Web of Lies

iv

a/n: this one is a little short. sorry bout that, lol

This wasn't MossClan.

Robinflight looked around the hill she stood on, watching the skinny running around, mothers picking up their kits, senior warriors rounding up apprentices, and packing up what little herbs they had in leaves.

"It's quite sad, you know," A lonely voice noted. Robinflight jumped, but calmed down once she saw a familiar face. It was Willowberry's mom.

"Uh, where am I?"

"Seeing a clan being forced to leave the only home they've ever known, leaving their entire life behind. I'm quite disappointed in OceanClan, forcing a clan out of their rightful territory." Robinflight noticed  the she-cat not talking to her, but to another cat, one who had just materialized next to her.

Robinflight screeched and jumped again. What was it with all these dead cats showing up randomly?

"If I was still leader, this wouldn't have happened," the second cat boasted. The cat was a light, light ginger, so light it was almost white. The cat's eyes were a fierce blue, filled with pride and confidence. They held their head high, tail raised and ears pricked up.

"Please, Buzzardstar," A third, much smaller cat mewed. The three dead cats seemed to not be able to see Robinflight, much less hear her screams. "If you were still in charge, HillClan wouldn't even exist."

"Hey!" Robinflight yelled, stepping inbetween the three cats. Like snapping out of a trance, all three cats looked at her in counfusion.

"Robinflight?" Willowberry's mother asked. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be back at camp!"

"Who's Robinflight?" The smallest cat asked, her voice high-pitched and child-like. "Is this the one you were talking about?"

"The one? What does that mean?" Robinflight asked, her head hurting with all this confusion. She was at HillClan, that much she understood, but why was it the middle of the day? Who was Buzzardstar? Who was this extremely annoying small cat?

"Robinflight? You never mentioned Robinfligh-" Buzzardstar began.

"Hold up!" Robinflight shouted over all the commotion, interrupting a rather angry Buzzardstar. "Someone has to tell me what's going on."

"Well," Willowberry's mother began. "We were just watching HillClan prepare to leave. This is Buzzardstar," She gestured to the proud cat next to her, "And this is Flintstrike. They were both my friends when we were, well, alive."

"Okay, yeah, yeah, I get that, but we haven't decided whether or not HillClan woul-"

"So you're just going to let a helpless clan be devastated by an utterly ruthless battle because you haven't decided yet?" Flintstrike protested. "HillClan is an innocent clan, and you won't let them in because you haven't decided yet?"

"Chill out, Flinty. OceanClan won't just kill every cat, you need to stop being so dramatic," Buzzardstar said, rolling their eyes. "You do realize that a clan has a choice in whether or not they let a foreign group of cats in."

"Guys, guys, arguments won't get us anywhere," Willowberry's mother said before Flintstrike could respond. "HillClan will arrive at MossClan any minute now, Robinflight needs to wake up."

"But I'm not even asleep!"

"Then how are you here? Cats usually aren't able to speak to dead cats while awake," Flintstrike added. "You need to leave now, your clan needs you."

"Don't you have some sort of prophecy to give me?" Robinflight asked frantically. "Anything to tell me what's happening, or what will happen?"

"Uh... nope!" Buzzardstar answered. "Now, you need to get out of here. Bye!"

"Wai-" Robinflight couldn't finish her sentence as she was flung into a sudden darkness. The ground melted away and she was plunged into a deep, dark, void. The three cats watched as she fell and screamed, pleading for some sort of answer. But with a sudden 'thump', she woke up on the ground of MossClan, more specifically, the medicine den.

"Robinflight, you're awake," Willowberry noted. She looked strangely calm, seated in the corner of the cave, sorting herbs.

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Willowberry sighed and turned around. Fresh crimson blood was smeared across her face and paws, and Robinflight noticed the other cats in the den with her. They were wounded, smeared with the same crimson Willowberry was.

"Was there an ambush? Why is there blood on your face?"

"Apparently, some cats overheard us talking about letting HillClan in. They didn't like the idea of HillClan sharing our camp, so they decided to riot. They attacked us and a couple of other innocents. Rowantail saved you," Willowberry explained. "I'd suggest you thank her."

"What happened to the rioters? Were any other cats harmed? Is Coralstar oka-"

"One question at a time, please," Willowberry groaned. "I still need to treat my own wounds."

Robinflight was quiet. "I... have something to tell you about HillClan."

"Oh?"

"We don't have time to make a solid decision, they're already coming."

"And how do you know that?"

"When I blacked out, I had a vision. There was your mom, a cat named Buzzardstar, and another cat named Flintstrike. We were watching HillClan leave, apparently OceanClan was already on their way to attack," Robinflight said slowly. "We have to prepare, quick. They're going to be here any minute now."

Willowberry stared at Robinflight for a few seconds before speaking.

"You met Buzzardstar?"

Robinflight was taken aback. Of all the things she had just said, Buzzardstar seemed like a pretty minor part of the discussion.

"Why is that so shocking? They were just a leader, right?"

"He was one of the greatest leaders in all of OceanClan history! Buzzardstar was the last leader of the OceanClan Golden Era, do you not realize how lucky you are to have met him?" Willowberry whisper-screamed.

"I see you quite like OceanClan history, huh?"

"Oh, shut up. That's unrelated, anyway," Willowberry scoffed. "But if what you saw was really true..."

A loud screech came from outside the den, and Willowberry glanced out the entrance, a look of worry on her face. Cats were starting to riot again.

"...Then they won't be any safer here," Willowberry continued.