Splashblossom's Truth

Prologue

All is quiet in the field except for the idle chirping of birds as dawn claws its way up the skyline. On the horizon behind the Horseplace, the dark silhouette of a cat is visible, the milky light outlining his sleek, muscled pelt.

The purple-budded flowers of the heather stems wave lazily in the early breeze, dew glinting on their petals and leaves. A small brown rabbit snuffles around the base of a tall plant, scavenging for any small seeds that it might have dropped. Its nose twitches at the faint scent of cats and the cold air stings its lungs.

Paws thump on the frost-bitten ground as something comes closer. The rabbit twitches its ears, swiveling them and trying to pinpoint the noise. Closer still, the pawsteps fall heavily on the moor as the patrol nears, their angry yowls echoing across the open space. 

Shaking intensely, the rabbit flees with a squeak as the patrol of cats runs straight for it. However, they seem to be chasing something else, as the rabbit's fear-laden scent hangs all over the heather it was hiding in.

As the rabbit runs, it hears the screeches of the cats fading as they race to where the horses are kept. Horror still flowing freely through it's veins, the rabbit dives into a hole, letting the ground swallow it up. As the rabbit scurries through its network of tunnels, the cats run on.

"If you don't hurry, we'll lose our chance!" a long-haired ginger tom screeches to the others. A white she-cat with grey splotches pulls ahead, her blue eyes set with determination.

"We'll return your love safely to you Webstar, just be patient! Surely we can catch her if we split up and cut around..." she growls, huffing with the effort of running so fast. Webstar snorts.

"Sure Frostgaze. If you're so sure about that, then why don't you go alone to get her, hm?" A challenge glints in his eyes. Without hesitation Frostgaze pulls ahead towards the Horseplace, her legs burning from strain. Pushing herself even harder, her fur pulsing with heat, she spots her target.

Why must you run from us? We only want you to be happy... I only want you to stay...

She snaps at herself for being so foolish and blind. This was treason. I never should've trusted her. She's a traitor. She killed Webstar's hopes for the Clan, and her own destiny. For this, she deserves the pain she'll go through when we get her back.

Ducking under the Horseplace fence, Frostgaze sees her dodging the hooves of the horses.

We could have been warriors together forever, and you would have been leader. But thanks to you it's ruined. I'll never be deputy now. Webstar will never get over losing you, and that means he won't take me as a mate instead. Anger churns in her belly once more as she persues her target through the maze of long and deadly legs.

I'll get you and bring you back to RiverClan, even if I have to drag you yowling by your tail. And as soon as she ducks around one leg, another lands, dangerously close to her flank. Yowling in surprise, the stub-tailed warrior hares through the field. She sees the other cat duck under the opposite end of the fence.

I've got you now. She thinks, pulling up at the edge of the fence, preparing to cross under. As she stops, a large horse rears in surprise at the sight of her so close to it.

Oh StarClan save me!

As soon as the thought runs through her mind, the horse falls back to it's feet. Letting out a terrified screech, the last thing Frostgaze sees is her old friend making a beeline towards the hills before the horse lands on top of her, her world going black.