The heaving gasps that came from Heathercloud and Thrushwing brought all cats to their attention. Russetstripe padded away from where she had been talking to Dovewillow and her ears pricked towards where the two cats skidded to a halt in the clearing. Her father approached them from where he left the medicine den. Scorchclaw was behind Swiftstar, the fur on his shoulders bristling.
"Well?" Swiftstar demanded the two warriors, who lowered their heads immediately when he approached them. "What did you see?"
"We followed the scent, but it seemed to drift towards every direction," Heathercloud explained.
"But we did find a group of cats residing in a camp further away into the moorland," Thrushwing replied.
Russetstripe's blood turned cold and her entire body stiffened. As Thrushwing talked to Swiftstar, Russetstripe slinked between the cats until she reached Gorseflight. Horror was evident in his wide yellow eyes, and Russetstripe hissed to him, "Are your friends stealing prey from WindClan?"
Gorseflight shook his head. "They would never!" he snapped at her. "They rely on the food the Twolegs give them in the Twolegplace! I told you, they don't kill! Even the smallest mouse! It's not them!"
Russetstripe swung her head to listen to Thrushwing speak.
"…They live in some sort of valley, and when we went down, we saw dozens of them," Thrushwing went on. "The scent lives in the meadow there, so it's only reasonable to think these cats are the one doing it."
"Then that's the answer," Swiftstar said, his amber eyes hardening with determination as he slammed his big white paw on the ground. "We'll take a patrol and crush these rogues. No one steals from WindClan, especially in leaf-bare."
Gorseflight let out a small gasp, but Swiftstar's words were delivered callously. "Get ready for battle, everyone!" the ginger-and-white tabby yowled to his Clanmates. "We leave tomorrow morning. We will wipe out these rogues, and we'll be safe through leaf-bare."
Russetstripe exchanged a horrified gaze with Gorseflight. If Gorseflight was right, that meant the Nirvana cats were not the ones stealing the prey. Was Swiftstar about to order the massacre of innocent cats? There was one cat that could do something about this. Scorchclaw. When Swiftstar walked away, the two cats bounded over to Scorchclaw, who glanced at them with wide eyes. Wildheart joined Scorchclaw, shooting Russetstripe a venomous glare from amber eyes. But Russetstripe didn't care. She had more important issues to deal with than Wildheart's petty rivalry.
"Scorchclaw, you can't let Swiftstar do this!" Russetstripe exclaimed.
"What?" Scorchclaw's amber eyes narrowed. "Why not?"
"It's not right!" Russetstripe pleaded with her brother, hoping that he could see the desperation in her eyes.
"In case you weren't listening, Russetstripe, these cats are prey stealers," Wildheart growled. "You may not care if WindClan starves through leaf-bare, but I do."
"He doesn't have to kill them all!" Gorseflight protested. "They're not the cats who are doing it!"
"Gorseflight?" Scorchclaw tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Russetstripe glanced at Gorseflight, urging him to explain. If they didn't explain, then neither Scorchclaw nor Swiftstar would listen to them. Gorseflight took a deep breath and faced Scorchclaw. "These cats are not stealing the prey because these cats do not eat prey. They rely on food the Twolegs give them from Twolegplace."
"And how could you possibly know that?" Wildheart snorted, her fur brushing against Scorchclaw's. Gorseflight winced in pain at the sight, while Russetstripe dug her claws into the ground.
"Because…" Gorseflight's words trailed off and he lifted his head. "I am one of them."
"What?" Scorchclaw stared at Gorseflight, his amber eyes widening with shock. "Are you out of your mind? Since when did you become a rogue?"
"No, I'm not a rogue!" Gorseflight exclaimed. "I just… visit these cats at night. They follow a fairly interesting set of beliefs, and I believe alongside them. They are cats who put their faith in nonviolence. They don't even kill - not other cats, not other animals."
"But that's…" Scorchclaw's words drifted off, and he seemed to struggle for words to continue to question Gorseflight. He focused on Russetstripe, his eye whiskers furrowed with disbelief. "You knew about Gorseflight and those rogues?"
"Yes." Russetstripe nodded. "I went with him, once. They're all about peace and kindness. They would never do this."
