Warriors: Blossomfall's Reign(Sequel to WBI)

Chapter Nine: The Truth

A/N: Sorry if this confuses you, but I'm putting Blossomfall POV first. Hope you enjoy, please comment, I only didn't reply to comments last chapter because I didn't want to spoil things either way.

Blossomfall POV

Foxleap had apologized to me, and just said that he wasn't ready for kits. However, I felt like there was something insincere about his apology. It didn't seem heartfelt. I was probably just delusional, though.

Streampaw became Streamheart and Nightpaw, who had to come to me and asked to be named after his mate, was now known as Nightstream. I hadn't told the Clan that I was having kits yet because I had chosen to ignore Jayfeather's advice and wait a little longer before moving into the nursery.

Foxleap was sharing a thrush with me at sundown, but he seemed distracted. He only took about two small bites from the fresh-kill before leaving, saying that he felt like hunting. Out of curiosity, I chose to follow him. I just wanted to know where he liked to hunt.

I dragged myself up the slope, panting heavily, trying to track him by his scent. My legs burned with each step. Perhaps following him hadn't been such a great idea. I was about to give up when his scent grew stronger. He was hunting in the training hollow?!

I stumbled forward a few more steps and crouched behind a bush. I sniffed the air and detected my mate's scent mingled with another cats'. I peered through the leaves and saw a ginger shape close to him. Why was Foxleap hunting with Cherrystripe? Had Thornclaw put him on a hunting patrol with her? Why would Thornclaw assign a hunting patrol at night?

I strained my ears to hear their almost inaudible voices.

"I thought you loved Blossomstar," Cherrystripe was saying.

Foxleap snorted and shook his head. "Of course not! Who would like that arrogant and short-tempered she-cat? I was just using her to make you jealous. Because Cherrystripe, I want you. I only love you please believe me. Will you please be my mate?"

I gasped, and felt a pain shoot through my heart, as if it had been stabbed by a thorn. This had to be just a nightmare.

Cherrystripe purred and rubbed her muzzle against his cheek. "Yes, Foxleap. I love you too."

I stalked out of the bushes. "What is going on here?!"

Foxleap's eyes widened and he stumbled away from Cherrystripe. "What are you doing here?"

"I should exile you, you mangy fox-heart! You said you loved me!" I snarled.

Foxleap chuckled. "I used to, but after you were so cruel and heartless the one day when I confessed my feelings when you were an apprentice, I realized Cherrystripe was a much more sensible choice. And what reason do you have to exile me? Have I broken the code? I'm pretty sure the code doesn't say it's illegal to not love a heartless monster."

I felt my heart shatter. "We are over, Foxleap."

"That implies that we ever were anything!" Foxleap sneered. "Revenge is a delicious piece of prey, isn't it?"

I stormed off and made an attempt to look angry, but inside, I was drowning in a pool of misery.

? POV

A HALF-MOON LATER

A vicious thunderstorm raged above ShadowClan territory. An orange glow from above the trees told me that a bolt of lightning had started a fire near their camp. Perfect.

I saw Blackstar, urging the queens to get the kits to safety as quickly as possible, and checking the camp to make sure every cat had escaped. He then raced out of camp, and headed down the path to the lakeshore. There was a deafening snap, and then a large oak toppled to the ground, blocking the way. Now he had no choice but to go down the path led towards ThunderClan territory. Hungry flames were close behind him, and he spun around to find me waiting for him, the only obstacle in his way.

He blinked in surprise. "Is that really you? There's no way! But...but I heard that you..."

"Yes. I've returned," I replied calmly.

"What are you doing here? And why are you in my way?" he demanded.

I sat down and unsheathed my claws. "Disposing of an old fool. Doing the Clans a favor."

He chuckled nervously. "You would risk your life and venture into burning woods to try to kill me?"

"The difference between us is that I don't fear fire. You clearly do." I stared at the flames, which would engulf the ShadowClan leader in a few heartbeats.

Blackstar met my eyes. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Plenty of things," I muttered.

Another tree crashed down to the ground, somehow landing right in between the two of us and separating us. Blackstar made a desperate leap and sank his claws into the top of the tree, but couldn't pull himself up. There was a lone branch on my side that I used to climb up to the top of the trunk. I looked down at him with cold, indifferent eyes. Even I could feel the heat; the flames were mere tail-lengths behind him.

"Please help me," he begged.

I sighed. "Fine."

I reached down and grabbed his scruff, as if I was going to pull him up. Instead, I pushed him off, causing him to lose his grip, and he fell into the flames, screaming as the fire seared his flanks. "Go ahead. Let StarClan save you now."

I turned around and vanished into the darkness, leaving the clouds of smoke and the danger behind me.