The Aftermatch [CLOSED]

Jaystar's eyes were narrowed, his fur slightly prickled as he entered the camp. He was tense, that was clear. The whole gathering had been a mess and now the doubt was spread through his clan like a disease. The leader watched how his clanmates slowly returned to their dens, barely sharing a few words with some of them. But he caught the glimpse of his son, Berrycloud, he felt a punch in his stomach. Mintwhisker's had ruined it all for his kits... for his clan. This was not the way it was supposed to be. He should be the only one paying for his mistakes, not the ones he loved. The silver feline lifted his head to the sky, meeting the stars up there. And suddenly, he saw clarity.

The truth couldn't be hidden anymore. There was no point of running of Starclan over and over again. Not now that Riverclan's reputation could be tainted because of him. He was tired of just running and pretneding. This was never him... he used to be a fighter for justice, for truth but his selfishness drove him away from that path. And now... what truly mattered was not his position but his kits who deserved a better life than the one they could have as the forbidden result of a medicine cat and a leader. Jaystar had an idea for that... it was risky but wasn't it dangerous from the start? The other clans could judge him, hate him but the real jury that really matter now... was Starclan and what they decide about his leadership... and his kits. Would they forgive? His eyes soon glanced at the brown deputy, who walked near him. The leader could already see the dissapointment in his eyes, the betrayal... but Scorchclaw needed to know to if Starclan decided it was his time to say goodbye forever. The blue-grey tabby stepped in front of the other's way, showing a strict yet concerned expression about what was about to happen. "Scorchclaw, Goldeneye, meet me at my den now. We have to discuss what happened tonight." He mewed passing his sight from the tom to the golden she-cat.

Chaotic—that one word perfectly summed up the Gathering. As soon as the clans had been given permission to disperse, the RiverClan patrol headed home for the island camp. Silent Silverpelt threw her cold, gleaming starlight over their path. Whether it was the work of the imagination or not, the ancestors seemed even father away tonight. Scorchclaw refused to spare them so much as a glance. Padding along at the rear guard of the patrol, the large deputy displayed no desire for conversation. Judging from the stony quiet that seemed to seize his clanmates, broken only by the occasional mutter, he was not the only one. His jaws were clenched, his pale-green gaze still smoldering. His feathery tail swept low, agitated arcs through the air. SkyClan had certainly given them a lot to think about. If this situation had been any other, he would have marveled over the effect mere words could have. But this situation was not any other. Those few words of Mintwhisker's had instantly dashed to pieces a portion of the great trust that held a clan together.

"I received a prophecy from Starclan, more specifically, from Reedstar of Riverclan. There has been a serious breach of the code, one that has been concealed from us from far too long. It has been revealed to me that Goldeneye and Jaystar have been... romantically involved. The result of this contravention is a litter of kits that currently resides in Riverclan. As far as I know, Jaystar and Goldeneye have kept both their romance and it's consequence a secret for many moons, concealing it not only from their own clan but from their allies, enemies- the entire forest." Mintwhisker had accused RiverClan's leader—not just their leader, but their medicine cat as well, of breaking the Warrior Code. Any cat who had been raised within the clans knew what a grave accusation this was. The seeds of doubt had been sown among his clanmates, and Scorchclaw could already begin to see the results. Did they really believe that Jaystar had done such a thing? Jaystar, who had always led them so faithfully, sacrificing his own meals in leaf bare so that his clan could stay fed? Goldeneye was a medicine cat. If anyone knew the Warrior Code like their back of their own paw, it would be the golden tabby. And yet, they were now being doubted? The deputy's brow furrowed. His clanmates were mouse-brained for believing the words of a filthy, unassociated murderer over their own leader's. SkyClan had already proven themselves to be no ally ever since Tinystar's rule.

Scorchclaw's pale gaze alighted on Jaystar, who was at the head of the patrol. Or... was he the foolish one here? Mintwhisker's words were not true. They could not be true. He did not want to believe that they were true. When Sweetheart had betrayed her clan, Jaystar had been the one to pick him up and continue training him. Even though there had been older, more capable warriors, Jaystar had chosen him to be the deputy. In the moons that had passed since Ivystar's death, he had come to really respect her son. He trusted Jaystar; deep down in his heart, he knew that he strove to be like the current RiverClan leader. Growing up, he had never had a personal role model he could try to emulate. If one had turned his back on the Code, he might as well have turned his back on his clan. There was no way he could believe that Jaystar had been romantically involved with Goldeneye.

