Russetstripe's paws skimmed over the moorland, the green-leaf sun bearing on her back as she searched the grassland for her brother's ginger-and-white pelt. He had not been seen in camp since the morning, and when she had mustered up the courage to ask Wildheart about him, Wildheart had spat at her and told her she didn't care. Now Russetstripe was beginning to worry – her brother never spent so long out of camp, and she could only hope he was safe.
The ginger she-cat sniffed out the moorland, and when a sickly scent of copper taste of blood drifted into her senses, she stiffened in her tracks. Oh… oh, gods, what is that? Russetstripe followed the scent, hoping that she wouldn't see the worst, but just as the scent became stronger and thicker, she could spot a limp bundle of ginger-and-white fur over the moorland. No!
"Scorchclaw!" Russetstripe cried out as she raced over to the lump of fur. Her brother was lying limp on the ground, his eyes shut, blood gushing from multiple wounds all over his body. Russetstripe was about to examine them and see if they came from a predator, but when she saw just how pitiful of a state her brother was in, she couldn't move. He was barely breathing, his breaths weak and staggered. "Scorchclaw!"
But he did not respond to Russetstripe's frantic pleas. Russetstripe shook out her fur, feeling her world nearly collapse. No!
"Scorchclaw, I swear to all the gods, if you die on me, I will follow you into StarClan and kill you myself!" Russetstripe yowled at him. I've got to get hm to camp! What am I waiting for? Russetstripe sank her teeth in her brother's scruff and hauled him on her back. She bounded away from the blood-soaked patch of grass where he was resting, and as if she was being chased by a pack of dogs, ran through the moorland, heading straight towards camp. Nothing else was more important than getting her brother to Violetheart. As he laid on her back, she could notice his body gradually weakening more than ever. He's going to die if I don't get there on time! Russetstripe thought, panic making her run faster.
Just as Russetstripe approached the ridge of camp, she dove down the walls, landing onto the grass and grunting. The cats in camp regarded her with wide stares, and once they noticed Scorchclaw's limp body on her back, they broke out into howls of shock and despair.
"Scorchclaw!" Blackdove cried out. "Russetstripe, what happened?"
Gorseflight raced over to Russetstripe, his yellow eyes wide. "Russetstripe, I—"
"Get out of my way!" Russetstripe howled at the cats. "There's no time for this! He's going to die if we don't do something!" She raced into the rock that made Violetheart's den and dropped him on the ground, wincing as she heard the thud as her brother hit the moorland. She turned to Violetheart, who had spun around with eyes wide in horror. "You've got to save him, Violetheart!"
"Calm down," Violetheart growled.
"I can't!" Russetstripe screamed at the medicine cat. "When I saw him, he was barely moving! Look! His fur is more red than ginger! I can't even see the stripes on his fur!" She stared at her brother, fear and panic making her ginger fur fluff out. She wanted to listen to Violetheart's advice – she wanted to calm down. But Scorchclaw was a limp bundle of fur, and now he wasn't moving at all.
Violetheart narrowed her eyes. "If you want to be useful, you'll pass me those cobwebs over there." She jerked her gray head towards a crevice in the rock wall, ridden with herbs. The medicine cat picked some of the herbs in her jaws.
"Got it." Russetstripe nodded as Violetheart walked over to Scorchclaw's bleeding body, holding the package of herbs in her jaws. Russetstripe grabbed the cobwebs with her paws and tossed most of them to Violetheart, while keeping some for herself to treat a wound she could see with her own eyes. As Russetstripe pressed the cobwebs against his wound, she studied how the skin was torn.
The wound was too small for a dog's claws, too neat for a fox's, and there was no way a hawk would inflict these wounds repeatedly. There were no badgers on the moor, although anything could happen. But Russetstripe doubted it. Scorchclaw was attacked, and the only possible explanation was a cat. These were claw marks, and there was no scent of RiverClan or ThunderClan. Just the hefty scent of WindClan.
Russetstripe dug her head into her brother's shoulder. "Oh, Scorchclaw," she gasped. "Who did this to you?"
"Continue with what you're doing!" Violetheart snapped at Russetstripe. Russetstripe nodded and pressed the cobwebs harder on Scorchclaw's wound, wincing as the blood soaked through the webs and continued to bleed more than ever before. She replaced the sodden cobwebs with a new wad, but still, the blood surpassed them easily.
