Warriors #3: The One Who Killed the Sun ✓

Chapter 20

Moonfall's POV

"Oh honey, no," I murmured under my breath as I observed Harekit eagerly crouch, her hips swaying so that her tail flicked in the air above her back. She was poised to pounce on her brother, Bramblekit, but the ambitious little hunter was too sure of herself—her stance all wrong for the stealth required. I sighed, the weight of responsibility heavy on my shoulders, my eyes on the little huntress in training.

With a gentle nudge against her backside, she let out a tiny squeak of protest but allowed me to guide her into the proper pose, her tail now hovering low against the ground. This was more than just a lesson in hunting; it was a lesson in patience—for both of us.

"Sorry, Moonfall," she murmured guiltily, and I let out a soft chuckle, affectionately licking her ears in reassurance. Bramblekit huffed, swishing his tail in mock annoyance before leaping away just as Harekit finally sprang forward like a fox, only to land squarely on nothing more than a pile of dead leaves.

"Yeesh, keep it down, you mouse brain!" Askepels hissed from the open cavern of the warrior's den, and I hissed right back. His glare locked onto me, those icy blue eyes hard and unyielding. Stepping forward with a bristling pelt, he towered over me, the very picture of feral defiance.

"Who do you think you are?" I spat back fiercely, lashing my tail. Harekit and Bramblekit had both crept close to me, their wide, scared eyes fixed upon the imposing tomcat that loomed in front of us. But I harbored no fear, for what could he possibly do here in the center of the camp? All the clannmates' eyes would be upon us, watching to see if he dared to make a move against me.

"You're just as foolish as your offspring, Moonfall. You're nothing but a scandal, thinking ThunderClan is better off with you here!" Askepels spit out viciously, raising a paw as if to strike. But before his paw could even land its intended blow, a sharp cry tore through the tension, and my gaze snapped towards the Thunderpath where Lionblaze stood, his eyes fierce—hard and unyielding.

"Ashfur!" Lionblaze roared, launching himself forward, barreling the elder cat to the ground with a force that left no room for resistance. His paws pinned down on Ashfur's throat and chest as he secured him firmly to the earth. "Don't you dare touch my mate," he growled, his voice reverberating with protective fury.

"You are... weaker than me, furbrain!" Ashfur hissed, his body writhing wildly under the golden tom's firm hold. But Lionblaze pressed harder, the threat in his voice unmistakable. "Say it again," he growled, close enough for his breath to stir Ashfur's ear, "and I'll see how easily I can lay open your chest."

"Okay, this is not good!" Firestar's authoritative voice cut through the standoff as he leaped between the two, shoving Lionblaze off Ashfur, who stumbled away. "What is the meaning of this?"

"That coward tried to lay a paw on my mate, Firestar. He was going to strike her!" Lionblaze spat out, his protective instincts bared naked for all to see.

I sighed, my heart heavy with the weight of discord. Laying down, I gestured for Harekit and Bramblekit to come closer. "Go to Daisy and Poppyfrost, get some sleep. I'll be over soon."

They nodded, their feet thumping against the ground as they scurried away toward safety. I walked over to Lionblaze, lifting my shoulders in a mixture of disbelief and sadness. "If anything was to be said, I stood up to him. Showed no respect," I mused, casting a glance to Harecat, who still stared out from the den's opening. I nodded at her, and she settled herself inside once more.

"But what I can't fathom is talking to my daughter like she was just a piece of fur you could lord over. Let me tell you, she's my daughter and she's a ThunderClan cat, through and through—no matter what her lineage is."

With a swish of my tail, signaling the end of discussion, I turned and trotted towards the nursery, my voice firm with parting words over my shoulder, "It's only because we're clanmates that I don't end you right here."

Stepping into the nursery, both Daisy and Poppyfrost shared looks of concern my way. I dismissed their worry with a wave of my paw, making my rounds among my little ones before settling onto the soft nest. As sleep claimed me, I hoped for a dawn with fewer clouds over the horizon.

~❈ ~

Once more I found myself in the dark expanse of dreamland, the place where I had crossed paths with Sol. My fur bristled at the sight of him. "Show yourself, you furbag," I called into the void with a defiant howl. As if summoned, the mottled tom emerged, a familiar smirk stretching across his face.

"So, how are you enjoying my little gift?" he asked, flicking his tail toward the sun overhead—a sun that was, thankfully, still shining in the sky, normal as one could expect.

I snarled in response, ready to confront his riddles. "What nonsense are you spouting? The sun has returned. It wasn't StarClan who quenched its light, I know that much now."

Sol sighed, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "I wanted to know why you think I would take down the sun. I have nothing against it," he said with a hint of defense in his voice.

I growled, low and threatening, before lunging at him with all the force of the warrior I was. My muscles rippled as I transformed into a formidable dragon, towering over him. And this time, as I pinned him down, he actually looked scared. Blood began to well under his skin where my enormous claws dug mercilessly into his chest.

"You'll pay for the chaos you've sown among the clans, Sol. You're no honorable tom; you're just a rogue who thinks he can have his way with his clever snake words. But you are a snake, Sol, and snakes get killed," I hissed, venom and justice mingling in my voice.

Sol gave a deep, weary sigh, a shadow of resignation passing over his gaze. "Is death all you truly want, Moonfall? Is that the way of the dragons?" he challenged me, his voice a woven tapestry of remorse and defiance.

Before I could answer, he twisted out of my grasp, and a shock of horror raced through me as I witnessed his form shift into that of a snake. It coiled around me with an intimacy that belied the danger, his words a hiss against my scales, "This isn't just your dreams, my love. I can do this whenever I wish. And I will... unless you return my feelings, see that I am the rightful mate for you, leave ThunderClan, and—"

But his threat frayed into silence. His yellow eyes flickered ominously, the air charged with an electric anticipation. He flicked his forked tongue out, and for a moment, the trees seemed to be skeletal figures, guarding the edge of a sinister dance.

Then clarity prevailed, and within the thicket, a familiar pattern caught my eye. "Lillypetal!" My voice tore through the stillness, an alarm and a plea in one. The stoic façade that Sol had presented crumbled as real-world consequences pierced our standoff—the drama of dreamland spilling over into reality.

And then, as the tension in the dreamland reached its zenith, I woke with a jolt—a sudden, heart-pounding start that dragged me from the jaws of nightmares back into the realm of the waking. My breath came in quick gasps, a stark reminder that dreams could hold both terror and the deceptive lure of the fantastical.

Lying there in the dim light of early dawn, I struggled to distinguish the remnants of my dream from reality. The images of Sol as a snake, the twisted trees, and the urgent cry for Lillypetal—were they omens or just shadows cast by a restless mind?

The need to reassure myself pushed me out of the nest. I had to see, to know that Lillypetal and the rest of the clan were safe—that the specters conjured by my subconscious hadn't breached the borders of our territory. With weary determination, I would face the new day, ever vigilant against the threats of both dreams and waking life.