Hasty Departure

As monsters roared across the Thunderpath. Bright eyes gleaming as they followed the large black path to their destinations, Oakstar felt a stab of envy. They knew where they were going. Knew where they had been. Many times in his life, he had felt adrift and uncertain. This was one of them. It stabbed through him sharper than any claws could. Ripped through his thick pelt as if it was a leaf, and left him bleeding out on the forest floor.

It had only been a few days since Dacedream was returned. No, her body was returned. A week or so since the snake that had stolen one of his lives away. His pale throat fur twitched as his head lifted to gaze into the darkened forest beyond. Where shadows lay in restless silence, where he had once lived. Innocent… unknowing… now he felt as if he knew too much, yet nothing.

Since nothing could have prepared him to have his daughter ripped away. He felt no guilt thinking of the young she-cat as exactly that. He had watched over her from the day she entered the clan with her uncle. Had watched her grow, and tried to be there whenever she needed more. Her true mother might be in WindClan now… but he had once hoped the forest’s temporary peace could have been more permanent. Instead, it felt more fractured as moons dragged on.

The worst of it, when he looked at the stars… he felt anger. A bitter, stinking betrayal that left a horrible taste in his mouth, a retching in his stomach that had made him unable to eat much food the past week. The mighty Oakstar was thinner than he once was. Creases in his muzzle more prominent, and more grey hairs beginning to line his muzzle and pelt. He wasn’t young anymore, and his hip ached with movements sometimes. He stood slowly. The patrol wouldn’t wait forever.

Ever since Dacedream's body had been returned to camp, mauled and beaten bloody, Dustcloud had been a shell of her former self. The dilute she-cat had undoubtedly been seen as her daughter, despite knowing that her true mother resided in WindClan. Since that awful morning, Dustcloud had spent as little time in camp as possible, running herself ragged in search of prey. Admittedly, she was also in search of answers. Why, exactly, the sweet she-cat had been murdered in the first place- what had she done to deserve such a fate? Shaking her head slightly, she turned to face the patrol. Gently, she laid her tail on Oakstar's back, staring into the pitch-black beyond them.

No words could truly portray what either of them were feeling at that point in time. There was no way to convey the events that had taken place; the toll that it was taking on their lives. Dustcloud hadn't even bothered to speak about it, as bringing it up was simply too painful. The thoughts that she knew plagued each of their minds was enough to drive her mad. It wasn't the first time her faith had been shattered, but she was almost certain it would be the last. Nothing this sinister had taken place since the moons in which she was born, when the Dark Forest lurked in the land of the living. Such things could be expected from the cats who spent their afterlife in the dark; but StarClan? With a sigh, she stood up beside Oakstar, looking behind her to the final member of their patrol.

Mossbloom padded quietly behind the leader and mate as they set out into the forest on their patrol, mind swirling with dark thoughts. Dacedream's body had been returned bloodied and beaten, the wounds from her battle too much for her body to bear. At the time, Mossbloom had been calm, going through the ritual she had with many others, far too many. Her father, mother, Beartooth.... Now Dacedream. And at the paws of StarClan, no less. What had changed, what had made StarClan so intolerant, so vicious, with almost no warning? How could the medicine cats have ever been expected to translate their rambling mazes of words into a sensible prophecy? Her face had twisted into an uncharacteristic snarl, maw twisted in a silent hiss of frustration when she realized that eyes were on her. 

Green eyes lifted to meet blue, and Mossbloom jolted as she realized her mood had translated to the surface. Forcing her expression to relax, her eyes welled with tears before her head lowered to the forest floor. If she wasn't angry and lost, she was scared and distraught. That was no way to provide comfort to the clan, to help guide her leader and her clanmates. The hurt that she felt in regards to Dacedream's death was nothing compared to her own, while Mossbloom had become close to the she-cat over the moons, bringing her kits into the forest with her own paws, helping the queen through the change of attitude following her kitting, nothing could compare to the love of a parent for their kit. Even if Dacedream was not their own, she knew they had taken her under their wing since she arrived in ThunderClan, and the two of them had such large hearts, opening them to all when needed it. The medicine cat had never experienced the love of a mother for a kit herself, and was almost ashamed to be happy that she never would. One less cat to have to lose, the bitter, harsh thought echoed in her mind.

