bloodstained silhouettes [SkC Clan Meeting]

"SkyClan!"

Wolfstar's booming voice echoed briefly over SkyClan's camp, and as dozens of eyes stared at him from below, the leader tried to meet each in turn. He felt his son and granddaughters move to stand behind him, and in an effort not to waste anyone else's time, Wolfstar continued. "For moons we have been tormented by Dawnhawk, and the deeds he's done, the lives he's taken, ruined... and for moons, we have warned the other clans of this coward's ways, of how he could not be trusted, could not be saved." The words were bitter on his tongue.

"Tonight, we have been informed that all this time, after everything, WindClan has disregarded our warnings, our wishes, and sheltered Dawnhawk. They have lied to our faces and put countless lives in danger, and for that, they will pay." His tail lashed angrily, and anger sparkled in his amber-gold eyes. "Tonight, after everyone's rested through the day... we storm WindClan's camp. Dawnhawk dies, and those who defend him die, too."

Juniperlight admired his brother’s bold words and strong form. ‘Yes,’ he thought to himself as he raised his voice into a loud caterwaul of support for his leader’s declaration. ‘you are every bit the leader SkyClan needs. I will fight in your name until my dying breath.’ Juniperlight was not keen to fight, but he had long since heard of Dawnhawk’s atrocities and the actions of WindClan was all the more astounding. An anxious energy ran through his fur like prickly thorns. He would be at a disadvantage. Would Wolfstar still ask him to join the raid? He wanted to be by his side. He wanted to prove himself to his brother and his Clan.

Wolfstar's words were chilling as they echoed through the clearing. Newtpaw had never met Dawnhawk, but he'd heard plenty about his atrocities from the older cats. And tonight, they were expected to go to war over him. Looking between his sisters sat on either side of him, the young tom felt something swell in his chest: the need to protect them against anything, no matter the cost. His usual smile faded, quickly dropping into a scowl as he thought on it.

I could lose them. It sent a chill down his spine, but he couldn't shake the thought away if he tried. But, there was another option– "Or die trying!" The excited yip came with no context except Newtpaw getting to his paws. His siblings were everything, and he would gladly go to war with whatever fox-hearted Clan was sheltering a murderer. Eyes bright with sudden fire, he fixed his gaze on their leader and yowled his approval to the skies.

Nightpaw was stunned, completely shocked, that they were going to war. Of course, he had heard of Dawnhawk, you'd have to live under a rock to not know of him in Skyclan, but to go to war? His family could be hurt! Maybe, if it was preventative, maybe to stop future fighting, maybe it would be worth it all. Maybe this couldn't be settled with words, maybe Lilacstar had refused to give up Dawnhawk... maybe they had made their choice. It was up to him to make his, and Nightpaw's choice would always be to defend his family, no matter the cost. There could be no 'maybes' going into battle, or he'd get killed.

Nightpaw did not yowl his approval as his clan did, but instead dipped his head. So much bloodshed would come of this battle, over one cat no less. There was no reason to be excited, and he prayed to Starclan that his family would remain safe.

Lichenblaze's claws unsheathed at Wolfstar's announcement as blood rushed to his ears. Dawnhawk must be sent to the Dark Forest, once and for all. he thought, tail lashing. As angry as he was, however, he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. They had already failed to kill him once, what if it happened again?

...No, it couldn't, this time they had the whole Clan. Nearby, he heard Newtpaw's voice join in with the rest as if his head was underwater. He whirled around to spot his apprentice and made a mental note to speak with him later. As much as he didn't care for his half-siblings, he wasn't about to let them get killed when they had just started their training.

The mottled warrior dug his claws into the earth, letting out a rising snarl that gave way to an affirmative wail as the rest of the Clan yowled their agreement around him.

---

Shadewing's face screwed up in worry. A war against WindClan? In her opinion, that seemed a bit extreme. Yes, Dawnhawk deserved to die, but did it have to involve innocent WindClan cats?

She unsheathed her claws, kneading the ground thoughtfully as her head swam. Were they innocent? Wolfstar did say that they had been harboring him after being warned, but...that was only the warriors and leadership to blame. Not the apprentices, elders, queens, or kits...She frowned, casting a glance over to her sister. She needed a second opinion. If her sister fought, she would fight...but only the warriors.

