Slatesong's Ambush

## Participants

Slatesong, Heatherfrost, Shadepool, Windecho, Cinderfur, Quailwing, Hawkbristle, Ravenwillow, Sagemist, Duskflicker, Lilacsky

## About

Having successfully injured Ravenwillow, Quailwing, and Sagemist, as well as recruiting Hawkbristle, Slatesong gathers the Dark Forest cats she'd been recruiting and leads them to StarClan.

Meanwhile, Quailwing has applied herbs to both his and Ravenwillow's wounds. Windecho arrives in the Medicine Cat den, only to see both cats injured. He blames Ravenwillow, believing she did this to his mate. Ravenwillow coldy looks to him, asking where he was when Quailwing was hurt. Windecho falters, then hisses that he wouldn't have been hurt if she'd stayed in camp and faced her punishment. Ravenwillow replies that Windecho's pride will be the death of him, to which he says he'd hold her to that statement. He questions Quailwing as to what happened, and he responds that Heatherfrost and Slatesong ambushed them at the border. When Windecho states Slatesong would never, Ravenwillow reiterates her previous statement.

Shortly after this confrontation, the cats feel the presence of the Dark Forest. Windecho goes to check what's happening finding the Dark Forest cats crossing the border. He finds Sagemist, who is injured, and Hawkbristle. There, Hawkbristle tells Sagemist to get somewhere safe, and Windecho states that he needs to warn the camp, taking Hawkbristle along with him. Hawkbristle asks him what's going on, and Windecho asks if Hawkbristle can still see. Sagemist watches from a safe distance away, although out of sight.

Windecho storms into camp, insisting Ravenwillow had something to do with this, that she was sent to distract them. Sagemist takes this opportunity to enter the Medicine Den, chastising Windecho for not caring about Quailwing, who had been crying during the time Windecho was gone, stating that all Windecho does is start unreasonable arguements.

Windecho ignores her, determined that Ravenwillow did something. Ravenwillow, with her claws sheathed, smacks her paw across his face, standing protectively in front of Quailwing. She criticizes him harshly, stating he's too scared to admit he's wrong. Muzzle-to-muzzle, she growls that she tried to warn him, but that he was too busy trying to find someone to take responsibility for his problems because he refuses to face them. Backing away, she states that whatever happens today would be on the both of them, not just her.

Windecho takes a step away, saying that her smack was proving that he was right about her, that all she does is fight the cats who are supposed to be her clanmates when she needs to be protecting StarClan for being wiped out for the second time. He looks at Quailwing, but doesn't want to bring emotion into it. He looks away, saying that he was going to go reason with Slatesong. Cinderfur watches him leave, then looks in the den to see Ravenwillow. He bristles, stating that it's absurd that she thinks she can just pretend to be loyal then harm Windecho. Ravenwillow states to her former friend that he's just as bad as his brother, and that she would never harm anyone in StarClan, that she didn't use her claws against Windecho. She stops, then says that all they had to do is tell her to go, and she'd never return.

Sagemist sighs that at this rate, StarClan wont survive.

Cinderfur angry shouts back all his brother wanted to do was save StarClan. He proceeds to blame Ravenwillow for everything that has happened, and that he wants her gone, and he'll tell her as many times as needed, that she needs to leave, because she's just as bad as Shadepool and Heatherfrost. He stalks off after his brother.

Ravenwillow returned to the back of the Medicine Den, intent on keeping at least her only friend, Quailwing, safe. Once all was said and done, Ravenwillow decided, she would leave. To her surprise, she finds her heart filled with grief, her ears flattening against her head as she closes her eyes. She bitterly thinks that no matter what she does now, they'll still try to blame her, and will find a way to do so.

Windecho and Cinderfur have arrived at the border with Slatesong. Hawkbristle is awaiting word to strike. Windecho tells Cinderfur that she'll come around, and it'll go back to normal. Slatesong purrs sarcastically, asking what she could do for her dearest apprentice. Windecho, not detecting the sarcasm, attempted to reason with her. Slatesong simply signaled Hawkbristle after confirming Ravenwillow's story. Hawkbristle is unable to look Windecho in the eyes, but tells him not to move.

