The Heart of a Lion
Chapter 22: SOL?
The cats under the Great Oak gasped in amazement and looked up at Sol with disbelief. Not only was he a loner, a trouble-making drifter that had been swelling on each of the Clan territories, but he magically appeared, showed himself at a Gathering, and was now standing proudly above all the other leaders. In the moonlight, his ruffled mane of fur made him look like he was from StarClan himself.
Roars of outrage erupted from below at the sight of him. He just waited calmly, not moving or saying anything.
"Sol, what do you think you're doing here? Gatherings are sacred to the Clans, and you do not belong here!" Blackstar growled. He tried to climb higher to reach Sol, but the branches were too thin and he slid back down.
"I have an announcement I would like to make. It affects you all so I would suggest listening. I have only come here to tell you the truth. Your Clans will be destroyed if you keep living under this elaborate veil of lies that shapes your Clans," Sol shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.
What was he talking about? What lies? What did he know? I already felt a knot of distrust worming through my brain. It was the same feeling I got when I randomly met him on WindClan territory that long time ago. I had a feeling he knew something then, too, but I didn't know what.
Firestar, the usual peacemaker at the Gatherings, flicked his tail and declared, "Let Sol speak. The skies are clear, so StarClan must be allowing this."
"Thank you, Firestar." Sol dipped his head below the branch to the other leaders. Leopardstar and Blackstar glared up at him furiously while Onestar sat passively, his madly flicking tail revealing how much he didn't like being undermined by a loner. "Now, I do not live by your warrior code, but I have learned much about it. I know it shapes your foundation and your way of life. Without it, you are nothing more than lost baby birds that have fallen out of their nests. Your dependence on this warrior code has left you vulnerable.
"You are blind to what is happening right in front of you. To some of you, your own desires are more important than the warrior code, which I have no right to judge. I believe everyone is free to make their own choices."
"Get on with it," Blackstar interrupted. "What are you trying to say?"
"Two warriors- one from ThunderClan and one from WindClan- have broken the warrior code. They have been lying to you for moons. They are Lionblaze and Heathertail."
At that point I didn't even feel like I was alive anymore. I died right there and then, and only a shattered piece of me remained standing there at The Gathering. I shrank to the ground as yowls of disbelief and shock coursed like waves through the Clans. I couldn't believe what just happened. I didn't know how to react. I just stared up at him, absolutely horrified.
"WindClan has suffered a great loss. Their three newest warriors, Heathertail's kits, have recently been believed to have been stolen by a badger. They are, in fact, living in ThunderClan, being brought up by a ThunderClan queen. Heathertail and Lionblaze have been lying to you and made you believe that the kits were dead or that they were abandoned," he said, glancing at Onestar and then at Firestar. "Now that you know the truth, you can prevent the war that is brewing. These storm clouds have been forming for some time."
"You liar! How dare you accuse our warriors of disloyalty?" Onestar spat and clawed up the tree again to tear Sol to pieces. This time he was gaining some ground.
"It was up to me to break the storm." Then Sol hopped down the branches as nimbly as a squirrel and ran off.
"Get him!"
A mob of cats charged off into the underbrush after Sol, caterwauling louder than a pack of dogs. By now, The Geathering was in total chaos. So many eyes burned into me. I could imagine the scorn, the mixed feelings, and maybe the sympathetic, but the scorn and anger I felt from my own Clanmates was too much to bear. What had I done?
Onestar turned to Firestar. "You have our kits? You wanted to steal them without saying anything!"
"We had no idea. Lionblaze said they were abandoned," Firestar replied, aghast. "This is a lot to take in, if everything Sol said was true. Lionblaze, please come forward."
"You too, Heathertail," me leader snapped.
I gulped and forced my paws to move, wishing there was some way I could just disappear. I moved to the front of the crowd to stand under the tree. Lionblaze was there too, and we just stared at each other hopelessly, wondering what possible outcomes would arise from Sol's storm.