flamestar's rise

Chapter 9: finalities

After he had set lilyflame down in the middle of camp he left snowbur to clean her up and prepare her body for vigil, body tense he scanned the camp for snakepelt. After a moment he spotted the grey striped tom sitting beside the warriors den, he beckoned him over and after making sure no one would hear he spoke firmly "snakepelt i would like you to meet me near the edge of our territory tonight, i have something important to tell you and it Cannot be heard by anyone else" snakepelt looked him up and down for a moment before shrugging and agreeing "sure, why not" the two went their separate ways and flameburst settled beside his mother and pressed his nose to her flank 'i'm so sorry mom, i couldn't protect you but.... I'll make sure they pay for what they've done. I'll be a better leader thank rookstar could ever be and no one will ever have to die a pointless death again. Our clan will be strong again i promise.' he felt someone settle beside him and realized it was rentail, he listlessly turned his head towards him and leaned against him then closed his eyes.

When he woke up not a soul moved in the clearing, rentail was gone and the stars were partially coved by clouds, sitting up he stratched then touched his nose to lillyflames head briefly before turning away and heading for the camp entrance 'time for things to start ending.'
As he made his way across the moor he was deeply aware of how still everything was, not a sound nor a breeze, when he reached the meeting spot he didn't have to wait long as snakepelt arrived moments after him and flicked his ear "okay lameburst what's this about?" Flameburst puffed his chest fur out slightly "I'm just going to be blunt about this. I need your help to kill rookstar." Snakepelt stared at him in shock "k-kill her?! Do you understand how mad you sound we can't kill her!" He decided to channel his inner vea and breathed deep "of course we can, she weakens the clan every day with her idiotic ideals, cats die because she can't protect us. Do you really want a leader like that? I can make sure the other clans stop pushing us around, no clanless, vermin or no-fur pet will set paw on our land and our clan will be strong, you would be my deputy snakepelt, while rookstar may not see the value you have for being deputy i do and i value you a lot" snakepelt puffed up his chest and flicked his ear trying to look nonchalant but the praise was too much to brush off, flameburst was proud of himself, he was getting the most stubborn cat in the clan on his side, he could do this "so I'll ask again will you help me?" After a few moments snakepelt nodded "i will" flameburst smiled "good".

The next morning he woke up and watched as the senior warriors carried lilyflame away to the clans burial site, sadness tugging at his heart as he longed for her to be right beside him instead of heading off to forever lay in the cold dark earth. He took a deep breath and steadied himself 'come on you have work to do, time to make good on my promises' throughout the day he assigned patrols and went hunting, he avoided rookstar as much as possible and tried to stay as busy as he could. Later that day, as the sun started to set, she approached him and asked him to go on patrol, he agreed and they set off towards the furthest border, he had purposely left this border alone when sending out patrols since it was so far out it was perfect, as they got closer he was painfully aware of every breathe he took, his heartbeat, the heather brushing on his pelt his focus narrowed to a pinpoint and his eyes were set firmly on the space between her shoulders 'am i really going to do this? My chest feels so tight i wonder if she can smell my fear. I've never actually killed someone before... Russetfang i just watched him die he got himself killed by being clumsy.... No you can do this you made a promise. To vea and to lilyflame. Tonight everything that makes this clan weak WILL end-' a shadow caught his eye and he locked eyes with vea, she gave him a nod 'it's time.' he waited a moment longer and just as rookstar started to speak "flameburst I've been meaning to speak to you, and you've been so quiet i know you must feel horrible after watching lilyflame-" she was cut off as he came into contact with her, his teeth piercing into the back of her neck. Her could taste the irony tang as her blood started to flow from the wound and she collapsed under his wait "wha-!" Everything had been going in slow motion but now it felt surreal 'no turning back now' he stood over her as he watched the life fade from her eyes and she was still for a while 'she couldn't have only had one life left could she? Isn't this too easy?' he knew it wouldn't be when he saw her start to stir, the blood had stopped flowing... When she came back to life she came back full force and launched herself upwards at him, her claws flashing in what little moonlight there was, he felt warmth trickle down his cheek as her claws tore the top of his right ear, then his left cheek. He reeled backwards then shook himself out and leaped for her once more, they rolled together clawing and biting, he sank his teeth into her left paw and heard her cry in pain as she returned the attack, slashing his cheek and mouth then his shoulder. Over and over 2 lives.. 3... 4. As time went on he knew she was getting weaker and finally they came to a halt, he kept her down by setting his paw on her chest and raised his other "this should be your last life, you gave me a fight but in the end here you are.... weak! But you always were a weak leader, it's time for a stronger more capable leader to take over." His eyes narrowed as he glared down at her, even as tired as she was her gaze was firm and defiant, her grit his teeth "say hello to russetfang for me" rookstar stared up at him and sighed "i had high hopes for you flameburst, i had hoped she was wrong but...." She closed her eyes "it seems i was wrong" as she finished he brought his paw down, claws ripping through his fur one last time, as she fell still this time he felt cold, his throat felt tight, he took a moment before calling out "snakepelt!, make sure she's fully dead, I'm going back to camp" snakepelt dipped his head as he appeared from some bushes. Leaving him there flameburst began the long trek back to camp, tail dragging his mind was racing, he knew how to act and what to tell the clan and for as much as he hated rookstar... Why did he feel so... awful? 'she got what she deserved, like vea and vex said.... I'll make our clan strong and it was time for that old bat to die...' he sighed and stared up at a single star that was peaking through the clouds 'right... Lilyflame? Mom... This was for the best... Right?' receiving no answer he kept his pace slowly back to camp, head hanging as the events that had taken place rolled through his head like the wind across the moor.