Perfection [ warriorcats fanfiction ]

xvi.iii

"Ravenstep, please come forward."

Ravenstep showed no indication his mate and two daughters had recently died, no outward sign of his suffering, nothing would have alerted the clan that he was in terrible pain.

Because maybe he isn't.

"For the preservation of the perfection of this clan," Froststar began, "I hereby appoint Ravenstep Enforcer."

Ravenstep raised his chin, looking directly at Froststar, whose snowy pelt almost glowed in the near-darkness.

"Do you promise," Froststar recited, "To uphold your duties and obligations as an Enforcer of the sixteenth addition to the Warrior Code?"

"I do."

Ravenstep had been waiting for this moment longer than anyone could imagine.

"Do you promise to defend the perfection of this clan, in all ways you have power and ability?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to forget any and all personal relationships and connections you may have to any and all imperfections, so as to correctly fulfill your requirements?"

And Ravenstep barely hesitated.

"I do."

And the clan cheered because they didn't know any better, because they were used to meaningless cheering, because they were too afraid to show anything but blind support.

And Nightpaw knew, deep in her heart with a sickening conviction, that Ravenstep never loved Silverleaf, that he never loved anything but ambition and power, that nothing else ever did and ever would mean anything to him.

And so Nightpaw went to the apprentices' den to cry.

She curled in her nest and sobbed for everything that had happened the last few days. She cried because she was too late to save Silverleaf, because Skykit and Spottedkit had died, because Ravenstep was finally where he wanted to be and he had hurt so many to get there.

Because two moons were over.

Because Dawnpaw would be the next to die.