𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 | 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

-Chapter Fourteen-

TW: This chapter contains blood gore and death.

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Your a snake

writhing in the darkest corners

Telling truths that are fake

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One of Lush Leaf's once warm green eyes were staring upwards blankly and the other had been gorged out by ants. Her dainty mouth was stuck in a ghastly yowl of terror. Whilst dried blood matted the once silky brown fur around her throat and sinister maggots slowly ate the dead flesh in her throat. It was very clear that this was a murder.

"B-but she was so kind..." Wolf paw meowed in awe "Why would anyone want to kill her?" His voice was the first to break the silence that had hung over them for what seemed to be the span of a mouse's life. The others nodded with him gravely but Lion paw was to busy imagining the secret attacker pouncing  on an unsuspecting Lush Leaf and ripping her throat out. She shivered at the thought of it. 

"Maybe they were just doing it to make a point..." Rowanscar meowed softly. "Maybe she wasn't their actual target... Maybe-" A ominous rustling sound echoed across the bushy clearing . The patrol all looked around completely spooked.

"We'll take the body back to camp." Mothtrap meowed his tailed bushing up "Let's let her family mourn for her."

They started the hike up the mountain grimly with Lush Leaf's cold and clammy body slung across their backs. This brought back the memories of Barkpaw's death to Lion paw. 

Lush Leaf's with Barkpaw now... She told herself, Even though she shouldn't be.

The climb was steep and rocky and a drizzle of rain was falling on the patrol making it even harder with the extra weight. They finally laid eyes on the camp entrance just as the rain started getting heavier much to the groups growing dismay.

 When the group finally got inside camp they dashed to the side half shaded by the over hanging cliff and lay down the body. The few cats that weren't in their dens gasped or screamed as they saw the body and those who were inside the dens came out to see what all the ruckus was about. 

The different reactions across the camp were echoed from one cat to the other. Dawn Brook was so spooked by the body she hid in the nursery and wouldn't let her kits out. Silvermist fainted at the sight of her dead adopted sister. And Dark Fur roared with rage once seeing his dead mates body.

"Who did this!!!" He roared "I'll find you!!! There's no point hiding! YOU'LL DIE!" He roared after no-one answered "YOU'VE TAKEN HER AWAY FROM ME! Away from me... Away..." He started crying and rocking back and forth. Fallen Lark rushed forward to give the warrior some thyme for the shock. He took them numbly and started chewing. 

"That's it.." Fallen Lark meowed soothingly "Eat up..." 

"She was expecting kits..." Dark Fur suddenly meowed weakly smiling with a tormented and grim grin "We were going to name them Morningkit if it was a girl and Jaykit if it was a boy... Jaykit, and Morningkit... Jaykit, and Morningkit..." He started sobbing eerily. Lion paw couldn't believe it, Dark Fur's mind was breaking right in front of her.

"Lush Leaf?" He suddenly called "LUSH LEEEAAAF!!!" He wailed and started biting and ripping at himself. Fallen lark tried pinning him down to stop him but she was only kicked with flailing unsheathed claws.

"Dark fur I'm trying to help you!" She yowled but it didn't seem like he heard her at all. "You! Jagged Flame! Help me pin him down!" The broad shouldered tom pinned down Dark-fur as he kicked but even he found it difficult. 

Fallen Lark got up and run out of the sheltered part of camp and through the rain to her den where she had poppyseeds and grabbed a whole poppy. She  carefully grabbed 6 seeds off it and stuffed them in Dark Fur's mouth. 

The thrashing warrior started going into a deep sleep and his eyes fluttered shut. 

"Crowsong! Help Jagged Flame carry Dark Fur to my den!" Fallen Lark ordered. Although her words were strong Fallen Lark looked more tired and frail then she ever had before. Lion paw rushed to her side.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked her bottom lip trembling.

Fallen didn't even look at her "I don't know... I just don't know..."

Later that eventful evening Lion paw sat besides the leaders den eating her prey with her ears pricked. Inside the den Fallen Lark and Gentlestar were in the middle of a grim conversation. 

"I'm sorry Gentlestar, the effects on your son were permanent." Fallen Lark was meowing "He was a troubled cat and with the death of his mate on top of all his problems... Well, he just cracked." 

"This is all my fault..." Gentlestar meowed wearily his pacing back and forth so loud it was able to be heard from where Lion paw sat. "After his mother and siblings died I distanced myself from him, I made him feel unwanted-"

"Oh stop that!" Fallen Lark meowed passionately "It wasn't your fault! You couldn't bear to see him after the accident with his mother and siblings you were too heartbroken. You might have made him feel unwanted but you can't go back in time, your decisions then remain your decisions today-" 

A thin wailing pierced the air "Lushleeeeaaaf! I'm coming! I'm coming!!!"  

"He's woken up!" Fallen Lark meowed utterly horrified. 

The medicine cat raced past Lion paw and towards her den. Lion paw didn't know what happened next but all she heard was a lot of wailing and screaming then suddenly terrible terrible... silence. Moments later Fallen Lark quickly walked out of the medicine den her head hanging low and a somber expression painted on her face. 

As soon as the medicine cat entered the den Lion paw heard her break down completely. 

"I'm so sorry Gentlestar!" She sobbed "I tried to stop him! I tried-"

"Calm down Fallen Lark." Gentlestar calmly "Take some deep breaths then tell me what happened." 

"I rushed into th-the den" she started "and I pinned him down but he had already found my death berries, he stuffed them in his mouth then he-he -Oh! It's just so horrible!" She sobbed

"Deep breaths you can do this..." Gentlestar meowed though his voice was sounding slightly fearful.

"Just for good measure he... He slit his own throat!" Fallen Lark meowed quickly.

"S-so your saying th-that..." Gentlestar couldn't say the rest he just couldn't.

"Yes Gentlestar, I'm saying your son is dead."