Wildheart's frantic voice echoed through Russetstripe's ears as the tortoiseshell she-cat pushed herself through the entrance. "Is he okay?" she demanded.
"Didn't you say you hated him?" Russetstripe asked icily. Why was Wildheart here if she just spoke bad about him? I won't let anyone insult my brother! Ever! Especially when he's on his deathbed!
"Shut up!" Wildheart snapped at Russetstripe. "Just shut up!"
Gorseflight and Blackdove's scents became fresh at Violetheart's entrance. Russetstripe flattened her ears as they tried to squeeze their way in.
"Is he okay?" Gorseflight inquired. "What happened to him?"
"Is he going to make it?" Blackdove gasped.
"All of you, get out of here!" Violetheart ordered, her booming voice more frightening than any enemy Russetstripe ever imagined. "Let me work, or else he will die!"
Her demand seemed to have an effect on the three cats, for they stepped back, and Wildheart flashed a worried glance at Scorchclaw's limp body before reluctantly leaving. Russetstripe let out a relieved sigh, before another familiar scent wafted at the entrance and a cat marched in.
"Like I said—" Violetheart's voice was cut off.
"I don't give a damn about what you said," Swiftstar snarled, clawing the lichen that draped from the entrance to Violetheart's den. "I'd fight the gods themselves if they tried to stop me from seeing my son."
"Message received," Violetheart grunted as she massaged herbs into Scorchclaw's open wounds. Russetstripe looked at her father as he sniffed Scorchclaw's pelt. Her Clan leader froze, and then lifted his head, his eyes wide as if a monster was approaching him. Then, the tom broke into a furious yowl.
"Who could have done this?" Swiftstar screeched to the roof of the medicine den, and Russetstripe wouldn't be surprised if the rock shattered from the force of Swiftstar's roar. "I know. I already know. Is this the reward you give me, for giving you WindClan? I gave that boy everything. Everything! And he threw it all away! All covered in blood! In Scorchclaw's blood!" Swiftstar's face was turning red as he yowled his fury to any cat who would listen. "Spilled, all of it!"
Violetheart and Russetstripe watched their Clan leader rage with wide eyes. Russetstripe had never seen her father like this before. For a fleeting second, she was more concerned about him than Scorchclaw. Is he going to be okay? She shook her head. He's a big cat. He'll be fine. I don't know if Scorchclaw will, though.
But Swiftstar was not done. "Adderstripe!" he howled, breaking out of the medicine den and screaming to the sky. Russetstripe was on his heels, watching him with terror as the Clan cats gathered, watching their leader break down. "You have soiled my claws! Come out! Come out and smell the blood! Adderstripe! You will not get away with this!" With those words hanging in the air, the WindClan leader shot across camp and into his den, howling to the sky. Russetstripe watched him go, frozen in her tracks.
The WindClan cats stared after their leader, horrified. When he was out of sight, they began to turn on each other.
"Adderstripe did this?" Waspberry exclaimed. "That's impossible! He's the Clan deputy, and Swiftstar's son!"
"He's always been so kind when I was training with him," Lilystream added, her blue eyes shadowed. "I don't believe he did it. It has to be Rabbitfur. He's been missing for a quarter moon now, and he sent that assassin after Swiftstar."
"But Adderstripe has also been gone since last night," Grayflight remarked, his amber eyes dark.
"Neither has Brambledusk," Songbreeze remarked, her yellow eyes narrowed into slits.
"You don't assume my son is on this?" Spottedwing snapped, raising her hackles and getting to her paws. "He would never!"
"He's always been close to Adderstripe," Hawkfeather pointed out. "If Adderstripe is responsible for this, it makes sense for Brambledusk to be involved."
"You say this like we have proof that Adderstripe is involved," Sandfall growled at Hawkfeather. "But we don't!"
"The only thing we have on Adderstripe is our leader's angry screams," Aspenstep agreed with Sandfall. "That isn't enough to find him guilty."