He wanted to turn around. He wanted to pretend that they were never here, but as he heard his mate come up behind him, and Mossbloom with her, he knew it was impossible. They needed to complete their goal. His chest felt hollow as he looked back at the two she-cats with him. Eye glazed over with tears of agony. Some cat had to tell ShadowClan. That another life had been stolen by the paws of the stars… that things were not resolved, and that somehow… they had to find a way to appease them.

Before any other cats got hurt.

But it was already so late. Thornstar and Torrentstar had both paid their price in blood for breaking the code, but Dacedream hadn’t. Beyond a simple change of clans… and she had been killed. He swallowed back a sob of pain as he felt emotions war in his chest. Desperate to go to Starclan for support, but equally desperate not to. For the first time, in a long time, he couldn’t seek their comfort.

All they could do was wait. Hope a ShadowClan patrol did come, could deliver the message… Oakstar wasn’t sure how much family she had in ShadowClan, but they still deserved to know. The dread of informing Dappleshine stung deep. He wasn’t certain he could do much to comfort against the grief.

The time to hide himself had long passed. Badgerstar had made a bargain with Rainstrike, and he intended to keep it. Though he was quite displeased with how Vixenstar had handled Dacedream's... ultimatum... Rainstrike had found good favor with her, as well, by obediently delivering the news. RiverClan cats were always a little fickle and disagreeable. Having a star-laden pelt didn't suddenly make you a saint. Vixenstar was no exception. Still, the Righteous Ones were not liars. There could be no hesitation. Badgerstar emerged from some shrubbery on the other side of the Thunderpath and walked alongside the patrol of cats. Ivylight walked at his side, and he gave her a subtle wink of encouragement. She knew what had to be done just as well as he. Badgerstar waited patiently for them to notice his presence, and, with a small bow of peace, crossed the Thunderpath. He did not bother to look out for monsters. It was of no consequence to a dead cat.

"Well, hello, ThunderClan," he announced soothingly. "I'd prefer you stop and chat, my aide and I are very weary. We've traveled far, and I hear you've suffered a great misfortune. I wanted to offer my condolences... from myself and the other true heirs of StarClan. I do wish I could say I have any control over my allies of ancient RiverClan. But Dacedream was not one of mine. If it were my will, I may have spared her... You should hope I will have the same pity for you, Marshpaw."

Badgerstar smiled, though it was a thin mask for his divine fury. His gaze shifted slowly, intentionally, across the stunned faces of both Mossbloom and Dustcloud, who he knew very well. He sat, with flouncing nobility, and slowly lapped his tongue across one paw. He waited, eyes daggerlike, for the three to heed his unspoken warning. "Ivylight, look at the cats you see before you. Graceful Dustcloud, born by her mother Mistywater, by sin, by disgrace, sired by the moor-runner Swiftheart. The shame... and yet, she knew her home. She righted the wrongs of her mother and knew her loyalties. We find favor in her, no? We find endless favor for those who know where they belong."

He smiled, dripping with poison honey, at Mossbloom. "Look at this one. Gentle Mossbloom, struck down by the pains of the mortal world. She has felt abandoned more than once. Left behind by Lark and Russet, but brought into ThunderClan by the gentle paws of Falconwing. She never faltered, and she gave her life for StarClan. I'm terribly sorry to have abandoned you without a word. We could only trust the purest ones with the weight of our plans. You, too, have found favor with us."

