Sunheart ran through the trees. She had to talk to Hawkfur so they could stop this. She reached the border by the lake and froze at what she saw. Onestar was leading a battle patrol straight for the border. Sunheart scanned the cats. Ashfoot, Nightcloud, Whitetail, Heathertail, Raventail, Breezepelt...Hawkfur! The tom was trudging beside his father with his head down, a shameful look on his face. Breezepelt murmured something in his ear with changed Hawkfur's shameful look to horror.
Sunheart turned and dashed back through the forest. It wasn't long before she saw Bramblestar leading his battle patrol toward the border. Sunheart scanned the patrol in search for her father. Please don't let him be on the patrol! Sure enough she found him in the patrol padding beside Dovewing and Ivypool. Feeling confused on what to do Sunheart ran to the lake. She skidded to a halt at the shore and felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Oh StarClan! What can I do by myself?" Sunheart sobbed. If she didn't have Hawkfur right beside her then how was she suposed to stop the battle?
"Sunheart," Sunheart opened her eyes and looked up to see a starry pelted black cat with green eyes.
"Who are you?" Sunheart rasped.
"I'm Hollyleaf," the StarClan cat answered. "Sunheart, you have to stop this battle."
"But how? I'm only one cat," Sunheart pointed out, more tears rolling down her cheek.
Hollyleaf sat down beside her and placed her tail on her shoulder. "You're never alone. Vineleaf is always beside you."
"But she's not here," Sunheart reminded her.
"Maybe not in sight, but at the heart you are one," Hollyleaf meowed. Sunheart gave her a puzzled look. "Look in the water." Sunheart obeyed and gasped when she saw only half of her reflection. "You're one with Vineleaf. It's the same with Hawkfur. Hawkfur and Vineleaf will always be by your side. And so will I." Hollyleaf then vanished, leaving Sunheart all alone beside the lake. Sunheart sat there for awhile thinking over what Hollyleaf had told her. She looked at her reflection again and determination filled her eyes. She was going to stop this battle!
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a yowl. Sunheart dashed into the forest toward the battle. She stopped when she saw Lionblaze facing Breezepelt and Hawkfur. She hid behind a bush and watched. What'll you do Hawkfur?
"Get him, Hawkfur! Sink your teeth into his throat and you'll have fufilled your destiny!" Breezepelt growled with a devious smile.
Hawkfur stared at him in horror. He glanced at his father, at Lionblaze and back again. Hawkfur took and deep breath and faced his father, his head held high. "No. I won't."
"What?!" Breezepelt exclaimed. "What kind of a warrior are you?"
Hawkfur glared at his father. "The kind that won't kill for his own personal reasons! There's nothing you can say or do that would make me hurt Lionblaze!"
Breezepelt faced his son and leaped with his claws unsheathed and teeth bared. "Traitor!" He landed on top of Hawkfur. Hawkfur struggled to get free but Breezepelt wouldn't let go. "I gave you everything you ungrateful mange-pelt!"
Hawkfur looked at his father, knowing he was probably close to death, but his gaze was calm and steady. "You never gave me anything! All you ever did was train me to fufill something you couldn't do! Well I've got news for you, Breezepelt! I'm done being your puppet! I'm not going to hurt one hair on Lionblaze's pelt!"
Lionblaze stood frozen to the spot as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He glanced from Breezepelt to Hawkfur and back again. "Oh no! You won't be my puppet anymore because I'm done with you! You can go and join StarClan!" Breezepelt lunged for Hawkfur's neck. Hawkfur braced himself.
"No!" Sunheart leaped out of the bushes and tackled Breezepelt. She ran over to Hawkfur and helped him up.
"Sunheart!" Lionblaze exclaimed in surprise. "You should be back at camp taking care of your kits!"
"Vineleaf is taking care of them, and I'm not going to let Breezepelt kill Hawkfur!" Sunheart snapped at her father.
"Hawkfur! I told you to stop talking to that cat!" Breezepelt hissed.
"I won't stop talking to her!" Hawkfur retorted.
"Sunheart, what's going on?" Lionblaze asked.
Sunheart took a deep breath and held her head high. "I've been secretly meeting Hawkfur," she meowed.
