"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the rock slope for a clan meeting!" Splitstar howled. The sky was just turning dark; clouds making the suns light leave faster than normal. A cool breeze was blowing, and with a sigh she realized that rain would most definitely fall during the night.
Out of the corners of the clearing came the cats of Shadowclan. Black and grey fur predominated the clearing, faces shadowed and eyes glowing in the growing darkness as she awaited the last few cats to join them. Sometimes Splitstar forgot that this clan – her clan, was the most feared. The most hated. Never had she felt more comfortable, more proud of this fact.
As the last cat settled down, she raised her tail to silence the murmurs.
"Cats of Shadowclan, Riverclan's evildoings have gone on for long enough. Because of them, our leader was killed. Because of them, we were made to look weak! Should we let them off without punishment?"
There was no disagreement in the howls that her clan emitted.
"Good. We shall ambush them tonight."
Shock, then anger and excitement took over. Eager younger warriors jostled each other and scraped their claws against the rocks littering the ground. The older, senior warriors grinned, shouldering each other and showing feral fangs. The three apprentices looked overwhelmed. Coldpaw and Pinepaw, both with their brother Seedkit, stood around Mintbreeze.
Now, for the hardest part.
"Every warrior – and apprentice - who can fight is asked to come, but Driftswipe, you must stay behind for your kits, along with you, Moongaze, to protect the camp and elders."
The crowd did not object, and neither did Driftswipe. She knew this was coming and was resigned to her fate. But there was one distinct yowl of frustration.
"What do you mean, 'stay behind'? I'm your mate!" Moongaze was furious, yes, but you could tell he was hurt as well.
"I-"
"No," he interrupted, growling, getting close enough to where their noses were almost touching. "I cannot lose you," he murmured with a gasp. "It's already bad enough you will have no Partner, but no one to protect you? Are you insane?"
"Moongaze, I love you. Can you please trust me?" Splitstar could barely speak, her throat was so tight.
"But why," he pleaded.
"Because this is bigger than just us, now. It's bigger than some family feud. This is about revenge and proving once and for all that this clan is not one that Riverclan can push around."
Moongaze took a shaky breath, pressing his face into her shoulder as time began to tear them apart.
"But if I say goodbye to you know, can you promise that I'll see you again?"
Splitstar pulled away. "Yes," she vowed with a breaking voice. "I promise."
With one last final glance at his mate, Moongaze leapt down to talk with the elders and Darkpelt came up to discuss battle strategies.
"Can you bring Mintbreeze and Seedpaw up here, please?" she asked her dark-furred deputy, who bowed his head and brought the white medicine cat, his tan 'paw at his side, jumpy and nervous.
"What do you need, Splitstar? Seedpaw and I were preparing herbs for after the battle."
"That'll have to be put on hold," she muttered, dragging out from her den one of the leaves that Sharpstar had marked on.
"This plan will not work without you."
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Your name is Mintbreeze, and you are currently soaking wet.
Splitstar sent you and your little 'paw on a nice little walk to the heart of Riverclan territory during a hailstorm.
Heads down, you and Seedpaw slowly traverse through undergrowth and mud in an attempt to stay warm, although with ice bouncing off your bodies it is almost impossible.
Nearing the river, you took an inward groan. It was sure to be flooded beyond hope. Great.
You were nervous about fighting, especially knowing that you were going to be in the center of it all. Your mentor, Clearshadow, had only showed you the basics of defense.
Even more worrisome was Seedpaw, whose both experience and training were almost zero.
What was Splitstar thinking?
Your name is Moongaze, and you are angry. Frustrated. Confused.
Your mate told you to stay behind, to watch over the elders, over Driftswipe, and stay out of the battle.
Why had she done that?
You were nervous. If you knew anything about her, than she had something very dangerous and self-sacrificing planned. It was the only explanation.
And he was not going to let her do it.
With a huff, he gaze a nod to Bonerun, who has stayed behind since Moongaze was his Partner.
With reckless abandon he ran towards the direction of the Riverclan camp, opposite to where the battle patrols went.
He was going to save his mate.
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Your name is Coldpaw. You are really, really excited about what is about to occur. Your first battle! Maybe you'll get your warrior name early, if you are really good.
You're also really cold and wet from the hail, but you were sure it would only make the memory even better.