Badgerstar began to click his tongue, meeting Oakstar's eyes. He shook his head rather slowly. "Marshpaw, my friend, how lost you have become." Badgerstar rose, his imposing form ever the more apparent. He set his jaw tight and came to a halt mere whiskers from Oakstar's face. "Born of Eagleheart and Hazelflight, of Sky and Shadow. You were quite arrogant in those days, now, weren't you? So arrogant, in fact, that you would exile yourself for one meaningless cat, and that pitiful Blizzardstar with her sympathies let you stay. Do you often, as ThunderClan's leader, allow your whims and follies to be your guiding decision-makers?"

The leader turned his back swiftly on Oakstar, in what seemed to be an effort to control himself. "And they just... named you. Endorsed your leadership, christened you for the great oak tree. StarClan was full of fools before I made my declaration of grievances against them. StarClan was a laughing stock, giving the forest these silly exceptions. They told me that I had forgotten what it meant to lead a living clan, they told me I was fading... I will have none of it! I remember what ThunderClan was when the Warrior Code was mine to enforce!"

Badgerstar heaved as he turned again, fur bristling. "ShadowClan awaits on the other side. Dacedream was promised to be absolved of her sins, and to be accepted in the clan that she truly belonged to. You may go peacefully... or I will let Ivylight chase you. You will not win." As if he had forgotten them in the time he had spoken (which he truthfully had), Badgerstar narrowed his eyes to Dustcloud and Mossbloom. "ThunderClan will prosper under Nettlestar, and you shall be led into a new era of our clan under her guiding paw." His posture melted into imploring sympathy for the surely frightened she-cats. "Do not resist this. I have only ThunderClan's best interests at heart. I cannot protect you from who lies over this border. He is... not like the others. I cannot promise that he will send you back to our land alive. Understand and heed my words."

Back to Oakstar. "This is the will of the true ancestors."

"Oh, Dustcloud. My dear, do not give me that look. No matter what you say, you are ThunderClan. The moor doesn't call to you, and nor do the shadows. You must stay here." She mewed, calmly sitting beside her leader. "This is no longer a warning. This is a command. You've had too many warnings. Dacedream was not handled properly, but, alas, Vixenstar is not our responsibility." She purred, a sweet melody filled with a threat. With a glance to Oakstar her eyes narrowed.

"You must leave, else ThunderClan suffer. We find no favor in you, Marshpaw. If you leave, ShadowClan will welcome you, if you refuse, well," a sinister grin crossed her maw, "Badgerstar doesn't make empty threats. Our brother Brackenstar is not nearly as forgiving."

If Marshpaw had an ounce of sense, he'd leave. "Dustcloud, your kits will need you, and the Clan your strength. Mossbloom, you can't leave a Clan with no medicine cat. Nettlestar with pick up the fractured pieces left behind, and you both will be there to guide her. No longer can you ignore the will of the stars."

“Your pities and your flowery words are mousedung, Badgerstar.” Shadows moved across the Thunderpath. They seemed to flicker and sway for a moment until a large tom padded forward. The same one that had spoken snarled words of hatred at the gathering, who now stalked forward across the Thunderpath like an angry tiger. His gaze swung to Badgerstar with a bitter tone. “Half clan cats like her aren’t worth much, but rogue borns like Mossbloom” his lips curled in disdain at her name “are worth exactly nothing. She is too weak to be a warrior, but we commend her and give her a status unfitting of a rogue to even touch. Let her drift back on the wind like the rest of the rogues.”

"You are not worthy of speaking to my medicine cat, nor any warrior of my clan in that manner!" Oakstar’s voice yowled. Amber eyes alight with fury as he felt his pelt bristle at the tones being used about his medicine cat and mate. His claws dig into the earth, head ducked for a moment-

and it was all Brackenstar needed. The tom who had been stalking forward, leapt towards the ThunderClan cats. Teeth bared as his claws came down brutally on Oakstar’s head. The weak and living tom fell to the ground, stunned and startled by the blow as Brackenstar grabbed him by the scruff, and pulled him away from his allies in crime and pinned him down.