Yet Scorchclaw was a rational cat. He was not so blinded with emotion that he could not see the facts, could not see how the puzzle pieces aligned. Very rarely would a medicine cat lie about a revelation they had received from StarClan. At least, he had never heard of such a thing in his lifetime. All of RiverClan also knew that Goldeneye had been away from the clan for a period of time. While she had claimed to have been captured by Shade, it was true that she had been gone for enough moons to give birth to her kits and wean them. While Jaystar argued eloquently, there was evidence against him. Scorchclaw hated the fact that he really acknowledged the possibilities in his heart. He doubted Jaystar as well, even if he tried to deny that doubt.

At length, the patrol once more set paw within the confines of the reedy clearing. Scorchclaw watched in silence as his clanmates tramped slowly back to their respective dens. When Jaystar stepped into his path, the fluffy brown tom met his gaze expressionlessly. "Yes, Jaystar." He meowed, conflict flashing briefly over his features. There was no getting out of this situation. He had questions for the RiverClan leader. Before he headed towards the willow tree, however, he looked about for his apprentice. "Head to your nest." He ordered Wasppaw. His tone came out slightly more severe than he had intended it to be. "We'll talk in the morning." With those last words, he padded away without waiting for a response. Gray fur flashed at the edges of his vision as he did so, and he caught a glance of Adderfeather. How he missed his best friend at that moment. He was hit by the sudden urge to talk to her. Alas, there was something else he had to do.

When at last Scorchclaw, Jaystar, and Goldeneye were gathered within the hollow of the great willow tree, the deputy began right away. "Jaystar, Goldeneye." He spoke calmly, almost as if he had gotten over the rage that had seized him in the Gathering. In contrast, however, his pale-green gaze was hard and cold. "How much of Mintwhisker's story was a lie?" His restrained demeanor belied the chaotic storm churning within him. He wanted to believe their story, wanted to accept it with all of his heart. If Jaystar were to respond at that moment with "everything," chances were that he would completely believe him. He was still on their side. He would never betray them for the words of a medicine cat not even affiliated with own clan. He wasn't a cat easily swayed by the so-called authority of StarClan. Mistyrain had asked if he respected the ancestors; he did, about as much as he had respected them when they were alive. All he needed was that word of confirmation; it was all he wanted, now that they were out of the presence of other clans. That one word would decide everything.

Goldeneye didn't particularly care for this, she had her run, did what she needed to do, and if it was Starclans will to expose her then so be it. She had been nothing but a pawn to Starclan, had been their messenger. She was nothing without her ancestors, and if they decided to remove her from her position, then that was it. She was at the end of the road, she was no longer needed. Turning to look at Scorchclaw, her eyes hard and cold. "Nothing." She mewed, "Every word that Mintwhisker had spoken was true. Those rogue kits are mine and Jaystars by blood." Goldeneye turned to look at Jaystar as if daring to object to what she had said. "Which is what brings us here." She tilted her head towards Jaystar, beckoning him to explain.

The golden tabby answered Scorchclaw's words before him but there was no difference between his answer from hers. A long time ago, the leader could have never been able to face his deputy's disappointment, hate and anger toward him and what he did. But now, Jaystar didn't want to hide and run. He merely looked at the brown tom as the tired and regretful cat he was right now. There were no words needed to decode what was inside the feline's mind: the pain, the exhaustion, the embarrassment yet there also a strong and stubborn determination.  

