Bluestar

Okay, really. This needs to stop.

Bluestar was pacing back and forth inside her den. A trail had been worn into the sandy floor of the cave, and her nest was all but decimated from her nervous pawings at it. My den is going to be a complete mess if this keeps up!

Bluestar had been alone in her den, pacing anxiously, since moonhigh the night before. She was trying to think of a solution to her problem, but all she had done so far was make a mess of her usually-organized den.

Finally, with an exhausted sigh, Bluestar turned and flopped over into what was left of her nest. There she lay, regretting all that had happened since Fireheart had left.

Things had been growing tenser and tenser in the Codeless group ever since Brokenstar was driven out. Stumpytail and Clawface were becoming more demanding, as they were now rogues and had no reason to even pretend to follow the Code. Whiteclaw was growing ever more distant and short-tempered, and Mudclaw, of course, wasn't there to even out the tensions. Oakheart, when he was there, was now the only one who ever sided with Bluestar―and sometimes he didn't, depending on how Whiteclaw was feeling that night.

This most recent meeting had been the worst yet. Stumpytail and Clawface had started out by demanding juniper berries from whoever had them. When Bluestar dared to ask what they had to trade for it, Stumpytail almost clawed her whiskers off before answering that they had a few mint leaves to trade. Bluestar was both intimidated and offended at the same time. When she somewhat audaciously refused to trade a valuable stock of juniper berries for a few wilted mint leaves, both Stumpytail and Clawface had turned on her. Only quick diplomatic action from Oakheart had saved the group from descending into a fight.

And now―now Bluestar was afraid to go back, but she was even more afraid to stay away. This is a problem! her conscience screamed. This is what you've feared happening ever since you joined that 'group'! You can't leave now. There's no way out. If you try to leave now, the others will hunt you down without stopping.

This has to stop, Bluestar thought again. She turned, pushed through the curtain of moss and lichen, and bounded out into the camp.

It was night. The moon hung like a huge, glowing white stone in the sky. It was almost but not quite full, which meant that there would be a Gathering soon. Oh, StarClan. I don't know if I could handle that right now.

Fortunately, there was one cat Bluestar knew of who could handle just about anything. As she reached the halfway point of the camp, the blue-grey she-cat turned and headed straight for the medicine den.

Bluestar didn't bother staying outside and calling for Yellowfang as most cats did. She pushed through the mossy curtain and padded onward into the den.

Yellowfang was curled up in her nest, but she was by no means asleep. One orange eye was open and her thick, fluffy tail was twitching. When Bluestar entered, Yellowfang sat up in her nest and stretched long and hard.

"Great StarClan," Bluestar mewed, sitting down. "Do you stay up this late every night? It's almost moonhigh!"

"Just sometimes," Yellowfang answered. "I used to stay up late because Runningnose would have nightmares at times. I guess old habits die hard." Her orange eyes grew distant for a moment; then they snapped back into alertness and looked over at Bluestar. "What did you come here for, anyway?"

"Advice," Bluestar sighed, curling her tail up around her paws.

"Ah. It's about your fox-hearted 'group' isn't it?"

"You're too smart for your own good, you old badger," Bluestar retorted. Then she sighed. "But yes, it is about them."

"What's wrong? And don't tell me you need herbs. I'm still recovering from that stock of burdock you 'borrowed'."

"I'm sorry about that, Yellowfang, I really am. But it was the only thing to be done. Now… now I don't know what to do."

"Let me guess," Yellowfang muttered, narrowing her eyes. "Things are getting more violent now, and you don't want to go back, but you're afraid that if you quit now, they'll try to get their revenge on you." Yellowfang paused. "I knew this would happen, you know. Back when you and Oakheart tried to get me to join. You said it would be harmless, but I knew better."

"No, you didn't," Bluestar protested, somewhat feebly. "You said StarClan would curse us for what we were doing! That was all that kept you from joining. You just got lucky."

"Maybe I did," Yellowfang answered. "But even then, I at least knew that nothing good would come of what you were doing."

"You're right," Bluestar murmured.

"What was that?" Yellowfang asked, tilting her head.

"You're right," Bluestar declared, louder. "I know you're right. But I didn't come here for a lecture. I came here for help."

"I can't help you now, Bluestar," Yellowfang meowed quietly. "You have to make your own choices. I could consult with StarClan, if you want―"

"No! Don't ask them."

"Really? Why not?" Yellowfang asked sharply. "Are you afraid they really will curse you if they find out what you're doing?"

"Just… I want to talk to them myself," Bluestar answered weakly. "I'll go and do that now, in fact."

"I can give you something to help you sleep," Yellowfang offered, her voice quieting.

"No, I'll be fine," Bluestar answered, turning to leave. She doubted even poppy seeds would help her sleep now.

"StarClan light your path," Yellowfang called as Bluestar left the medicine den. I wish that were true, the blue-grey leader thought dejectedly. She slowly pushed into her den, lay down in the remains of her nest, and went to sleep.

When she woke, she was standing in a dark, gloomy forest, filled with fog and enclosed by thick, interwoven tree branches. A shudder ran through Bluestar's body. I changed my mind. I want to wake up. But, strangely, there was no other cat there. Not Redtail, not Sparrowfeather, not any other she-cat or tom. Just Bluestar.

Against her better judgment, Bluestar moved forward, off into the mist. She didn't know why she was doing this. But if she couldn't make herself wake up, she wanted to find some other cat.

She didn't have to wait long. As Bluestar stepped forward, a tortoiseshell cat bounded suddenly out of a bush and nearly ran into Bluestar.

At first glance, Bluestar thought the tortoiseshell was Redtail. But after a few moments, she realized that the petite, dappled cat was far too familiar to be Redtail.