Now it was just them. A tail length from the Thunderpath as Oakstar tried to struggle free from the pin of the fierce starry cat.
“Badgerstar is correct. I am not as merciful as my brethren. If I wanted, I could kill you right now, but your faith to us is useful. It is the one thing that will keep me from ending your life, as you are stripped of your leadership, and become Marshpaw once more.”

Brackenstar lifted his head, to regard the other leader and the ThunderClan she-cats.
“The fate of every traitor in these clans is set in stone. The consequences will be given here and now.” His tail flicked, teeth bared to the wide-eyed leader beneath him. “The code will prevail above all your follies and false values. Your crimes will be paid for, in full.” He lunged down, teeth dug into the white part of Marshpaw’s throat beneath him as the tom yowled and and struggled, in vain.

The uncomfortable, grieving silence was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a starry figure, and Mossbloom braced herself for a battle. After what happened to Dacedream, she couldn't help but feel that's what this would come to, but despite the sickeningly poisonous words that seemed to ooze from the starry figure, no fight came... Yet. Her eyes narrowed as he spoke of Marshpaw, and Dacedream's death at the paws of a RiverClan ancestor. He then went on to speak of Dustcloud's past, and she flinched as he made mention of her own parents, shaking her head slightly as she met his gaze when he gave a very hollow-feeling apology. How could he possibly mean that, when said in such a tone? Only the most pure... And who was that to them? No cat was perfect, and with the moons of wisdom and knowledge they had she would have thought these Starclanners would know that better than any living cat. Apparently she had been wrong about StarClan, in more ways than one.

Then the figure turned to Oakstar, ripping into him with words alone, and it wasn't long before the full weight of what they were trying to do hit her. They were going to try to force Oakstar out of ThunderClan. A low hiss escaped her as she stared at the starry tom, face twisting in rage as she looked back to the narrowed eyes of the tom. Some of the questions she had to asked were answered as another figure spoke, speaking as if she had authority. Badgerstar? Brackenstar, Vixenstar? So, Vixenstar was the one who murdered Dacedream. Noting that name carefully, her attention returned to the cat she assumed was Badgerstar, looking him over before the starry she-cat continued. "There is no Nettlestar in ThunderClan at this moment. StarClan, of all cats, should know better than to refer a cat by a name that isn't theirs to carry yet." She stated simply, words tinged with bitter emotion.

Just then, movement in the shadows on the far side of the Thunderpath grabbed her attention, and the snarl that came from the far side of the surface made her raise her chin in defiance. She had been in the middle of her warrior ceremony when they had interrupted it to call her down the path of a medicine cat, or had they forgotten? She had trained just as hard as any warrior had, and then gone even farther, learning the ways of the medicine cat so far into her life. She had earned her place in ThunderClan, and her rank, just as any cat.... Just like Dacedream. The small voice whispered in the back of her head and she tried to shrug it off just as Brackenstar sprang forward, grabbing Oakstar as he finished speaking out against him. "No!" The medicine cat gasped as Oakstar flailed, pinned beneath the starry ancestor, unable to regain his footing. Her eyes widened in horror as their eyes met briefly once more before teeth sank into her leaders neck, red spilling into the white fur that covered it. Oakstar yowled, struggling under the iron grip of the StarClan cat that held him, and Mossbloom moved to run forward, preparing to cross the Thunderpath. She had taken an oath to care for any cat, regardless of clan boundary - and Oakstar was her leader, her dear friend. There was no way she would allow him to just bleed out at the paws of a bloodthirsty ancestor who clearly belonged in the Dark Forest. Wait.... She looked closely at the starry cats again, confusion and concern in her gaze. Were these cats from the Dark Forest, posing as StarClan? If so, that would explain the behavior... But why then was StarClan so silent through it all? Her paws shook as she tried to make heads or tails of it all before another yowl from Oakstar pulled her back to the situation at paw. She had to help.

