This Is Wrong But It Feels So Right (Stormwind)

“Which reminds me,” mewled Blackstar. “I think I’ve come up with a better way for Lakeclan to fight.”

Swallowflight grimaced slightly, though her face was hidden from Blackstar by virtue of her head being tucked underneath his chin. She was fairly certain that only Blackstar, Robinstar, and Swiftfoot wanted the war. Everyone else was either just obeying or defending. Her opinion was that starting a war with MeadowClan (she agreed that ForestClan deserved it) just because Mallowstar broke up with him, but she’d only dared to bring that up once and hadn’t mentioned it since because Blackstar hadn’t reacted well at all.

Blackstar wallowed in remorse over the inevitable for another moment or so before he steeped himself, his eyes opening once more. “That’s why we have to win this war, sooner rather than later.” The tom glared towards the territories of his enemies, galvanizing his own will as his broken tail lashed behind him. “The sooner we defeat Forestclan and Meadowclan, the safer our young will be.”

Swallowflight winced, closing her eyes. “I know,” her mew this time was weary and pained. She was so, so terrified that one day she would be forced to bury one of her kits.

“It terrifies me.” Blackstar admitted with a sigh. “I won’t be able to keep them out of the fighting much longer, Swallowflight.” Fortunately, Lakeclan’s ranks had been reinforced somewhat over the last two moons with new warriors, but the battles were not without their casualties. Most recently Redfeather had been lost, and of course there were multiple injuries besides that.

Swallowflight flicked the ear that he nipped, tucking her head under his chin. “I know,” she sighed. “They’re growing up so fast.”

“It hasn’t felt that long,” mewled Blackstar in protest, giving his mate’s ear a gentle nip before returning to looking out at the territory again.

“It’s been two moons,” Swallowflight pointed out dryly. “They’re already a third of the way through their apprenticeship.”

“That’s excellent,” Blackstar purred softly. “It hasn’t even been long since our kits knew nothing but the inside of the clearing.” The tom leaned into Swallowflight with a soft sigh.

Swallowflight settled herself next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Patchpaw managed to catch a squirrel earlier," she mewed.

“Hey,” Replied Blackstar, remaking to himself on the incredible ability she had to cheer him up no matter how dire things were. The tom purred loudly, his kinked tail sweeping behind him.

Swallowflight relaxed, giving her mate a soft smile and a lick to his cheek. "Hey."

Thankfully, Blackstar was grateful to see Swallowflight approach when he noticed her coming, and greeted his mate with a soft purr and an affectionate kiss on the side of her muzzle.

Swallowflight carefully approached where her mate was perching, wary of his possible reaction; he'd been unpredictably moody since Mallowstar dumped him. The dark gray she-cat had gone back to her warrior duties two moons ago, when her kits had been apprenticed.

Blackstar sighed, sitting atop the post from which he’d address the clan when he called for it. For now, though, he was just looking contemplatively out at the land around them. Thankfully, the small but skilled Lakeclan forces had managed so far to keep their borders secure and intruders out of their camp, save for a fight at the beginning of the war that had resulted in losing some territory to Forestclan.

Mallowstar sighed softly as her green gaze strayed over the medicine cat den. There had been another skirmish at the border with LakeClan the day before, and Roseleaf was just barely clinging to life after one of the LakeClan warriors had left the she-cat broken and bleeding. In the past three moons since that first gathering after she had broken up with Blackstar, all three Clans had descended into a three-sided war, each Clan for itself. She had already lost several good cats to the war, and it seemed she was the only leader that didn't want the war.

(Sure.)

(Now what do we do? Maybe a skip to a couple of moons later, and the Clans are all at war with each other by this point?)

Blackstar hung his head when Mallowstar showed no regret, leading his clan back to their camp in silence.

Mallowstar steadily met his gaze for a brief moment, letting none of her turbulent emotions show in her eyes, before she had to turn away to continue leading her Clan away from the Clearing. She was serious about the break-up, it seemed.

Blackstar sat with Honeysong, having a quick, hushed discussion with his deputy as the other two leaders rejoined their clans. As they spoke, Blackstar looked up to flash a hurt, but equally angry and challenging gaze at Mallowstar as Meadowclan passed Lakeclan by.

Mallowstar gave one final growl to Robinstar before leaping down from the Great Rock, gathering her Clan to her with a swish of her tail.

Blackstar was fine with letting the pair of she-cats hiss and act like divas at one another now that the gathering was finished, the tom hopping down from the rock to join his clanmates below.

Mallowstar glared back at Robinstar, hissing furiously.

As dark clouds completely concealed the moon, Robinstar looked up and gave a wide grin at Mallowstar. “Perhaps I will, then.”

“This gathering is over,” growled Blackstar in a mix of annoyance and disgust.