"Pfft." Wildheart snorted. Scorchclaw raised his tail to quiet her down, and then he studied the two cats intently.
"You swear they didn't do this?" Scorchclaw asked. "The order is ridiculous – I'd have been fine if they were rogues persistent on making us starve, but if you're right and these cats aren't the one who's stealing prey…"
"Please, stop your father," Gorseflight begged. "Please."
Russetstripe nodded. "He'll listen to you, Scorchclaw."
"I'll do my best," Scorchclaw promised the two cats before turning on his tail and padding away towards the Tall Branch, leaving Wildheart alone with Russetstripe and Gorseflight. Wildheart shot Russetstripe a burning glare, and Russetstripe curled her lip at her. Gorseflight watched their interaction, sorrow written all over his face.
"So, you knew and said nothing to Scorchclaw?" Wildheart inquired, her yellow eyes dark.
"Knew what?" Russetstripe snarled at her. "I didn't know anything about prey-stealing! I just heard of it now."
"I mean, about the cats that live in the valley," Wildheart snapped at her.
"It wasn't my place to tell!" Russetstripe hissed. "They weren't doing anything!"
"You think stealing prey is nothing?" Wildheart's tail lashed.
"Didn't you hear us, Wildheart?" Gorseflight pleaded with the dark tortoiseshell. "They aren't stealing prey."
At the interference of Gorseflight, Wildheart turned her head sharply away from Russetstripe. It took every muscle in Russetstripe's body not to launch herself at the self-centered, arrogant she-cat. Instead, she focused her gaze on the Tall Branch, where Scorchclaw had disappeared into. She hoped that Scorchclaw would come out with good news – after all, he had always been incredibly good mediating with her father – but something told her that this wasn't something Scorchclaw could fix.
When Scorchclaw appeared from the den with his tail trailing behind him and his head hanging, Russetstripe's heart shattered into a million of pieces. Gorseflight let out a horrified gasp and stepped back, his fur bristling. Scorchclaw approached the two cats, sorrow glittering in his amber eyes.
"I'm sorry," Scorchclaw muttered. "I couldn't get him to change his mind. He… he's going to attack now." He shot a long, mournful glance at Gorseflight. "I'm so, so sorry Gorseflight."
Gorseflight's mottled fur bristled, and his yellow eyes started to blaze. Russetstripe gasped. She had never seen the tom furious before. He stepped towards Scorchclaw, fire burning in his gaze. Scorchclaw's tail started to lash, and for a moment, Russetstripe couldn't breathe. There was no trace of the two comradery the cats had always shared. Now there was nothing but pure hatred in Gorseflight's eyes.
"You're the cat who can always talk to Swiftstar," Gorseflight snarled at him. "Did you even try?"
"Of course I did!" Scorchclaw defended himself. "I don't like to see innocent cats die, either! But Swiftstar thinks they're the one stealing his prey. And when the lively fair of his Clanmates are threatened, his convictions don't waver."
"Convictions?" Gorseflight spat the word out with so much venom that it paralyzed Russetstripe. "You think this is about convictions? No! It's your father being the cruel, ruthless tyrant he always has been! The cat who massacres innocents! The cat who is everything that my own cats stand against!"
"Gorseflight, please—" Scorchclaw's voice trailed off when Gorseflight hissed loudly at him and turned on his heel. The mottled tom raced out of camp, and Russetstripe guessed he was going to go warn the Nirvana cats. Scorchclaw watched him go, sorrow in his amber eyes. Then he turned to Russetstripe, as if expecting her to say something.
"I…" Russetstripe didn't know what to say. "Did you really try your hardest, Scorchclaw?"
"Of course I did!" Scorchclaw snarled at her. "And look where that got me! I tried to convince him they were innocent, but he said there was no proof, and now he's quickening the attack!" He flicked his ginger-and-white tabby tail towards Swiftstar, who had left his den and was beginning to gather the cats. "Everything I try to do right, it all ends up going wrong!"
"He is… so cruel…" Russetstripe murmured. "So cruel."
