Sage-eye's Story

Chapter 14-A Talk With Brightwing

-Sun-Down, The Same Day As Chapter 13-

Sunpaw leaned against her mother Honeypelt, her heart broken. They were under the warrior's bush. What I do to say deserve s yah a backlash for Sagepaw? She wouldn't listen to me so I could explain why I had taken her place! Oh, I knew that I shouldn't have done this, but it is too late now.

"It okay Sunpaw. " her mother said, "I told you that you would see the day where you would find out that Sagepaw is not who you thought her to be. If she wants you to ignore her, then ignore her until she comes back to you. If she never does, you will see who she truly is at heart."

Sunpaw reluctancly admitted what her mother said was true. I don't like what she says, but she is right. I don't know who Sagepaw is anymore, and it has just been less than a day! We use to be friends, but I would never betray her! I was just doing what I was told, to be loyal to be clan. Perhaps someday, she will realize her mistake.

 "Maybe Sagepaw just hit her head a little hard," suggested Sunpaw to Honeyepelt, "And she is not entirely mentally well."

Honeypelt ran her tail down her daughter's back. "She has always been that way. Now run along and go to the Learner's Den. You need your sleep!"

Sunpaw then suddenly had a thought that's made her so angry, that she had to go to sleep. She said good night to Honeypelt. She went to the hole in the hillside, curled up in a moss nest, and forced herself to sleep.

When she reopened them, she saw Brightwing before her. The moonlight gleamed on her black, white spotted fur, while her ice blue eyes were fillled with amusement. "We meet again Sunpaw," Brightwing cheerfully meowed. "I haven't seen you since you confronted me about me true identity, determined to stop my plans. And now you come again, calling out to me with angry eyes and bristling fur."

"You and your mind games!" Sunpaw snapped, with angry eyes and risen fur. "Stop ruining my life for me! You  gave me a false prophecy that got me forced by my leader to become the Mender's Learner. You ruined Sagepaw's life! Now you're messing with her too! No wonder she was angry at me today! Stop messing with us!"

"Oh, you do not understand anything." calmly replied Brightwing. "You may figure out my plans, but only after they happen. You are clever, but you do not think enough. I have done nothing to Sagepaw. I merely advise her here and there, and she makes her own decisions. Anger is a great tool to use to one's advantage. You know you can not tell anyone of this, for they will never believe you."

"Why are you doing this?" screerhed Sunpaw. "Is this your plan to change Valleyclan? Killing everyone is wrong!"

"Ah, know you have began thinking." mused Brightwing. "I was a rash, mad, and young when I made my first kill, Stonestar's father. Do you think I have not learned during my stay here in The-Realm-Of-Banishment? I have had plenty of times to think. I do not want to kill everyone; there would be no Valleyclan then!"

"Oh, cut to the chase already!" Sunpaw interrupted.

"Very well then." agreed Brightwing. "I see myself in what I once was in Sagepaw. If I can control her but let her think for herself, Valleyclan will change for the better. Think of it as that old word was told to is us all by housecats, who learned it from The Hairless Ones: "dictatorship." Yes, a few will have to be killed, those elders mainly. I am still loyal to my clan; I am doing this for them!"

Sunpaw couldn't believe what she was believing. "Why should everyone suffer just for the sake of the clan? I want Valleyclan to change too, but killing and suffering are not the right answers!"

Brightwing gazed at her. "Then what is the right way to do this? Tell me, and perhaps I will change my plans. I may be a bad cat, but I am reasonable."

"I don't know." admitted Sunpaw, looking down in defeat. 

"Then come back when you do. You have plenty of time." suggested Brightwing. "And because I like to mess with my prey, aka you, I will let you know that I do plan on using the ongoing silent war between Marshclan and Lakeclan that began in the season of hot. Neither side has yet made a move but the time shall be soon. There is no stopping me, no matter what you try."

"Oh, but I will try!" vowed Sunpaw. "You are doing this for the clan, and so am I. I will not stop until the day I die! I was forced into this by, so I shall force my way out!"

"Before you go, why not meet some of my friends before you go?" asked a bemused Brightwing. Then you'll see that I am not so evil compared to some of the others that roam around here."

"No. I will see you when I need you again." answered Sunpaw, now in a cooler state of anger. "You shall never have me on your side."

"Sleep well then!" Brightwing called to her. Then her eyesight went black, and then reopened to a moonlit Valleyclan camp.

I will stop Brightwing somehow, someday. I should go ask Stonestar about her. You could know some of her weaknesses.  He's usually awake, all alone, at this time of night. Sunpaw silent moved her way over to the elders den, where Stonestar stood alone in front, the cold breeze of the cold season rippling his pelt. His black pelt blended in with the night, making his dark blue eyes stand out. A quarter-moon hung in the sky

"Hello Stonestar, " Sunpaw quitelily greeted him, "Can I talk to you about Brightwing. It's fine if you don't."

Stonestar merely glanced at her for a moment with a somber face, before he went back to looking at the night time sky. They stood there in a silence for some time. Owls could be heard to the tune of the freezing night breeze. Sunpaw has just given up on getting an answer from Stonestar when he spoke, still gazing at the stars. His voice was cold and eerily calm.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I should have killed my daughter that day, if I should regret it. I find that I enjoyed taking revenge for my fathers death. Did she really have to die that day? I merely could have exiled her, but no, I had to do it. It was for the good of the clan, so she couldn't come back to hurt us. She promised me revenge from beyond the grave, and I wonder when it will come. I am willing to die for my clan, for its future. But only those who work as they should deserve the best of things. That is how life should be, how it should be fair."

Then he merely became silent once more. After some time of pondering on what Stonestar had said, Sunpaw went back to the Learner's den. Sagepaw was there, sleeping peacefully, like all of the other Learner's. Brightwing is a threat that must be contained. She may be evil. But she is right that our ancestors will not interfere with this. This is up to me as the hero, to the stop her, and undo her work on Sagepaw. I do this for the sake of our clan, and for the sake of Sagepaw's life. She will never again be the same if this continues on. Then Sunpaw curled up in her nest and welcomed the sweet relish of dreamland.