A trial for a traitor (open)

The medicine cat's golden tail flicked as she remained in quiet thought, mulling over her dream from StarClan while the rest of SkyClan slowly pulled together, all but seemingly Maplepaw aware of the discussion that was to come. By the time Amberdawn looked up again, the three brothers all sat somewhere near Maplepaw, their young faces overflowing with varying emotions: Sandblaze, pale cream and forcing a smile that looked uncomfortable from tail-lengths away; Lightfang, his head bowed and shadowed as he sat slightly further from the others; Swallowflight, looking empty and hopeless before the meeting had even started. Even Burningsun, the sons' good friend, sat near the others, her expression focused and shielded. Amberdawn shifted slightly, bringing her tail closer to her body. So somber so young, she thought, and not for no reason. They're older than I was at my first meeting where Tinystar passed judgement...

The leader's voice spoke and Amberdawn straightened up to focus on him and the words he spoke. Tinystar immediately addressed Maplepaw, citing her treason as he commanded she step forward. Amberdawn felt her stomach sour slightly; that didn't sound like a promising beginning to the meeting. Indeed, when he began to speak and lay out the young apprentice's crimes for the rest of the Clan, as though they were not aware, Amberdawn became more and more certain of the decision Tinystar had come to by the severity of his words and hardness of his stare that swept over camp. Still, as the words left his mouth, the medicine cat gasped slightly and shook her head in a silent plea:

"You are to be exiled from SkyClan.

Or... you will be granted the opportunity to stay."

Amberdawn was rapt, staring with wide amber eyes up at her grandfather as he offered an alternative to exile - a way to prove Maplepaw's loyalty to SkyClan and earn a home there once again. The punishment he offered was severe; the runaway apprentice's choice was something akin to imprisonment. It was easy to lose Tinystar's trust, and practically impossible to gain it back once lost. Would I endure such a punishment for a moon? Amberdawn wondered. Unappealing though it sounded, she could hardly fathom making the decisions that would even lead to this punishment. She couldn't imagine what had gone through Maplepaw's mind.

The clearing was silent for an achingly long time. It was likely only a few series of heartbeats, and yet each one seemed to get slower. Maplepaw stood staring evenly at Tinystar, and as Amberdawn - and the rest of SkyClan - stared at her with anxious anticipation, slowly a feeling of realization began to settle over her:

Maplepaw was going to leave.

Sandblaze was one of the first to react aloud to Tinystar's offer and Maplepaw's silence, crying out in protest and begging her to choose her kin. Amberdawn's heart ached for the tom, one of Firflower's sons, as Mistyrain gently chided him for the outburst in defense of his sister. It was her choice to make, but it was clear what everyone in the Clan wanted her to choose. And Maplepaw... Maplepaw had never followed the beaten path.

"I accept your punishment," the she-cat stated. Amberdawn doubted herself; she couldn't read Maplepaw's voice. Perhaps she was willing to endure isolation to stay with her kin... "I choose... exile."

Amberdawn didn't want her intuition to have been correct. The clearing's tension was suddenly shattered, suddenly flooded with shock, anger, fear, disbelief. Swallowflight immediately protested, stammering words of denial as he raced to her side to confront her. "Say sike right now,  or a pun maybe! Please tell me you're joking!" the warrior demanded desperately of his sister. She said nothing, and the change that came over Swallowflight was startling. His voice suddenly turned bitter and cold, a sneer that tried to cut - just short of a snarl. Amberdawn stood, feeling the fur along her spine bristle uneasily as the tom became more and more agitated. Then: he snapped. He lashed his claws across her face, but he stopped after the one, planting his claws viciously in the earth.

Amberdawn sprang from her place as soon as she saw the blood welling on Maplepaw's cheek. "Swallowflight, that's enough!" she cried with horror, but her demand was unnecessary. The medicine cat had slipped her body smoothly but firmly between the siblings - no, ex siblings - and swept her tail defensively around the impulsive cat. Swallowflight disowned her with a fury, and even cursed her as he spun away, racing from camp. Amberdawn turned to her other side, looking wide-eyed at the exile-to-be. "L-Let me help you with that," she requested, her voice quavering.