"He is our father," Scorchclaw rasped. "I am his deputy. I can't do what Adderstripe did to him. Russetstripe… I can't think this is right, either. Especially if you and Gorseflight are right that these cats never did it. Our father might use underhanded tactics in battle… but when leaf-bare comes, he rations prey for every cat. He fortifies the camp against fox and dog attacks. He builds roofs and dens so hawks can't get to us. He orders our patrols marked every day, and when the streams flood, he builds floodgates. He—"
"Okay, yeah, he's done good things, I get it!" Russetstripe's fur bristled. "But—"
"Russetstripe, Scorchclaw!" Swiftstar barked. The two siblings turned to look at their father, who was gathering his warriors in an attack line. "You're with me. Come on."
"What about Wildheart?" Scorchclaw asked.
"She's coming, too." Swiftstar nodded to Wildheart, who padded over to the crowd of cats. Russetstripe watched her go, wondering what she thought about Swiftstar. But, if she had any doubts about him, she didn't say anything. Russetstripe clenched her teeth tight as she dragged her paws towards Swiftstar.
Thrushwing and Heathercloud stood at his heels. Hesitation was written all over Heathercloud's face, and for the first time, Russetstripe realized that even though Heathercloud was one of Swiftstar's most trusted warriors, it seemed as if she didn't agree with his orders most of the time. But she doesn't say it, Russetstripe thought. Thrushwing's tail waved back and forth with excitement. Even though Thrushwing was Adderstripe's mentor – and imprisoned by my father for three days – he'll jump at any opportunity to please his leader. He's not loyal, he's just eager for validation.
Blackdove stood next to Brambledusk. Brambledusk's gaze was unreadable, and Russetstripe tried to meet his gaze, but the pale tabby tom turned his head away. He hates me. He hates Swiftstar, too. But just like me, he has no choice. Buzzardpaw and Lightningpaw stood at Brambledusk's side, and Cinderpaw, Harepaw, Seedpaw, and Briarpaw watched the two apprentices joining the battle patrol from the edges of camp. Sunleaf watched Swiftstar nervously from the medicine den, sitting next to Violetheart. Aspenstep examined his sharpened claws, while Dovewillow took a deep breath. Waspberry and Songbreeze exchanged unreadable glances, while Lilystream glanced around nervously, and Patchshine bit her lip.
What do I do? Russetstripe thought. I'm not going to attack innocent cats who aren't prey stealers. That's the first thing. Maybe… maybe I can help Gorseflight warn them.
"Father, can I stalk out their camp, first?" Russetstripe asked Swiftstar, her heart pounding.
Swiftstar's ears twitched, suspicion flickering in his amber eyes. "What plan do you have, Russetstripe?"
"I'd just like to see if it's pregnable," Russetstripe said, hoping her father wouldn't catch onto the lie that hung in her voice.
"It is. Thrushwing told me so." Swiftstar's fur ruffled.
"But—"
"Enough, Russetstripe!" Swiftstar's tail lashed. "You are behind me. I do not trust you to not go there and warn them of the attack! You'd always side with prey-stealers over your Clan!"
Russetstripe was about to bark something at her father, but Scorchclaw slapped his tail over Russetstripe's mouth. Russetstripe clenched her teeth tight. I hope Gorseflight got there, first, she thought to herself. Hopefully, he's been able to warn them away. She was aware of Swiftstar's burning glare on her, but then it melted as he turned away and flicked his tail.
"Follow me, Clanmates!" Swiftstar yowled. He twitched his tail, and with that, he raced out of camp, leaving a ginger-and-white blur behind him. Thrushwing was on his heels, and Heathercloud raced after him. Scorchclaw joined the two cats, and Wildheart ran next to him. The rest of the Clan followed, leaving Russetstripe behind. Russetstripe watched them go.
I'll go, she thought. She followed the patrol, quickening her pace to catch up to them. Swiftstar was running, his gaze focused straight ahead, not looking at the cats behind him. Russetstripe quietly slunk through the moorland, creating trails in the heather and using it to cover her fur, while skirting around the patrol. She kept her back low and her head crouched, praying that no cat would look for her. She'd have to get ahead of Swiftstar, and hope that he wouldn't find her.