It seemed like moons that the trio had been sitting aside the Thunderpath, watching as monsters occasionally whirred past, the acrid stench stinging their eyes and noses. It was almost peaceful, however. Strangely peaceful. Until they were graced with the presence of two star-pelted ThunderClanners, that was. Dustcloud recognized Badgerstar almost immediately; his pelt all too familiar to the she-cat as he crossed the Thunderpath to greet them. There was hardly time to process the words as they left the former leader's maw, the names of her parents nearly bringing tears to her eyes before they moved onto Mossbloom's heritage. "I find n-no favor with th-th-those who recklessly en-endanger the lives... of innocent c-cats, and breaking the t-tradition of p-peace... during sacred t-times." She muttered quietly between Badgerstar's prose, ears pinned to the back of her head. Who were they to enforce the very code that they'd broken before the Clans' very eyes?

A low hiss escaped the scarred she-cat's maw as Ivylight mentioned her kits, the fur of her back standing on end. "My k-kits are stronger th-than they've ever been, and they... they do not n-need me to thrive. There are plenty of able-bodied w-warriors in ThunderClan. It is st-stronger than it has been in m-m-moons." She retorted, glaring at the she-cat who was only pawsteps away. But then, another voice interrupted. And, before they knew it, Brackenstar was upon them- upon Oakstar. A horrid yowl let Dustcloud's maw as her mate's body hit the ground, every fiber of her being screaming at her to run forward, to shove the star-spangled tom off of him. She found herself rooted to the ground, unable to move a single muscle as she simply watched in horror.

Looking to Mossbloom, Dustcloud shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts that were invading every nook and cranny her mind had to offer. "We... W-We have to h-h-help... You have t-t-to do something. He- H-He can't d-die!" Stepping forward, the she-cat locked her eyes onto the starry pelt of the scarred tom who'd just sunk his teeth into her mate's neck. "Br-Brackenstar… You must m-move aside. Let M-Mossbloom do her job, as St-StarClan instruct her t-to... T-To heal all cats... R-Regardless of wh-where their l-loyalties lie." Her voice was more strained that it had ever been, pain evident in her eyes as she watched Oakstar's breathing slow. She didn't plan on staying in ThunderClan without him- But that could wait until they were sure he'd live to see the next sunrise.

"Great Starclan, I've almost murdered a medicine cat and some how I still seem to have more sense than you lot."

Next to where Brackerstar had pinned down the Thunderclan leader, the figure of a small cat had materialized. Despite it's size, the starry gray tabby's presence seemed larger than that of a lion. Her words, while not yowled, dripped with venomous sarcasm and limitless disdain. Her fur fluffed up around the many scars on her pelt and malice glistened from her yellowed eyes. It appeared that this Starclan had a challenger, as another cat had torn away from her place among the stars to face them now.

Wolffang paused for only a moment as her words met Brackenstar. Her teeth bared. And then came the fury of teeth and claws. Such speed could only have been achieved by a cat as lithe and slender as she. Within seconds, the former Shadowclan warrior was on his back, her teeth embedded deep into his scruff. The motion didn't stop there, instead, she flipped him to the side, throwing the offender off of her brother. As she considered what the meant for Oakstar, the remnant's of his throat being torn away with she and her opponent, she grimaced. But there was no time to think of it. He would recover. But only if she acted. The she-cat's own fear was masked by the untamable hatred she held for these cats. Even without another at her side, Wolffang was bound to act. No cat could treat Oakstar like this. He had been nothing but caring and brave. Maybe a little soft, but nothing deserving of this.