Sandblaze stood, paralyzed, as his sister did what he almost expected her to do. Of course, with her red coat of fire, on a body that was half-Firflower, half-Starlord, she would choose to be free from clanhood and stripped of her apprenticeship. She did not stay for her family, but rather left for herself. Had she been so miserable with them? Had they failed her that badly? Sandblaze thought of everything he could have done to make her see the value of the home they had made in the trees. His jaw remained set hard and fast on his face, and his round blue eyes betrayed nothing. Failure. The feeling of falling from a tree. Be loyal to your siblings, protect them. It was all for naught now. Delta had not chosen them. The anger came in waves, but the guilt remained lingering on his heart. He could have done something. He could have stopped her. He didn't. He could have broken free from his trance and defended her from Swallowflight's sharp claws, but he didn't. The cream-colored tom scored her face and Amberdawn could only hurry to her aid. Sandblaze did not speak.

His brother was gone before Sandblaze could bother to think of anything to say. He denounced Maplepaw, disowned her before the entire clan. He watched Swallowflight's tail disappear beyond the walls of camp and felt grief, as if he had lost an entire litter of siblings. His eyes turned to Amberdawn, a silent plead for... something. He did not know. Shattered was StarClan's prophecy that was so generously and loftily bestowed on him. He had failed the stars, and justly so. Who could trust a rogue's son to uphold the wishes of the ancestors? He was a joke, a sham, a fraud. Tinystar may not be so kind on the rest of his kin. It was only a matter of time. Wordlessly, Sandblaze ambled with weary footsteps towards Lightfang and placed his head across his brother's shoulder, nuzzling the back of his neck. The only one in the clearing, it seemed, who understood the pain that undermined his very nature. They were both broken, wretched, and torn. He longed to feel the warmth of his mother's belly fur, to be shielded from the harsh winds that swept over the mountaintops, and to smell the sweet tinge of Maplekit's pelt beside him.

There was no such solace now.

Burningsun took in everything. She found herself nodding along with what the small leader said. Exile was a valid option, and one she had expected. But she also agreed with the restart of Maplepaw's training and letting her stay. Because of this, she kept her mouth shut. There was nothing for her to disagree with. Instead, she focused her attention to Maplepaw, waiting for her to answer. The other she-cat took way too long for her taste. However... When Maplepaw responded she couldn't say she wasn't suprised at all. Maplepaw was extremely dumb, with no care for those around her. She was a selfish, clan breaking coward.

Yet, before Burningsun could speak, the brothers let out their rage. Her gaze first settled on Lightfang. Her dear friend. Her only emotion connected to this situation was pity and anger for him. And Sandblaze, of course. Swiftly, the red she-cat joined Lightfang by his side, pressing her pelt into his. She said nothing, but she was there.

Pinned close to Lightfang, she watched as Swallowflight said his piece. Quietly, she cheered him on, not daring to interrupt him. A slight twinge of pleasure hit her as Swallowflight hit Maplepaw. The warrior moved to join Swallowflight as he left, wanting to join in on the rage against Maplepaw. She hurt her friends, and Maplepaw would pay. But Amberdawn shielded the she-cat, and Burningsun settled on a hiss.

Sandblaze. Oh StarClan, she had forgotten to comfort Sandblaze too. Trying to remain her composure, Burningsun joined the third son, pressing her pelt to his as she did with Lightfang. "Hey, you okay?" she whispered quietly, finally breaking her uncharacteristic silence.

"Silence!" the tiny leader yowled above the squabbling cats and waited a couple of moments before continuing with the task at hand. He knew there would be some backlash from certain members of the clan, especially her kin, but even so, he had not even an ounce of patience for such antics.