Unable to listen to this anymore, Russetstripe rushed into Swiftstar's den, forcing herself through the small entrance and into the tree. Her father was staring at the wall, his back turned to her, and he showed no sign that he acknowledged her presence. He was as still as a stone, and Russetstripe, for a moment, wasn't even sure that he knew she was there.
Oh, gods. Russetstripe had finally realized what she felt. She hated her father. She hated him for belittling her as a kit, forcing her into a competition when she was an apprentice, attempting to force her into an arranged marriage, and caring more about Adderstripe and Scorchclaw than her. But, through it all, he was still her father, even if she despised him. And Russetstripe couldn't bear to see him suffering the way he was. Russetstripe walked over to him, sitting next to him, but said nothing.
Swiftstar stared at the wall. "Adderstripe knows I am his real father," he began. "But he tells cats Rabbitfur is his father, and he wishes it was true. He is a deceiver. He is trying to be something he is not. Those who would rule must be honest. Liars and deceivers will always lead cats astray. And they will lead the land astray. There can be no peace that way. I am a miser, but I have never tried to hide it. Don't you think so?"
Russetstripe swallowed the lump in her throat. He had lied about Finchwing's death to Flintstar, but other than that, Russetstripe couldn't think of a moment where he had truly lied, despite knowing the cruelty of his own ways. He had even acknowledged it. She didn't know what to say to him, so she let him go on.
"I have led many good cats to their deaths," Swiftstar murmured. "In the night, before I sleep, I recite their names. But lately, I cannot recall their names. The names of the cats who saved my life simply won't come to me anymore. I have forgotten them. I… have grown old. I realized my time is up, and that's why I chose the deputy. But I picked the wrong successor. The mistake must be corrected."
Russetstripe swallowed the lump in your throat. "You're going to change your deputy."
"I have no choice." Swiftstar shook his head. "Adderstripe cannot lead the Clan. I should've gone with my gut. I knew Scorchclaw was the right cat to make deputy, but I still picked Adderstripe instead, because that is what I promised his mother. Russetstripe…" Her father turned to face her. "My father was a rogue from the outskirts of territory. I damaged my relationship with him because I wanted to join the Clans, but I came to WindClan and I achieved greatness. I always thought that the Clans should become one, to make a great land. Safe from any intruder. I can't do it in my lifetime… but there must be some cat who can."
A great land, Russetstripe thought as she stared at her father. I've never heard of a great land before. Isn't WindClan one?
The ginger-and-white tabby tom got to his paws. "Sleep, Russetstripe. Let's see if Scorchclaw makes it through the night. Then, when the sun rises, it will be time for the war against Adderstripe."
Russetstripe watched as her father limped away from her, curling up in a ball in his den. The ginger she-cat swallowed, wondering whether to stay with him or not. But when he turned his back on her, Russetstripe knew that it was useless. So she walked away from him, exiting the den with her tail trailing in the ground.
"The mistake must be corrected." Swiftstar's words were laced with a mix of anger and pain when he said them, but there was no mistaking the certainty that was there. Swiftstar was determined to wage war against Adderstripe, and there was nothing any cat could do about it. Perhaps it was best that no cat did anything. If Swiftstar was so insistent on Adderstripe being the cat that had mauled Scorchclaw, maybe he was right. And, if that was the case, then the war had to happen.
I'm scared. Russetstripe shut her eyes. I'm so scared. Was Scorchclaw going to be okay? Would Adderstripe kill Swiftstar? Would Swiftstar kill Adderstripe? What would become of WindClan if son and father were forced to face off? No, not forced. Adderstripe had been instigating this war, and Swiftstar finally accepted it.
I'll have to fight, too, Russetstripe thought as she curled up in a ball near the edge of camp and shut her eyes. I'll have no choice, although I'm not particularly keen on fighting on either side. But, for now, she would close her eyes and let sleep take her. She had to be well-rested for the ominous, tragic day that would come when the sun rose in the morning.
When the sun rose, golden petals stretching over the rich blue, the camp was bathed in a rosy glow, shadowed in crimson. Russetstripe got to her paws, barely having slept the night – and from the exhausted eyes of the other warriors, she guessed that she wasn't the only one who had that problem. Swiftstar exited his den, the sun shafting rays on his pelt, illuminating his figure to make him look like a lion, tales from the ancient Clan.
