Treason, Surrender and Demands [Dawn/Blood Solo, C]

The scent that the wind carried had Bloodstar's fur bristle. He'd been out on patrol that evening when he caught the faintest whiff of his oldest son... He looked at the warrior with him on patrol, but it didn't seem like she noticed anything. For now, Bloodstar would say nothing. There were things he needed to do and he didn't necessarily want an audience when he did it. He carried his prey back dutifully and dropped it in the fresh-kill pile. He settled into the leader's den as night approached and waited patiently for the camp to quiet down. The words that he needed to say rolled around in his head and he did his best to imagine the different possible scenarios to respond effectively in turn. With a deep sigh, Bloodstar crept out of the leader's den. The two guards at the entrance were staring ahead, occasionally exchanging quiet words, but they never looked behind them. Bloodstar turned to the outer edges of camp. Now he would see the progress of their alarm system. It wasn't complete yet, but it was certainly underway. Bloodstar got a quiet running start and kicked off of the ground at the edge of what was completed. He cleared it in a single bound, though he was pleased that he at least needed to stretch his legs to actually get through without making a noise. Once that was complete even a large Skyclan cat like himself was going to have trouble jumping it.

He sprinted off through Skyclan territory, breaking his own rules, he knew, but for a purpose. He raced towards the river where he was sure the scent had come from, hoping to pick it up again. The scent was faint, but he'd located it. It didn't seem like Dawnhawk was coming towards camp. He'd come from... maybe Thunderclan's direction... then crossed the river by hopping across rocks. Bloodstar followed. He was on his way to Fourtrees... The scent grew stronger once he actually put eyes on the Great Oaks. A flash of white on the branches... Bloodstar dropped into a hunting crouch... but there was no need. Two glowing eyes were already watching him from the tree. Dawnhawk had spotted him, but was still lying on the branch as if Bloodstar wasn't even there.

The cold made Bloodstar shiver, but he brought himself up into a normal stance and approached the tree. He held his breath, expecting Dawnhawk to jump through the trees and begin to flee... but the pale tom stayed where he was, not a even a tiny tale of tension in his body.

"Dawnhawk... I'd like to talk to you." Bloodstar said calmly, though deep within he was both seething and heartbroken, given recent events. Were they considered recent still? His hurting heart said yes.

"I can hear you just fine down there." Dawnhawk answered him simply. Bloodstar looked around the clearing to see if there was anyone else. There didn't appear to be.

"You don't have to come down, but I don't want to talk loudly. I'm coming up." He didn't ask if it was okay. The giant tom leaped upward and scaled the tree with surprising speed. It was then that Dawnhawk quickly got to his feet and straightened his tail out for balance. He was going to flee the instant he decided Bloodstar was too close. The Skyclan leader pulled himself up on a branch that was outside of leaping distance for him from the branch Dawnhawk was on. He lie down on it to show he did not intend to give pursuit. The pale tom still stayed on his feet regardless.

"What do you want?" Dawnhawk asked sharply.

"Skyclan isn't going to hunt you anymore. You're still not welcome on our territory, but we will no longer pursue you as long as you are outside our borders." Besides, every time they had tried to pursue him it had ended in tragedy for Skyclan. Dawnhawk sat down on the branch, a blank and unimpressed expression on his face.

"Oh thanks... now that I have lost everything and have nowhere to go." He growled in response. Bloodstar shrugged.

"Lying and killing tends to isolate you." The memory of his dead mother and daughter flashed in his mind and his claws flexed out on the branch. For just a moment he was tempted to give chase and try to kill Dawnhawk anyway. He knew deep down that he'd never catch him in the trees... The missing tail had not done his balance any favors.

"I could have had a fresh start in Windclan, if Wolfstar had only left me alone. Blossomstep, your daughter, Cloudmane... and Wrenspring might still be alive." Dawnhawk prodded. Bloodstar held his tongue, as much as he wanted to lash out at that statement. He would not give Dawnhawk the satisfaction of getting under his skin. The silence told Dawnhawk something that he needed to know apparently... because he gave Bloodstar a satisfied half smile that seemed to have no origin.

