Brightheart's Revenge

An Unforgiven Grudge

     Three days had gone by and ThunderClan was ready for a fight. A fight we were all sure we'd win. Bramblestar and most of the warriors were skeptical about fighting but I made sure it would happen. Cloudtail will be happy, I will get revenge on ShadowClan for harming him. No mercy for a merciless Clan.
     I made sure I was training enough so I could kill the cat who had killed my mate. I had gotten a glimpse of the cat they called a warrior, he was grey, the one who did the dirty work, finished him off. There were many that attacked him but the grey one... He stood out to me as he ran away in retreat. This time, he wouldn't be retreating. He wouldn't have blood flowing in his legs.
     I paced the clearing in camp with my head down. All I could think of was the look on that cats face when the blood begins to well up out of the wound in his neck, the look of fear and mercy in his eyes as the blood fills up his lungs. I needed that feeling, the feeling of the one who thought he could get away with killing a cat many loved, I needed the sight of him dying, suffering, and me being the one to do it. Of having my paws stained red with his blood. The rush of adrenaline as his eyes go grey and his blood goes cold.
     I unsheathed my claws at the thought of it, but I knew I couldn't try anything now or I'd scare someone. I shook my head and then fluffed out my fur, licking it clean. The sun was still up and I was growing more impatient every heartbeat that went by.
     I looked around the camp. Cats were slowly coming back from patrols. I had already done my part of patrolling and I was needing to get my paws to work again. But with what? I wasn't sure. 
     The clouds were covering the sky and bringing darkness to the world. It smelt like rain was coming, the way the air was... different I knew rain was coming. The wind blew as calm as it could get, just able to move the leaves through the clearing.
      I paced the clearing, head down. 'Is this battle worth the blood my Clanmates and I will loose?' I pondered, 'Will it be worth it when we loose a cat or maybe two? What if we don't win, what if we're stuck with the fact that we lost and how embarrassing it was?' I shook my head. 'We will win this battle. Even if it's the death of me.' My thoughts were interrupted when Bumblestripe came over, looking concerned and curious.
     "Brightheart, are you okay?" He prompted, sitting down beside me as I paced. "You've been pacing for quite some time, what's on your mind?"
     I shrugged, "Just thinking about how the kits will do when we are fighting..." I lied evenly. Bumblestripe didn't look very convinced but didn't push on. Dipping his head and standing up, Bumblestripe headed to the nursery without another word.
     I couldn't decide whether he was going to check on the kits that he was supposedly the father of or that he was telling them that I would be worried about them at battle, but it didn't matter.
     I needed to get my mind off of the battle. I was too excited and I was actually ashamed to be. I was becoming a monster, one I feared would bring cats to believe I was a monster from my looks, and it be true. Now they could judge me and be right.
     I was turning cold and dark. Not that I wanted to, but my loved ones were being killed, and I wasn't fond of it.
     I looked around and spotted Graystripe laying in front of his den. He watched as cats mingled among each other, eyes narrowed in thought.
     Padding over to him, he looked at me and his eyes softened. "Brightheart, it's been a while since we talked!" He rasped, sitting up. For an old flea-bag like him, he still had some muscle, yet his eyes were tired and his cheekbones were as sharp as a dogs tooth.
     I dipped my head. "Yes," I replied, "And I was wondering what -" I decided not to bring up the battle. He seemed to hate them anyway. "Wondering how you were. Have you been eating less? All I see is ribs," I purred and he did as well. "Oh I'm okay. Having trouble sleeping on my own, not used to it, I guess." He sighed, looking away. He didn't really answer the eating part, he seemed more interested in the battle.
     And I tried to avoid it.
     "What's your idea of the battle?" He mewed, turning to me with eyes narrowed. Bramblestar mustn't of told anyone that it was my idea to fight. "Well, I think it's risky. Yet, we need to do it or ShadowClan may strike again, maybe with WindClan." I informed him, trying to convince him it was good. He clearly didn't like the idea.
     "I understand your reasonings, Brightheart, but it's almost suicide. ThunderClan has always been known for not fighting and being the bigger cat, making the right choices. Not that WindClan or ShadowClan or RiverClan always made wrong ones, but you get my point." Graystripe fretted and I nodded, listening. He was one wise cat, you know?
     "Cats have been spared by ThunderClan not fighting, but ever since Firestar died, things have changed. For better or for worse," I took in his words. He should've been leader. If he hadn't been taken away by twolegs, he would've made a great leader.
     Once I realized he was done, I told him what I thought as well. "Battles are to show them we can fight. For seasons upon seasons we were the 'nice' ones. The once who backed out or was the goody-two-paws. And now, we have that chance to take our ThunderClan pride back, to show them we can fight," I urged, my voice soft and reassuring.
     Graystripe nodded a few times and looked away slowly, looking to the sky. We sat in silence for several heartbeats. Finally, Graystripe broke the silence between us. "You know, you have some good points." Mused Graystripe, his face bright but unreadable. His eyes were starting to fade into a light yellow. He was going to be missed greatly when his time came.

     The day pushed on. Hunting, pacing, talking and staring all went by deathly slow and I couldn't help but wish night would just come sooner.
     And of course, the moon was starting to rise and the sun was going down, leaving a pink and purple strip along the horizon. Clouds patched the starry sky with a grey gloom. I was beginning to think over my plan.
     'Follow the hidden stones. Order them to hide there. Kill anyone in my path. Assassinate the victim.' The victim stood out like a wildfire in leaf-bare to me. His dark grey fur and piercing yellow eyes. How a scar crossed his flank and spine, how his tail was fluffier then the rest of his pelt. The details set in and I growled low again when his image popped into my mind.
      'He will pay for what he's done. He will pay for the grief he brought onto me and his kin. He will shed his blood like Cloudtail shed his, and he will suffer. Oh how much he will gurgle and beg for mercy, for help. How he will plead for me to stop the blood from pulsing out of his wounds. The look in his eyes when the blood runs dry, the grey, dazed stare that will never stop.' I curled my claws into the soil. Nose flaring in rage and paws twitching with adrenaline, I forced a yowl to stay in my throat, to burn in the Dark Forest like that disgusting cat ShadowClan accepted as a warrior.
     'I will get my revenge on this ratchet cat. That's all I need now: revenge.'

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