It's Always You [Nightstar]

The sun was nearing the tops of the trees in the distance, casting long shadows across the snowy landscape.Brackenwing shivered in the cold, wishing fervently that leafbare would end already. She wished too that she could be on any other border than the thunderpath, with it's foul, acrid stench making her stomach churn. With Shadowclan territory on the other side, dangerous territory, dangerous cats, a dangerous farce of an alliance that had been severed. The sooner the border was marked, the sooner Brackenwing could be away from the roar of the monsters rushing past, the better off she would be. The warm creams and browns of her pelt stood out starkly against the snow, she knew, and that was all the more reason to want to be out of the open area sooner rather than later. While she was here, though, the borders would be refreshed and taken care of. Windclan could not afford to have weak borders.

Nightstar had upped the patrols on the Windclan border since they had ended the alliance, on top of added day guards, but sometimes it still never felt like it was enough. Nightstar knew that Leopardsun patrolled these borders frequently herself, always on the lurk for predators crossing into their land, amongst other aimless wanderers of Shadowclan who just needed to clear their heads like he was doing now. Nightstar found his paws carrying him to the thunderpath, where most border altercations seemed to happen, and it seemed that it would be no different this time.

Across the path, marking their side of the border, was Brackenwing. Nightstar's shoulders tensed, the relationship between Shadowclan and Windclan terse, but it would not be so if Windclan did not keep trespassing... but he sort of knew Brackenwing, and she was one of the most sensible cats of Windclan, and he knew that she wouldn't cross his border. Not without ample reason or respect, he'd imagine.

Movement was quick to catch Brackenwing's eye, and her gaze narrowed as a familiar dark pelt marked the border on Shadowclan's side of the thunderpath, a sigh escaping her. Nightstar. Because of course it would be. Ever-present, always lurking around Windclan borders. Usually it was her own clanmates rather than the Shadowclan leader that started things when Brackenwing saw him, but rarely were their encounters pleasant. And there was no alliance to keep up the pretext of friendliness. "Nightstar." Her greeting was stiff, formal, carrying with it a weight of disapproval. Brackenwing had half a mind to cuff his ears, among several other cats (her clanmates mostly, she reflected sourly) but she would not escalate their foolish antics. She was here to mark a border, not to fight, not to step paw where hers didn't belong. At least, she thought, she would not have to tell him to keep to his side of the border. He would do that on his own. The thunderpath wasn't overly busy today, but it was still a dangerous thing. As if to prove her point, a monster roared past, and Brackenwing gave the twoleg beast a look of disgust as she walked, pace slowing. She wasn't foolish enough to turn her back on Nightstar on the best of days, and today was not one of those.

Nightstar's ear flicked towards Brackenwing as he paused in his trek, his name on her maw. Turning to face her, Nightstar gave a curt nod. "Brackenwing." Nightstar would have made an effort to see how things were going with Windclan, but that didn't feel needed- he might have well already known what was going on. Probably prepping for a war that Nightstar was still considering waging, it was better to strike first before Windclan could have the advantage. But it was leaf-bare, herb supplies were low, clanmates were going missing still, and the risks were great. He was trying to do everything he could to protect Shadowclan, taking note of Bloodstrike's given advice to heart. It was better to be feared, to be seen as a threat.

Another monster rumbled past on the thunderpath between the two cats as they silently walked the border. Nothing had been said beyond a simple, terse greeting, and in Brackenwing's eyes nothing else needed to be said. They had never been friends, their alliance had been a sham, and she would not be the one to offer up any more information on Windclan than what Nightstar and his clan already had. All Brackenwing was here for was to keep the borders marked and make sure they were not crossed. And Nightstar, at least, was not doing that. Silence reigned between them, and that was how Brackenwing preferred it.

The sudden roar of a particularly loud monster made the marbled tabby's ears flatten. The steady rumblings of the others had faded, but this one was clearly in a hurry to be somewhere. Nothing unusual, monsters were fast... But the thought that this one was going a bit faster than most did on the slick surface of the thunderpath did cross her mind. So long as it stayed on the path, the only threat it posed would be scaring off nearby prey.

The thunder path was a border frequently patrolled since it wasn't just Windclan that shared this border, but Thunderclan as well, so it came as no surprise that Shadowclan cats were particularly adept or in tune with the monsters that roamed the path. So when the loud roar and screeching of a monster drew his gaze, Nightstar's eyes followed where it was headed just as it started to swerve erratically. It was headed for Brackenwing, and it was at this moment that everything went dark and blank.

