Chapter Twenty-Two: Story

Brightpaw narrowed his eyes. "I'll see you later, then?"

Lionpaw didn't tear his gaze away from Pebbleheart; he just nodded swiftly, and felt his fur brush Brightpaw's as his striped friend left to congratulate Buzzardflight, like everyone else. But for some reason, Lionpaw couldn't. He had to stay here.

They were alone. All the noise, the excitement, the life, had moved towards the High Rock, where Buzzardflight was. But they were lonely, in this dark, quiet corner of the camp. As Lionpaw waited for Pebbleheart to speak, he couldn't help but wonder if this had to do with Longfang. Or their... relationship. Or both.

"I thought about what you said," she breathed.

"What?"

"That you are old enough. That you can handle the truth." She stared at Lionpaw, her expression wavering for a moment, before she shivered. "Lionpaw, you are wise beyond your moons, and I know I can trust you with anything. That is why I am here. StarClan... they believe in you. They want me to tell you." She hesitated. "It is time."

Lionpaw stared at her, utterly lost. "Time for what, Pebbleheart? I understand nothing!"

Pebbleheart was quiet. "Time for the truth."

Lionpaw could find no words to answer. He stood there, letting her reply sink in.

"We must be alone," she murmured, looking around. "The camp... is not safe. Please... come with me. Into the jungle."

Lionpaw took a step back, glancing back at the celebration. "But- but the ceremony..."

"It doesn't matter. Lionpaw, we are in danger. You don't understand, but I have to change that. I've waited too long anyways..." Sudden grief pricked her eyes, and she looked away. "Just hurry. Before- before he notices."

Lionpaw froze. The apprentice knew fully well who he was.

Longfang.

Soundlessly, they slipped into the shadows, and were out of the camp and into the beautiful jungle in moments. Finally, the energy and overwhelming power of his life in that camp drained as a certain peace fell over

Lionpaw. Out here, it was quiet, and peaceful. Here, they were truly alone, with only the trees and the stars to here them.

After walking a ways the camp, Pebbleheart sat down, and she looked around; her body was twitchy, nervous, and her eyes darted. She'd lost her grace, her cool, and Lionpaw had never seen this side of her before. It only gave him a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Lionpaw," she breathed. "I am going to tell you a story. It... it is hard to hear, and even harder to believe. But please... for the sake of LightningClan, you must understand. There is a killer within LightningClan, and it's past time to reveal him. I've been a coward, I've waited too long."

"Just tell me, please," Lionpaw murmured. "I'll try to listen. I need to understand."

Pebbleheart gazed at him, then sighed. She was silent, and when she looked back at Lionpaw, her eyes were hollow and bitter. He swallowed hard, suddenly not wanting to know what she had to say. Fort surely, whatever she spoke would change the way he saw life; it would change the balance of good and evil in his world, and upset the stars, make the trees weep. Because the truth is chaos.

Always.

"Moons ago, before you were born," Pebbleheart murmured, "there were two great warriors. You know them: Firerunner and Longfang. They were the best warriors in LightningClan, and even warriors from other Clans knew they were destined for greatness. But when Snowstar's old deputy retired... there had to be a decision made. One or the other." Her eyes were raw, and her voice a croak. It was a story Lionpaw was familiar with now, but he could sense it was about to deep into a version that had been kept from him for moons.

"Snowstar told me that much," he admitted softly.

Pebbleheart's eyes gleamed mockingly, but not towards him. "Oh, really? Ha. What else did he tell you?" Her voice was rough like dead leaves, and Lionpaw flinched. The gentle, loving Pebbleheart he was used to was gone. And he wasn't sure if he'd see her again.

"He said that... on the night before a deputy had to be chosen, Firerunner disappeared. He was killed." Lionpaw hesitated before adding, "I spoke to an apprentice of DarkClan, Flamepaw. He... he told me something Snowstar hadn't."

"Yes?" Her voice was low.

Lionpaw flattened his ears, lost in the memory of that terrible night. "He said that when we found Firerunner's body, it was covered with DarkClan scent, and he thought DarkClan had picked him off because he was a threat. But Flamepaw told me that, before we found him... they discovered the body by their border, and it stank of a LightningClan warrior."

Pebbleheart flinched. "Yes... of course..."

Lionpaw gazed at her, expression hard. "Pebbleheart... was he telling the truth?"

Pebbleheart looked at the trees, and Lionpaw realized with a start that they were by the DarkClan border. Had she led him here on purpose?

Was this around the place Firerunner was murdered?

She glanced at Lionpaw, eyes wide. "Yes, Lionpaw. He had told the truth."

Lionpaw looked at her, shock washing over him. So it was true! "But... how do you know the truth?"

He didn't like the look of anger and broken, raw grief in her eyes then, and she replied softly, "Because I am the reason Firerunner is dead."

Lionpaw stood, frozen. What?