Russetstripe saw her father's gaze focusing solely on the entrance to camp. He's waiting for Adderstripe, Russetstripe thought. He'll be coming any time, I'm sure. But… Russetstripe couldn't just stand and idly watch. She had to do something instead of wait. She turned on her heel and raced into the medicine den, seeing Violetheart leaning over Scorchclaw. The medicine cat's eyes were glazed with exhaustion, and she, like the rest of the warriors, probably did not get any sleep.
"Is he okay?" Russetstripe asked, approaching her brother. The bleeding had been staunched, and his fur was clean, but he still wasn't moving, and his breathing was weak.
"His life is in the paws of StarClan now," Violetheart replied. "There is nothing else I can do."
Russetstripe stared at the medicine cat, horrified.
"Please, don't look at me so." Violetheart shook her head. "I carry enough guilt as it is. You must fight."
"You know, too?" Russetstripe asked.
"How could I not?" Violetheart sighed. "Perhaps this will stop the strife in WindClan, one and for all."
Russetstripe gazed at the medicine cat, and then looked back at Scorchclaw. Her brother's pitiful state sent Russetstripe's heart to the bottom of her stomach. Please, gods. Help my brother, and bring him to us. He is too young to die. Casting a glance over her shoulder, Russetstripe left the medicine den and joined the front lines. The cats had already lined up in battle formation, their claws unsheathed.
But not all the cats shared a militarized stature. Some cats, like Waspberry and Lilystream, had their claws sheathed, and Songbreeze was exchanging an uncertain glance with Sandfall. Lightningpaw, Adderstripe's apprentice, shuffled his paws nervously, and Buzzardpaw was backing up to the back of camp, clearly unwilling to fight. Aspenstep looked at the ground, biting his lip, and even the loyal Heathercloud was wavering on her paws.
However, there were some cats that were definitely ready to throw themselves into combat. Grayflight and Hawkfeather's claws were unsheathed and their hackles were risen. Gorseflight and Blackdove stood, shoulder-to-shoulder, curling their lips. Wildheart's yellow eyes shone with the light of battle, mixed with fury and a lust for revenge. Sunleaf's shoulders were braced with the will to fight. Cloverwhisker and Larchcloud exchanged determined glances.
Swiftstar didn't seem to care about those who were hesitant and those who were willing to throw themselves into battle. He forced himself through the throng of cats, taking his spot as commander in the front and focusing his gaze on the crown of the hollow. Just as he had predicted the other day, Russetstripe could spot Adderstripe's ginger-and-white fur billowing in the greenleaf wind as the tom approached the camp, standing over it threateningly. Russetstripe curled her lip, hissing at him and fluffing out her fur. Adderstripe returned her glare with a bored look. Then, the tom slid down the walls, entering the camp. Behind him poured a stream of cats Russetstripe didn't recognize, but the scents that clung from them, oak and pine, made it clear what Clans they were from. ShadowClan and ThunderClan?
Adderstripe stood at the front of his cats, and Russetstripe examined the warriors he held behind him. She recalled the conversation the warriors were having the other day, and she searched for Brambledusk's pale tabby pelt. But he was not behind Adderstripe – and he was not in the WindClan camp, either. Russetstripe hitched a breath, recognizing Winterfall's silver tabby pelt. He's on Adderstripe's side? The only other cats Russetstripe could recognize were Briskheart and Peartuft, and they were both ThunderClan cats. The scent of pine and the tinge of danger drifted from quite a few other cats, and Russetstripe could tell they were ShadowClan cats, but couldn't put a name to their faces.
"So you gathered cats from other Clans because you couldn't find anyone disloyal to me in WindClan," Swiftstar sneered at his son when he entered the camp. Hatred blazed in Swiftstar's eyes as he looked down on Adderstripe. "How clever of you."
Rabbitfur stepped from the crowd and stood next to Adderstripe, who was staring at his father with his nostrils flaring and his tail swishing back and forth, kicking up grass on the ground. "He has me."
"Does he." Swiftstar scrutinized Rabbitfur with a flat glare.
"I don't care enough about you to continue this conversation," Adderstripe snarled, unsheathing his thorn sharp claws. "Attack!" His command pierced the sky, and the cats behind him immediately lunged for the WindClan cats. Russetstripe was taken aback in seconds when a cat that reeked of ShadowClan landed on top of her. The ShadowClan cat raked his thorn sharp claws down her stomach.