The grey-furred tom sat down and nodded when the she-cat pointed him. His gaze never left Scorchclaw in front of him for this time he had to be fully honest with him. Jaystar owned him at least that. "There's nothing I can say to explain what we've done. I never meant to make it such a mess. I didn't want to expose Riverclan like this. But what I desired has no importance now. We messed up, Scorchclaw. Even if we didn't stay as mates after the birth of the kits, we lied to everyone just to keep them safe from a life of disgrace. And now, I just stand here to keep my clan safe from the shame that I and Goldeneye should have carried alone." His ears started getting closer to his head, showing how regretful he was about everything and how the words that came out of his mouth just kept repeating him what a mess he was. Jaystar was ready to receive any punishment he would have when his time come to die. But right now, he was alive. And he could do something to stop the clans from despising Riverclan. It was in his paws to stop the madness that was the past Gathering. However, for that to happen, it was their time to face Starclan and confess everything. "I know that even if I beg for your forgiveness, you won't give it to me and I understand. I can't forgive me either. However, I asked you to come here not only to confess everything but to ask you for help. The clans can't know the truth about our past relationship. If they do, then the respect and reputation that our clan has will be lost forever. All the cats in the forest will see in Riverclan just a bunch of code-breakers, the place where not only Shade and Lichenmask came from but also where their high-ranks don't follow the ways of our ancestors. I fear for our alliance with Shadowclan. I fear Windclan, Thunderclan and even Skyclan will take advantage of us if our clanmates enter in a riot for what we've done."


The tom shifted his tail to one side and curled it around his paws, as he used to do when he was a young cat when he was nervous and afraid. How could he not be like that considering what he was planning to do? "I don't plan to run any longer, Scorchclaw, please don't misunderstand me. What I want is to face what we did. I'm going to see our ancestors. Starclan will judge me for what I've done and they will decide if I'm worthy of keeping my lives. But since I know I'm not to trust to you -or to anyone-, I'm here to ask you to come with me. You will be our witness in our trial with Starclan. The clan doesn't need to suffer because of us. Tonight, we will receive our punishment and live with that but our clan shall not be destroyed because of that." Jaystar's voice wasn't shaky despite his fear. He had been thinking about this day for a while and even though he might not be ready, it was his time. He just hoped Scorchclaw could agree with his decision and be by his side when the time come. If he was to become leader tonight, then he had to know why. Deep inside, however, he truly wished he could forgive him one day... and that he could understand how important it was to keep the secret.

Goldeneye's response was swift and merciless, as icy as the winds of leafbare that whistled through the wetlands. Her words seemed to slice right into Scorchclaw, tearing apart the calm facade that he had attempted to put on. For a moment, the RiverClan deputy found himself unable to speak; his tongue was dead in his mouth. So it was true. As Jaystar continued to explain, he could only listen in stunned silence. A voice at the back of his mind screeched for him to put his paws over his ears, shut out everything the leader was saying. He could always run away. He did not want to listen; he did not have to. Yet at the same time, a stronger force compelled him to stay. His paws were rooted to the ground, unmovable as stone. He knew what he was hearing. He clearly registered the words. The rational side, however, did not account for the pain that accompanied them. Perhaps, if he had denied the truth strongly enough, he could have succeeded in shutting out Jaystar's words. With every word from the silver leader's mouth, a piece of the reality Scorchclaw had come to know was torn down. In the end, he heard everything.

The large tabby had been chosen to be the deputy when he was still young, inexperienced. His first apprentice had died an unbelievable death in the depths of the river. Not knowing what Jaystar had seen in him, he had nevertheless striven to live up to the trust and responsibility that had been placed on him. Now it almost felt as if everything had been a lie. How much of what he knew was the truth, and how much was fake? The two cats that had been tasked with guiding the clan, with leading RiverClan in the ways of the Warrior Code, had turned their very backs on the law. They had lied to their clanmates, making a mockery of every cat as they had kept their transgression under the moss. Like a piece of abandoned fresh-kill, the secret had festered until it was impossible to hide. Now the rot was evident to every clan in the forest. If Mintwhisker had chosen to hold her tongue in the Gathering, would anything have changed? These two cats would have continued to live their lives, happy and free from consequences. No one would have been any wiser. To think he had believed in them, even defended them! He had not been the only one to do so either.

