Nightpaw POV

The walk to the Gathering was long and tedious. The leaves shone silver in the shadowy glow of twilight, dangling from the venerable branches. The soil beneath my paws was damp from the afternoon rain that halted not long ago. Nobody had spoken a word throughout the trip, until Streamheart whispered something to Spiderleg. The black-furred tom chuckled, to receive a scalding glare from Bumblestar.

"What's so funny?" demanded the ThunderClan leader. "Care to share it with the rest of us?"

Spiderleg looked away. "It was nothing."

"It better be." The villainous tabby lashed his tail and drifted over to my side. "Remember, when you're leader, any cat that has time to laugh and make a fool of themselves is not deputy material. Jokes never won any battles."

I stared at my paws and nodded. "You're right."

So Bumblestar wanted me to be his successor, and yet I could hardly be near him without wanting to gag. Was I not following right in his footsteps? I had little doubt that he had deceived Bramblestar in much the same way, with shows of unconditional loyalty. While he claimed that he had tried to save the dark brown tabby, there was no question in my mind that he had masterminded ShadowClan's assault on the leader's den. 

Wasn't it ironic that ShadowClan, on the brink of being forced from their own camp by the lunatic, had set his leadership into motion? They had invited death into their midst by the evil they harbored in their hearts. The strategic notion of utilizing outside help was brilliant; it was also impractical under the present circumstances.

I was plotting the same treachery, but I would have to act alone. It was impossible to know the warriors who were allegiant to Bumblestar from those who wished to rebel. Who was to say that after the traitorous moron was dispatched, the Clan would back my leadership? After all, when he waltzed back into my camp, the whole Clan had stood by and watched as he instructed Foxleap to maul my mother. Foxleap. The russet tom had held no redeeming aspects to his personality; his death had at least cleansed ThunderClan of one of the sociopaths in power. How could he live with himself after the agony that he had caused my mother?

I recalled the innocence of kithood disappearing in one fleeting moment. Sandstorm, now slain by Bumblestar's claws, had tried to intercept me and my brother. We distracted her with a ruse and darted into the clearing, only to be greeted by a gruesome sight. Our mother, who had been the only loving figure in my life, was now strewn on the floor. Her vibrant white underbelly was coated with a scarlet hue and in many places, the fur had been ripped away. The eyes were the most jarring feature, mutilated into watery pink chunks of goo. Blood was streaming from the sockets, and yet I could not rationalize that she was damaged beyond repair. I had nudged her fervently; then upon finding her unresponsive, I had buried my nose in her fur and wailed. There was a distinctive scent of death that tinged her fur, and it was almost unbearable. It was like the stench of an entire pile of crowfood drifting up my nostrils, multiplying with my sorrow.

This memory was all that allowed me to maintain my resolve. Would I, in rehashing Bumblestar's sins, become like him? Would I unearth inner demons that I should never discover? Perhaps. But my mother's fate was just one example of the suffering that he had inflicted. I was not the only one to grieve a family member because of him, and if I didn't stop him, I wouldn't be the last. 

Bumblestar nudged me to the front of the group, snapping me out of my trance. "Lead the way! Sink your claws into it."

We had arrived at the tree bridge. Its color was a dark, rich brown that was practically black; some of the bark was peeling away from the trunk. I clambered up the roots and felt it wobble beneath by my paws. My weight began to tip to the left, and I flailed about momentarily before remembering Bumblestar's advice. I dug my claws into the bark; after steadying myself, I began to inch forward. The water, which had looked so placid from the shore, was churning just tail-lengths below. My heart was pounding against my rib cage.

"There goes the next deputy of ThunderClan!" Bumblestar yowled sardonically.  

I lowered my head in embarassment and picked up the pace, scurrying across the log. As I reached the island, WindClan sauntered up to join the group, and their warriors began to intermingle with our trekkers. Ashstar mewed a greeting to Bumblestar in a cordial tone. I questioned whether he would keep the alliance, and I wondered if he would mince words about her unsanctioned attack on ShadowClan.

Bumblestar POV

Ashstar behaved as if all was forgiven, and while I did not appreciate her stunt with Foxleap, I knew that I could not afford to make an enemy of all three Clans. She was ambitious without the underlying intent of backstabbing me, and if my late deputy had taught me anything, it was that that was difficult to find. I loathed small talk, but for this dialogue, I needed to project a friendly persona.

"Good evening! How is the prey running? Are your cats recovering?" I asked.

Ashstar leapt onto the trunk and swished her tail as an indicator for me to follow. "WindClan is well! The sooner we drive ShadowClan and RiverClan from the lake, the better. We keep them isolated and they stand no chance."

I chuckled at the idea of Rowanstar, alone and cowering in fear at the realization of death. "We need patience, my friend. Quickness is where errors are made."

"I trust you and I will submit to your plans, but I think that a moon of peace is too long." Ashstar dismounted the bridge and surveyed the clearing. "We cannot let them fully recover and be at peak strength. We have injured them, and now we must go for the kill."

The image of Blackstar, desperation alight in his eyes, groveling for help as the fire closed in, flashed before me. His pleas had been nearly kit-like; he could not reconcile the idea of death in his mind. The flames were closing in on Rowanstar now too. I would let him glimpse an escape, only to snatch it away at the last heartbeat. There would be no salvation for ShadowClan.

"I have no intention of waiting a moon; I merely want to lull them into a false sense of security. I will personally send word to your camp when I wish to attack," I meowed, descending onto the sandy shore.

Moonhigh was already upon us, but ShadowClan and RiverClan had yet to arrive. Where could they be?

I spotted a lone figure bounding toward the bridge, but one of smaller stature and with a lighter ginger pelt than Rowanstar's. The cat nearly toppled into the water as they sprinted across, urgency usurping balance. It was Ambershade, one of the three warriors I had left behind to guard the hollow. Why was she defying my order to stay behind as a sentinel?

I sprung down from the spindle and drew myself to full height, storming over to the warrior. "What are you doing here?!"

Ambershade, gasping for breath, locked eyes with me. "ShadowClan and RiverClan have invaded our camp!"

A/N: It's a been a long time oof, but here's a chapter for the memories! <3