Chapter 27
The battle was over. Lightningstar stood in the center of four trees, looking around like she didn't believe it. But she did. The badgers had figured out fighting was fruitless and had fled, the dark ones had been killed by wolves, and with Death Trap missing the rogue cats were done fighting too.
Then Lightningstar saw a cat running for it. She already knew it was Rainfall. Lightningstar bolted after her, and pounced, sending her crashing to the ground. "Oh no you don't." Lightningstar growled.
"Lightningstar, I can explain." Rainfall started. It was a rather pathetic start.
"There's nothing for you to explain." Lightningstar snapped back. "You doubted me and this clan once, and now you've betrayed us for a murderer like Death Trap. I gave you a second chance the first time. In fact, it was your third chance. Didn't you used to be in Death's rogue group?" It wasn't a question. Most of the cats in Lightningstar's clan were formerly in Death's rogue group, the only ones she knew for certain weren't were Ashpelt and Sorrowfighter.
"Shut it!" Rainfall whimpered.
"You're right. I've wasted enough time with you." Lightningstar got off. "Get out of here. And never come back, or I'll kill you." She flashed her claws in front of Rainfall to prove her point.
Rainfall's eyes grew wide and she ran away. The cats not in Lightningclan stood staring. "Wow, what'd we miss?" Fallenstar asked. He and Moonstar were walking in.
"We won the battle." Stormstar replied.
"I was just getting rid of a traitor." Lightningstar added.
Fallenstar nodded. It looked like he was going to say something, but Moonstar beat him to it. "We killed Death Trap."
Stormstar's jaw dropped. "Y-you-Really?" He finally managed to say.
Fallenstar beamed proudly. He had done something impressive, and Stormstar hadn't been a part of it. "Yep." He said.
Before anyone could comment further on that, Brokenclaw called out. "Moonstar! You're hurt!" He dashed over. "Here, I've got some herbs, got them during the fight."
"No." Moonstar pushed him back gently with one of her paws. Brokenclaw opened his mouth to argue. "Take care of the cats without nine lives first."
Broken claw sighed and nodded. "Right." He moved over towards Eclipsepelt. Moonstar's eyes got a little wider and she looked towards her brother in concern. But he seemed to be okay overall.
Stormstar nodded. "Good idea." He said. "Angelwing! Emberpaw! We have cats who need healing." The two medicine cats dashed forward, getting to work.
Goldenglow from Wildclan, and Sliverstripes from Fallenclan also appeared to start healing. Fallenstar narrowed his eyes towards Sliverstripes. "We have something to talk about." He said. He moved towards her.
Lightningstar ignored him though. "Ashpelt! Slitherstep! Where are you?" She called out.
Slitherstep shuffled forwards with herbs in his mouth. "Ashpelt is dead." He sniffed.
"Oh." That was all Lightningstar managed to say. She nodded, looking at the ground. "Okay. Slitherstep, I need you to heal our clanmates. We'll hold vigil for Ashpelt when we get back to camp."
Slitherstep nodded and moved towards the cats who needed healing.
Fallenstar moved to Sliverstripes. "Did you have those herbs the whole time?"
"Well, yes." Sliverstripes admitted, not looking away from Braveheart, the cat she was currently healing.
Fallenstar made a few sputtering noises. "Then why didn't help Darkpaw!? It's too late now!"
"I couldn't have done anything." Sliverstripes was looking directly away from him now. "He was dead when he hit the ground."
"You weren't there! You don't know that!" Fallenstar shouted. "And now Bluepaw's gone too, and I don't know where to look for her!"
"Shut it!" Sliverstripes snapped, turning around. He saw the tears in her eyes then. "You think I don't care?!"
"I, well," Fallenstar backed up.
"Of course I care. And you don't need to. Darkpaw and Bluepaw weren't your kits, they were mine!" Sliverstripes froze, her mouth hanging open, as if she didn't believe she'd just said that.
And it was that disbelief that made Fallenstar believe her. I wasn't there when the kits were being born. Fallenstar thought. I didn't know. "W-who's the father?" He managed to ask.
Sliverstripes shook her head. "I won't get him in trouble too."
You're not in trouble. Not with me anyway. Fallenstar thought. He sighed and looked at the ground. "Very well. We'll talk back at camp." He turned around and walked away, head and tail drooping.
