When Darkness Chokes the Light [Solo]

Skyclan had changed for the better. Wolfstar was the leader. Bloodstrike was the deputy. Despite the missing kits, Skyclan's numbers had only grown, with apprentices well on their way to becoming warriors. Despite all of this, Bloodstrike found himself tossing and turning when he tried to sleep sometimes. They had already been through this before... where it looked like everything was going to finally get better and then ended up becoming worse. After several nights of this, Bloodstrike had made up his mind to do the one thing that his clan just might condemn him for. He kept his plans completely secret until the night of their execution. He had waited for Dawnhawk to prepare for his evening patrol with his apprentice before Bloodstrike stopped him and Ashpaw. Tigerpaw had already finished his patrols for the day and was likely either sleeping or getting ready to.

"Dawnhawk," Bloodstrike spoke in an authoritative tone to get his son's attention quickly. "I want you with me tonight. No apprentices, unfortunately. Ashpaw will have the evening off." He wasn't asking. Dawnhawk stared at his father for several seconds, his eyes searching for something... but Bloodstrike couldn't pin down what that might be. The pale tom looked at Ashpaw and nodded once, dismissing her from him, then followed after Bloodstrike obediently. The two toms slipped away from the camp and traveled beyond their territory toward Fourtrees.

"This is an interesting time for you to be out patrolling, father." Dawnhawk kept the trotting pace with his dad far easier than he could before. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Bloodstrike either, though he said nothing. "Is Fourtrees ours now? Starclan wouldn't approve." Dawnhawk's tone may have suggested a joke, but Bloodstrike wasn't smiling.

"You know I don't care about Starclan, and I know you don't either." The dark tom said bluntly. That was all Dawnhawk needed to push all joking mannerisms aside. Something was going on. "This is why I wanted you to come with me. I trust your mother too but she... She is needed at camp." Even to Bloodstrike his explanation of why he didn't bring Smokefeather sounded weak. Dawnhawk barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the attempt. The two toms went by Fourtrees as the night wore on. Bloodstrike navigated himself and his son in the direction of the Gorge, careful not to intrude too much into Riverclan's territory, but remain on the border as much as possible.

"Would you like to explain what we are doing out here?" Dawnhawk asked, his voice barely above a whisper as his ears stayed alert for Riverclan patrols. They were at the Gorge, sure, but if Dawnhawk were a Riverclan warrior he would certainly want to know why Skyclan cats were so close to their territory. It was clear that Bloodstrike didn't want to be seen or noticed at all. The dark tabby carefully peaked his head over the Gorge and his hunter green eyes scanned the ledges for any footholds. "Wolfstar officially has his nine lives," Bloodstrike said softly. His head popped back up and he took a careful look around him. He inhaled deeply through his nose and parted his jaws, searching carefully for any sign of Riverclan patrols. So far so good.

"Yes? And?" Dawnhawk saw what his father was doing and stared along the edges of the Gorge as well. He saw very few places to maybe make it to the bottom safely. But why? "That means Spottedleap has been stripped of his. At least, I hope so." Bloodstrike then looked along the edges of the Gorge once more and Dawnhawk took his turn to listen and scent for patrols. It took him a moment to realize who this Spottedleap was... then he understood that Bloodstrike meant the former leader of Skyclan. Then it all made sense.

"You actually came all of the way out here to look for Spottedst- leap? His trail went cold after this spot. He probably jumped." Dawnhawk tried to speak reasonably, but when he looked back at Bloodstrike, he saw that look of stubborn determination that he knew could not be reasoned with. The pale tom barely suppressed a sigh. "We all thought he was dead before. I will not make that mistake again. I will look for him, from now until the day I die, and I will not be satisfied until I choke the last life from his body." Bloodstrike looked over his shoulder again and both toms went quiet, listening and scenting for Riverclan patrols once more. Still nothing. Bloodstrike started to walk along the edge of the Gorge with Dawnhawk just behind him.

"Even if he did come back, Wolfstar leads us now. He'd have nothing to do but retire to the elders den and mope around in there with the other miserable old rats." "Spottedleap still has loyalists in the clan. Maybe they would cling to their warrior code and still follow Wolfstar, maybe there would be a division in the clan, I don't know but I have no interest in finding out. We've been divided long enough. I want to see if I can find where he may have gone and I want you to help me kill him." Bloodstrike suddenly spotted some rocks jutting out from the ledge of the Gorge that somewhat lead downward. His fur bristled and he approached the safest spot to try to get to them. He didn't need to point it out to Dawnhawk, the younger warrior had already seen it.

