Chapter 3: Blood under the Willow

"Your father and I were happy in Willowclan, we had plenty of food, plenty of room, and newborn kits. Heatherclaw and Darkstar were proud of their two kits Goldpaw and Dewpaw, They were made aprentices soon after you three were born. Heatherclaws brother Mintfang was the exact oposite of his kind and open sister, he was always lurking in the shadows and cared for no one but her and his dead mate Juniperfur. He especially despised Darkstar, because the way he saw it had taken Heatherclaw from him."Willowsong shutters, "Your father had grudges of his own... he was envious of Hornetgift, he was young and ambitious, he wanted to be the next deputy. Bloodpelt was never patient but he was kind to those he cared about." She takes a breath and closes her eyes for a moment befor slowly opening them and continuing. "Many cats in the clan knew that Bloodpelt was the likely candidit for deputy after Hornitgift became to old to do her duty, he was by far the best hunter and was often looked to for advice even though he was still young. They also knew that he wanted to be the next deputy more than he probably should have." Once again Willowsong took an unsteady breath, "your father had become edgy over the short period of time between when you three were born and when you were about one moon old. He began hiding things from me and snapping at the other clan members. He would often talk with Mintfang when no one was looking and they would dissapear into the forest for hours at a time. One day Hornetgift aproched Bloodpelt and began to question him about his outings with Mintfang. She had no love for the aging tom and began to question the loyalty of both cats. before he could explain what was going on Mintfang burst out of the edge of the clearing and attacked her, killing her in one swift blow."

"Mama why did he do that?" Featherkit interupts and is quickly silenced by her siblings eager to hear the rest of the story, "but..." they silence her again.

Willowsong continues as if she hadn't noticed the interuption, "Boodpelts long fur bristled but he didn't move. Not to help Hornitgift or to attack her killer. He stood there eyes wide, fur on end, just staring at the blood of his only obstical, his only enemy. Some of the other clan cats shared the doubt that your father was not as loyal to his clan as he used to be. Tabbysong, the medicine cat, was one of those who nolonger trusted him and when he saw Hornitgift die in front of Bloodpelt and he did nothing he screamed out 'Traitor' and attacked. Tabbysong raked his claws down his face and across his eye snapping him out of his daze and sending him into a frenzy. By then most of the clan had joined in. poor Heatherclaw watched as her clan and her kin killed each other, Darkstar was on his last three lives and even though he could see how torn his mate was he couldn't leave the clan in danger. He lept down and joined the frey."

Willowsong gathered her kits closer to her and as they huddled closer to one another her voice grew quieter. "Goldpaw and Dewpaw were on top of Mintfang tearing at his pelt and hanging on as he rolled and twisted trying to throw them. Bloodpelt was swarmed by Yellowwhisker, and Brushtail they didn't know what had happened, only that Hornetgift was dead and their medicine cat was atacking Bloodpelt and he kept screaming 'Traitor'. Bloodpelt didn't try to deny what had happened, he faught off the other cats one by one. He knocked Yellowwhisker back along with Brushtail, but when Tabbysong lunged at his neck Bloodpelt spun around and cought him full on tossing him across the clearing to the base of the rock into the shallow pool. He hit the rock hard and collapsed. Darkstar had cornered Mintfang after he had thrown the aprentices. When he turned he saw his son toss Tabbysong across the clearing. He tried to stop them before things went to far and fell. It looked as if he had tripped but then blood began to pour out of a wound in his back. Mintfang standing over his bloody form,"

Willowsong, absorbed in the story, begins to get louder as she remembers the grousome scene that once played out before her. "Bloodpelt turned just in time to see his father fall at the claws of Mintfang, who now stood defiantly over his gasping form. Blood was everywhere, it seemed to flow from the very earth itself. He screamed, an agonizing scream.. No! Then when he tried to reach his father the other clan cats steped in his way. It was like looking at a rouge stupid enough or strong enough to walk into a clan camp. many of the other cats turned and faught Mintfang only to be pushed back by their own hope of recscuing Darkstar. The others slowly advanced on Bloodpelt, none willing to hear his words. In their eyes he had betrayed the clan just as Mintfang had by killing Hornetgift. They clashed, Willowclan cat against Willowclan. Nothing had prepared them for the fght that ensued. Bloodpelt faught them off as if he were the mentour and they the newly named aprentices. They fell one by one defending the Willowclan leader down to two lives. Then one as Mintfang got another death blow to Darkstar in the frey. When Bloodpelt finaly reached Mintfang and Darkstar most of the clan had become to weak to fight. Darkstar stood shakily on his last life, between Mintfang and a fallen comrad. He took one last look at his son Bloodpelt and smiled sadly and lunged at Mintfang. Bloodpelt tried to stop him, leaping at the dwindling space between them. Mintfang swiped a paw across Bloodpelts face and tossed him aside then spinning he caught Darkstar in the neck. Bloodpelt watched sprawled on the ground as his father and clan leader fell for the last time. His last life draining from him he looked upon his son with love, and told him 'The prophecy would at last come to pass'. Mintfang sneared at him and laughed at Bloodpelt, he told him that he would forever be known as the cat that had killed the great Willowclan. Bloodpelt lunged in a blind rage, attacking the senior warrior that had killed his father. They rolled and tumbled in the muddy red ground, blood oozing from Bloodpelts face adding to the sticking mess. They went on like that for what seemed like hours trading blows, eventually Mintfang fell gasping. He had deep wounds on his flanks and chest. Desperately he tried to stand but to no avail. Bleeding he lay there at the end of his life just as Darkstar had moments before, but he had no one to hear his last words as he took his last breath. Bloodpelt walked away to the leaders perch upon the Willow stone. He proclamed to Starclan that Willowclan was dead by his own doing."

Willowsong was trembling by the end of the telling and tears threatened to fall from her painfilled memory. Her three kits gathered comfortingly around her.