Two sides to every berry, part 2 ((Open))

Part 1 is found here.
Take some art.

Running out of the medicine cat den, Smokepelt ran after Vulturekit and making sure his claws were sheathed, put a paw on the kits back and pushed her down in the snow, eyes wide and breathing heavily. What if this got out to the other clans? What... what if they retaliated and turned on him or Ashstar? He wondered, starting to panic. "Stop! You're not telling Ashstar anything!" the tom hissed, knowing that is the kit made it to the leader then false rumors would be spread throughout the clan like a wildfire.

Moments ago Falconstone had seen him nudging a Deathberry towards Ryekit's mouth but it wasn't what it looked like! He only wanted what was best for his kit, couldn't he see that? Ryekit wasn't going to make it past the cold season, any sane cat would be able to understand where he was coming from, especially parents. Seeing his kit suffer broke his heart and in the end it was best to put an end to his miserable existence, not let him live in a life where he could never become a warrior because of his defects!

But apparently the warrior wasn't able to see that and truthfully, Smokepelt understood why. Having a father like Kestrelstorm, who knew what the warrior was taught when growing up. It wasn't that he wanted to hate Falconstone... but after what Kestrelstorm had done, he could never bring himself to trust him. And now, the two were pitted against each other just because of something Smokepelt wished to do to his own son. Was he going to get in trouble for this? Would Ashstar punish him for a deed that was meant to be good? No, he hadn't even broken any code, she couldn't exile him, right? He wasn't going to Falconstone spread false accusations, he wouldn't allow it! Over his dead body.

Hearing paw steps coming towards him, the deputy snapped his head around to see Falconstone approaching from the medicine cat den but kept his paw on the kit's back just enough so that she wasn't able to get up. Hissing and arching his back, the grey and white tom unsheathed his claws, ready for anything. If he wanted to attempt to spread rumors about him to the clan, so be it. But one things was for sure, Smokepelt wasn't going to go down without letting everyone know the truth and if that meant that he had to fight for his beliefs, then he was ready.

If Smokepelt thought he was furious before, he would be in a terrible shock. As he jogged out of the den, his eyes saw red. The deputy ran after his kit, pinning his little girl to the ground. Vulturekit wailed, unable to even move under the weight of a fully grown cat. With the loudest screech ever heard in the WindClan camp, Falconstone sprinted across the camp, snow spraying up behind him. He leaped, arms outstretched and making contact with the deputy. He tackled Smokepelt, latching on to his flesh and rolling with him. Falconstone ended on top and he began slashing Smokepelt with his front paws wildly. ”Don’t you dare touch my kit, you murderer!” He hissed and growled, fur flying everywhere; his and Smokepelt’s.

Falconstone was thrown to the ground but rolled back up. He faced Smokepelt, crouching and thrashing his tail side to side. Vulturekit ran off, wailing for Sandybreeze. ”You maimed an apprentice, you tried to kill your kit, then you almost seriously hurt my kit! You are a danger to WindClan!” he growled, taking a step forward slowly, then a couple at once until he was eye to eye with the deputy, centimeters from his face. ”WindClan!” he yowled. ”Gather around so your deputy can explain why he was feeding a Deathberry to his son, with no medicine cat to  be seen!” His eyes stared fiercely into Smokepelt’s.

Mottlepaw had been lounging lazily in the apprentice den - doing what he could to stay warm. He was curled up tightly in his nest when a cry echoed, startling him as he quickly jumped to his paws, fur on end. Where they being attacked? His breath quickly started to come in panics - afraid RiverClan were invading again but forced himself to calm down as he heard little else until another hiss of anger and the sound of fight happened. But it was just that - a fight. A single sound of combat that was over way to soon to be a whole Clan invading. So carefully yet timidly Mottlepaw pulled himself from the apprentice den, his eyes wide as he caught the ending of the brown warrior's words as he called for the Clan to gather around and hear what he had to say. Feeding a deathberry to his own son? He was shocked as he stared at the deputy, unwilling to believe Falconstone's words. He felt confused - why would Smokepelt do such a thing? His ears perked, rather interested in what the gray warrior had to say.