Rage and fury at Adderstripe's betrayal fueled Russetstripe's fighting spirit, and she kicked the ShadowClan tom off her with strength she never knew she had. I'll make you pay for hurting my brother! she thought to herself, lunging at the ShadowClan tom and scoring her claws down his thin fur. The ShadowClan tom grunted, blood spilling from his splotched white pelt, jumping back to avoid another flurry of blows. But Russetstripe used her superior WindClan speed to her advantage, and ran circles around the tom, jabbing her paw out and slashing his skin every time he turned to try to snap his jaws at her.
Russetstripe lashed her claws across the ShadowClan tom's head, sending him flying and splaying on the grassland. Russetstripe hovered over him, and took a moment to check the status of the battle. Cat fought fiercely against cat – Winterfall slashed his claws across Gorseflight's chest, Blackdove held onto Peartuft's tail, Wildheart wrestled with Briskheart, and Sandfall was taking on two ShadowClan cats at once. Adderstripe stood at the center of his attack patrol. Grayflight lunged at him, but a ShadowClan cat leaped in front of him and sent him bowling to the ground.
When Grayflight was sent to the grass, Hawkfeather leaped towards Adderstripe, but Rabbitfur intercepted the blow and lashed his claws across Hawkfeather's throat, sending the dark tabby flying. Rabbitfur raced after him, leaping on top of him and rolling with him, a flurry of claws and teeth. Every time a cat tried to get close to Adderstripe, another cat from his attack patrol was there to stop them. Russetstripe clenched her teeth. I've got to try!
The dark ginger she-cat kicked her ShadowClan opponent away and rushed towards Adderstripe. She could see a flash of red fur in the corner of her vision, but Adderstripe lifted his tail, and the cat stopped in his tracks. He's letting me land on him! Russetstripe realized as she was in midair, about to leap on her half-brother. Adderstripe stepped aside, and Russetstripe landed on the grass.
She turned sharply on her side, battering her claws against Adderstripe's cheek. They slit open his skin, and blood trickled from the open wound, but Adderstripe simply stepped back and shook the blood away. He snapped his jaws at Russetstripe, his teeth barely missing her throat, but she was able to avoid his slathering grip just in time. Russetstripe stared daggers at her brother.
"Why did you attack Scorchclaw?" she demanded, needing answers. How could Adderstripe hurt his brother so severely, to the point of near-death? Scorchclaw had never been a threat to him! Did he not care about kin?
"He was a threat to me," Adderstripe growled.
"You were already deputy!" Russetstripe barked at him.
"That doesn't mean the deputy can't change," Adderstripe hissed. "Especially if some cats support him rather than me. I, after all, am not Swiftstar's son. But you are his daughter. And so, perhaps I need to take care of you as well." The ginger-and-white tom lunged at Russetstripe, but Russetstripe hopped over him before he could latch his teeth on her skin. Adderstripe skidded to a halt, narrowing his eyes, and Russetstripe dove into his side, slamming her body against his, sending him staggering.
Adderstripe grunted as he staggered on his paws, but it only took him a second to regain his stance as he turned to stare at Russetstripe. Half-brother and half-sister held each other's murderous glares for several moments.
"Where is Brambledusk?" Russetstripe hissed. If Brambledusk wasn't in camp, it must've meant he was with Adderstripe. After all, the warriors had brought up a good point – Brambledusk and Adderstripe had been inseparable while apprentices, and as warriors as well. "Is he with you?"
"He joined my cause because Swiftstar is responsible for his pain, as well," Adderstripe snarled at her. When Russetstripe stared at him, bewildered, Adderstripe snarled, "He killed Oakcloud. But I cannot find Brambledusk anywhere. Perhaps you know where he is, since you're supposed to be his future mate?"
Russetstripe didn't bother returning his snide jab with a pointed remark. Instead, she lashed out her jaw to nip at Adderstripe's neck, but Adderstripe dove away just in time. Just as Russetstripe readied for another blow, a deafening howl split the clearing into two.