Bloodstrike remained silent as Wolfstar spoke, and remained silent after. The clan yowled in approval and he scanned his eyes across each and every one of them. The apprentices had no true concept of war. A few fights with predators was not the same as fighting cats. It wasn't the same as killing other cats. Your innocence and your childhoods are being taken from you so quickly... I am sorry. You will bare this burden, maybe lose your lives, because of my mistakes. Bloodstrike's face remained unchanged. A strange coldness settled in the pit of his gut. Doubt entered his mind. He'd been plagued with feeling like an inadequate deputy for moons, each time he thought about it just got worse.

Maybe the war with Windclan would end him. It would end his suffering along with it. Bloodstrike had never feared death, but he had learned to fear anything short of that. The Asylum had taught him well that just because he was big, ferocious and did not fear death did not mean that he had no fear at all.

And tonight, the deputy felt fear. He knew this was necessary and he wasn't going to change his mind or try to talk Wolfstar out of it, but the fear was there. As the cats that knew nothing of true warfare howled in enthused excitement, Bloodstrike only watched them coldly, taking in the sight of their faces for what could be one of the last times.

When the clan meeting got called, Ashstorm had this horrible feeling that she knew what this was about.  She knew that Beechface and Ravenclaw wouldn't keep this knowledge to themselves for long.  She knew Wolfstar was going to learn about this, she just wished that she could change it somehow.  She strode to the clan meeting with a small pain in her stomach, preparing for the worst.  She listened to each knew word, her anger and fear growing at the same rate the whole time.  She tensed slightly and her ear twitched, but other then that there was no tell that she would have argued with Wolfstar on this right there and now if she didn't feel that most all the rest of Skyclan would fight her back.

What an amazing idea Wolfstar!  She began to think sarcastically.  Tell everyone how horrible Dawnhawk is for taking lives of cats and then go and call an all out war where we all may do the same thing because some cats was trying to protect their clanmate or their own family.  Calling for war will definitely solve all of our problems.  Thank you, this is just going to be amazing.

She didn't know what she was going to do or even if there was anything she could do.  Her worst fears were coming true.  She thought that Dawnhawk might have made this happen, but no, it was her own leader and their own grandfather.

She remembered what she told Dawnhawk when she was an apprentice.  "...Try to make sure that the cats don't start fighting each other, because we both know that it would end with tears on both sides."  If only she knew then that she was talking with the wrong cat.  Ashstorm wasn't dumb, she knew all that her brother did and she knew that a lot of what he did was wrong but she also knew that he was hurt.  She knew that there was good inside him, even if he didn't show it most of the time.

She had no idea what to do.  She definitely couldn't fight against Skyclan, this was her home and for all it's faults she still would never want to leave.  But she didn't want to fight the cats in Windclan, especially after meeting Ashfall.  It wasn't fair to them.  She knew that.  It wasn't fair to anyone.  She sighed, looked up at Wolfstar with a face that appeared to have no emotion in it.  There had to be something she could do.  She needed there to be something she could do.  But she thought of nothing.  She knew she would need to go to make sure her family was okay... All of her family.

Wrenspring was no longer and able-bodied warrior but it did not stop him from gathering at the fringes of the gathered crowd. A breath caught in his throat at the knowledge that Dawnhawk had been sheltered in Windclan. He was not quick to anger, and it took a lot for him to get frustrated even, but there were treasons committed at the claws of Smokefeather's son that were unforgivable. Gaze sought out Beechface as he was immediately wracked with concern over her state of being. His crooked tail flickered uneasily. Battle between clans was something he had not seen in his lengthy life.

There was concern, determination, anger... so many things gathered in the eyes and postures of his clanmates. Wrenspring gritted his teeth, feeling a mounting frustration at his own ailing state. Elders did not fight, nor was he in any condition to do so. But a willpower and devotion similar to that of Juniperlight's flowed through him. The former warrior's gaze burned with fierce dedication. Go get him, Skyclan - Free the forest of Dawnhawk.

Ravenclaw was elated. "Yes!" she cheered, scoring the earth with her claws. It was finally time for action. WindClan was going to pay for keeping Dawnhawk under wraps. If that WindClan tom had remained silent, they would've been kept in the dark. Her eyes darkened at the thought. How could their leader be so blind to what Dawnhawk had done? Did her own warriors have more pride in their own clan than she? It didn't matter now. They were going to show WindClan what this betrayal would mean, and Dawnhawk would die. By her claws was her preference. If he tried to escape, then she would chase him down. He wouldn't escape her.