It was on instinct, Nightstar's paws were suddenly not his own, and he was flying over the ice-slicked path like the very wind and stars were beckoning his paws forth. Nightstar's black form lit up like the sun as the monster's glowing eyes danced across him. It was mere heartbeats that Nightstar had made it across the path, his paws wrapping around the Windclan warrior and giving a swift push before the monster struck. Some little voice in the back of the Shadowclan leaders head hoped that he had managed to get Brackenwing out of the way before a flash of searing, roaring pain lit him up like he swallowed fire.

And then it was dark.

Brackenwing turned, green eyes widening as she was within the monster's sight, eyes bright and horrifying as it bore down on her. She tried to move, found she couldn't, fur bristling as she stared in terror. Finally her paws moved, but the monster was too fast.

And-

Something slammed into her, paws wrapping around her midsection. A screech worked it's way from Brackenwing's throat as there came a terrible crash. Pain exploded across her ribs, the previously healed leg Batsong had questioned her on. Brackenwing's world spun - or rather, she did. Then all was still. It took her several long moments to realize the roar she heard was not the monster, but the blood pounding in her ears. She could smell blood and feel it's warmth on her fur, mingling with the agony in multiple spots. And she could smell Shadowclan, she realized. She hadn't-

Brackenwing struggled to life her head through the pain, her body screaming at her to be still. The dark form of a cat was next to her, and she realized that Nightstar was on Windclan territory. His body, rather, which was eerily still. The monster's paws left large tracks though the snow.

Batsong, she thought numbly, Whisperear... Brackenwing tried to make her legs work. Her reward was agony and sinking back into the bloodstained snow.

"Nightstar-" Brackenwing's voice came in a harsh cough, blood staining her lips. "Wh-" Another harsh cough wracked her body, pain radiating through her with the movement. Why is it always you? Every time something happens...

Batsong had been looking for little white flowers outside of the med den actually.  Brackenwing had said the twolegs had used white herbs to heal her leg.  Perhaps it was something not yet discovered yet by the med cats of the forest.  If she could find it, it could prove to be very useful indeed.

She heard the pounding of pawsteps before seeing whisper really.  She knew Whisper was on patrol but they were coming so fast for them.  She saw them seconds later, they looked panicked and out of breath.

"w-whi .. wh? whisp-

They had just yelled?? Batsong blinked with worry but they didnt look to be hurt... but Whisper never yelled... especially not at her.  She panicked a bit... what had befallen them now??
her voice cut out as the news that Bracken was hit?? Hit?  What?



Batsong felt a knot in her tummy tighten up.  Brackenwing had just gotten better though.  This wasnt, this was not supposed... how in the world a monster?? Bracken knew better than to be near the path... something more must be at play here.

She nodded quickly grabbing what herbs she could carry before running after Whisperear.

She had never felt as fast as she was right now.  She ran as fast as she ever had knowing that her sister was in the balance.  She chased after Whisperear keeping right behind them until she could see the wounded bloodied site where the monster had hit her sister clean on.  The tracks in the snow leading off the path swirving and to where it had tossed the windclan warrior who now laid in a pool of blood.  

Batsong felt her chest pounding from worry and the run over here the herbs dropped by her front paws as she tried to assess what to do first.  Everything was so bad, an absolute mess.  She was crumpled up into an unnatural position that made Batsong want to scream.


Fighting back panic she gently got brackens head up a little wanting it out of the nasty snow slush mud blood mixture it was currently next to.

The sandy pelt of her sister was covered in mud, blood and snowy mush.

Her side had been hit hard.  There were for sure a couple broken ribs there and that injured leg was again ruined.

She felt just totally numb as she stood there looking down.

Batsong had almost missed the last bit Whisperear had said... but she hadnt missed it.


Her eyes narrowed leading to where they had pointed.  He looked dead dead... Anger bristled her fur.

Puffing out to much bigger than her normal size she let out an angry hiss.

Nightstar! she knew he was an agressive cat but tricking her sister out onto the thunderpath to her killed was dark forest levels of cruel and low.

Apperently his trap had gotten himself hit to and right now Batsong couldnt think of a better consequence to befall him.

She nearly shook with anger as she stared at the dead shadowclan leader.  He had done this, he had almost killed her sister.

Very dark thoughts intruded momentarly....