Pebbleheart took a deep breath. "I promised I would tell you everything... and I am going to keep that promise. Lionpaw, Firerunner... was my lover. We had an affair." Her head hung, her words barely audible. Lionpaw could only stand and stare at her. Shock barely covered what was crashing over him now. It was like the Warrior Code was crumbling, smashing, breaking...

As she continued to tell her story, her voice was harsh and rough. Lionpaw knew it must hurt to say these things, and couldn't begin to imagine the amount of courage she had to trust him with such secrets. "We kept it a secret from the Clans, but it became overwhelming. Finally, we had to choose between the Clan and our love. And, being fools in love... we chose us. We arranged a night to meet in the jungle, where we'd run away together, and be happily ever after." Her mocking eyes glittered, and she stared at a spot above Lionpaw's head, where he knew she was remembering everything.

"So one cool night, I went into the jungle, and I waited for him. He told me he had a surprise, that he wanted to meet me later... and when I finally saw him coming, I got a surprise. He'd brought someone along." She swallowed hard. "Longfang."

"Longfang," Lionpaw breathed, his mind racing. He was still so confused. This answered none of his questions. And yet... and yet...

"Apparently, Firerunner wanted to tell Longfang the truth, so when we left, he'd be the only one to know, and he could take the spot as deputy knowing in the back of his head that it could have been Firerunner's, had he stayed. They were something like friends; Firerunner trusted him far more than he should have.

"But like most of Firerunner's ideas, it... failed. I guess Longfang was delighted to come along and be alone with Firerunner, because he had a plan of his own. He... he jumped on Firerunner, with me feet away in the trees, before Firerunner told Longfang the truth. I was shocked, and horrified. I... I jumped out, and ran towards them. Longfang was shocked to see me; but he soon realized how beautifully his plan was coming together. He knew he could use me."

Lionpaw sat, listening. He could find nothing to say. There was nothing to say. He felt numb, and weak, to realize everything so suddenly. And he had a painful pressure in his stomach that made him know that things were going to be far worse.

"He was amused, but when he realized out relationship, he was disgusted. And so, with Firerunner bleeding and hurt, and me pinned to the ground, he gave me a choice. Lionpaw... he said... he told me... 'I'm going to give you a second chance at life, Pebbleheart. You've got a choice. Either you both can live, and I tell your little secret to the whole Clan... or, your secret dies with him.' And I was... I was in shock. He was making me choose between the love of my life and my life. What could I have done, Lionpaw?" Her eyes were closed, her voice hoarse. Suddenly her eyes flashed open, and they burned intensely, her tail lashing with anger. "He had no right to hurt us like that... but he saw a chance, and he did. Neither of us were strong enough to take him down."

Lionpaw's eyes flashed. "You did choose Firerunner... right?" He knew Pebbleheart. She would never selfishly have her... her lover... murdered just because of a dumb secret. But then again... things were fading quickly.

The lioness he thought he knew was actually a holder of terrible secrets that would destroy the Clan if they knew. Suddenly, he realized that Pebbleheart was more of a stranger than he could have ever feared.

"Before I could choose," she whispered, "Longfang said something else. He said, 'On second thought... this is beautiful. It's true love! So alright, look. If you give me one little thing, Pebbleheart, I will let your prince live.'"

Lionpaw shivered. "What did... what did he want?"

Pebbleheart stared at him, her eyes dark as a storm. "He wanted me, Lionpaw. He wanted... to do things to me. It would have hurt so, so much. And Firerunner realized what Longfang was asking, and became angry.

Furious. The worst I'd ever seen him." Sudden fear flickered in her eyes, and Lionpaw shivered. Her words made little sense... yet he got a sticky, disgusted feeling that he understood. Longfang was truly more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

"Firerunner pushed himself up, and he attacked Longfang. I mean, you've seen attacks in battle; but he threw himself at Longfang, with everything he had, and he ripped Longfang apart. But... naturally, Longfang was bigger. And stronger. And as soon as he got control of Firerunner, it was my lover who became the prey. Longfang truly destroyed him; it was... it was worse than you'll ever know. Lionpaw, you have never seen the lion you love more than you understand, ripped apart."

Lionpaw was silent, his whole body cold. "B-but... Pebbleheart, you didn't kill him. You had no choice..."

"Yes, I did. Longfang gave me a choice. And I could have saved Firerunner's life. But you know what? As soon as Longfang said that... I knew what it would be. I knew I couldn't have my life in LightningClan destroyed, because nobody is worth that. Right?"

Lionpaw gazed at her. "You chose life over love. But you didn't realize what that meant..."

"Until it happened," she finished bitterly, her body shivering violently. "It makes me so angry... and I hate myself for it. Lionpaw, I loved Firerunner. He loved me more than I deserved. And it was wrong... but it was my destiny. And I foolishly gave him up. And for what? For this?" She snarled, looking around at the shadowed jungle around her. It was all hauntingly silent. Like everyone was listening to her heart-wrenching truth.

"Pebbleheart..." New grief spilled in his heart, and Lionpaw had no idea what he was going to do now. Not after learning... everything. It was all too much.