Bumblepaw couldn't believe it. Him? Going to war? He shuddered long and hard, like he usually does when something scares him, but this time the shudder overtook his entire body. His vision swam. His heart pounded. He was going to die out there, wasn't he? Why was Wolfstar sending him, of all people, to a battle? Was the rest of his family coming too? Would they die as well? Bumblepaw felt like vomiting. He was usually so adamant about being the best of the best, training to become the best warrior SkyClan has seen, but now, with death and destruction staring him in the face, he wasn't so sure he would even make it to warriorhood.

The lanky tom wanted to do many things before he died. Have a family, hunt the biggest bird his Clan's ever seen, make his father proud. Instead, he opted for turning away from Tallbranch and finding asylum in the apprentice den, where he hid his face in the soft moss. He longed to be huddled up against his mother once again, like a little kit, hiding from what awaited him, but he couldn't; he had to face it head on.

Tears leaked from his eyes. He's going to die.


Maplepaw sat in the corner, hiding from the rest of the clan as usual. A war? How interesting. She wasn't participating, obviously. Her siblings may, if they wish, but no demanding from her blasted father could convince her of joining the fight. Why would she fight for SkyClan? She has no loyalty here. She never met Dawnhawk, was never effected by him, so why did she care what happened to him?

It didn't matter one bit to Maplepaw. She'll just say she's sick, can't go. Bloodstrike can't combat against illness, can he?

Quietstep felt her ears droop down at Wolftstar's announcement. War with Windclan. Because they had sheltered a cat, that the younger cats, including her, had barely seen. A single cat, might she add. And lives could taken over a single cat. Many lives, depending on how Windclan wanted to protect Dawnhawk. But isn't it against the code to kill? Then Skyclan wouldn't be any better than Dawnhawk, right? Nervous and unsure thoughts raced through her head. Would it be right? What would Rosethorn do in a situation like this? Her head whipped towards her mother, Ashstorm. What was she thinking? She didn't seem to be yowling with the rest of the clan. Was she against too? Her baby blue eyes then flickered towards the apprentice's den. Would Wolfstar force them to fight? Would he force Rainypaw to fight? She was far too young to be involved in a war like this!

She felt her head lift up, as she stared at the stars. Would Starclan themselves approve? Surely not, right? Quiet felt herself shrivel up, as her clanmate's cheers filled up the camp. She didn't want to fight Windclan, but why would her opinion matter anyways? So many cats seemed to agree on going to war. Would she have to as well? Oh Starclan help me.

Blossomstep blinked as Wolfstar spoke, fighting the feeling of bile rising in her throat. She didn't want to march, she didn't want to risk facing Dawnhawk. Deep down, she knew she was likely a coward, trying to avoid the inevitable... But he was still her grandson. Would Wolfstar be so cruel as to insist she join the patrol? Various voices rose, in agreement and disapproval. She felt torn between both sides, much like she had been when the Righteous Few had fought the clans. This time, though, was different. Real flesh and blood cats were going to war against her Clanmates, and only the stars knew who would return safely... Her mate included. He gaze rose to meet Wolfstar's nervously and she swallowed. She didn't want to go... An idea came to her, and she tried to get his attention with a wave of her tail. "Wolfstar, it would be unwise to leave the camp completely undefended. We have several elders and some kits and queens to protect soon, and while I know that Wrenspring, Smokefeather, Foxfire and the others would do all they could, perhaps I should stay as well to help guard the camp?" There, that was sound reasoning to stay behind. Cowardly though it may be, she just couldn't imagine fighting and risking facing him in battle. She didn't know she could bring herself to do it.

Of course it had come to this. It's always the hard way and nothing less. Rainypaw's sharp and intelligent eyes scanned the faces that she was born believing were family. For the first time in her rather short existence, she felt...lost. Tentative and uneasy were the best ways to describe her current self. At the gathering, she'd believed that things could only go downhill and she was right. There was no silver lining in tow for either Skyclan or Windclan. Only unnecessary bloodshed and every kind of pain imaginable. Despite WindClan's foolish mistake in harboring a vile cat such as Dawnhawk, nobody deserves to die for it other than Dawnhawk himself. He deserves the harshest of deaths. He was the murderer and not WindClan. She had a feeling that StarClan would certainly not be pleased with SkyClan. They have lost all touch with the warrior code, all touch with reality. They're looking through jaded eyes and refusing to listen to reason. Now, they were all forced to go to war, young and old, whether they were ready or not. She was undoubtedly most troubled about her family risking their necks. She was not prepared to lose any one of them. She'd be crushed. Dawnhawk was most likely already gone by now, probably having been tipped off by someone that Skyclan was coming for his pelt, at least, it's what she thinks. It just wasn't worth it...but she was going to have to play her part too, just like everyone else.