"A decision has been made," he began, turning his gaze back towards the apprentice. "Maplepaw, from this day forth, you will be known as an exile of SkyClan and may live the rest of you days as a Rogue. You are not to come back to this land and I, nor any warrior of SkyClan will hesitate to attack you if you are found on our territory again. You may say your farewells, and then Mistyrain will escort you out of the territory. You may all return to your duties now," Tinystar finished and just like that, it was all over.

Instead of hopping down the tree to retreat to his nest, the tiny leader stayed where he was. Laying down, he tucked his front legs neatly under his chest fluff and wrapped his long tail around his rump. Today, SkyClan lost another member. To him, it wasn't too great of a loss, considering the circumstances, but he knew that Maplepaw's family would need some time to grieve, which could turn into a setback, as far as their warrior duties were concerned.

Maplepaw had expected the surprise of her siblings, but she had expected more outward reaction... And then Swallowflight laughed. It sent chills down her spine. She'd never heard a cat laugh like that before, and she never wanted to again. She hung her head at her brother's tone of voice, not even lifting it to see more than his paws. When he stopped, she did look up. And she was met with claws. She reached a paw up to the wound, eye shut to keep out the blood. She only stared at him with one amber eye, once bright with happiness, now dull with sorrow, as he disowned her from the family. Now, she had no brothers. She had no mother anymore. She had no clan. She pushed Amberdawn away. "No," She said for nearly the first time(other than refusing a food she didn't want as a kit). "I should get out of here before..." She rushed to Lightfang and Sandblaze, standing in front of them. "I'm sorry." Was all she could say at first. "There's nothing I or anycat can say. Even if you may not consider me a sibling any longer, I will always consider you as my brothers from a better time. I'm..." Out of words. Out of time. "I know this isn't a light matter. But I wouldn't be able to sand all this. Please, just don't remember me as the bad guy." She pleaded, ignoring Tinystar's words.

Sandblaze lifted his head, bleary eyed. His gaze flickered to Burningsun, though he couldn't find the words to say a single phrase to her. Maplepaw stood in front of him for perhaps the last time, and Tanglekit's words came rushing back to him. If he was to fail, the least he could do was grant her the name she was christened at birth. Their father's name. He wondered briefly if Tinystar would become suspicious of him, but as his paws went numb from misery he didn't seem to care. So long as his sister was lost, nothing else mattered. 

"I want to pick your rogue name," he said, stronger than he expected, "You were given Maplekit as a child of SkyClan, no? I'm not sure it fits anymore. You deserve to have some fun with this. You always do.." Sandblaze forced a chuckle as he stepped closer. Her eyes were bright, perhaps reflecting a future of freedom. He thought of the dog she had tried to attack, and realized he could no longer be there to protect her. He nuzzled his sister for the last time. "Sunshine?" he said in a faux wondering voice. "What about Sapling? We could keep the tree theme. Fluffy? Sniffles? Ginger?" When he pulled away, he was staring deeply into his little sister's eyes with an intensity that he didn't know he had within him. They burned with tears that he could no longer stop, and he lifted his head. 

"I strip you of your SkyClan name," he said for the clearing to hear, "From this day on, you will be known as Delta. I hope, sister, that the life of a loner suits you better than the responsibilities of clan life." He lowered his voice, so just Delta could hear. "I love you. Take this name, and the promise that I will always come when you call. No matter what this stupid code says." With a gentle lick to her forehead, he stepped back. The faces in the clearing were strange to him. Overwhelmed, he shuffled to the warrior den and found himself curled up inside, pressed against the corner. He did not come out for the rest of the day.

ooc: mobile, will probably edit later

Warmth at his side. Burningsun. Lightfang leaned against her as much as he would allow under SkyClan's watchful eyes, each set well aware of the role he'd played in this. Then Swallowflight began his slow circle. His eyes held a savage sort of calm, as if he was sizing up a piece of soon-to-be-fresh-kill rather than his own sister. He sprang forward, claws bared, and left a bloody line down the right side of Maplepaw's face. Lightfang dazedly wondered if it might scar. A nick in his ear and a mark on her face—one reminder for each of them of how this day had gone.