Russetstripe followed the trail Gorseflight had used. His scent was thick in the air, tinged with worry and fear. Oh, Gorseflight. The ginger she-cat pushed further, her legs moving faster than they ever had before, but she still made sure to keep low so her father wouldn't see her moving in the grass. Russetstripe swerved through the grassland, running faster and faster until she was nothing but a blur of ginger fur, darting through the moorland with speed to rival the gods.
She finally approached the hills that split into two, and when she looked behind her, she couldn't find any trace of Swiftstar or WindClan. I beat them here! she thought. But there was no time to rejoice. Russetstripe approached the valley and picked her way down the shrubs until she reached the clearing. Gorseflight was right in the middle of the clearing, his eyes wide with worry as he gestured to the entrance to the valley. Several of the Nirvana cats surrounded Gorseflight, clearly not understanding the gravity of the situation by the calm expressions they wore.
"They will come to kill you all!" Gorseflight exclaimed loudly. He was talking to Acala, who faced Gorseflight with acceptance written all over his face.
"We often face violence with nonviolence," Acala explained. "Gorseflight, you know we are not the ones stealing prey. That must be the work of another group. There are several rogue groups roaming the town, as you know. One of them has taken up living in the marshes."
"Yes, I know it's not you guys!" Gorseflight's tail was lashing back and forth. "And that's why you need to run! They'll be here any moment!"
Russetstripe sprinted over to Gorseflight and Acala. Acala regarded Russetstripe with a small nod, and Russetstripe couldn't understand why Acala showed no fear. Does he want to be ripped apart by battle trained cats?
"Please, listen to Gorseflight," Russetstripe pleaded to Acala, not sure why he was so calm when Gorseflight was panicking. "They'll be here any second!"
"What have we done wrong?" Acala asked, tilting his head.
"It doesn't matter if you did or didn't do anything!" Russetstripe exclaimed. "My father thinks you stole Clan prey, and he's coming any minute! Please, you have all got to get out of here. Do you have any kits or elders who need help moving?"
Kundali padded over to Acala. "Acala, they're right," he said. "Gorseflight wouldn't say any of this without reason. We need to go."
Acala shut his eyes. "Fine," he said, drawing a slow sigh as he gradually agreed. Gorseflight blinked in relief. "But Russetstripe, we have a few injured cats. Tara broke her leg the other day, Hariti is ill, and Kannon is expecting kits."
"I'll help Kannon," Russetstripe said, wanting to get these cats out of here as fast as possible. "What does she look like?"
"She is tortoiseshell and white," Acala said. "She's over at the edge of the valley. Please, go help her, while I help Hariti. Gorseflight, can you take Tara?"
"Yeah, definitely." Russetstripe searched the greenery of the valley for a tortoiseshell-and-white queen, leaping over rocks and checking inside bushes for her. Where is she? Russetstripe thought. If she's expecting kits, then she's the most important cat to defend! I need to find her before it's too late. Just when she finally saw the she-cat's spotted fur near the edge of the valley, a battle cry, bigger than life, shook the clearing its core, including Russetstripe. No!
"WindClan, attack!" yowled Swiftstar. Russetstripe turned her head around to see Swiftstar, leading the head of the WindClan patrol, pouring down into the valley. Her green eyes widened with shock as Swiftstar landed on top of Acala, and WindClan warrior cut down one Nirvana cat after another. Yowls and hisses split through the clearing, and the battle-skilled WindClan warriors crashed into a line of cats who hadn't lifted their claws once in their life against any sort of living creature. The difference in strength was plain to see.
Russetstripe grabbed the pregnant she-cat by her scruff. Kannon writhed in her grasp, but Russetstripe dragged the she-cat until she was out of the valley and pushed her into the moor. Kannon spun around to stare at Russetstripe, who had raised her hackles with her fur bristling as she met the she-cat's gaze. Listen to me! I don't want you to die today! I know you did nothing wrong!
"Go!" Russetstripe barked. "Go, before you get hurt! Find somewhere far, far away, where you can raise your kits in peace!"
"W-what about the rest of the Nirvana cats?" Kannon asked, her yellow eyes wide with fear.