Pain, betrayal, disappointment—those emotions now found themselves simultaneously reflected in Scorchclaw's pale-green eyes. As the truth began to sink in, rage rose within him like a swirling vortex, clawing at his insides until it threatened to spill out. And it did. "... How nobly you speak." The words, forced out from gritted teeth, were tainted with an unmistakable venom. Rising to his paws, the fluffy deputy faced Jaystar with a vicious glare. His features twisted, and his expression at that moment revealed the conflict that he was going through. Different from the stone-cold mask he tended to wear, the hurt and anger were fully exposed. "I see now that the leader I chose to follow has been nothing but a coward. Did the two of you lie to protect your kits? I tell you now, the only ones you were thinking of protecting were yourselves! If you had truly cared for them, you would not have kept their origins a secret, letting them grow up without even knowing who their parents were." Once, he had felt envious at the sight of the good relationship Jaystar shared with his kits. Now he almost laughed at himself. This—this is the cat I admired? What was the difference between Jaystar and his own fox-heart of a father now? Both had practically abandoned their own offspring, because they had chosen their own lives over taking responsibility. The realization hurt. It hurt so badly. He should have known, really. He had once trusted Shade, he had once trusted Lichenmask, and he had once trusted the Exiles. Again and again, that trust had been trodden underpaw and thrown back into his face. What had made him think that it would not happen again? What had made him think that he could believe in Jaystar? Scorchclaw chuckled, the sound harsh and unnatural. His gaze burned with fire. "How hypocritical." He snarled. "You can spare me the self-sacrificial attitude. It is too late for you to be concerned about RiverClan's fate. You knew what you were doing when you broke the Code."

Oh, for what reason had he worked so hard all this time? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew the answer—for RiverClan's sake. But what was the point, when StarClan themselves seemed to be trying to tell him that he could trust no cat? The very foundations that he had placed his faith in had been shaken. Why did he cling so tightly to the Warrior Code, when his own leader clearly had not? They were no different from loners and rogues. Why did he have to go through all this? Whose idea of a sick joke had it been? He was confused. He was lost. He did not understand. Why? As he stood facing the two traitors, almost overwhelmed in the heavy, suffocating emotions, the familiar visages of certain cats suddenly flashed before him. Adderfeather, Wasppaw, Flurryshine—the clanmates that he had slowly come to befriend and cherish. He believed in these cats, at the very least. They needed a leader, someone to guide them when they could be equally as confused as he was. There had only ever been one possible option for him. He drew a deep breath, struggling to reign in his raging emotions. When he spoke, he was expressionless. "If I still honor you as my leader, Jaystar, it is only temporarily, for my clan's sake. At least one purpose of ours align. I will be StarClan's witness, as they seem to have found me fit to be."

The leader curled his tail even tighter around himself at the harsh words of his deputy, though he couldn't blame him for being like that. His anger was justified. Jaystar lowered his head and nodded, agreeing with one of the tom's statements. "Yes, Scorchclaw, I was a coward and an hypocrite. But not anymore. I've disappointed you and if Starclan decides that I'm no longer the leader of Riverclan, then I'll spare you the time it will take you to exile me -if our ancestors are merciful enough to let me live- and just leave Riverclan forever. I'm well aware I'm not deserving of my rank or my home after what I've done. Or you can kill me right ahead. Just... don't say it to Riverclan, not to the other clans. That would cause Riverclan's doom and the clan have always been more important than my own life and wishes."

However, despite how ashamed he was and how he knew that most of the things he had done were done because of his coward attitude, Jaystar lifted his head to lock eyes with the fiery and angered gaze of the brown tabby. This time he did not show any regret for he was sure he made the right choice about one thing. "I may have failed to follow the law and I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. But what I did for my kits was for the best. They had a loving mother in Finchstream, a family and even I took them as sons and daughter of mine even if they think it's only a foster relationship. They didn't grow homeless, without family. If you want to spare them any suffering, I ask you to not tell them for I will be the one who would do it in time. I know they deserve the truth but right now... don't do it. If you care for those innocent cats, you will keep the secret from them. I alone will face the consequences of how they will react when they know, even if that means death by their own paws." The silver tom shivered at that thought but he couldn't disregard that option. Gingerstripe killed his mother for the same lies. Why his kits couldn't do the same? "I never wanted to protect myself. I know that my punishment will come when the Dark Forest welcome me after my last breath and I'm ready. But those kits don't deserve to suffer anymore." The large tom finally managed to stood up when saying those last words. He did not wait for a proper answer from the brow-furred warrior because he knew he wasn't going to be able to bare a no. Right now, the only thing he had was the hope that Scorchclaw will understand that that's for the best of everyone.

Jaystar walked to the entrance of his den and looked back to Goldeneye and the deputy. "There's nothing else I can say and there are no more excuses to be made. It's the moment to stop being a coward and accept Starclan's resolution. If we're lucky, the end to this madness will come before dawn." He mewed letting out a tired sigh. The leader didn't know what would be his future from now on but he was certain of one thing... he was done of running away.