Author's note: Feel free to leave a review about what you think of my writing style and how characters are portrayed. If you have any ideas towards what direction I could take the story, let me know and I'll consider the option.
Chapter 9: Tales of Thunder the Dealer
Darkstripe rarely got days off with his busy schedule of warrior duties as well as dealing, but today was an uncommon day. He'd asked Bluestar for a day off when he'd entered camp that night and the sweat stench permeating off of him convinced her. Darkstripe woke early as was his habit, but instead of rush off for his first duty of the day, he moved to relax in the rising sunlight. It was a strange bliss for Darkstripe. A day to rest his thoughts and only think of himself. He'd almost fallen into a nap when a bundle of restless kits bumped into him. Darkstripe startled but quickly settled.
"What brings you kits tumbling over?" Darkstripe said with an amused mew.
"We were playing Shadow versus Thunder Clan!" One kit piped up.
Another asked, "What's it like being a warrior? Do you have any stories?"
This was Darkstripe's favorite activity. Not many knew this, but Darkstripe had an affinity for storytelling.
"How about I tell you some stories about the mysterious dealer cat known as Thunder."
"Who's Thunder? What's a dealer?"
"Thunder is a cat that can get his paws on anything for anybody, but he always has a price."
The kits shushed at this before one replied, "Like what? Some fresh kill?"
"Thunder deals in many things. He could get a kittypet collar. He could tell you secrets. He can do you a favor, but whatever you ask for, he will ask for something of equal value in return. I think I'll start with Thunder and the grieving mother.
There once was a molly rogue who lost her kit to a hawk. This molly had suffered many losses before and losing her last kit broke her. She hated this hawk with such a passion that she did not eat. She did not drink. She barely slept in a fitful state that one couldn't truly call it resting. Her fur was a matted mess stained by her constant tears. After so long of tracking the hawk that caused her so much grief, she finally found its nest. The mother, not in the state to take revenge herself, found herself a dealer. This dealer was River. River brought Thunder into the deal.
'I don't care the price! I want that hawk dead! I want its nest gone!' The mother demanded of Thunder. This deal was too much for Thunder to pass. He made her swear do one favor for him no questions asked if he got rid of the hawk. From there Thunder found the nest the mother had told him about. He spied on the nest for three days before making his move in the dead of night. It was a starless night. An ill omen or a blessing, Thunder did not know. He scaled the tree slowly as to not alert the hawk. As thunder made his way across the branch that held the hawk's nest, he saw the hawk's spawn quietly sleeping as well. Ugly little creatures he believed. He did not care. He had a mother's vengeance and a deal to fulfil. He creeped up to the nest and began to slowly shift it off the branch. He believed the hawk would die from the fall. When the nest was right at the precipice, the hawk awoke. The nest tumbled down with the hawk's spawn to the hard earth below while a battle raged in the branches above. Thunder, while clever, was not the greatest fighter. He swiped at the hawk every chance he got and the hawk returned the damage to fold. For you see the hawk was a mother too. In a final push, Thunder leapt and broke one of the hawk's wing. It would be a victory if not for Thunder plummeting to the ground below. Thunder landed hard next to the hawk's corpse. He leg was broken ironically to match the hawk's wing. He looked at his defeated foe with pride until he saw the hawk's spawn. They weren't as dead as he believed. They were terribly broken like they'd been run over on a thunderpath, but they breathed and cried. Thunder realized he'd just done to the hawk as the hawk had done to the mother. Thunder escorted the mother to the fallen hawk for her to confirm he'd done it. Instead of joy, the mother saw the dead hawk spawn and grew distraught. She's condemned another mother to die as well as its children. Thunder took this time to for once close a deal to the benefit of another.
'The favor I ask of you is to find another love, travel far from these memories, and raise some new kits while never forgetting what was done this night.'
The avenged mother finally stopped the tears that had plagued her since her kit had died. Thunder quietly groomed her and sent her off. They say the mother found a mate eventually and had two kits. She named one Lightning after the cat who gave her revenge and the other Hawk for the sin of killing a mother and her children."
The kits, enamored by the tale suddenly piped up, "How do you know Thunder's real?"
"Because I've met him. He gave me something to remember the story."
Darkstripe quickly dug something from under his nest before giving it to one of the kits. It was a hawk feather, weathered by being laid upon and aged from moons of decay. It was faded, but clearly a hawk's.
"They say Thunder grew to fear mothers for the power they hold for those they protect."
As gently as he could, Darkstripe returned his feather to his secret trophy collection. Darkstripe purred as he saw the kits toddle off to play Thunder and the hawk. It was truly a great day for Darkstripe. He knew eventually the queens would be on his case about telling such a roguish tale to the kits, but he knew they appreciated the moral about the strength of a mother. At least very few knew the after of the story where Darkstripe limped into camp delirious from pain and had to be confined to the medicine den for a moon. The feather was one the medicine cat had found lodged in his pelt after the brutal battle.
Now in the evening sun, Darkstripe let himself sleep in its warm embrace. He dreamed of his victories and failures. He dreamed of his persona called Thunder and his life as Darkstripe. Days of rest were Darkstripe's favorite thing.