"If you have family there maybe they would take you back... but I doubt it. Your crimes are out in the open. Every clan knows of your treachery now. Regardless, I wanted you to know Skyclan will not pursue you anymore. I want you to leave us alone as well."

Dawnhawk sighed loudly. "Regardless of who made this decision, you or Wolfstar, it doesn't really do a thing for me. I will be after Skyclan until I get what I want."

Bloodstar narrowed his eyes, but refused to let any anger rule him or his decision making. "And that would be?"

"Smokefeather. If you give me Smokefeather I will never harm another Skyclan cat again unprovoked. I might even leave the forest, since I truly have no future here, thanks to you and Wolfstar." Now... Bloodstar's ears flattened against his head and a growl rose in his throat.

"I would never hand her over to you. Have you not caused us enough pain already? Have you not taken enough from us?" Bloodstar clawed the branch beneath him in his fury, bark falling to the forest floor below.

"Apparently not." Came Dawnhawk's simple answer. His tone was as even and calm as if discussing the weather. His eyes held no emotion. He was much colder than he had been even when he brought the Asylum to Skyclan's camp all of those moons ago. The good inside him, if there was any left, was decaying. He didn't say anything after. Bloodstar growled and shook his head.

"What she said to you was wrong. We all know that. But constantly harassing and killing us isn't right either. Aside from the torture and execution of another Skyclan cat, I would do anything to get you to leave us alone."

"Well, unfortunately for you, that's all I want. I won't settle. If her life is worth more than all of Skyclan's to you then so be it. You will lose them all... and then eventually you will lose her too. One way or another I will kill her." Dawnhawk spoke with such indifference given the subject matter that Bloodstar's fur prickled, threatening to stand on end. How could anyone speak about their mother that way? Smokefeather had made mistakes... but this? Nothing she had done warranted this.

"If you ever do, it will never be because I handed her to you. I can promise you that."

"Sounds like a challenge." Dawnhawk half-smiled and his tail tip flicked once. Was he actually enjoying this? "I have broken you once and I do believe I can break you again. Know this, Bloodstrike... the longer you resist the worse I will make it for you when you finally comply. I have nothing to lose, nothing you can take from me now. But you? You have everything to lose and I will enjoy robbing you of any and all joy until you either lose your mind or die." A sharp-toothed grin spread malevolently across Dawnhawk's face. In that moment, Bloodstar didn't recognize his son at all. It was like someone had made a copy of him but the personality, the subtle facial features... everything was just wrong. He remembered the apprentice that liked to sing and show off his kills in the fresh-kill pile. He remembered the young warrior ready and willing to go find Spottedstar with him but was the voice of reason and talked Bloodstrike out of it.

What had happened to that promising young tom? What had happened to the cat he himself would have chosen as deputy?

"You died..." Bloodstar muttered to himself, but Dawnhawk's ears pricked forward. He'd heard it. "You died when the Asylum took you to train with them. My first born son is dead... and he has been dead for moons." He stared at the branch below him, defeated. Dawnhawk said nothing in response. He only watched. After a few moments of silence, Bloodstar sighed and leaned his weight off of the tree branch. He easily made his way back down to the ground and began to walk away from Fourtrees, head low.

"I would have chosen you... You would have been the deputy and eventually the leader of Skyclan.... but you threw it all away." Bloodstar said, not entirely sure if it was loud enough for Dawnhawk to hear.

"That would never have been enough for me anyway." He responded, apparently able to hear. "Why rule one clan when you can have them all?" He called out, but settled back down on his branch. He had no interest in pursuing Bloodstrike alone. Stars knew where Tarot was.

Bloodstar looked over his shoulder, ready to say his last words and end the conversation. "And now you have nothing! You are alone, and it's what you deserve!" He continued to walk, fury making his head pound. Dawnhawk said nothing else. Once Bloodstar was a great distance away from the oaks, he looked back.

Dawnhawk was not on his branch...