Finish him.  He tried to kill Bracken.  Tell whisper to go get some herb from the med den... walk over and rip him apart one life at a time. After what he did to Russet and silver... and now Bracken.

How could anyone purposely want another cat to be hit by a monster!?  He truely was the scum of the earth, the bottom of the swamp had brought forth the filth that he was.

Now it was Batsong who felt like they were not in control of themselves.

She would have to act fast... Whisperear couldnt be here for this.  She trusted Whisperear with her life but she wouldnt put them at risk for being a witness to this.


"W-whisper? I n-need you to go g-g..gg. her eye flickered in hatred at nightstar... how could anyone be this evil?

When she spoke this time there was no stutter, just clear instructions.

"Go get me cobwebs whisperear.  Bottom of the herb den right when you walk in to the left.  And... and bring more warriors we may need them to help carry her back" she said urgently.

may need them if shadowclan shows up as well but that part was left unsaid.  She knew shadowclan wasnt exactly friends with them anymore but they wouldnt attack her and Bracken after all this ... would they?? Batsong wasnt sure and hoped whisper would be just as fast as before.  

It was not a total unneeded request either.  She would need alot more cobwebs.  But when they were gone... if a tragic event were to befall Nightstar she would have no idea how that coulda happened.

She focused for now on helping Brackenwing that being her main priority and concern.

She still hadnt convinced herself to carry out the dark ideas she had but while Whisper was gone she could think about it more at least.  It was tempting for sure but she knew it was wrong, her job was to heal and protect all life not to harm it.  Her job was to protect all cats even if not from her clan directly... but he had done so much evil, so much hurting himself.

She tried to push this out of her mind as she worked to stop Brackens bleeding.  She managed to get most of it somewhat under control.  The damage was still so extensive though.  The icky mud snow gunk had turned her so cold and she tried her best to keep her from shivering.


She kept pressure on the wounds not needing more blood loss coming from the many gashes... she knew this probably felt even worse getting a bunch of pressure applied but there wasnt much else she knew how to do.

"Im so sorry bracken... hang in there she whispered.

Her name was called in a shocked hiss. Whisperear, she realized. Telling her to stay put (not like Brackenwing was going anywhere) and that they were getting help. The pale warrior moved with a speed Brackenwing had never seen from them. Part of her almost wanted to tell them to stay, to not leave her alone with Nightstar's corpse, that she would be fine to walk in a moment. She knew better, though, instead only watching as Whisperear raced away. Her eyes stung.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when Whisperear returned, Batsong in tow. Her main focus had been breathing through the pain wracking her body, trying not to shiver as she lay in snow painted red and muddied by the monster's massive paws. Relief at seeing her sister and Whisperear made her close her eyes for a moment, shocked into opening again as Whisperear collapsed against her. "The monster... It ran off the path." She rasped. "Straight for me. I couldn't move." Nightstar had moved though. Her gaze drifted towards him again in disbelief. Batsong spoke up again, and Brackenwing shivered. She was no stranger to being moved while injured... And was not looking forward to that in the slightest. It had to be done, though.

(Sorry for the delay!)

“It takes courage to show compassion.”

The voice that greeted Nightstar in the darkness after death was soft.

“It isn’t always easy to show kindness to those you think of as your enemies. You surprised me today, but I’m glad you did- you gave someone else a second chance.”

Mothglow regarded him with open curiosity, as if she wasn’t entirely sure what to make of ShadowClan’s present leader.

“Survival is important, and so is strength. But there’s more to strength than power. It doesn’t just come from you, it comes from the cats around you. It’s okay to lean on them sometimes! After all, ShadowClan is your family as well as your home, isn’t it?”

She offered a smile, an expression with just the slightest hint of sadness behind it.

“You have lives to spare, but each of the cats around you has just one. Cherish the time you get to spend with them, okay? You should talk to them! I’m sure they’re worried about you- you have to let them know how you’re feeling, too.”

Mothglow appeared before Nightstar this time, immediately divulging into a lecture of sorts- saving the life of an enemy? But he didn't? Leaning on his clan? No, he couldn't, he was their strong and fierce leader who wasn't the most socially adept cat in the world- never had been. He needed to be seen as a pillar of strength, to keep his clan feeling safe- but what was that about saving an enemy cat's life? Nightstar tried to think, about what the moments were before he had lost this life but it was all a blur.