"So he's..." Lionblaze began.
"Yes," Sunheart cut him off. "He is the kit's father."
"You traitor!" Breezepelt snarled at his son.
"I don't care what you say! I love her!" Hawkfur retorted laying his ears down flat and glaring at his father.
"Where's Bramblestar? I have to stop this battle!" Sunheart asked Lionblaze.
"He's fighting with Onestar," Lionblaze answered. Sunheart nodded and turned to go and look for the two leaders in the mess of battle but Hawkfur came up beside her.
"I'm going with you. We're in this together," he declared. Sunheart smiled and nuzzled him.
"Hawkfur," Lionblaze meowed. Hawkfur and Sunheart turned to look at him. "Take care of her for me."
Hawkfur nodded. "If a cat hurts one hair on her pelt they'll answer to me," he growled. "That includes my father," he added when he saw Breezepelt advance a paw forward. Sunheart then led Hawkfur through the battle looking for Bramblestar and Onestar. It wasn't long before they found them locked in the battle. They broke apart and were about to leap at each other again when Sunheart and Hawkfur ran between them.
"Stop!" they yowled. The forest got quiet as all the cats focused their attention toward them.
"Sunheart?" Bramblestar breathed in confusion.
"Hawkfur! What in the name of StarClan are you doing?" Onestar growled, more furious than confused.
"Bramblestar this has to stop," Sunheart meowed calmly. Bramblestar stayed silent and let her continue. "The scent you kept finding over the border was my fault. I was meeting Hawkfur at night." The cats gasped in shock.
Onestar narrowed his eyes and looked at Hawkfur. "Is this true?"
"It's true," Hawkfur answered.
"Traitor!" Breezepelt snarled.
Hawkfur's pelt bristled. "I am not ashamed of what I've done! I love Sunheart and nothing will ever change that!"
"Hawkfur...no," Raventail breathed.
"I'm sorry Raventail but it's the truth," Hawkfur meowed, his gaze softening as it flicked to his sister.
"You stand alone!" Breezepelt snarled. "We could all easily take you out!"
Sunheart turned her gaze to Breezepelt. "No! You're wrong! We do not stand alone here tonight. She might not be here physically but Vineleaf stands beside me no matter what! She is my sister and my other half! My sister and I are one!"
Bramblestar blinked in surprise at her words but didn't say anything. Sunheart then turned back to Bramblestar. "Please Bramblestar. Punish me however you wish but please call your warriors back. Blood should not be shed for me beind true to my feelings."
Bramblestar looked from his patrol to Sunheart and back again. "The battle is off!" he finally meowed.
"Let's go home," the WindClan leader growled as he led his patrol away. Hawkfur followed. He paused and took one last glance at Sunheart.
"Goodbye, Sunheart. I love you," Hawkfur whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
Sunheart felt tears welling up in her eyes. "I love you too," she rasped as he disappeared into WindClan territory.
"Punish her Bramblestar!" Dustpelt yowled.
"She betrayed us!" another cat added but Sunheart didn't catch who said it. Lionblaze ran to his daughter's side and stoked her back with his tail comfortingly.
"Sunheart will not be punished," Bramblestar decided.
Shocked gasps came from the patrol. "What?!"
"Why not?"
"She broke the warrior code!"
Bramblestar raised his tail for silence. When everyone was silent he spoke. "Yes, she did break the warrior code, but she came out and told the truth to save her Clanmates from getting hurt. And I couldn't ask a cat to ignore their feelings. And by the looks of it she'd been hurt enough." Tears began to rolled down Sunheart's cheeks. Dovewing, Ivypool and Bumblestripe came out of the group and seemed to want to try and comfort her but they each couldn't find the words. The Clan then realized she was hurting already and hung their heads.
"We're sorry, Sunheart."
"Really sorry."
"Let's head home," Bramblestar meowed as he led the patrol back to camp. Sunheart followed with Lionblaze, Dovewing, Ivypool and Bumblestripe staying close to her side.
"Well done, Sunheart," came Hollyleaf's mew. Sunheart turned her gaze to the sky. As Hollyleaf murmured, "We are one."
Yes, I know! I took the we are one idea from the Lion King but it works so well! I had to use it!