"I'll try my best to save each cat I can," Russetstripe said. "But…" Her voice trailed off, and she wasn't sure what to say to Kannon. Instead, she gave the pregnant she-cat another push. "Go!"
Kannon gave her a swift nod and turned on her heel, racing away into the moorland. Russetstripe watched her go, her ginger fur wafting in the wind as the scent of blood drifted towards her nostrils and the battle cries from the WindClan warriors punctured her eardrums. She turned over and raced back into the valley, and her heart stopped when she saw the conditions of the clearing.
None of the Nirvana cats were fighting back. A few of them swept sheathed paws at their foes, but other than that, it was a simple slaughter by the WindClan cats. Russetstripe watched in numb horror as Thrushwing slit the throat of Kundali, Songbreeze's claws ran through a silver tabby she-cat, Larchcloud bit the neck of a pale brown tabby tom, and Aspenstep cut down a dappled gray tom. Do my Clanmates not know that these are cats who cannot – and will not – fight? Why are they participating in a senseless slaughter? Russetstripe unsheathed her own claws. She knew that she would fight to defend the innocent – and, in this situation, it wasn't her Clanmates.
Even the apprentices were fighting without mercy. Harepaw slashed his claws across a brown tabby's chest, while Seedpaw and Briarpaw sank their teeth into two she-cat's necks. Lightningpaw and Buzzardpaw clawed their way through the Nirvana cats, and Cinderpaw clung onto the back of a pale gray tom.
No… Russetstripe watched in horror as Swiftstar wrestled with Acala. Acala dodged every blow that Swiftstar lunged at him, and frustration was clearly getting the best of Swiftstar as Acala avoided every major sock. Swiftstar curled his lip as he circled Acala, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. Anger blazed in Swiftstar's eyes. There were no visible wounds coating his pelt, but Acala had been faster and smarter than him, and it had cost a lot of Swiftstar's energy.
"You won't live if you don't fight back," Swiftstar growled.
"Every cat dies," Acala replied. "I refuse to kill."
"Do you?" Swiftstar's eyes narrowed. "How do you expect to live, then? So long as I live, I am fighting! You are a prey-stealer, and thus you deserve to die for it!"
"I have stolen no prey," Acala meowed as he ducked another hefty blow Swiftstar delivered. "I do not kill cats, nor do I kill prey. My cats and I eat food the Twolegs leave for us in the town."
"Nonsense." Swiftstar snorted. "No cat can live off that Twoleg nonsense. You lie. And for that, you will pay the price." Just as Acala leaped to the other side of Swiftstar, Swiftstar lunged his paw at the tabby tom, slicing his claws down his throat and sending him to the ground. Acala hit the grass with a low groan, his blood pumping from the wound in his throat. Swiftstar watched him coldly until a furious yowl split the sky.
"No!" Gorseflight yowled, racing over to Acala and shaking the tom's body, as if to revive him. Desperation swelled in Gorseflight's eyes as he stared at Acala's unmoving figure. But Acala did not rise. When he didn't, the mottled gray-and-white tom's eyes flared with fury. Gorseflight turned to face Swiftstar, and he lashed his paws out, aiming for Swiftstar's throat. Swiftstar leaped back at the last moment and scored his claws down Gorseflight's face. Gorseflight yowled with pain and staggered back, shutting his eyes as blood trickled into them. Russetstripe let out a horrified gasp as she saw the grisly gash that ran from Gorseflight's eye all the way to his opposite chin. His face… it's like he split it in half… Even as he stared at Swiftstar, his face, harshly divided by that jagged wound, was a reflection of his soul – half hurt and half beautiful.
Just as Gorseflight put his paw over his face, wincing as he bore the pain, Swiftstar raised his paw, ready to deal the final blow. No! Russetstripe raced over to Gorseflight, pushing him out of the way at the last moment and ducking so Swiftstar's blow couldn't reach her. Swiftstar's paw stopped in midair as Russetstripe crouched down in front of him, staring at her father with a green fire burning in her eyes.
"Get out of the way, Russetstripe," Swiftstar growled, anger making his voice tremble as he stared down with blazing hatred at his only daughter. "Gorseflight is a traitor, and he deserves to die."