Squirrelpaw was in a deep sleep, curled up into a ball in the medicine cat's den, when the smell of blood and vomit from where Ryekit was made her cringe and turn away. Until she smelled it.
Deathberries.
Her head shot up, almost falling back down with the bloom of pain shooting up her neck like it had for moons, but she kept it up. Scrambling away from the lethal berries, she looked frantically around. Smokepelt and Falconstone were glaring each other down and Vulturekit was near them. Hearing Falconstone's words, she stumbled barely outside the medicine cat's den, her scarred neck reflecting the moonlight.
What is happening? Is somebody dead?

Nightheart had been resting outside the warriors den after finishing the scrawny rabbit she had picked up from the fresh kill pile whose bones had been already carefully buried by the dark warrior. She wasn’t that hungry, so she had decided to go for the smallest one, and her somewhat depressed state was to blame.

Her ears immediately perked up as she witnessed the small fight between the deputy and Falconstone, her slow reaction at turning around making her miss the part where Smokepelt had pinned down Vulturekit. Clearly confused and unsure of what was going on at all, Falconstone’s words hit her like a huge monster.

Standing up and carefully padding towards them, cautious to stay away from the range of their claws, she finally spoke “W-what going on here? Smokepelt? Falconstone?” She was sure that her ears had misinterpreted Falconstone’s words as these got twisted by the yowls of the fight. Or maybe he was so angry for any reason she failed to understand that he was mindlessly talking just for the sake of doing it.

Ashstar heard a commotion outside of her den in camp. She bolted out with characteristic WindClan speed, paws flying across the snow to the sound. Were her Clanmates in trouble? Was RiverClan or SkyClan invading? Was it a fox or a badger? What was going on? The leader came to an abrupt stop when she reached the crowd of cats, at the center of which were a rage-filled Falconstone, shouting ridiculous obscenities, and her son. Smokepelt. Why was he always at the center of these troubles? The gray she-cat stormed over to the two toms, glaring at each other like enemies. "Just what is going on here, Falconstone, Smokepelt?" she demanded, rising up majestically like the leader she was, the righteous fury of StarClan blazing in her eyes. "You two aren't apprentices to get riled up and fight each other. Falconstone, you are walking a fine line, accusing the deputy of such a thing. Smokepelt, I expect better from you. You are the deputy of WindClan, and my son. Control yourself." She took a deep breath. "Now, what in the name of almighty StarClan is all this about?"

Quailkit ran out of the nursery, frightened at the sound of her father's voice lifted in rage. She pressed herself to his side, trying to comfort him, and glaring fiercely at Falconstone. But at the brown tom's words, her frosty blue eyes widened larger in fear and confusion. Her father had tried to kill his kit? Gustkit or Ryekit? No, no, the tom had to be lying. Her father would never, ever do that.

Letting out a screech as Falconstone tackled him, the two rolled onto the snow covered ground for a few seconds before he was able to get back up on his feet. Arching his back and letting out a viscous growl, he winced as blood dripped to the ground from a spot on his side where Falconstone's claw had caught on his skin. "You're wrong!" he spat, casting glances at the gathering crowd and let his gaze return to the warrior, his eyes narrowed. It took all his might not to claw the ears off of his clanmate.

Being so close that he could feel the angry breath of Falconstone on his nose, the two locked gazes. "I didn't try to kill him in cold blood," he hissed. Even though his mother came over and scolded the two and Quailkit tried to comfort him, he didn't dare move his eyes from the warrior's. Of course it hurt him to hear his mother so disappointed but he wasn't going to let Falconstone think that he was intimidated by him "Ryekit isn't going to make it past Leafbare, it would've been for the best," the tom spat, lashing his tail back and forth. He couldn't believe this! Having to prove himself in front of his mother, it was outrageous!

Standing up a bit straighter, Smokepelt looked to the leader, his eye filled with fire and rage. "What Falconstone said is true, yes, I will admit that," he started, looking from his mother to the gathered clan and then back to her. "But what he cannot manage to get through his thick skull is that I was doing it for a good and reasonable reason," the deputy meowed, shooting a glance to Falconstone and then looked back to Ashstar. "Ryekit is ill with Greencough and what makes matters even worse are his... challenges that he already has to deal with. He isn't going to make it past Leafbare, any sane cat could see that," the grey and white tom meowed, looking to his mother, his gaze softening as hurt started to build in his soul.

