Chapter Thirty-Nine: Retribution

Shafts of moonlight dripped through the jungle like silver blood. Nighttime had settled, draping a suffocating shadow across the trees. Rowanpaw loved the jungle deeply, and had learned long ago not to fear the darkness. It was in this utter blackness, this cloak of shadows, he was able to disappear without being noticed. He slipped through the brambles and plants, feeling their leaves gently claw through his thick fur.

Rowanpaw did not fear the darkness, but he did fear what the darkness hid.

Keeping his head low and his steps soft, the young lion crept through the jungle as if crossing into enemy territory. Even though he was still on LightningClan land, the stench of DarkClan territory tingled in his nostrils as he approached the border. The protective sheath of trees around him began to grow smaller until he came to a sharp stop at the end edge of LightningClan. If he took one pawstep more, he'd be trespassing.

But he didn't need to move any closer to the Clan he loathed. Rowanpaw stood still as a stone, waiting for what he knew would come. The jungle was eerily quiet tonight, with the nocturnal creatures humming to themselves in a forbidding tune. It felt as if thousands of prying eyes were watching Rowanpaw as he stood by the border, but when he turned sharply there was nothing but darkness behind him. But he knew that all eyes were trained on him tonight, even in the starry constellations high above. The entire world held its breath.

One of the enormous black rocks buried deep in DarkClan soil suddenly rose to its feet, towering high above Rowanpaw. The tall creature seemed to be big enough to block out the moon, and Rowanpaw quite literally felt himself disappear in its shadow. It stepped softly through the crunching grass, until the two of them were separated only by the border line.

The shadow's feral growl murdered the silence. "You have endangered me by asking to meet me tonight. What you have to say, say it quickly."

Rowanpaw stared up at the giant lion, and felt a ripple of fear slide down his spine. He'll kill me tonight, he realized. He won't let me leave.

"I spoke to him," he said in a soft hiss. "He thinks that I hate him."

The creature lifted his shaggy head. "I'm sure Lionpaw wasn't surprised."

"Lionheart, now."

"Lionheart?" The shadow said the warrior's name with a snakelike hiss, disgustedly mocking the name in his dulcet tones. "What a lovely, lovely name."

There came a pregnant pause, one in which the hidden lion bent his head forward ever so slightly and allowed his eyes to be caught in the moonlight, turning them into glittering jewels. "You did not come all this way just to tell me about a new warrior." There was no question in his hardened voice.

Rowanpaw's heart fluttered like a trapped butterfly, but he knew this had to be done. He was sick, exhausted, but most of all angry. He had decided long ago to do this, but it had taken so much careful thinking and courage to actually arrive here, in the now. Where he stood before the lion in forbidden darkness.

"I'm finished with you," Rowanpaw whispered, staring the lion straight in the eye.

Long, amused silence. "You're finished with me, hmm?"

"I'm not going to help you any longer. I've served you long enough; helped you kill enough souls." An anguished glitter fell into Rowanpaw's eyes, and the shadow stared down at him disapprovingly.

"Killing is necessary, Rowanpaw. I taught you that."

Rowanpaw shook his head slowly. "You're pure evil."

The shadow chuckled; it was an awful sound, a brittle collection of thorns and sticks at the back of his thick throat. The laughter of a maniacal murderer. The shadow stepped forward, crossing the border, and into a shaft of cold moonlight. He was even more terrifying when the details came into focus.
"As are you, my apprentice," Longfang smiled garishly.

Rowanpaw stared coldly up at his mentor. He fear was strong, but his fury was stronger. He stayed very still and dared not move. Your fear is only as strong as you let it be. Longfang was right, and they both knew it. He was just as evil as his mentor. But maybe he could change where Longfang never could.
"I'm stronger than you, Longfang," he snarled softly. "I know that this is no way to live."

Longfang flattened his ears against his darkened mane. "Don't talk like you're a hero, Rowanpaw. You'll always be a murderer. Pebbleheart will remind you of that!"

Longfang had finally struck a nerve, and he knew it. "I didn't kill her," Rowanpaw said in a strangled voice.

A cruel smile slipped across Longfang's features. He had Rowanpaw right where he wanted him; trapped under his claw. "You held her down as I slaughtered her. You're the reason she couldn't get away. You are as much to blame as me; just because you covered up your scent on her corpse and let me take the blame doesn't mean you're innocent."

