconscious. When I woke up, Dapplestar was dead. I waited next to her for hours, but she never rose. All her lives are gone. She is no more."
Shock fell through the camp. Runningflame's green eyes were wide with horror, Rippleheart's mouth was open in a silent gasp. Tears were streaming down Sunshine's face, and Iceshine dug her head into Meadowdawn's shoulder. Starlingfern's tail twitched from side to side, her face unreadable. Snowstorm took in a shaky breath, and finally, Gooseclaw let out a painful howl.
The mourned cry was taken up by the rest of the Clan, but Mistsong remained icily silent until it was over. "I came across Shimmerwing when I was running here to report her death. I told Shimmerwing of Dapplestar's demise, and Shimmerwing began to tell me her ideas to start a coup in RiverClan, to take all the power for herself, without any regards to Dapplestar's death. Her complete nonchalance to Dapplestar's death and her willingness to take over Dapplestar's RiverClan led me to imprison her. She is a criminal. She does not care about Dapplestar or RiverClan. All she wants is power for herself."
"What?" Runningflame lashed his tail. "How dare you say that about Shimmerwing? Shimmerwing's only loyalty is to Dapplestar!"
Rippleheart was howling his agreement. "Shimmerwing would never do that!"
Shellfall was about to yell his support for Shimmerwing as well, but Mistsong's next sentence made him freeze in his tracks.
"Quite interesting that both of you would say that. You know that you would have a pretty good shot of being Shimmerwing's next deputy, so of course you'd support her becoming leader right after Dapplestar and making it her own Clan." Mistsong's blue eyes blazed with fury. "Should I have any reason to think that you may start your very own uprising?"
"Good point, Mistsong," Blossomwing said, her green eyes narrowed as her small white face focused on the two senior warriors. "I don't trust Runningflame or Rippleheart at all."
Thistleflame nodded in agreement. "With RiverClan without a proper leader, they'll try to take over."
"What?" Runningflame roared with fury at Thistleflame. "How dare you assume I would do something like that?"
"There's only one option," Rushfire said, lifting his head.
Mistsong nodded to Thistleflame and Sparkfire. "Imprison both of them."
"What?" Outraged yowls spread across RiverClan's camp, but Mistsong lifted her tail to silence them.
"Don't you see, Clanmates?" Mistsong exclaimed. "With Dapplestar dead, and Shimmerwing taking over the Clan, Runningflame and Rippleheart both have a good shot at being her deputy. Do you think they care about Dapplestar? Isn't it Dapplestar we want to avenge? We cannot just forget about her and allow Shimmerwing and her group to take over! We must take care of Runningflame and Rippleheart, once and for all!" Mistsong's voice was stimulating and persuasive as she yowled it to the sky. "Justice for Dapplestar! Justice for Dapplestar!"
"Justice for Dapplestar!" Mistsong's cry was taken up by the rest of RiverClan. Runningflame's green eyes burned with fury as Rushfire and Thistleflame began to corner Runningflame and Rippleheart. Runningflame lashed his claws out, but Rippleheart pulled him back.
"Stop it, Runningflame!" Rippleheart yowled.
"No! Let me kill each and every single one of these traitors!" Runningflame ran his claws down Sparkfire's pelt.
"See that?" Mistsong cried out. "He's attacking his own Clanmates!"
"Runningflame, stop it!" Rippleheart sank his teeth in Runningflame's tail and pulled him away. The tom had tufts of ginger fur in his claws. "Can't you see, they're the ones staring the coup? We'll figure this out!"
"So you want them to let them take us prisoner?" Runningflame whirled on Rippleheart, his claws still unsheathed.
"Just listen to me!" Rippleheart pleaded with the ginger-and-white tabby tom. Runningflame snarled at the gray tabby, but Rippleheart held his gaze. "If you kill them, you'll be seen as disloyal! They're still your Clanmates!"
"They are traitors," Runningflame spat at him.
Rippleheart stifled a sigh, even though his blue eyes sparked with fury. "Listen to me."
Runningflame stared at Rippleheart, his tail lashing from side to side. Snarling, he turned his back on Thistleflame and snapped his jaws at him. Thistleflame growled at him, pushing him towards the empty elders' den. Rippleheart followed, his paws lugging to the ground.
"Driftheart, Ryefern, guard the prisoners," Mistsong ordered the two cats. "I am in control now."
Driftheart and Ryefern exchanged nervous glances, but at the firm authority in Mistsong's voice, they padded over to the elders' den and sat in front of it, saying nothing. Mistsong watched them with a curled lip and turned to Thistleflame and Rushfire. "Guard the camp. The first thing we're doing is avenging the death of Dapplestar. Runningflame and Rippleheart will stay as prisoners until we figure out what to do with them."
Shellfall, finally snapping out of his daze, ran up to face Mistsong. "How do you know Dapplestar is dead?" he challenged the dark gray she-cat. "Where is the body to prove? Surely you would've brought it here!"
Mistsong met Shellfall's gaze evenly. "The ShadowClan cat took it," she growled.
"And what ShadowClan cat killed her?" Shellfall inquired.
"Nightfire." Mistsong lifted her head, her gaze never wavering from Shellfall's.