"As a father, a brother, a son... do you think that I wanted to kill my own kit?" he questioned, looking around the clearing and hoping that they would learn to understand. "I only want what was best for him and the rest of my family, and if that means relieving him of this wretched and painful life, then so be it. Giving him those berries, it would have been over. No more pain, no more suffering, he could have been free," Smokepelt finished a bit louder than he'd started, wondering if he'd be able to rally some cats together. He couldn't let Falconstone warp their thoughts to see him as the bad guy, it just wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to be the enemy, he was supposed to be a leader, a clanmate! Seeing the clearing of cats and his mother so tense, it hit him where it hurt, it really did. Of course he acted defensive and maybe selfish at times, just like any cat would, but in the end, they were all he had and without them... only StarClan knows where he might have been! All he wanted was what was best for his clan; his family.

Falconstone shook his head, snorting in disgust. His ears flattened to his head and his tail lashed from side to side. "And was this disgussed with Beetlepaw and Ashstar? I do not think so." he stepped forward, towards Ashstar and Smokepelt. "You are just using your son's deformities as an excuse for murder. I saw you standing above your son Smokepelt. Beetlepaw was not even in the den." Falconstone's eyes narrowed. "And then you proceeded to shove my kit down into the snow. You could have broken her spine. Do you want cats to be crippled?" Falconstone smirked, on a roll. "Perhaps you do, because you maimed a RiverClan apprentice that led to RiverClan attacking us in our camp." Falconstone started pacing, circling Smokepelt and addressing the clan.

"WindClan, please pay attention." he spoke loudly and firmly, but with not a hint of malice in his voice. Vulturekit crouched in the nursery, still wailing from her injury. Her cries were the perfect backdrop to his speech. "Our deputy has a history of acting without punishment. A couple moons ago he antagonized a patrol and maimed an apprentice. I was there, I saw the unwarrented violence with his own eyes." he whipped his head around, glaring toward Smokepelt. "This lead to RiverClan attacking and yet, Smokepelt faced no consequences!" he continued his pacing, taking time to look every warrior, apprentice, and queen in the crowd. "And then today, I walk in to the medicine den to find this same deputy standing over his son, no medicine cat, leader, or any other cat to be seen, feeding his son Deathberries, whispering something." His fur bristled and he paused, baring his teeth to the deputy. "And to hide his guilt, he tried to injure or even kill my kit!" Falconstone took a deep breath and circled once more, allowing the information to sink in. Finally he stopped in front of the whole crowd and sat down. Head held high, his tail continued to lash violently. "Smokepelt is not fit to be deputy and is a danger to WindClan. Ashstar, I can no longer stand by a violent, reckless, impulsive, and dangerous cat to lead me into battle. I hope," his orange eyes made contact with a few warriors who he hoped to take his side, "That my fellow clanmates feel the same way." Where was Sandybreeze? Vulturekit was still wailing.

Mottlepaw's ears flickered back as Ashstar walked onto the scene, his eyes focusing on the leader as she hissed at the two warriors to stop behaving like kits and ordered the truth. And then, the two started talking. His eyes first landed on the deputy as he spoke up and admitted to the claims that Falconstone had spat his way. For a second, he wasn't sure what to believe. But then Smokepelt went on and Mottlepaw mused over the words as they rang in the snowy clearing. To him, Smokepelt's words make sense. While he had yet to interact with Smokepelt's litter, he had seen Ryekit from afar and could agree on his statement of Ryekit most likely not lasting long - no matter how bitter those words truly were. Greencough was enough to kill a fully grown cat - a kit like Ryekit with his...As Smokepelt put it, challenges, would barely survive. The act of giving him peace now with a loving mercy made sense to him and found himself very suddenly intrested with what Falconstone had to say.

His gaze shift to the brown tom as he spoke up like he was addressing StarClan themselves, circling the clearing with reason and purpose. Admittedly, the fact that the medicine cat was missing during this whole scene worried Mottlepaw. What would Beetlepaw think? He was only an apprentice an...Mottlepaw blinked. He was only an apprentice - would he truly know what would be best for Ryekit or would his panic for such a dangerous situation blind the medicine cat apprentice? His ears perked as he soaked in the rest of the words, finding points to agree with Falconstone. It was true, Smokepelt had been the reason RiverClan had attacked and while Mottlepaw wasn't the fondness of that fact he found the idea that it linked to now unreasonable. Smokepelt hadn't realize that RiverClan would attack and he had been punished - even now Mottlepaw could make out the slightly crookedness of the deputy's jaw where it had failed to heal fully. He had shared the same fate that he had bought on the RiverClan apprentice.