Your brother Pinepaw runs beside you. The Shadowclan leader, Splitstar, is a little ways in front of you. Your mentor, Bonerun, was not with you, but you were not scared. He showed you how to act tough and send a cat running. You just hoped you could make him proud.
Splitstar raised her tail for them to stop. From the smell of it, they were just outside of Riverclan's camp.
Straining your ears, you pick up Mintbreeze's mew, along with your other brother's fear scent.
She could just pick up the medicine cat's voice.
"Y-yes, I know it is hailing outside. Yes, I know we are at war right now. But we need herbs, and your clan is the closest."
"What do you mean, 'we do not help cats from Shadowclan'? Our whole clan is dying from Greencough! Can you really not spare us some catmint?"
What Coldpaw was guessing was the Riverclan medicine cat's reply was very rude.
"Fine then," Mintbreeze conceded, his voice tightening in anticipation. "This was one final test," he chuckled.
"And you failed. Shadowclan will remember this."
Before he was finished speaking, you and the other six or seven warriors in your patrol leapt through the reeds with screeches so loud whoever was asleep still was now wide awake and disoriented.
Splitstar, the leader of your patrol, nudged Darkpelt's shoulder as she veered away to an unknown location, but that was the least of your worries. The initial surprise was over, and now warriors and apprentices were streaming out of their dens, furious.
Eyes wide to the sight before you as your brother turned into a mass of teeth and claws with an apprentice, you didn't register that you were in danger before it was too late.
Teeth wrapped around your shoulder and you went flying as the force of impact reached you. A full grown warrior was on top of you, slashing and tearing and making your stomach a mass of shredded fur.
With little pants you tried to fight for air, but it was too difficult, your chest felt like it had a million splinters in it, and most of your body was numb, although the warrior kept fighting and biting.
After a while, or maybe a second, he got off of you. You lost track of time. You could not breathe. You could not think. Pale, white warriors surrounded you and called your name.
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Splitstar stood at the base of the ravine, at a stalemate with a murderer.
Fur plastered to both of your bodies, you and Rapidstar stood about a three tail lengths away from each other.
The grey leader's face was shadowed, but it did not matter to her any longer. He was not the kit who left the sparkling objects in her nest. He was not the apprentice she met with in secret. He was a monster. His hunger for dominance and power had twisted his mind so that he was his own huge figure, dimming everyone else.
"So, are you here to kill me?" he inquired coolly, head tilted to the side in a disgusting imitation of innocence.
Splitstar had to dig her claws into the soft, wet earth to keep herself from leaping at him right this instance. But she was at a disadvantage. Her back was to the ravine's drop, about a tail length away, and its fall made her stomach drop just thinking about it.
Still giving no answer to the tom, she steadied herself and inched to the left.
"Answer or no, one of us is not going to see the light of day," he cackled, kneading the ground with bloody paws.
When Splitstar still didn't answer, he grew agitated.
"You know, I got into a little scuffle before cornering you here."
Her mind was filled with only one thing: inch to the left when he looks away. Inch to the left.
"This little 'paw, stark white. She didn't fight back at all. It was quite funny, actually."
Just inch to the left. Coldpaw can't be avenged if you don't move to the left.
Rapidstar licked a bloody paw in contempt. "A couple of your others put up a fight, also, but I pride myself on being unbeaten in battle."
Inch to the left. To the left. To the left.
"Are you going to try and change that, little Rainkit?"
The hail had stopped, she noted numbly, but the rain carried on at a softer pace.
Left left left left left
The roaring of the ravine below them both was a dull but constant noise at the back of her head.
"And if I say yes?" she finally spoke.
"Well, that doesn't change the outcome of this match," Rapidstar retorted, "But it definitely makes it a lot more fun."
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The Riverclan camp was still full of battle when Moongaze arrived. The mud underneath his paws was sticky with blood and littered with hail and bodies.
He tried not at them too closely as he followed his mate's scent trail towards a ravine full of fear scent and blood.
He saw Rapidstar first.
His frame was muscular and well-built even with his pelt clinging to his body, and his body shook with repressed anger. He seemed to be in a conversation with Splitstar, but he couldn't see her from his position.
"You seem to forget that I too lost a mother that day. Your leader killed my mother first, and I repaid that favor. So why are you here, Rainkit?"
"I am here for Coldpaw, then." His mate replied with a determined mew.
"What, for that little 'paw? Hardly worth risking your life for the impossible!"