"Adderstripe!" Swiftstar's voice was a roar, just like the calls of lions themselves. "Fight me! One on one!" His cry sent the fight to a stop, and cats broke apart from their opponents, with Swiftstar's demand sending them stopping in their tracks. Swiftstar stepped over the broken bodies of injured warriors, some of them his own, to face Adderstripe. He was about to walk all the way towards him, when Grayflight and Heathercloud raced over to him to stop him from walking further towards him. Russetstripe searched the crowd for Rabbitfur, but she couldn't spot the white-and-gray tom in the crowd. He must've fled!
Adderstripe growled lowly in his chest. "How very dramatic. You know you've lost. Why go on struggling?" He lifted his tail, and at his command, his warriors spread out around Swiftstar. Swiftstar watched them, but there was no indication that he was fearful. He stepped forward, and Adderstripe sighed.
"Do not interfere!" Adderstripe ordered his warriors. Then, his ears flattened, he turned to face Swiftstar, and with a horrendous yowl, he flung himself at his father. Swiftstar lashed his claws out at his chest, and Adderstripe flipped his father over, even as his father's claws split through his skin and crimson blood splattered on Swiftstar's face.
Just as the two cats gritted their teeth and fought blow for blow, Adderstripe hissed through clenched teeth, pressing his weight against his father, his claws so close to slitting open his sensitive skin, "Admit defeat! I will spare your life. Obey me!"
Swiftstar's amber eyes blazed with fire as he pushed back against the brunt of Adderstripe's blow. "I will never obey someone who lies about himself and deceives his subjects," he snarled.
"I have never lied!" Adderstripe roared.
"Answer me this, then." Swiftstar focused his stony eyes on Adderstripe. "Who is your father?"
Adderstripe was quiet.
"Say your father's name!" Swiftstar commanded the tom.
"Silence, you son of a rogue!" Adderstripe hollered, breaking apart from the fight and pulling himself back. Swiftstar was released from his son's grip, and spun on his heel, facing him again with blood dripping from his lips. "You upstart! Swiftstar the Viper!"
"Say your father's name," Swiftstar repeated as the two cats circled around each other, ready to attack. "Who is your father?"
"My father is Rabbitfur!" Adderstripe hissed, his ears flattening and his lip curling as he stopped circling his father. The tension in the air was palpable, and Russetstripe felt a shudder crawling down her spine.
"Hahaha." Swiftstar broke into a malignant laugh. "My son, Adderstripe. Even now, you pretend to be someone you are not. You deceive everyone with your lies. Is that how you intend to lead WindClan?"
Adderstripe pressed his lips tight.
"My hateful son," Swiftstar taunted the ginger-and-white tabby tom. "Hideous Adderstripe."
"Silence!" Adderstripe ordered.
Swiftstar took another step closer, shaking off Heathercloud when the gray she-cat tried to pull him backwards. "Your father is me, Swiftstar of WindClan! A lowly upstart. That is who I am."
"Shut up!" Adderstripe yowled. He swung his head towards the cats he had brought, his amber eyes wild and frenzied. "Kill him! Strike him down!"
Swiftstar lunged towards Adderstripe, his teeth bared, his claws unsheathed, ready to cut his son down, and Adderstripe was rushing, head on to meet him. Before Russetstripe could think twice, she was throwing herself onto Adderstripe, stopping her father from getting to him and preventing Adderstripe from reaching Swiftstar. Russetstripe rolled with the ginger-and-white tabby tom, seeing his amber eyes widen with shock.
Russetstripe closed her eyes for a second. Forgive me, StarClan. But I have to do this. With all the strength she could muster, Russetstripe sank her teeth into Adderstripe's exposed throat, tasting the salty tang of blood on her tongue. Adderstripe let out a dreadful wail, blood gurgling at his mouth as Russetstripe held on tighter, refusing to let go. She could hear shocks of gasps behind her, but she ignored them. Beneath her, the life slowly left her half-brother's eyes, and when Russetstripe let go, his body fell to the ground, a sickening thud that made Russetstripe nauseous.
Russetstripe stepped back, staring at her dead half-brother's body in front of her, his eyes staring unseeingly at the sky. The yowls and hisses that tolled around her were simple background noise in comparison to her pounding heart and her rapid breathing. Dear StarClan… what have I done?