Confusion settled on his brow, his eyes narrowing in thought as he half listened to Mothglow's last remarks before the pain started to fizzle in and his dream fizzled out.

Pain soared to his consciousness as the black tom with the white speckles opened his eyes. Locustcall was standing over him protectively, standing off against Windclan warriors as the thunder path roared just heartbeats away from them. Blood oozed from Nightstar's mouth, a lot of it coating his white chin staining it a brilliant red, unfocused eyes landed properly on Brackenwing and what he had done came back to his mind. The pain and the fact that- oh Mothglow's remarks made more sense now that he could remember that he had been on his side of the border, and had been pushing Brackenwing out of the way the best he could the next. A low growl rose in his throat, anger, and shame in himself that he had lost a life for an enemy. Brackenwing was conscious, Batsong was there, as well as Whisperear, who knows what she had said to either of them, and suspicion claimed Nightstar.

Nightstar opened his mouth to speak, but just a groan was all he had strength for. How was he to get home? Amber eyes glanced up at Locustcall once more, he hoped that his friend was ready for this gruelling task.

Batsong forced herself not to keep looking at the fallen leader. He was the absolute worst for tricking Bracken into going on the thunderpath and he had wasted a life given to him by the stars and had tried to also kill her sister.

The temptations she had luckily subsided for the most part. She was a medicine cat and as foolish as this leader was, her duty was to try and save lives. She would not let herself be drug down to his level. He was a monster and truthfully, she believed the forest would be better off without him.


She made sure Bracken was stabilized best she could before walking over to the still body of the cat. She looked down in disgust.

"s-s.scum" she managed to say.

The possibility of ridding him once and for all lingered momentarily before she put it aside. Just because he was the worst of the worst and someone who would trick others onto the thunderpath to get them both killed, didnt mean she had to be the same way.


Blood dripped from his mouth as starclan apperently was slowly reviving him. With shaky paws she pressed some cobwebs against the wound keeping it clean. The cold touch was unnatural and it made her sick that she was doing this... This was a cat who had just tried to kill her sister. His exposed throat lay right by her paws. The power of her clans future could be shifted right now. Leopardsun seemed much more reasonable to work with.

She again fought off these dark thoughs and quickly worked to at least get him stabilized. Being a med cat that was all she had to do. She would get him stable but he would get to have all the pain that came with that. Her job was just to preserve life... that didnt include making monsters like him comfortable in her opinion.

Another shadowclan cat appearead. She narrowed her eyes recognizing this brute as the one who had hurt Russet. Could her day get any worse?


He crossed over and protectively went to Nightstar.

She returned to Brackens side but her eyes never left the opposing warrior not trusting to turn her back on him.

She tossed a bundle of cobwebs in Locust's general direction.

"when he f-f..fully awakens keep p-pressure on the w-wounds... or don't I'm n-not your boss"

when a few seconds later he opened his eyes she nodded slightly

"hmm s-speak of the d-devil" she muttered

She glanced to Brackenwing... she had hoped to have gotten her even better before needing to travel but that didnt appear to be an option right now. More shadowclanners may already be inbound and she for one didnt feal like being dragged into anything at all.


She sighed looking to her sister.

"yeah... t-this is gonna hu-hurt... s-sorry in advance"

She muttered. Suddenly moving her shoulder under Bracken and scooting her over onto her own back to carry her to camp again.


Bracken was not like most windclan cats size wise. She was stronger, bigger and had alot more power behind her. Bracken had to adopt to catching hares on the windclan lands and right now this was proving very difficult for Batsong to carry her along.

She managed best she could and slowly trudged home.

When out of earshot of the shadowclan cats she muttered
"flea ridden, swamp c-creatures. c-closer to the dark f-forest than stars. she openly vented.


Brackens tail was hanging down from being carried and Batsong accidently stepped on it tripping herself up and sending them both forward landing in some muddy muck slush mud puddle.

"s-stars bracken!! k-keep your tail u-up" she mewed annoyed spitting out the mud they had gotten into.

What an awful, horrible, no good, mess of a day this had turned into.

She knew it wasnt fair to be taking it out on bracken right now but she was at her limit with these shadowclanners nonsense.

She sighed pushing herself back up. "w-well get you to a w-warm nest soon p-promise" she sighed

She wondered how in the world she would fix her again. Bracken just had the worse luck imaginable and she felt so terrible for her sister, she'd just gotten her leg healed and now all her ribs were a bust.

Bat for now just focused on getting them both home