Once Brackenstar was thrown to the ground, Wolffang was on him in a flash. She ignored the eyes of the other Righteous Few members as she put a paw to his throat, daring him to move as her claws sunk in. Wolffang swiped at his eyes with her other front paw for a moment. Once she had raked his line of vision, the Starclanner snarled at him with heaving sides. Between the angry, panted breaths, she found the time to spit at the tom's face. Whatever respect had been due to this tom in leadership had disappeared the moment he decided to lay siege against the forest. Besides, in her own mortal life, Wolffang never reserved herself against Thrushstar.

She laughed sharply as she thought of the former Shadowclan leader, 'even that crazy old bat deserved far more respect than piece of foxdung. Not even sparing a glance to the rest of the cats gathered around, the venomous drawl continued, "The Code wasn't made so you cowards could terrorize cats who have every right to make their own decisions! You downbrains have about as much sense as kits. I swear my any of my newborn litters could rationalize all of this as wrong. In life, you were allowed to screw up, just as you're doing now. All of you. I ought to chase you to the dark forest, let you rot like the filth you are."

Badgerstar merely blinked in the face of the two rather distraught ThunderClan cats, sighing deeply with disdain as Brackenstar laid waste to Marshpaw beyond him. His steely gaze occasionally found Ivylight's, where he offered mere grins of encouragement. He lacked the disciplinarian ways of his companions, and he found his clanmate to be of great complement to his demeanor. Their shared vision for a pure and holy ThunderClan brought him great pleasure and joy. She had been of great assistance thus far.

So it seemed, another cat was among them. The leader did not turn to see who it was. It was of no consequence to him, and Brackenstar would easily do away with whatever ShadowClan cat disrespected their true and pure cause. Badgerstar laughed, low and rumbling, at what he assumed to be another foolish cat who took inspiration from the many who voiced their petty opinions at the full moon. "You have no idea the power of the ancestors," he purred. As he turned around, he couldn't help but flinch. His mellow and regal facade fell for a moment as his eyes burned wide. "How..?"

An earthly rebellion, he could manage. He could even expect it. He had planned for it. Badgerstar had not planned on the absolute refusal of many strongpawed StarClan cats to resist. They had been easily subdued as a divided whole. The whole was no longer so divided. Badgerstar's body relaxed once more, his eyes fluttering back to their condescendingly narrow glare. "Quite a feat that must have been, coming down here, Wolffang!" he called out across the thunderpath. "But you and the rest of StarClan will not silence us again. Ivylight, assist our friend, Brackenstar. Marshpaw will not return to ThunderClan. Go!"

As Ivylight stormed across the border, Badgerstar returned his attention to the two she-cats, his shoulders broadening as he nearly blocked the chaos from Mossbloom and Dustcloud's view. "This is no longer a matter of clans, and you are free to go. There is nothing left for you here."

Unlike the chaotic and confused lands below, it still appeared peaceful in their starlit expanse; a soft breeze brought prey-scent and cat-scent to his nose and filled the air with the rustling of leaves.  A twitch of the ears; a tired sigh.  This was a familiar place, with the same feeling of grandiose and importance, but most importantly for the StarClan warrior, it was quiet.  Devoid of the incessant ramblings of cats who had never truly struggled a day in their lives, those lucky ones with clear and well-trodden paths waiting before them.  Their blood seems to sparkle with purity and hubris, while their mouths spew forth infection and venom...he would never understand it.  Even in life, he had never found it worthwhile to judge a cat based on things they could not control.  True worth displayed itself within actions and words, not history and lineage, and those who were forced to traverse the rockier paths of life and still come out strong deserve praise.  Not more boulders to climb.

