prologue > one divided to two

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pearlwish cackled at the elder leader. "look at russetstar! how weak he is, how puny! do you want this as your leader, dear clan? do you?!" the pearl white she-cat smiled a cunning grin, her mahogany red stained teeth glistening and her tail whipping around like a brand-new strung lasso.

her claws sunk into moss, chunks falling and shriveling. her evil light blue gaze flashed and flickered violence and bloodlust. russetstar sat crouched beneath one of her big paws, the old leader's eyes flashing and rippling shock as pearlwish spat at her paws.

"how vulernable your leader is! i'd never let down my guard! not even to any warrior, no offense. i would always be ready to yowl into battle! claw up any cat, so my clan will be safe until the end of it's days!" pearlwish howled and screeched. lionmask gazed up in horror. russetstar had always been so loyal! how could a warrior who seemed so kind to him betray him in just a flick of a tail?

the deputy, bigtooth, snarled loudly. he was trapped under tigertalon's big paws. russetstar glanced back at bigtooth, nodding, as they suddenly wheezed and gasped for air, falling limp. pearlwish laughed as she stepped off russetstar. "your leader has died just now, due to the minor strike of my claw! i am the true leader you desire! russ--" pearlwish was cut off by russetstar's sudden strike, as the old leader hurled into the she-cat's white pelt. her scream filled the air and was cut by russetstar scratching a part of her belly, and sinking her teeth into pearlwish's foot.

bigtooth, knowing his weight, erupted up, making tigertalon stumble and clumsily fall down to bigtooth's sudden moves. tigertalon yowled, booking it towards pearlwish to help, but was caught by bigtooth's claws and struck him back by pulling on his tail. tigertalon's fluff was scattered as some had been torn. his blood-curdling cries made pearlwish's eyes widen and it seemed like her pupils expanded to the size of her eyes. bigtooth sank a tooth into tigertalon's neck, but not very deeply so he wouldn't die.

pearlwish wildly gazed up towards russetstar and bigtooth, then the clan. "y-you're insane, bigtooth! russetstar, also gone mad! how dare you hurt my mate?!" the pearl white she-cat's sobs were filled with pain and rage. tigertalon smiled up at pearlwish. "b-back there.. you see 'em? it's my.. f-folks.. you ne'er gotta.. m-meet 'im, or 'er.." the dark tabby's gaze was darkening.

pearlwish put her nose into her mate's fur, a tear dripping into the fluffy tabby pelt. the tom went limp, and pearlwish's rage boiled. "you take one of mine, russetstar... ?" her cackle nearly shook the ground. anger laced her mews. "then i take one of yours."

russetstar screeched as her deputy was barreled over viciously in a battle of fur and claws. the russet leader leaped up only to be kicked back by a dusty white leg. blood pooled around, as paws battered and fur flew up.

the clan cats were all screaming, scrabbling up the rock but slipping back onto other cats and clunking around miserably. the cantankerous pearlwish laughed into the night, leaping away with the most sinister smile that it could've cracked diamond.

bigtooth lay with the most gruesome wounds. his eyes lay wide with shock at the fact a cat tinier than him could mortally scar him. "r-russetstar.." he gasped, wheezing now for real, and lapping hurriedly at the largest wound.

a long scar ran across bigtooth's soft belly. it was long, and wide. pearlwish obviously used all of her claws in one mighty streak. blood was pouring out like a fountain, a puddle of blood rapidly growing across the rock, dripping down into the crowd. pearlwish snickered at bigtooth's ghostly pale skin.

"t-take ca-are... o-of..." his breathes were shorter than a snail now, and pearlwish was lapping at her claws, her fur barely touched with the tang or hues of crimson blood. her light blue eyes sparkled with menace. bigtooth was slowly fading off. "of.. o-of.. l-lionm.. li-lion.. m-mask.." bigtooth scanned the crowd for his brother, and smiled lightly as he closed his eyes, his last visions his dear brother.

lionmask choked. what? first tigertalon dead, and then seconds after, bigtooth obliterated by a small pearl white she-cat. the treacherous she-cat should be dead. "die, pearlwish! die! die the most gruesome death that any cat can imagine! i will claw you to scraps and make sure that on your dying breath, you think of me!" he screamed.

pearlwish smiled. "okay. we'll see where that takes you. dear, oh, dear russetstar. i don't want to kill another cat. or, do i? hmm hmm. let's see.. you won't have to see another gruesome death, if you lend me some cats. shouldn't do any harm. pick them before sunset, and they shall stay here, while the rest of the cats go off with you."

russetstar gulped loudly, scanning the cats. he whispered words to pearlwish. the white she-cat nodded. "i admit, you are right. we will create a way for you to talk to one another, cats! no fret. it will be made soon though."

russetstar listed cats who would stay, and soon lionmask froze at the tom's words. poppybloom, his mate, was staying with pearlwish, and lionmask was going off with russetstar. "hey! hey, wait.. russetstar, did you say poppybloom is staying and i'm leaving? i.. it's just, me and her sorta wanna.. be together, and.." the fluffy tom quivered as pearlwish glared at him.

"you talked back to me and said i should die. i don't want you here, obviously. in punishment, no longer will you see poppybloom," the pearl white she-cat said with ease.

lionmask stared over at poppybloom. he raced over, licking her fur and brushing his pelt against her, purring louder than ever. his eyes were drowned and swept away in deep sorrow and grief. he felt so lost.

"l-lionmask.. we could be.. r-rogues..?" poppybloom sniffled with deep sadness lacing her feminine voice. lionmask smiled sadly at his mate. "you love it here in treeclan. or well, now leafclan and barkclan. i love you a lot, poppybloom. i don't want you to be somewhere you hate," he stuck his nose into her beautiful fur. poppybloom wailed, crying into her mate's fluffy fur. "i'll talk to you every day with the system they think of! and we can discuss how we'll be together again," lionmask smiled, his heart swelling.

poppybloom nodded in agreement. "i'll miss our long, long talks.. our beautiful days in the sun, basking in it's warmth.. spending days at the garden of lavenders and jasmine, willow trees galore. lionmask, life won't be beautiful without you! i'm so scared." her beautiful eyes stared up at her mate.

poppybloom's eyes widened. "what about our kits! we always wanted kits. our kits would get to see their mother and father's ever-lasting love.. we've been together for so many moons. ever since we were apprentices.. what are we going to do?"

lionmask purred. "don't fear, my beautiful poppy. your lion will soon return to you. i love you."

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