He took a step forward with a flicker of his tail, unsure if it was his spot to speak. Normally he would of resisted and held back, but he was afraid of tensions growing and infighting - he wanted to avoid it at all cost. "I am sorry, Falconstone," he admitted, a bit frighten to put his thoughts forward such as this. "But I am with Smokepelt." He took a deep breath, glancing between the two warriors then at his mentor with terrified eyes. "What is better? To allow Ryekit a painful death due to his deformities and sickness or allow him a death of mercy and love. I believe Smokepelt's intentions were true and I seen the logic behind is actions and I accept them. I do not believe Smokepelt wished any foul feelings on Ryekit - he was simply doing the best option he felt he had." Once done, Mottlepaw drew back but kept close to the deputy. His gaze suddenly refused to meet Ashstar's in fear that she would disapprove of his option to speak up. But he couldn't understand - Smokepelt's actions were supported by logic and he failed to believe that Smokepelt was simply trying to murder his son in cold blood. While, admittly, Mottlepaw had never really understood the bond between family due to his lack of one, he felt Ashstar was a bit like a mother to him if anyone and if Smokepelt was just a fraction as loving as her - then he couldn't dare kill his family in the way Falconstone was accusing him of.

Sandybreeze woke up in the nursery to hear Vulturekit's wails and screeching outside. She leaped up out of her nest, eyes wide, and rushed out of the nursery. What's going on? Are we being attacked again? She gasped as her blue-green gaze rested on her mate and father fighting. Shaking her head in disbelief, she ignored them to check on her kit. "Shh, Vulturekit it's alright. What happened? Are you okay?" She meowed to Vulturekit worriedly, while nosing through her fur, looking for any wounds. She glanced up quickly when she heard Smokepelt tell them he wasn't killing his son in cold blood. Her blood ran cold and her mind raced as Falconstone retaliated, claiming her father had almost hurt her kit. Her father.. tried to kill her sibling.. and then hurt her kit..? She shook her head furiously, wrapping her tail protectively around Vulturekit and giving her a comforting lick between her ears. She narrowed her eyes at Smokepelt, not wanting to believe what she was hearing, but so much was stacked against him. First maiming an apprentice, then the war with RiverClan, and now this? What was going on with him? She knew how Ryekit was doing, and she did understand, kinda. Ryekit was sick and, though awful to say, probably wasn't going to make it past leaf-bare, but shouldn't he have talked to Ashstar first? Or Beetlepaw? She loved her father, but she also loved Falconstone. She couldn't pick a side so easily as Mottlepaw had done. They were both her family and she didn't know what'd she'd do without either of them. She shut her eyes for a moment, blocking everything out. It was so much to take in and she was, to say the least, overwhelmed. How could this be happening? Why her? Why her family? She opened her eyes again and eyed the two toms who were her family, her mind racing.

Squirrelpaw flinched as Smokepelt started to speak, before running to her mother Nightheart's side, just to comfort herself. Is that what the deputy thought? That the cats with disabilities should be killed? That innocent cats need to be sent to Starclan early? How would that help his clan and family? Opening her mouth as if she was about to hiss, she glared at Smokepelt from the other side of the clearing.

~

Twistedpaw looked at the two after she emerged from her nest. Smokepelt was more believable to the apprentice than some story of murdering his own kit, and besides, Ryekit was...different. Smokepelt was doing the right thing, relieving him of his pain quickly and easily in his sleep. Plus Vulturekit seemed to be perfectly fine.
Piping up, she declared, "I am with Smokepelt. Vulturekit is perfectly fine, so stop worrying about broken spines and whatnot. There probably isn't a scratch on him and the snow would've softened it." She stopped and flicked her ear towards the kit, who seemed okay.
"And Ryekit. It might have seemed cruel, but it is just and quick. The kit wouldn't have made it to New-Leaf anyways. He is too young to get past Greencough without any consequences, and plus his differences would just worsen it. He wouldn't even feel it in his sleep anyways." She stepped closer to Smokepelt to show which one she believed.