Hazel eyes flicked once more from the beautiful sky to the cat lying beside him, a sight that didn't seem to fit in this so-called dream world.  Unlike himself, pelt flecked with annoyingly ethereal stars and a strange transparentness that allowed him to see the grass through his paws, the cat at his side was solid and ordinary.  Breath and life still moved within his body, and as the long-gone tom rested his long tail across his friend's shoulders, he mourned selfishly for himself.  He regretted having to leave so suddenly, not only in the loss of his lives but also in his final death.  The fox was vicious, too strong for that apprentice to handle...but it had been too strong for him as well.  In life, many times he had looked up at the night sky dotted with faraway stars and wished he was one of them, that he would finally be put out of his misery and be with his loved ones again...but now, here he was, wishing he was still alive.  The heart worked in odd ways...or perhaps he understood clearly.  It was because of the cat beside him now that he wished he could turn back time, to just have one more day, one more patrol, one more meal.  One more chance to give his life, for his sake.

"Wake up, my friend."  Leopardstar smiled in his soft, somewhat cautious way as he met Oakstar's gaze.  "It's been a while."

Once he was confident that his former deputy was awake and lucid, the golden spotted leader patted his shoulders with his tail before standing up, shaking his pelt free of grass before nodding his head towards the clearing in front of them.  "Walk with me?"  Waiting for a moment, he watched in contented silence as Oakstar found his footing, before turning his back and pacing forward.  They were at Fourtrees, this version much more bright and silver-tinged than normal, but still nostalgically real.  The two warriors walked in silence until they reached the Great Rock, and without warning, Leopardstar crouched down and easily leaped onto the stone in one fluid motion.  Any aches or pains due to age were gone; in fact, the former leader looked moons younger, the only scar remaining being his first.  The tear in his right ear, from his first fight with Rockthorn.  If it was true that every StarClan cat retained their appearance from the time in their life when they were happiest, Leopardstar seemed to be proof, and if he had to guess he would say he looked the same as when Reedkit, Honeykit, and Cherrykit had been born.  Turning to the side to look down at Oakstar, he purred; "It was impossible for us to sit here together in life, but times change.  Come on up."

Once they were sitting side-by-side, the usually cold stone a strange neutral temperature, Leopardstar did not speak.  Eyes closed, he turned his face towards the sky, with neither a smile nor a frown.  Was he thinking?  Praying?  Wishing?  Who knows.  He searched for words in his mind, something to say to make this horrible reality just a little bit more bearable, trying to call upon some sort of divine wisdom or strength.  Nothing came.  He hadn't expected anything to, despite knowing a lot more about life itself since becoming one of the dead, he'd found out quite soon that his own experiences and thoughts often proved more useful than that of the cosmos.  He had trusted his own instincts for a long, long time now...at one point, they had been the only thing he'd trusted.  He was a much different cat than the first time he had heard this sentiment, but it still rang truer than anything else to him.

"You will persevere.  The stars cannot take away what you know, the truth you've found, or who you've chosen to be.  Your life is yours, and yours alone.  They gave you eight extra to defend what you know to be right, but they don't control the ones you have left to give.  The future is dark, my ThunderClan brother, I cannot deny that, and your hardships have not ceased...but that's life, isn't it?  The battles we fight make us who we are, they are etched into our souls.  That's the source of wisdom.  Those who have not fought the battles we know do not have the same wisdom, and it's not their fault.  You, and those like us, must show them the truth in the form of our success.  If only a pure-blooded clan cat can 'find favor', then why are the heroic stories of all warriors told equally?  If a weak, unwanted, and hopeless kitten like myself can rise to the top by the strength of his own deeds than any cat can find a home between these four oak trees and serve it well... as you have."  Leopardstar's sharp eyes locked onto his brown tabby friend, the former leader rose to his paws, face backlit by the eternal full moon.  Though utterly serious, the pain he knew Oakstar felt mirrored in his hazel eyes, the rogue-born smiled a smile of hope, of determination, of love.  "I cannot stop what will happen when you wake up Oakstar, but I promise you, I will watch over ThunderClan until the moment I fade from existence.  They will be safe, I will guide your daughter as best I can, and I pray - no, I command - that this war of ideals will come to an end.  Wolffang is fighting for you, and I am as well; every good StarClan cat is rooting for us, but this will be the victory of the living.  Remember my words, old friend.


