seeking justice [o]

The barrage of self-righteous and entirely unveiled insults from a cat who had so far been quiet caught her attention. It was clear that the worst tendencies of Shrikestorm and Nightstalker were alive and well in WindClan's deputy as well as her own.

Is there honor in stealing territory from beneath a grieving Clan's nose while they rebuild their home? No cat ever explained that to me.

Leopardstar spoke calmly, turning her gaze to the WindClan deputy. She recalled him, not by name but by sight; from Gatherings--from a night she pushed further from her mind with every passing day, though everything had been so chaotic that it was hard to recall what role any one cat had played--and more recently, when all the Clans traveled together.

"Reprimand and punishment are not mutually exclusive, but please understand that you do not lay claim to the decision of how I handle my warriors. What punishment would you place upon a cat who has already been severely injured due to their own mistakes and misconduct? Your warrior was not the only one maimed in that encounter. Is the injury not a punishment in itself?"

She did fully intend on a second punishment for Sablestrike, something that would hopefully curb or at least minimize the effects of his tendency toward violence; but WindClan was not entitled to know her decision making process.

"I came seeking answers, because it was clear that I hadn't received the full truth of what transpired; not to demand or offer punishment--either to your Clan or mine. I didn't come here to insult you, regardless of how you might take my words."

Though I will admit that you are making it very hard not to.

She took a deep breath, keeping composure despite the burning desire to snap.

"I have done everything in my power to offer peace. I am quite decidedly telling you that I will not fight you for the right to walk a ring of stones that has been my Clan's land for longer than any ShadowClan cat can remember, because claiming it isn't worth risking the lives of my Clanmates. That there will be consequences for a cat who has violated the tenets of honor that are supposed to guide us. If that isn't enough for you, what more would you ask of me?"

In that moment, Leopardstar made a deal with herself; as she was already struggling to keep her composure. If they made a reasonable request, she would answer it in kind.

(If not, then it would be ShadowClan's decision what would happen next, rather than her own. She was not Nightstalker, and she was not his shadow; she would not drag her Clan into another pointless war. If they fought on ShadowClan's behalf, it would be because they chose to.)

WindClan could not appreciate her approach as much as they liked. They had received all the courtesy she was willing to spare in the wake of grief and disaster, and her patience was running thinner by the second.

Still, she forced herself to remain calm and collected. With any luck, that blessing that the stars so rarely offered to her, this ordeal was nearly over.

"An apology. You want... An apology?"

The words were incredulous, rather than hostile. The phrase itself was unexpected. She wasn't entirely sure what she had expected WindClan to demand of her. Surely something absurd, given what she had already given. But an apology was all they asked for?

Well, it did feel a little silly. Perhaps intended as a blow to her pride. But Leopardstar was not Nightstalker, and her pride would not falter for daring to offer courtesy; even if she personally felt it was particularly undeserved.

After all, compared to what she had expected, this was reasonable enough.

It's not as though Sablestrike would have ever apologized on his own. I'll consider it one more element to his punishment.

"Very well. I apologize to WindClan on behalf of my warrior, who violated the code of honor meant to guide our paws by causing grievous harm to another and will most certainly face consequences for doing so. I'm reasonably certain there was no reason whatsoever for a simple conflict to escalate to such a degree, and they are clearly well aware of that fact and their own fault in it. Were that not the case, I imagine they would have shared the full story in the first place."

She was not looking forward to the conversation she would need to have with Sablestrike once she returned to ShadowClan, and she most definitely was not looking forward to trying to make him see the consequences of his actions. "May no cat be so prideful and beholden to their own ego as to repeat their mistake. For the foreseeable future, they will not be allowed near any of our borders unaccompanied."

The leader considered the situation, and after considering her own position and that of her Clan--and the WindClan deputy's hostile attitude, one which she quite frankly did not need turned upon the rest of her warriors and particularly did not need intersecting with Sablestrike; who she knew full well would not have the grace to handle his disparaging remarks with dignity and she imagined would instead be liable to cause a scene at a Gathering--she spoke again.

"Likewise, I apologize for the fact that you took my words as insult. The blood spilled between our Clans runs deep, and if I allowed that history to sour my judgment... I truly am sorry. I meant what I said before: I have no desire to carry that bitterness forward into the future."

The words were bitter on her tongue, this unearned apology, but her tone didn't betray her thoughts at all; only offering a hint of genuine regret.

For ShadowClan. Swallow your pride, for ShadowClan.

They trust you to lead them, to guide them.

Earn it.