~

Pigeonkit peered out the slightest bit out of the nursery seeing the argument and as cats rooked sides. His eyes widened the barest inch, the largest reaction he ever had to anything. Trotting outside, he watched the argument with interest. Is there a fight going on? he wondered as he watched Twistedpaw and Mottlepaw stepping towards the deputy as he and Falconstoned glared at each other.

Hollowpaw narrowed his eyes for a moment before coughing loudly. Stepping forward he looked at the slowly gathering cats. "I understand your worry about the matter, Falconstone, but I believe Smokepelt had the right intentions. If the kit was going to die regardless, then a quick death is better than a slow, suffering one." He stated his opinion yet remained where he was. "Yes, knocking Vulturekit down wasn't the best thing to do, but I'm sure she is fine."

"I am curious, though, about why there was no other cat with you, Smokepelt. Surely it would have caused less drama if there was someone to back you up on this?"
The apprentice spoke as though he was already a warrior, but he was generally just trying to sort it out. The sleek tom didn't want to pick a side just yet, he was waiting for answers on both sides of the accusation. He flicked his tail, awaiting both cats replies. Though truly he wasn't bothered much by the commotion. If the kit was suffering and there was nothing to help him, then surely the best way to deal with him was to end his life? It would be friendlier to the kit, in his opinion.

It was neccessary, however, to have more evidence to figure out what was really going on. Both cats seemed to hate each other, and the claims made by Falconstone made sense, but it was possible that there was something else going on. Perhaps the Windclan deputy had reasons behind the acts.

A deathberry.




"A deathberry is not a quick and slow death. Do you want to try one when your time comes, Hollowpaw? A deathberry, by it's effects, causes cramps, terrible pain and fevers. Ryekit did not die a quiet death. And how dare you touch my herbs!" he boomed in the end, and threw himself against the deputy, and even thought he was small, he managed to push him off his feet.
"I am with Falconstone on this one. Usingnthe herbs to kill the kit. Not informing anyone. He should be ashamed of himself."


The medicine cat apprentice left the deputy, backing off into the crowd.


~~
(OMG i read the whole list of accusations and not even I can stand it in rp to get on of my cats to stand by Smokepelt 83)

"I wonder how you sleep at night, Smokepelt. Please, I will assure from now that even with a mssing tail, I ca still fight. Or else tomorrow night you'll sneak in and try to choke me to death."

Jaypaw poked her head out of the medicine cat's den, walking out and looking slightly down as she struggled to ballance with her stump of a tail. Both her and Beetlepaw moved closer to Falconstone to show where they stood.

Mossfoot poked her head out of her den at the commotion. She listened intently to the argument, and was frankly, horrified at what she heard. Killing his own kit? It may have been for the greater good, but she knew as well as Beetlepaw that deathberries weren't quick killers. She stormed out into the clearing. Enough was enough. "Smokepelt, you disgust me. Killing Ryekit might have ended his suffering, but in doing so, you made him die in terrible pain! Better have him die during Leafbare rather than suffer the effects of a deathberry! He's safe in StarClan now, sure, but I have to take Falconstone's side."

"The kit was asleep. And I never said it was painless! No, I don't have the best understanding of Berries and herbs, but that's not the point!" Hollowpaw growled. His patience with his clanmates was running out pretty quickly.

"Starclan forbid I try to understand better." He muttered under his breath, quiet enough that no one should hear it. He flicked his tail in irritation and shot a glance at the medicine cat apprentice. He held respect for both Beetlepaw and the medicine cat, but he was mildly annoyed.

"The kit would suffer anyways - Smokepelt was clearly just trying to rid Ryekit of pain. Surely feeding him deathberries sooner would have released the kit of pain faster than waiting for him to die off slowly. Yes, it might not be the quickest, most painless of deaths, but it's faster than waiting until Newleaf!" He let out another growl, sitting down on the cold ground. The sleek tom figured he might be here a while. Though still, he did not yet want to pick sides. "Smokepelt," he said, turning to the tom. "What about the other accusations Falconstone made? What do you have to say about those, too?"