"No!" Russetstripe protested, refusing to move. She shielded Gorseflight, making sure he was behind her as she glared defiantly at her father. "Please, don't kill him! I beg you! Have mercy for him! Take my life instead of his!"
"No." Swiftstar shook his head. "Move."
"If you take his life, I will take my own life," Russetstripe snarled.
"What an awfully big statement to come from such a small-minded cat." A vein above Swiftstar's eye throbbed as he stared Russetstripe up and down.
"I'm not kidding," Russetstripe hissed. "If you kill Gorseflight, I will slit my own throat, right here, right in front of you. Please, spare his life!" She pressed her head to the ground. "Spare him." Her voice shook as she begged her father. Gorseflight had done nothing wrong. He had joined a group of cats who shared the same faith as he did, and they were killed for no reason. Gorseflight did not deserve to share the same fate as they did!
Swiftstar hovered on his paws, and then he let out a low growl. "You test my limits, Russetstripe. If you insist on throwing the show that you'll kill yourself, then I'll entertain you for that. Gorseflight, for betrayal, you are exiled from WindClan. Leave the moors, and never come back. If your face is seen on the moor again, I don't give a damn what Russetstripe says, you will die. And if you continue to plead for his life, Russetstripe, then you'll join him in death, too."
Shocked gasps ran through the bloodied crowd. Russetstripe turned her head to see horror written across Scorchclaw's face as he gaped at Gorseflight. Gorseflight dragged himself to his paws, unsteady on his feet as blood poured from the wound on his face. He shot Swiftstar a burning glare, a glare with so much hatred that it shook Russetstripe to his core. "I will have my revenge. I swear."
Then the mottled gray tom limped away from Swiftstar, walking over the dead bodies his Clanmates had killed. Every movement of his body was shaky with so much pain that it took Russetstripe's breath away. His pace was slow, blood dripping from his wounds, until he finally found the remaining strength to climb out of the valley and disappeared into the snow-blanketed moorland.
"You." Swiftstar turned his head to Russetstripe, visibly seething. "Meet me in my den when we're at camp. I have things to say to you."
"Oh, trust me, so do I." Russetstripe felt her tail lash back and forth.
"The battle is won!" Swiftstar yowled, ignoring Russetstripe's pointed statement as he looked down at Acala's body. "WindClan will eat well this leaf-bare, now that we have no threats to our prey!" The ginger-and-white tom leaped over Acala's corpse and rounded his Clan up. Several WindClan cats shot uncertain glances at the bodies of the Nirvana cats, and then exchanged their own glances. Scorchclaw stared at the field of bodies but said nothing. His face was blank as he helped his father gather up the WindClan cats. Then, the two toms plunged into the moor, with their Clan behind them. Russetstripe watched them go, not bothering to follow them.
As the WindClan cats disappeared, Russetstripe felt a choked sob escaping her mouth as she touched her nose to Acala's cold body. "I'm so sorry," Russetstripe whispered, tears trickling down her eyes and falling on his shoulders. "I… I wish… I got here faster. Before they started to march. I wish I could have saved you all." Russetstripe turned to scan the clearing, littered with dead Nirvana cats. "I wish I could've made a difference."
With those words, Russetstripe prayed for forgiveness and then limped away. Her mind buzzed with questions. Should she follow Gorseflight? She looked over her shoulder, seeing the sun set in the direction Gorseflight had gone. Was he okay? Will I ever see him again? Gorseflight had been one of her closest friends. Was it all right to let him walk away?
No. I've got to go after him. Russetstripe found her way through the clearing and raced through the wilderness, trying to follow where Gorseflight had gone. The heather had been crushed during the battle, and his pawsteps started to disappear in the tracks of the heather. Where did he go that his paw prints disappeared? His scent became weak as she ran further and further, and she realized that he must've taken a turn somewhere. Russetstripe sighed, defeated. She wouldn't find him. Something told her that he was gone. No… Swallowing a lump in her throat, Russetstripe's world felt as if it was flipped upside down.
