Omen of the Sun Book Three: Dusk

Chapter Twenty-Six

Cinderstorm

What is she doing?

Cinderstorm had found Sunpool- she was at the top of one of the great trees in the back. Cinderstorm sucked in a gasp- she was standing atop Holly Tree, the tree the first leader of HollyClan had died on.

"I have something to say!" Sunpool yowled, the moonlight catching her fur and turning it to molten, dazzling silver. Her green eyes flashed; she looked unstoppable.

"What is it?" Applestar asked. She sounded unmoved by the sight of Sunpool, but Cinderstorm heard the tenseness in her voice.

"Applestar, CloudClan's leader, has not been entirely truthful with you," Sunpool announced.

Cinderstorm hissed lowly. This was what was happening. She knew that Sunpool was messed up tonight, but she never imagined it would go this far.

"What do you mean?" Cheetahstar asked after a moment. "Please, tell us, so that Applestar can react to these claims."

"Gladly," Sunpool snarled. "Where to start? How about with the most important one: Applestar trained in the Dark Forest."

Fox-dung...

A wave of whispers swept around the clearing. Sunpool looked down on them severely, and meowed, "that's right. Applestar trained in the Dark Forest, with all those evil cats you thought were dead and gone. Lionscar! Snowdust! They are there, and she trained with them!"

"Enough!" Applestar snarled. Cinderstorm turned, and saw that Applestar was standing, legs tense, at the front of the crowd. She was staring daggers at Sunpool. "How dare you?"

"Is it true?" Russetstar asked. "Tell us, Applestar."

"I- of course not!" Applestar snarled. "Pull yourself together! Of course I wouldn't train in the Dark Forest!"

"Really? Because I've seen you!" Sunpool retorted.

"And how would you know?" Applestar fired back.

"Because I trained there too," Sunpool announced.

Oh no...

"So you admit you trained there?" Applestar asked.

"Yes," Sunpool replied, her fur blazing. "I did. And I did some terrible things. I almost killed a cat who trusted me. But I've moved on from that place. I will never go back. Never. I've made too many mistakes in my life to return to that. Which is more than I can say for you."

"What makes you think I would believe you?" Applestar fired. Cinderstorm watched the banter go off over her head.

"I'm depending on your decency," Sunpool admitted. "Not that I believe you have much. But if you have the smallest shred of decency, you will admit: you trained there, just like I did and any number of cats in this forest did."

"I didn't," Applestar said without missing a beat. "But you have, you say? Well, then I will have no choice but to expel you from CloudClan."

"Do it," Sunpool challenged. "I'm not afraid. I'd rather be alone than serve a leader like you."

"You will not return to our Clan," Applestar meowed. The entire clearing was still in silence, and Sunpool's coat blazed on. "You will not interact with any of the members of the Clans, and you will live out your days alone, apart from the Clans."

"That is absolutely fine," Sunpool announced. Then she turned her gaze to the crowd. "Who will join me? I cannot offer you peace or security. But I can offer you a home where you will be safe from the treachery of the other Clans. Or, at least, CloudClan."

Cinderstorm leaped to her paws. What else could she do? Sunpool was her best friend, for better or for worse, and she couldn't leave her. "I am!"

"I am too!" Lightningfeather announced.

The leaders considered Sunpool. Finally, Cheetahstar meowed, "FlowerClan is with you."

Applestar stared at him, utterly shocked. "You do realize that you are cutting off ties with CloudClan."

"I do," Cheetahstar answered evenly. "Because, to be honest? I never liked you."

Sunpool smirked.

"None of the rest of the Clans support you," Applestar snarled. "You'll never get away with this."

"Yes, I will," Sunpool retorted. "I think this Gathering is over. If you're going to follow me, if you're going to choose the correct path, then follow me and Cheetahstar. Otherwise, you can prepare yourself for a war. If you're not with me, you're with Applestar, and I will not rest until Applestar is annihilated."

She leaped from the branch into the crowd, landing gracefully in he midst of a hastily cleared path. Tail held high, she made her way through the Clans. Cheetahstar looked at his Clan.

"FlowerClan, and anyone else who wants to join, follow along," he announced, and lead the way from the clearing. Cinderstorm waited for Lightningfeather and followed with her mate, wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into.

-=-

I updated like four days ago and then I updated again he proud of me dears!

I'm also sorry for the short chapter but I felt like this would be a good place to end. The story will start to pick up from here so stay tuned because it's going to be interesting 😅

See you at the next update

✌🏻️, Rainfeather