It was time.  With a wistful sigh, Leopardstar twitched his black-tipped ears and leaned down, touching noses with the cat he had been connected to by destiny long before either of them had known each other.  "Your body has recovered.  Until we meet again, Oakstar."  Closing his eyes, the warmth of the leader melted away until there was nothing left to feel but the breeze.

Brackenstar loomed over the body of Marshpaw. The wounds weren’t quite deep enough to take all his lives yet, but before he could get there… his head lifted at the voice that joined them all. His eyes narrowed coldly.

“Wolffang.” He snarled, pelt bristled in rage that the she-cat would dare to set a single paw on ShadowClan soil after all the chaos she had wrecked before she left. Before she became a filthy rogue and tried to reestablish herself in the clans, as though she had a right to. His teeth were bared, but the she-cat rushed in. Dislodged his claws from the cat below him as he bit and clawed at her in turn, but they flipped and he felt claws lodge at his throat.

His muzzle lifted in an ugly grin.
“And here lie your true colours. Both of you are filthy in blood… Thrushstar should have thrown out your sorry mother and her litter. Hazeflight could have been a much better cat if she’d just followed the laws. Now her daughter is a near murderous code-breaker, and her son?” He paused, kicked out with his hind legs. Winced as claws bit into his throat, but he had the satisfaction of feeling his claws tear into something. Fur flew to the ground as he launched at Wolffang’s starry pelt, unsheathed foreclaws slammed into her shoulders and back as he tried to knock her down. “Well, her son is merely getting what he deserves. I won’t be merciful Wolffang. Stand down, go back to the stars… or die here. Permanently.” His eyes glinted dangerously. Tail lashed as he offered a singular choice.

Green eyes wide, tears forming in the corners, Mossbloom looked to Dustcloud and simply nodded, silently. There was no way that Brackenstar would allow her to get close enough... She needed a distraction - but what? Just then, her fur stood on end as another voice called, but this sneer seemed to be directed at not them, but Brackenstar? The two starry cats engaged in battle, and Mossbloom's tail twitched slightly, all too aware of Badgerstar and Ivylight still next to them. Oakstar's body stilled on the far side, and Mossbloom resisted the urge to yowl in grief and annoyance as she waited for her opportunity, and then it came. Badgerstar ordered Ivylight to help Brackenstar, and then moved to block the two ThunderClan she-cats. Casting a quick glance at Dustcloud, Mossbloom nodded to her, flicking her tail to the far side of Badgerstar before suddenly shifting into a dashing stance. Her ears searched desperately for any noise of monsters as she darted around Badgerstar's side and found herself on the Thunderpath, but luck kept her safe as she raced across and stopped at Oakstar's side, taking in his wounds with a practiced eye. It was too late for one life, but maybe, just maybe, she could save the others.

With the sounds of battle ongoing nearby, she raced to a patch of moss nearby and ripped up as much as she could, hobbling back to press the moss into Oakstar's wounded throat. Stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding. If nothing else, she had to do that. Panic set in as Oakstar's breath came back, although very shallow, and she placed another patch of moss in the wound. Already the blood flow had weakened significantly, but so had the sounds of the battle behind her. She didn't have much time left, certainly not enough to leave to find the necessary herbs... This would have to do for now. Moving next to Oakstar's head, she waited until his eyes started to open before she pressed her nose to his gently. "Stay strong, Oakstar. We'll get through this.... No matter what they call you, you will always be Oakstar, leader of ThunderClan, to me and to everyone else. We'll figure this out. We won't let them keep you." Their eyes met for a just a moment longer before Mossbloom felt as though her time had run out, and she disappeared from her side, sprinting back towards ThunderClan's territory. She made it to Dustcloud's side, panting. "He's alive, he'll be okay, but we need to go. We have to tell ThunderClan, and come up with a plan. We'll figure this out."