When he blinked again, the end of Swallowflight's tail was disappearing into SkyClan territory, and Burningsun had left to comfort Sandblaze. Before the cold could sink in, a weight on the back of his neck chased it away. Sandblaze. Lightfang could hardly take solace in the contact when his older brother was being so unnervingly quiet, but... Amberdawn asked to help Maplepaw, and Lightfang realized she had tried to intervene, putting herself between the exile-to-be and the rest of SkyClan. Maybe she, too, understood.

Impassive as ever, Tinystar dismissed them. Then Lightfang found himself face-to-face with Maplepaw. At last, Sandblaze spoke. Part of Lightfang recoiled at the idea of Maplepaw giving up her name for a rogue's—but this name, like her old one, came from family. That was what mattered.

You're still my sister. Whatever Swallowflight or Tinystar said, that would always hold true. Although Lightfang disagreed with Maplepaw—no, Delta's choice, she had listened to him at the very end; she'd handled that decision with all the gravity it deserved. He pressed his nose to Delta's shoulder. "Be careful." It was the least treasonous thing he could think to say. Delta had heard it from him a hundred times before. He hoped she understood everything it meant now.

The young warrior stood, took two steps toward the camp's exit, and realized there were no duties for him to return to. Two steps toward the warriors' den; Sandblaze was already there. He hesitated a moment longer, tears streaking his fur, before his eyes fell on the elders' den. There, he would find relative privacy and ways to busy his paws. He looked out over the camp, at Amberdawn, at Burningsun, and left them without a word.

Tinystar's yowl made Amberdawn wince slightly; the she-cat glanced away from Maplepaw to her leader's face. Her expression was full of concern and sorrow, a veiled plea to reverse things despite that she knew he hadn't made the decision. Maplepaw had. The short-legged leader finalized her declaration with ceremonial words, stripping her of her SkyClan status and declaring her an enemy - an intruder, if ever seen on SkyClan territory again. His certainty that his Clan would chase her off made Amberdawn uncomfortable; she wasn't so sure, for many cats - aside from Swallowflight and Maplepaw herself - seemed disturbed and upset by the choice. Tinystar dismissed them and Amberdawn's dark gaze fell away, back to Maplepaw.

The now-exile turned down Amberdawn's offer for help, shouldering her non-violently but undeniably away. The medicine cat's tail tucked against her back legs and she felt herself shrink as she dipped her head in acquiescence, taking a few small steps away. Maplepaw's face was almost stony, but emotion threatened to spill over in her eyes. The she-cat spun away to say goodbye to her brothers - the only two who now still accepted her - and Amberdawn simply stood shamefully in her place, watching the procession and feeling like an intruder eavesdropping on a private moment.

Sandblaze began to speak, and Amberdawn found her interest slightly piqued at the first words out of his mouth. "I want to pick your rogue name," he stated. The medicine cat watched him curiously as he began to explain, and then started listing names off. The interaction was bittersweet, yet something about it seemed... familiar. It stirred up a feeling that Amberdawn should be gleaning something from his words, but she couldn't figure out what as she sat and listened to him settle on a name. Delta, he named her.

A strange wave flooded through the medicine cat's body, and her tail-tip twitched at the thought. "One of the kits knows who they are now," Rippedstar's voice murmured in her mind. Amberdawn frowned slightly, but by then the interaction was over. Sandblaze had stepped away to go lay in the warrior's den, while Lightfang himself fled towards the elder's den. Amberdawn stood for another moment before looking at Maplepaw with sad eyes, and then she searched for Mistyrain. "StarClan protect you," the medicine cat said gently to both the deputy and the new exile. Then she turned to pad to the medicine den. She couldn't even be glad the meeting was over.