Warriors: Bumblestripe's Insanity

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Moonpool

I had insisted on taking the long trek to the Moonpool alone, refusing Jayfeather's company. Ancient pawprints marked the path that led down to a shining expanse of blue water that held a trace of purple in it. Small waves lapped against the shore, with the crashing sound echoing through the hollow.

I prepared myself, knowing StarClan wouldn't be pleased with me, and touched my nose to the surface. Instantly my muscles went rigid, as an icy cold spread through my body. I shivered as my eyes shut and darkness covered my vision.

I opened them to find an empty clearing surrounded by bushes with a large oak tree in the center. The Gathering island. There wasn't a sign of the StarClan warriors. I looked up at the sky, wondering if something had gone wrong.

I gasped as I saw the stars spiraling down from the sky, growing larger and larger. They took the form of countless warriors, a multitude of shimmering, frosty felines surrounding me in every direction. White fire blazed in their eyes and a wintry glow brightened their pelts, making them sparkle.
They spoke as one. "Welcome, Bumblestripe. Are you ready?"

Was nobody going to mention my crimes?

I refused to show fear and nodded. "Hurry up."

"Patience, dear." Squirrelflight stormed out of the crowd and glared at me.

At that moment, I knew StarClan hadn't forgiven me. I tried to move and unsheathe my claws but my feet were rooted to the spot. She met my eyes with a gaze so cold that it made a blizzard look warm. Her nose pressed against mine and I suddenly got a new impression of stars. They weren't fire because they weren't warm. They were cold, perhaps like snowflakes that stayed in the sky and never came to earth.

A jolt passed through my body. I could feel it inside my skull, rattling my teeth until I thought they would fall out. An intense pain pressed behind my eyes and I wondered if they would pop out of my head. Claws scraped across the roof of my mouth and I tried to scream but my jaws were firmly clamped shut. Scenes flashed in front of me. I realized slowly that this was how Squirrelflight felt when she died. She said something about loyalty but I almost didn't hear it at all.

She stepped back and the pain stopped. Trying to maintain my dignity, I glared back at her as she retreated.

Icecloud was next. Her death felt similar to Squirrelflight's. The feeling of soaked sticky fur at my throat, a searing pain lancing across my neck, the shudders traveling up my body, and the agony that made me feel as if my brain was exploding. Her life was for kindness. 

Yet she had been innocent. I couldn't bring myself to meet her gaze as she walked away.

Tigerheart was next. I looked at him with a venomous hatred burning in my eyes.

His nose brushed mine. Suddenly, something smacked into my side and I lost my breath. I experienced weightlessness then felt as if my head was literally ripped off. A snap echoed through my mind, deafening and leaving my ears ringing.

Dovewing. I had forgotten she was so beautiful. Her fluffy gray pelt that looked as soft as the feathers that lined the nests in the nursery. I wanted to bury my head in her fur for a moment and forget all of this. Her touch could rescue me although nothing else could. But there was no kindness in those gorgeous green eyes. I couldn't afford to be weak, to let love control me again. I forced a look of disgust onto my face and wrinkled my nose.

I felt something pressing down as hard as it could on my chest, squeezing all the air out of my lungs. Icy claws dug into the delicate skin on my stomach and tore out a clump of fur. Flames spread across my body, scorching my sides and my stomach. I couldn't find air. And then when I finally found the strength to bear the agony of that wound, repetitive blows struck my stomach. My head was on fire and the world spun. I felt my strength seeping away along with the blood oozing out of my wounds. My legs couldn't support me; they were so numb and were trembling uncontrollably. The weight was lifted from my lungs but I still couldn't breathe due to the agony. I felt my legs buckle underneath me and suddenly, the pain was gone, and I was lying on the grass. Dovewing stalked away and I was certain that I was still about to die.

Millie marched forward in an arrogant manner and I knew instantly that this wouldn't be fun. "Bumblestripe, I suggest that you stay laying down."

I wanted back away from her, but I was stuck there, unable even to stand. 

I couldn't feel my legs; I couldn't feel, well, anything. Suddenly, my legs jerked in every direction, smashing into the ground. My head banged against the grass and I tried to scream only to be unable to suck in anything but dirt. I was choking on my own tongue and my whole body was burning slowly. My heart was on my fire, pushing against my chest. My blood had turned to acid. Something sharp and hot pierced the left side of my skull, traveled through my brain, and re-emerged on the other side, leaving me with a splitting headache. The lack of oxygen was allowing a black cloud to creep up over my vision. I tried to retreat into unconsciousness but then a small trickle of air was allowed in through my nose. My chest was the center of the agony, as it tried to push out of my rib cage. I could feel it. My heart felt even worse now, and I simply couldn't bear the agony. But it wouldn't stop; it only intensified. My muscles ached from the spasms.

It finally ended, leaving me still shaking, and I could still feel the burn in my chest. I somehow found the strength to stand. "I...am g-glad that...I made y-you feel that...pain. You d-deserved it...more than a-any other cat."

Next came a light brown tabby. "Owlclaw? What are you doing here?"

Owlclaw glowered at me. "Foxleap killed me in the battle you orchestrated."

His nose touched mine. 

My sides were being shredded. But then, claws struck my neck. My head screamed as it felt like it exploded, sending my eyes, my ears, my tongue, and my nose all in different directions, but all of them were still burning in midair.

The next one was a dark brown tabby with sorrowful amber eyes. Bramblestar. His eyes were dark and disappointed. "I trusted you. But you let me down. I get to give you two lives since you killed me twice."

Both deaths were practically identical. The claws tearing my neck apart. The burning headache.

I hoped those were the last two lives, since my body had long since been unable to withstand any more pain. But I mentally counted and realized that I'd only been given eight lives. I braced myself wearily for more pain.

It was Firestar who padded forward though. I was certain that I had not murdered him.

His green eyes looked into mine as our noses met. A calm peace overtook me, forcing every muscle in my body to relax. Everything would be okay. It was the same feeling I had when Dawnpelt was about to kill me. "There's still hope for you, Bumblestar. I give you this life for change, that you may regret your actions. It's not too late for StarClan to forgive you. It's up to you to decide your fate. Change your ways and become one of ThunderClan's greatest leaders of all time."

Did they really think that making me experience the pain my victims had felt would make me regret my crimes? They actually only made me more proud of my achievements. "I will become the greatest leader the lake has ever seen. But not the way you're thinking."

A/N: Long chapter here! :D Hope you enjoyed thanks again for all the lovely support and comments!