Rowanpaw shook with unbridled fury, and suddenly all he could see was Pebbleheart as he pinned her down to the ground. All he could feel was her body quaking beneath his claws dug deep into her fur as Longfang tore into her, slaughtering her slowly and meticulously. Horrified, he had clawed away the blood embedded in his furry paws after her body stopped resisting, but somehow it was still there. Rowanpaw had hated every minute of it, and he had known then that he could never be like Longfang.

The ghosts of the murder followed him around now. Even now, he could feel Pebbleheart watching him like she'd watched him in her final moments, silently begging for help. He hadn't helped her then, but he could help her now. He could change.

"I refuse to be a monster like you," Rowanpaw spat.

Longfang stayed very still, the words not appearing to have any effect on him except for the slight twitch of his whiskers. "Fine. You want to be like them? Then walk away now, and don't look back." He spoke calmly, almost in amusement, as if Rowanpaw's little rebellion was funny to him.

But it was the calm of the storm, and Rowanpaw knew it. He knew that the moment he turned his back to leave, he would die. But perhaps in death, he did something greater than anything he'd ever done in life: the right thing.

And so, Rowanpaw turned around and began walking away. He turned his back on the greatest and most terrible lion this jungle had ever known. He was doing the right thing, as much as he knew it would cost him.

The silence suddenly exploded upon Rowanpaw and sent him smashing through the undergrowth. He got to his paws immediately, just in time for the shocking force to bowl him over one more time. Rowanpaw stood up once more, and this time was prepared.

Longfang attacked again, but Rowanpaw twisted aside. The two forces turned and met halfway, rearing up on their enormous hind legs and ripping with their claws. Longfang was the most powerful warrior in the jungle, but he'd mentored Rowanpaw in the darkness for moons now.

Longfang was barely fighting him, but Rowanpaw was being pushed to his limit. He felt exhaustion creep into his bones with every new blow, and tried to fight among the pain and open wounds. Through his red eyes, he could see Longfang's hide decorated with wounds as well.

One of Rowanpaw's claws abruptly snagged into Longfang's eyelid and ripped it clean off. Longfang screamed at the acute pain and stumbled away, shaking his monstrous head and sending droplets of blood everywhere.

It must have hurt every time Longfang's blood trickled in his eyes and he couldn't blink away the stinging, but he fought as if the pain was nothing. He and smashed against a tree, becoming a crumpled heap. Longfang was upon him at once, ripping his claws into his flanks and tearing away chunks of skin.
Longfang's jaw opened to revealed the glinting rows of teeth that gave him his name. Rowanpaw gurgled as the long teeth ripped into his throat, chunks of shin and muscle being torn into.

Longfang seemed to gain control of himself, and the enormous beast stepped away from Rowanpaw's mangled body. Blood dripped from his thick muzzle as he lowered his head, breathing heavily, and whispered into his apprentice's ear, "Give Lionheart my best."

He disappeared, leaving Rowanpaw to die. His body was numb from loss of blood, and out of the corner of his eye stepped a silver wisp of fur, sparkling dimly in the shadows. Forgive me, Pebbleheart.

He felt something soft settle besides him, as if someone was curling up against him. Stay awake just a little bit longer, the ghost whispered.

He wanted to die, but then he thought of his sister. Of his Clan. And finally of Pebbleheart, who was now dead because of him. He had to keep living for them, for her. He thought only about them until the dawn. Early stripes of sunlight pooled through the jungle, and birds twittered sleepily. Warm light touched his fur.

There came the rustling of plants a ways off, and voices. Several of them. A LightningClan patrol.

"There's blood split here. It belongs to Rowanpaw."

"He must be close."

Then the voice of an angel.

"There he is! Rowanpaw, oh Rowanpaw." He was suddenly surrounded by the patrol as they leapt across the plants, closing the space between them and him, but Frostcloud reached him first. He heard her strangled cry of horror as she saw him.

"Lionheart, come quick!" she choked out.

Through his cracked eyes, Rowanpaw saw Lionheart bound over to them. The warrior crouched down low, a look of panic on his face. "Rowanpaw? What happened?"

Rowanpaw lifted his heavy head and hoarsely whispered into his ear. Lionheart recoiled slowly. Sheer horror bled across his face, and as the rest of the patrol crowded around the fallen apprentice, his ears rung with Rowanpaw's words.

Longfang says hi.