Nightfire. No. He would never! But memories to the hatred and rage burning in Nightfire's eyes, the last time he had spoken to Shellfall, the Gathering when he had stared at Dapplestar, the patrol he had been on when Dustcloud had been injured, all the hatred he displayed for RiverClan and Dapplestar… It's possible... it really is… but…
"I refuse to believe Dapplestar is dead," Shellfall hissed at her.
Mistsong tilted her head. "She is." The gray she-cat lowered her head, staring at the ground. "That is why it is my number one priority to avenge her death. She will not have died in vain, Shellfall, I assure you. Her legacy will go on. The Clans will be united, and she will always be remembered for it!"
"Who gave you power to rule the Clan in her stead?" Shellfall snapped at her.
Mistsong's blue eyes blazed. "Do you want to be in there, with Runningflame and Rippleheart?" she snapped at him. "I know how close you are to Shimmerwing. I am ruling because I want to finish Dapplestar's dream! I want to avenge her, more than anyone else! I saw her die! I will never be able to erase that memory from my mind, no matter how hard I try! I refuse to let her sacrifice be in vain!"
Shellfall was shocked by the boldness and resolve in her voice. I never knew Mistsong cared that much about Dapplestar. Dapplestar. Is she dead? The sudden realization of the entire scenario had Shellfall sinking to his knees. His entire life was dedicated to Dapplestar. The cat who saved his life. The cat who he dedicated his new life for. Dapplestar was the cat who could unify the Clans. Without her… what would happen to the Clans? To RiverClan? To Shellfall? How can she be dead? How can she leave me, Shimmerwing, Runningflame, like that? Fury made his claws unsheathe. Nightfire…
"I see the anger in your eyes, Shellfall," Mistsong said, her voice low. "You're furious at Nightfire, aren't you?" Her blue gaze focused on Shellfall. Shellfall looked up and faced her. He couldn't shake the sensation that Dapplestar was not dead. Dapplestar was a strong cat, and a force to be reckoned with. She was a cat who would stand up against gods and demons. But, if Mistsong was telling the truth… then some cat had to pay. All sound reason was slowly leaving Shellfall's mind as he focused on the possible death of the cat he dedicated his new life to.
"I am," Shellfall finally replied. "I don't know if I believe you about Dapplestar being dead, Mistsong. I really don't."
"I am telling you the truth, Shellfall." Mistsong's vivid blue gaze fixated on Shellfall. "I swear on my soul. Dapplestar is dead, and it is because of Nightfire. Look." Mistsong turned around and pulled out a tuft of tortoiseshell fur, laying it on Shellfall's paws. Shellfall's eyes widened in horror, and he bent over to smell the stench of ShadowClan. Shellfall's eyes burned.
"Don't you want revenge?" Mistsong softly asked.
Shellfall unsheathed his claws. Turning his tail on Mistsong, he bounded out of camp, setting out for the ShadowClan border. Fury made his fur bristle, and his emotions conflicted with each other. He didn't know if Dapplestar was dead. He wanted to refuse to believe she was. But Dapplestar wasn't immortal. If Nightfire had caught her by surprise, the extent of his anger may have caused the tom to kill her. He knew that Nightfire was capable of it.
The world had felt like it collapsed around him. She can't. She can't leave me. This can't be happening. As he walked through the pine forest, forcing his paws to move, feeling like a wandering ghost, the scent of a familiar cat became thick. Shellfall's heart quickened. Dapplestar! The dappled gray tom followed the scent until it drifted into the clearing that marked the ShadowClan and RiverClan border. Shellfall skidded to a halt, making out a pool of scarlet a few fox-lengths away. Putting on speed, Shellfall pelted towards the crimson color. Blood!
Shellfall bent down, sniffing the blood. Dapplestar had been here, that was true. Shellfall's blue gaze scanned the blood, and he swallowed a lump in his throat as tufts of tortoiseshell fur scattered the crimson blood. No… Shellfall collapsed to his knees, his paws soaking in the blood.
Mistsong had not been lying to him.
Dapplestar was dead.
Oh, StarClan. Shellfall began to gag, a nauseating feeling of sickness climbing up his throat and threatening to spill out. What am I supposed to live for if she's gone? I'll drag Nightfire out, and I'll kill him dead. The grief was pervasive. The anger was raw. The emotions were swirling hot as they bubbled underneath Shellfall's surface and then, finally, he let out a pained yowl towards the sky, letting every simmering painful feeling spill out.
"Why, Dapplestar?" he cried out. "Why did you leave me? Why did you get yourself killed? Why did Nightfire do that? You were going to unify the Clans! You said you wouldn't die until you brought the diamond dove! But you did! And I'll avenge you. I'll avenge you no matter what." Even though Shellfall found himself trembling, he had the strength to unsheathe his claws and drive it into the snowy ground.
Nightfire.
You're mine.
Nightfire had wanted him dead. That was fine.
Because now he wanted Nightfire dead.
Shellfall crouched down and began to bound away. There was one cat on his mind, and there was one cat he was going to get revenge on. As he neared the scent lines, he skidded to a halt, angling his ears towards the sound of cracking bracken.
"Is anyone there?" Shellfall asked.
Shellfall's blood turned cold at the next few words.
"Do you recognize my voice?"
Shellfall turned his head, only one word escaping his mouth, even though there were so many others he wanted to say. "Yes." Everything in his body was numb. He couldn't breathe. His head was whirling. This cat.
"Then listen to me well. I want these traitors alive."