Conflagration [A Warrior Cats AU]

Chapter Seven

Bluefur trekked back to camp, her eyes dull. She was barely aware of what was happening anymore. She raised her muzzle to the sky and unsheathed her claws. Why would you let this happen, StarClan?

She realised the camp was nearby. She just wanted to get to her nest as soon as possible. She wanted to curl up and sleep. At least when she slept nothing in her dreams was real.

Thrushpelt was dead, and it was her fault.

Why did I let him join me in RiverClan? She asked herself. Why did I distract Thistleclaw?

Stonefur walked up next to her and let her lean on his shoulder. She just let her paws carry her to the camp. "He's dead," she whispered. "It's my fault."

Stonefur gave her a lick between the ears. "It isn't your fault, mum. It's Thistleclaw's, and ThunderClan's."

Bluefur was hardly listening. He's dead, she repeated in her head.

Hailstar smiled when the group of cats padded into camp, then frowned, sensing something wrong. He jumped down from the highrock and padded over to Bluefur and Stonefur. "Bluefur, what happened?" He murmured with sympathetic eyes.

Bluefur couldn't reply. She just stared at the Leader, hardly hearing what the black tom said. Then Whitepaw, Crookedjaw and Mistyfoot trodded into camp with the corpse of Thrushpelt. Bluefur snapped her gaze away from the dead tom, a fresh wave of grief almost sweeping her off her paws. She stumbled. Hailstar gasped and cats from the Clan ran towards Thrushpelt's body, mourning and yowling in grief and surprise. Bluefur ignored it- or couldn't hear because of her grief. She walked into the Warrior's den, staggering and flopping into her nest. She closed her eyes and let out a sob, curling up and letting sleep wash over her.

"Bluestar! Bluestar!"

Bluefur - now Bluestar, stood in the clearing of cats cheering. So many cats she knew! All grief for Thrushpelt had swept away as she stood. Moonflower, Snowfur and... was that Mosspaw? Why was she here? She saw Mosspaw fine just earlier! Panic began to make her fur stand on end.

"You are ThunderClan's new Leader," Sunstar purred with a dip of his head.

Bluestar stepped back. ThunderClan's? She lived in RiverClan! Thistleclaw would be the one becoming Leader if Sunstar died. She opened her mouth to speak but found herself unable to. She turned and saw Featherwhisker staring at her kindly, and began to feel like there were walls closing in on her, and she couldn't breathe, and-

"This is a dream," a voice murmured.

Bluestar turned around to see Snowfur again and realised no, she wasn't the leader of ThunderClan, she was just Bluefur.

Snowfur sat down. All the cats froze. "This is what could have been. Another timeline, if you will. You gave up your kits to RiverClan and became Leader of ThunderClan."

Bluefur turned back and sighed glumly at the cats. "Why is Mosspaw there?"

Snowfur's eyes glittered with sadness. "Mosskit died when you brought your kits through the snow to Oakheart in this universe," she mewed. Then she shook her fur out. "You can still do this, Bluefur. You can fulfil your ambition and become a leader. You can stop Thistleclaw's plans."

Bluefur found herself believing her sister until another cat appeared next to her with a hostile yet loving gaze fixed on Bluefur. "Moonflower!" Bluefur choked out. 

Moonflower's eyes narrowed. She studied Bluefur for a second before her amber gaze softened. "Your life has been so difficult, Bluefur. And it will not stop for a second. But I believe you can get through the hardships and become a leader RiverClan would be proud of."

"Are you saying that StarClan has destined me to beat-"

Bluefur was cut off by a muzzle pressing against her cheek. She felt the fresh and familiar grief as she turned and found herself staring into Thrushpelt's kind eyes. The tom took a step back.

"I'm so sorry I had to leave you, Bluefur. But don't let it destroy you, please. That would hurt me so much more," he whispered.

"You were the best friend I ever had," Bluefur sighed, closing her eyes.

Thrushpelt smiled. Suddenly, he let out a gasp and stared at Bluefur with a gaze that was rather terrifying. Bluefur shrunk back, eyes wide. 

"The plants of evil will sink into the Clans and destroy them all. Only the colour of the deep sea will be able to save the four Clans from destruction."

Bluefur was suddenly drowning, being held down by someone she couldn't recognise. She struggled to breathe, flailing her paws underwater, and found herself lying limp and closing her eyes. Giving up, she let the darkness wash over her as the water suffocated her.

Bluefur snapped awake, all pride and happiness of seeing her kin gone, as she realised it was a dream. All three of them are dead.

But it felt so much more than a dream. It felt so... real. Bluefur furrowed her eyebrows and sank down back into her nest. The Clan was mourning Thrushpelt, she guessed. But she didn't want to join in. She couldn't. 

After a few moments, the sadness was replaced by cold, hard fury. Thistleclaw had killed Thrushpelt, and she would do anything to make him pay. She stalked out of the den and into the camp, deciding she would tell Brambleberry and Mosspaw about her dream. It was now dawn, and Bluefur realised she had slept through the afternoon and the night. Just as she began to make her way to the Medicine Den, the two medicine cats padded into camp. Bluefur turned to Mosspaw and saw her own sadness and grief reflected in her daughter's eyes.

"Mosspaw," was all she could manage to say, looking down at her paws. "I have something to tell you both."

Mosspaw shook out her fur, her usual brightness appearing in her eyes. How does she deal with death like that? Bluefur thought with a sigh. "I'm Mossdapple now," the medicine cat purred. Bluefur opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She didn't say anything, just staring at her daughter with pride in her eyes.

"I had a dream last night," the warrior murmured. "It seemed so real. I was wondering if it was a sign from StarClan?"

Brambleberry nodded firmly, trotting off into her den. "Come with me."