And now I need to deal with my father. Russetstripe hung her head as she turned back towards camp. It would be a long run, but with the intense flurry of emotions she was feeling, running seemed like the best thing to do now. Perhaps it would burn away all the fury she was feeling. Russetstripe raced away, the world spinning around her, her gaze misting with tears until she reached WindClan's scent marks and followed the familiar trail back to camp. When she reached the hollow, she staggered for a moment. If she went, she would have to face her father's fury. Fine. I can do that. I've got questions for him, anyway.
Russetstripe slipped down the hollow and stalked through the clearing. When she entered, whispers of gossip spread around her – after all, the exchange she had with her father hadn't exactly been secretive. Every cat in the Clan had seen it. She could hear Scorchclaw's mew to her, but she couldn't recognize his words. She walked over to the Tall Branch, not bothering to ask permission to come in. After all, he wanted to see her, didn't he? Russetstripe wriggled through the entrance and sat down, coming face-to-face with her father.
It had been many moons since Russetstripe sat here, her father relaying his worries and feelings to her about Adderstripe and his leadership. He had told her that he was a miser, that he couldn't remember the names of the cats he died for. He had confessed so much to her, with so much vulnerability in his voice that Russetstripe could hardly believe this was the same cat known as the Viper of WindClan.
Russetstripe sat down, not even frightened by the rage that was burning in her father's amber eyes. She'd seen it plenty of times before, and she was sure her eyes were showing the same anger. I can't believe he ordered that for a bunch of innocent cats! They believed in non-violence!
"What the hell did you think you were doing, going off before we did?" Swiftstar finally demanded, his outrage shaking the walls of his den, bouncing from the roof but off Russetstripe's pelt. "Then going in to warn them? To help them? And then you don't even fight? And when one of our warriors betrays me, you threaten me with suicide if I don't spare his pathetic life?" Swiftstar was trembling with rage now, and any moment, Russetstripe thought he might attack her.
"Because they were innocent," Russetstripe snapped at her father, her hackles rising. "They did nothing wrong! You got the wrong cats! And because of that, our prey is still going to be stolen in leaf-bare! I bet it was the Twolegplace cats. They come to the moor in leaf-bare. But you didn't think of doing a second investigation, did you? You just—"
"Enough!" Swiftstar roared.
"No!" Russetstripe howled. "It's time someone told you! Sunleaf refuses to bring it up with you and Scorchclaw worships you and the ground you walk on. Well, guess what, Father? You're cruel and you're ruthless! I don't care how good of an administrator you are, or how good you are at solving internal strife, there are so many cats who could've lived because of you! But you killed them anyway! Can't you get rid of your utter disregard for life? What does a cat have to do to find some shred of mercy in you? Your stubbornness is killing the cats around you!"
"Are you done?" Swiftstar asked, his nostrils flaring with anger.
"No, I am not." Russetstripe shook her head, tired of holding all these feelings in for so long. There had been no cat that was brave enough to tell Swiftstar exactly what they thought of him. But Russetstripe was. And she was the only cat who would do it. "I have one last thing to say to you. You are not my father."
"Oh, are you going to go on about saying some other cat is your father, like Adderstripe did?" Swiftstar snorted, rolling his burning amber eyes. "You're the one who killed Adderstripe, if I recall correctly."
"To be honest with you, I have no idea why I did it," Russetstripe snarled at him. "I'm beginning to think Adderstripe had the right idea, ousting you. Killing you was wrong, but usurping you? It would've saved dozens of lives."
"How dare you, you weaselheart?" Swiftstar rose to his full height, his claws unsheathed. "You know nothing of running a Clan, so how dare you tell me what to do? How dare you speak your support of Adderstripe? How dare you say I should be indisposed? You dare talk to your father that way?"
"You are not my father!" Russetstripe yowled at him. "I have no father! My mother is Sunleaf and my brother is Scorchclaw. But I don't have a father. You have never been one to me, and you never will. I want nothing to do with you! Exile me, for all I care. I will never see you as my family!" And, without waiting for Swiftstar to snap back at her, Russetstripe broke away from his den and raced across the clearing, her heart thumping in her chest as she threw herself into one of the rabbit burrows. Her entire body was trembling with fear and anger, but she didn't regret what she said. The only thing she feared… were the consequences.
I've finally said what I had to, Russetstripe thought to herself. But what will it bring?