"Wolfstar might have something to say about that. You have a promising future ahead of you. The patrols are more organized, the time that passes between patrols in any given area has been greatly reduced... You've proven to be a good deputy... But are you willing to betray the trust of our new leader so quickly?" Dawnhawk asked. His question had Bloodstrike round on him, threat flashing in his eyes. Dawnhawk spoke before Bloodstrike could. "I don't care what you do, dad. You brought me out here because you trust me with this and your trust was not ill-placed. But you do need to think about this for a moment. You claim you don't want more clan division and that is why you are doing this, yet you are repeating the cycle all over again. The Skyclan leader and deputy don't trust each other. You've got some cats more loyal to the deputy and others who are more loyal to the leader. Division ensues. Don't you think you should let this go? Maybe let dead cats stay dead?" Dawnhawk stared and gave a moment for his words to sink in. Bloodstrike's mouth opened, but no words came out. Eventually, he closed them and his ears rotated back against his skull. A growl rumbled in his throat, but he said nothing and looked back down the Gorge. Dawnhawk looked too, deciding to say no more on the matter. He had already won.

"Those rocks are too small for you to step on. You might slip. I'll go." He offered, just before he carefully set his paws on the rocks poking out from the sides. He tapped them roughly with his paw before he set any meaningful amount of weight on them to ensure their sturdiness. Dawnhawk managed to make it maybe five feet down the gorge before he had to stop and look for another foothold.

"Dawnhawk... Come back." Bloodstrike sighed. He didn't have to tell Dawnhawk twice. The pale tom didn't particularly like being precariously balanced over the edge of absolute death. He stood beside his father once more and again, observed the area for signs of a patrol. Still nothing. "You're not wrong... I hate to just give up on this but maybe you're right." Bloodstrike's jaw was tense and his claws were in the dirt. Dawnhawk stared at him, saying nothing. "I need to let this go." Bloodstrike admitted. He turned away from the gorge and started to lead his son back to Skyclan territory. The journey back to Fourtrees was relatively silent. Bloodstrike looked as defeated as Dawnhawk had ever seen him. His eyes were downcast, his pace was slow and his tail hung low behind him.

"I know that was hard for you, but I do believe you made the right choice. You know I would have found a way down the gorge if you wanted me to and I would have brought Spottedleap back up with me for both of us to kill together if I found him." Dawnhawk tried to sound as encouraging and supportive as he could. It worked. Bloodstrike's head rose a little higher. "I know. I trust you. Maybe you'd make a good leader yourself one day. You have a good head on your shoulders." To hear that from Bloodstrike came as a bit of surprise to Dawnhawk, but not an unwelcome one. "I only intend to be leader if the laws of Starclan are abolished." "You know that would never happen. There are too many cats that cling to it both within and outside of Skyclan." Bloodstrike's eyes settled on the charred territory of Skyclan not far from where they were. Still no trouble from patrols or even the scent or sign of another cat.

"Maybe the others will see the light one day. Maybe one day they will all wake up because another cat decided to be the light bringer." Bloodstrike turned his head and quirked an eye whisker at his son. "Really? Are you going to name one of your kits Lightkit and suggest Wolfstar names it Lightbringer at their warrior ceremony?" Dawnhawk stopped dead in his tracks and stared very seriously at Bloodstrike. The deputy stopped too, looking back at his son with some mild concern.

"You are going to lecture me on names? Mr. I'm going to name my kits Vulture and Ash and Jagged? Not to mention Wolfstar naming his kit Blazing after everything we've been through." "Oh shut up." Bloodstrike snickered and continued walking with Dawnhawk in tow. "I got enough dirt from your mother after that I don't need to hear it from you. I named you too, by the way. Not all of my names are terrible." Dawnhawk didn't respond, but only shrugged. They crossed the border of Skyclan territory in silence and the night had completely closed in on the day.

Nice theory dad but you're wrong. Dawnhawk thought quietly to himself as they neared Skyclan camp. I don't intend to father the Lightbringer... The two of them passed into the camp and Bloodstrike stopped.

"Thank you for going with me. Get some sleep. I hope we won't be too tired in the morning." He said quietly so as not to disturb the other warriors. "We'll be fine. We always are."