Bitter Ends/part2

Written by Kitsufox on 26 February 2012 about Bloodstar, NPC Leafdusk and Willow's Dawnstar.

It occurred IC on the 8th day of the Moon of First White

Bloodstar moved through the trees, ignoring his own stiffness as the proceeded out into the open land between owltree and fourtrees. He could hear the quiet paw-falls of Leafdusk behind him. The red tabby was still as brazen as he was in his youth, but time had tempered him. The twilightlight that was descended marked the hour as late, appropriate for hunting as well as for the sunset border patrol. Some things were matters of pride, and for Bloodstar no pride mattered more than still being fit enough to be on a border patrol.

Trespass point, the place where three of the four territories met, was always an unpredictable place. You could met cats from both WindClan and RiverClan there in addition to the no-cats-land that started at the bush on the point. And today was to be one of those nights. In the flatlands just beyond the border in WindClan's territory was a stocky ginger she-cat, stalking something. She stalked forward, but it looked like she'd missed what she was hunting and came up blank. It was then that the she-cat straitened and noticed the two red-furred figures walking the border.

Bloodstar couldn't help but snort in derision. It wasn't commonly known in the ThunderClan camp, but he knew about Dawnstar and her half-brother's folly with the badger. She must have caught something in his bearing, though, because Dawnstar marched towards the border and the pair of ThunderClanners. She waited a couple of fox-lengths back from the border, just as the ThunderClanners did, and she quietly flicked her ears. Bloodstar's restraint broke first. "Hello Dawnstar."

"Hello Bloodstar." No errant tremor made it's way to her body to reveal how she felt. Bloodstar had a long history of needling Blackstar, and now it seemed he would continue with her. If that was his plan, she would give as good as he did. "Has it been all paws on the proper sides of the borders for ThunderClan?"

"I'm not sure." Amber eyes narrowed at Dawnstar as his ears slid backwards fractionally. "Has it been all badger-bait in camp for WindClan?" The cruel barb had the ginger she-cat looking daggers at the big blood-colored cat.

"At least WindClan has the honor to defend our weak." Dawnstar's voice was sharp.

"At least ThunderClan has the brains to keep our weak where they'll be safe when the forest is full of hunters." Bloodstar's voice was just as sharp, and his face was full of the same smugness he'd always used when talking to Blackstar. Dawnstar's claws burned to rip that look right off his smug face. Leafdusk shifted uncomfortably as the two leaders spat their insults back and forth. He moved closer to Bloodstar, positioning himself like a sentinel and prayed to StarClan that the two wouldn't come to blows.

"Watch yourself, ThunderClanner." The fur on Dawnstar's tail was rising slightly.

"Why should I watch the words I speak about a traitor to StarClan who defies their will." Bloodstar's voice carried an undertone of smug purr in it, and his face showed his scorn towards the WindClan Leader. The big red tom didn't catch the flicker of fury that preceded Dawnstar's explosion, but Leafdusk did. The smaller tom threw himself at the she-cat, intercepting her. By chance along Dawnstar's fury drove him to the ground and her fangs landed in his throat. Leafdusk's claws bit deep, but Dawnstar's teeth bit deeper. When she shoved him aside he rolled away, blood pouring from the wound his in neck. Trespass point was awash in snarling, screaming cats and flying red fur. Blood blossomed on the earth and within moments, it stilled with the larger red form prone on the ground. It took only a moment before he jerked, coughed and rose again.

There was no hesitation in his movements when he dove directly back at her. The big red tom's eyes were ablaze with fury.

~~~~

Dawnstar was limping when she returned to camp. Rowanbough's eyes were wide when he greeted his once-mentor-now-leader. "What happened?" His voice was nervous. He hadn't been happy when she'd left camp to hunt alone. He was even less happy when he heard her answer.

"Bloodstar happened." She spat out the words.

"Did you at least give as good as you got?" Pale eyes remained wide in the black furred face.

"I gave better than I got." She shifted uneasily. "We're going to need to step up the patrols on the ThunderClan border."

The young cat echoed her unease. "Do you think that he'll retaliate?"

"He won't retaliate." She spoke the words slowly, carefully. "But I don't know what Fiercestorm will do." The words washed over Rowanbough, the meaning not touching his brain for a few moments. But then, it dawned.

"Bloodstar is dead?" There was awe in his voice. "Truly dead?"

Dawnstar's voice was cold and resolute. "Yes. Dead as crowfood."