The Better Choice

A Doomed Clan

Bramblestar lead the small group around the lake to the island, and saw all the Clans were waiting already.

Gemlight noticed Hootcall, the WindClan warrior that told her that Ryekit was dying, was there.

She quickly broke away from the group and ran to him.

"Hootcall!" Gemlight meowed. "How's Ryekit? Is he feeling better?"

"Yes." Hootcall looked up at Gemlight optimistically. "He has started playing with his brother and tried playing with Heathertail's kits! He's even helped Kestrelflight with finding more catmint in case another cat gets sick again!"

"That's wonderful to hear!" Gemlight purred.

"How about your kits? Due when?" Hootcall asked.

Gemlight frowned and remembered that she was expecting Bramblestar's kits, the tom that ruined ThunderClan.

But he's changed, he isn't trying to kill anyone right now...is that how I base my standards? Shouldn't I have a mate that doesn't kill anyone? Why am I even deputy?!

"Gemlight?" Hootcall asked. "You going off to la-la land there?"

"No!" Gemlight said suddenly. "Um, two moons."

"Very nice, the leader's kits." Hootcall meowed. "You'd make a great mother."

"Th-thank you." Gemlight stammered.

"Hootcall! Quit flirting and join us!" Featherwisp called, who was sitting with Havenheart and Molewhisker.

"Oh, coming sister!" Hootcall smiled and trotted over to his sister.

I miss my siblings, when we were born under a nice roof in Twolegplace...

Gemlight noticed the leaders already positioned themselves on the lower branches, looking down expectantly at the Clans.

"My kits are growing well." Mistystar started with pride. "Mosspelt is expecting kits. And you wouldn't believe what Firekit caught last sunrise-"

"No one cares, Mistystar. No one wants to hear you gossip." Rowanstar growled in annoyance. "Pinepaw and Flamepaw are now apprentices, and Grassfeather should be having her kits anytime now."

"We'll be patient." Snaketail chuckled. "I can hardly wait for my kits to arrive though."

Gemlight looked down, he probably didn't kill anyone.

"Barkpaw, Littlepaw, and Skypaw should be having their final assessments in a moon or so. And Heathertail's kits are doing wonderfully well." Onestar meowed. "Ryekit has made a great recovery, despite ThunderClan's attempts to kill our kits."

"We never tried to kill your kits!" Cherryfall snapped.

"Wait a-where's your medicine cats?!" Owlclaw snarled.

"Jayfeather is currently tending to one of our elders." Bramblestar answered.

"What about his apprentice? Why couldn't she come?" Littlecloud's apprentice, Milkpaw, asked.

"She-"

"Is tending to her knocked up sisters!" Spiderleg yelled. "I can't take this anymore! Thornclaw knocked up Sorrelpaw and Hollypaw because of that stupid snitch!"

Spiderleg pointed his tail at Gemlight, and the Clans broke out into outrage.

"Apprentices expecting kits?! What is wrong with Bramblestar?!"

"I knew that Thornclaw was no good!"

"Where's Squirrelflight and Leafpool?"

Gemlight looked to the last voice and saw Willowshine looking straight at her with sad eyes.

"Where are they? I haven't seen them in four moons." Willowshine whimpered.

"They..." Gemlight turned around only to be slapped by Heathertail.

"First you kill Lionblaze and then you have a tom force himself on his kits?!" Heathertail roared.

"Bramblestar's going to hu-"

But Gemlight's warning came too late, the malicious look in Bramblestar's eyes that he had killing Lionblaze returned as he ran like a tiger and slammed his paw into Heathertail's skull with the power of a grizzly.

Heathertail fell limp and rolled to her father's paws.

Onestar looked traumatized and quickly put his ears against his daughter's body.

"She's still alive!" Onestar gasped with relief. "KESTRELFLIGHT! Get the warriors to get her back to camp NOW!"

Hootcall and Featherwisp quickly lifted Heathertail's body and several warriors escorted them off the island, Kestrelflight quickly following.

Bramblestar stood in between Gemlight and the furious WindClan leader as he stepped toward Bramblestar.

"You're lucky I know better then to hurt someone during a Gathering." Onestar snarled. "I will kill your mate and her unborn kits. And until I do, this is war!"

Onestar lead the remainder of his Clan off the island, ShadowClan and RiverClan left as well.

Bramblestar and his cats left last.

"Why did you do that?! Now we're going to lose even more cats Bramblestar!" Ivypool snapped. "I don't even know if my sister will be safe!"

"Gemlight?" Cherryfall was looking at the deputy with worried eyes. "Are you alright?"

"No." Gemlight sobbed and ran ahead back to camp as fast as she could.

Why does this have to happen to my kits?! I just wanted to stay out of the way and let Bramblestar and Squirrelflight be together! Why did I join this stupid Clan?!

"Stormcloud!" Gemlight finally sobbed, Stormcloud ran from the warrior's den to her side.

"What? What's wrong?" Stormcloud asked, hesitantly putting his tail on her shoulder.

"WindClan is starting war with us because Bramblestar nearly killed Onestar's daughter!" Gemlight cried. The whole Clan gasped.

"Our kits!" Millie whimpered. "Crowfeather would never hurt them would he?"

"He let Breezepelt and Lionblaze fight." Sandstorm wheezed bitterly. "I'm sure he'd let cats kill your kits too!"

"Sandstorm, please rest." Jayfeather meowed. "Your comments aren't helping!"

"That stupid mouse-heart Cinderheart leaving my grandkits didn't help!" Sandstorm snarled. "Don't help me. They're just going to die not long after I do!"

Fernpaw glared at her grandmother while she was in the Nursery comforting her sisters.

"Why did Bramblestar nearly kill Heathertail?" Briarlight hissed. "It must've had to do with you! You've influenced every death in this Clan!"

"I didn't kill anybody!" Gemlight protested.

"But what if I lay a paw on you?" Briarlight taunted, crawling towards her. "Then Bramblestar will kill me, watch!"

"Don't please!" Gemlight cried.

Briarlight moved towards her in a rather fast pace for a crippled cat.

"I don't want to hurt you! Stay back!" Gemlight snapped. "I'm your deputy and a queen!"

Briarlight struggled to get closer, she was hyperventilating. She stopped and gasped.

"Jayfeather, what's wrong with her?!" Gemlight yelled.

"Her heart is weak, she isn't supposed to move around camp that fast!" Jayfeather snapped. "Briarlight get back here!"

Briarlight stared at Gemlight with a pleading look.

"Leave...this...Clan" Briarlight dropped to the dirt and her body went still.

"BRIARLIGHT!"