"S-Spottedleaf?" Bluestar stuttered. The lithe tortoiseshell, who was indeed Spottedleaf, simply purred and sat down, delicately curling her tail over her paws. Bluestar continued to speak. "I-I thought―I mean―Why aren't you in StarClan?" Bluestar had always known that Spottedleaf was cunning―no, evil―but the tortoiseshell medicine cat had always struck her as the type of cat who would go to StarClan when she died, not this dark place.

"Oh, I did go to StarClan when I died," Spottedleaf mewed, her eyes glittering. "Just as I planned. But I walk where I choose, Bluestar. Just as I always have. I was simply catching up with some… friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes. Friends. You are searching for one of them, I believe. Follow me." Spottedleaf turned and bounded away, through the dark fog. Bluestar felt compelled to follow her.

Running through this forest was nothing like running through ThunderClan territory. Thorns and briars grew on all sides, scratching and tearing at Bluestar's pelt as she ran through them. More than once, the fog concealed trees until Bluestar was right in front of them, forcing her to swerve to avoid hitting them. It was as if the forest had been designed to trick and deceive any travelers who dared to enter it.

Spottedleaf ran on for a long time, until she reached a sheltered clearing. There she stopped, and Bluestar skidded to a halt behind her as well.

Settled in the clearing was a single cat: a mottled brown she-cat with glowing yellow eyes. A chill swept through Bluestar and she hoped that Spottedleaf would pass the clearing by. No such luck. The tortoiseshell strode straight into the clearing and sat down, beckoning with her tail for Bluestar to do the same. Cautiously, the blue-grey she-cat approached and sat down as well.

"Greetings, Sparrowfeather," Spottedleaf mewed smoothly. The mottled she-cat nodded to Spottedleaf, and then turned her attention to Bluestar.

"Back so soon, Bluestar? You must be desperate."

"I didn't mean to come here," Bluestar answered, glaring at Spottedleaf. "I needed advice from StarClan."

"Oh, Bluestar, Bluestar, Bluestar," Sparrowfeather purred. "Why go to StarClan when you have us?"

When Sparrowfeather said this, Spottedleaf got to her feet and quietly left the clearing. Bluestar moved to go as well, but Sparrowfeather shook her head.

"Stay." Bluestar did as she was told. When all that remained of Spottedleaf was her scent, Sparrowfeather locked eyes with Bluestar. "Are you ready to accept our offer?"

"What… offer?" Bluestar asked weakly. Sparrowfeather purred in amusement.

"The offer Spottedleaf laid out for you. It's simple. Too simple, almost. You don't have to take any of the responsibility for you've done. There's no need to! All you have to do is let the Clan think it was Tigerclaw who killed Redtail and Boulder, that it was Tigerclaw who drove Ravenpaw away. I could go on―but you get the idea. No one will even suspect you of anything if you let them believe it was Tigerclaw!" Sparrowfeather was actually full-on purring now, as if everything she was saying was hilarious. "It's a brilliant plan, really."

"Brilliant? It's horrible!" Bluestar yowled back, leaping to her feet. "You honestly think that I'm going to betray my finest warrior to cover up my own mistakes? If anyone is going to take the flak for what I've done, it will be me!"

The humor in Sparrowfeather's eyes had darkened. It was still there, but it was menacing now.

"Oh really?" Sparrowfeather mewed. Her voice was dangerously low. "You know what I think? I think you'll change your mind. We can be very persuasive…" She was advancing towards Bluestar now, her eyes still shining with that dark yet humorous light. "It would be a shame, you know, if you were to somehow die in your sleep. Such a shame…" And then she lunged.

Bluestar leapt back, letting Sparrowfeather land on the hard earth. The mottled she-cat quickly recovered and bounded forward again, driving Bluestar back towards a wall of brambles. Then, before Bluestar could anticipate her, Sparrowfeather leapt and landed sideways on Bluestar's shoulders. The blue-grey leader yowled in pain and fear, twisting wildly, trying to dislodge the crazed she-cat. Sparrowfeather's claws just dug in deeper and deeper, sharp as the teeth of a badger.

"You're going to die here," Sparrowfeather murmured, leaning down to reach Bluestar's ear. "You're going to die alone here and walk this forest forever…"

With a furious yowl Bluestar leapt, twisting in the air, trying to get Sparrowfeather off. But before she could land she felt everything fading away. Sparrowfeather's claws disappeared from her shoulders, though she could still feel the pain of her wounds. And then Bluestar was lying in her nest, breathing hard, with Tigerclaw standing over her.

"Bluestar? Are you alright?" the dark tabby asked worriedly. "You were yowling and crying out in your sleep."

"Yes… yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Tigerclaw." Her deputy simply bowed his head. With a sigh, Bluestar got to her feet.

Tigerclaw gasped, his amber eyes widening. "Bluestar―you're bleeding." Bluestar twisted around and saw that several small rivulets of blood still ran from her shoulders. Suddenly Bluestar felt dizzy. It wasn't just a dream. We were really fighting. She could have killed me…

"It… must have been a thorn in my nest," Bluestar muttered, pushing past Tigerclaw and heading for the entrance. "I'll go see Yellowfang about it."

As she slowly padded across the day-lit clearing, Bluestar felt her problems rushing back to her mind. Her sleep had done nothing to help. Oh, StarClan help me, she thought, looking longingly up at the sky. I don't know how much more I can take of this.

As she approached the medicine den, Bluestar's thoughts began wandering to the one living cat who just might be able to help her. I wonder where Fireheart is now…

Thank you all for following my story! Don't worry, some twists are coming soon! Any critiques or advice is welcome! Also, if you ever would like another opinion on your story (Or anyone's) just send me a message. Thanks for reading!