Meanwhile, Quailwing proposes a plan to Ravenwillow, something that would help her gain the trust of StarClan back. He suggests that they become spies so that StarClan will have the upper hand. Ravenwillow agrees, but asks multiple times if Quailwing is sure. The two depart, and at the border, she warns him that he needs to be ready to do anything. He nods in understanding. Ravenwillow asks him to wait there while she finds someone to speak with.

Coming across Heatherfrost, Ravenwillow explains she doesn't have a home in StarClan, and she has a friend willing to fight with the Dark Forest as well. To back up her claims, she shows Heatherfrost her missing stars. Heatherfrost scoffs, brushing off Ravenwillow's request, leaving to rejoin the front lines. Ravenwillow, still determined, locates her unofficial mentor, Shadepool, who takes her to Slatesong.

Ravenwillow makes eye-contact with Windecho, who hisses at her. Ravenwillow, out of spite, explains loud enough for him to hear that she and another wish to help her. Slatesong sends Heatherfrost and Shadepool to retrieve Quailwing. The two disbelievingly find him waiting by the border, and return shortly after. Windecho's expression is shocked. Ravenwillow continues, stating that Quailwing has what it takes, that she's seen Quailwing kill herself, and that he is also a skilled Medicine Cat.

Windecho begins to run towards Ravenwillow to fight her for bringing Quailwing into this, but is intercepted by Hawkbristle, who pins him to the ground, warning him with a simple "don't." Ravenwillow comments that she warned him, but he couldn't let go of his pride. Windecho raises up enough to grab Hawkbristle by the throat and throw him off, quickly getting to his paws.

Now speaking directly to Slatesong, he asks how she could do this, after all they did to rebuild StarClan. He can't bring himself to look at Quailwing. Slatesong states with a menacing growl that she's simply reclaiming what was hers, and culling pests. Unable to hear any more, Quailwing's calm facade fades, and he hurls himself at Heatherfrost, giving Windecho enough room to flee. Before running off, he states that Quailwing belongs in StarClan, not Ravenwillow.

Heatherfrost rolls to her paws, viciously attacking Quailwing, who is fast enough to push her off. He attempts to attack her, trying to find a way out. Ravenwillow, torn between continuing the spy plan or abandoning it all together. Eventually, and to Slatesong's surprise, she tackles and pins Quailwing, believing StarClan needed someone on the inside. She calls him a traitor. Quailwing begs her to stop, not wanting to hurt one of his best friends. Ravenwillow asks if he wanted to prove that she was a traitor. She continues by saying that he was her last friend, the only one she could trust. Quailwing reiterates not wanting to hurt her. Inches from his face, she tells him to fight back.

Reminded of his father, Quailwing slashes his claws across her face, over her right eye. She stumbles back, then looks to Slatesong for orders. Quailwing runs, but stops, looking to Ravenwillow, saying he knows she's a good cat, begging her to come back with him, to protect StarClan. Slatesong's expression turns creepy, asking what Ravenwillow will do.

Unsurprisingly to Slatesong, Ravenwillow threatens her, and runs off with Quailwing, giving up on her masquerade. As they make their escape, Slatesong chases after Windecho, capturing him. She essentially takes him hostage, dragging him back to the Dark Forest.

Ravenwillow, upon returning to camp, recalls that she promised Cinderfur she would leave. She bids a farewell to Quailwing, apologizing for everything, and asking him to look after Cinderfur. The two part ways, and Ravenwillow walks north, and Quailwing continues deeper into StarClan.

Lilacsky, who has now broken up with Duskflicker, has run to wherever her paws carried her. She sits alone in a WindClan-like territory, cold and not quite sure why she ran to this location. Duskflicker on the other hand, in grief, has run somewhere she doesn't recognize, and is subsequently lost, not sure which way leads back to the Stars.

The stars have scattered and are falling, and Slatesong now has unopposed access to StarClan.

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right?