"Every life is worth it," Splitstar hissed. Moongaze could tell she was preparing to attack him, pushing him towards the ravine and to the both of their deaths.
He could not let that happen. He had sworn to give his life for his mate, and he was not going to back out of his vow.
He loved her.
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.
.
Finally, she wasn't the one in a compromising position, but Rapidstar.
"Every life is worth it," she replied to the Riverclan leader.
"And my name it not Rainkit. It is Splitstar,"
Two bounds and she connected bodies with him.
One tail-length to the edge of the ravine.
Half a heartbeat before she realized there was something terribly wrong.
Rapidstar had not fought her as she leapt onto him. His gaze was focused behind her.
And then she smelled him.
Moongaze.
"Get away from my mate," he screeched, shoving her aside and engaging in a bloody and short fight with the grey tom.
In moments Rapidstar had her mate on his back, claws on his chest and blood in his mouth.
She had been thrown back, and Splitstar stood in shock and confusion. She had told him to wait at the camp… but she should've known better.
With her heart beating in her throat as everything seemed to go slow and then stop, her mind chose now to throw at her memories of her tom, currently dying right in front of her: the warmth of his gaze when they first woke up in the mornings. His heart, beating in rhythm with hers as he pulled her farther into the forest with love in his eyes. His everything.
His blood, flowing in an endless tide towards her paws, before splitting into little rivulets from the rain. His pain. His love, strong enough to sacrifice himself for her.
All at once, without a thought and with her mind full of memories, with no heartbeat but a racing pulse, she moved into action, hooking her claws into the stomach of the Riverclan leader and dragged him over the edge of the ravine with her right behind.
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.
.
Fog clouded her eyes as she tried to open them. Her fur was heavy with rainwater and wariness. She had been walking all night and into the morning.
She had no idea why she survived and Rapidstar didn't. luck? Starclan? She was afraid that she would never know, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
She could no longer see through her right eye, or feel the whole right side of her face, for that matter. It may have been how she landed in the shallow river below, even though it was swollen with rain water.
Blood dripped down from multiple wounds as she heaved another breath and took another breath.
She was afraid she would not make it much longer. But she had a promise to keep.
Flashes of bodies would forever haunt her in her sleep, but forever did not seem it would be very long anymore.
Coldpaw. Braveglare. Blackrose. Sweetpetal. Coalfoot. Smokefur. Strongsoul. Skyheart. Dreamsong.
Neither clan would not be the same.
The aftermath of the storm left birds chirping and a happy breeze blowing and leading Splitstar the way. It was sort of ironic.
The familiar smells of Shadowclan crept into her mind without her noticing until she was practically at the entrance.
A deep and heavy mood hung over the forest and camp. Taking another way, Splitstar limped to her den, were there was a small space for her to squeeze into.
She tried to ignore the blood that trickled down onto he bushes and sand as she made her way into the cave.
Moongaze was there, curled in a call and heaving great, shaky breaths. His whole body shook, and it took her a second to remember that she was presumed dead.
She cleared her voice, but Moongaze did not turn.
"Mintbreeze, I told you that I don't need your poppy seeds. I will sleep when death takes me and brings me back to my Splitrain."
She cleared her voice once more, and he turned over-
And stared.
"Splitrain?"
She could only smile and nod as he ran to her and halted in his tracks when he took her in completely. She did not know what her face looked like, but she knew she was not in good shape.
His breaths turned ragged.
"Oh Starclan, you'll be okay, don't worry, I'll go grab Mintbreeze and he can-"
She held up a tail to stop him.
His eyes were full of tears as he gave up after a moment and buried his node into her neck, her shoulder, looked her in the eyes.
He was becoming very foggy. Her paws disappeared from her body and she floated and sank all at once.
Moongaze gestured to the puddle that her fur had made in front of her.
"I hope you know I always Thought you were beautiful. Because you wer – are."
Attempting to let out a purr, she peered down to the puddle below. With her vision as hazy as it was, she did not see much other than black fur and red blood, but the puddle grew. It grew and grew and Moongaze faded and she wanted to cry out but she couldn't feel her mouth or her body and she sank into oblivion, her mate's eyes the last thing she saw.
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Starclan stood and bowed their heads, mourning the cats now along their ranks of the dead.
There was one that should've that was not there, though.
Starclan had more in store for her.