[Enjoy! ( || = thoughts )] A bit graphic... CHAPTER 2 ------------------------------------------------------- “Mapleshade? Mapleshade. Mapleshade!” Patchfall’s soft voice sounded in her ear. Mapleshade must’ve frozen as she’d heard Patchfall’s yowls for Appledusk. Mapleshade was greatly nervous about meeting Appledusk again; not nervous, well, a little nervous about his reaction to her, but mostly nervous about her reaction to him. She didn’t want to kill Appledusk. || It might come down to that, || Mapleshade realized. || But I want my kits to know that I’m a good cat, not a killer... || “Mapleshade,” A somewhat familiar voice distracted her from her thoughts. || Appledusk? Is it him? || “Mapleshade?” It was Appledusk! Mapleshade looked up timidly. Appledusk didn’t look too happy to see her. “Mapleshade. It’s been a long time. You seem to be doing…” he trailed off as he saw Mapleshade’s gradually fading figure. “…well.” “Appledusk. Have you come to apologize?” Mapleshade hissed. “Or laugh at me? Well, go ahead. I don’t care what you do anymore.” Appledusk stared at her. “Mapleshade, this is the only time I’m telling you. I want to give you another chance. Yes, I have Reedshine now. But-” “Then we don’t need to talk!” Mapleshade burst out in anger. “ Suit yourself and go and be with Reedshine. You don’t even need to do any of this! You ruined my whole life once we met!” Mapleshade then broke down, tears flooding from her eyes. Appledusk shook his head in frustration. “You don’t get it, do you? I’m trying to help you here.” “What? You are?” Mapleshade huffed. “As far as I can see, you’re just trying to make my life miserable again.” “I mean, it was a little rough at the end, yes. We were both arguing with each other at that point, and both of us have something to regret, right?” Appledusk asked Mapleshade. “That does make sense.” Mapleshade nodded, surprised that Appledusk was right. “It was a very long time ago.” She paused. Larchspring butted in. “Go figure,” he muttered. This made all of Mapleshade’s happiness she had left evaporate like water on a hot day. “You have no idea, you stupid, stupid excuse for a cat!” Patchfall narrowed his eyes. “Can’t you just act like a mother, and not a bad cat? I know you are good inside,” he pleaded. “Please, just show us.” Appledusk shook his head, ignoring what Patchfall said. “Larchspring,” he said calmly, “it’s true that it has been a long time. But what you need to do is help, not interfere.” “Appledusk does have a valid point,” Mapleshade told Larchspring. The tom looked away, embarrassed. “We’ve given you so many chances,” Appledusk addressed Mapleshade. “There’s no way you can come with us. We have tried, Mapleshade, but you have just thrown all of your chances of reuniting with us in StarClan away.” Appledusk was speaking the truth, but Mapleshade didn’t want to believe it for one second. “You never actually gave me any chances,” she hissed. “You just watched me from StarClan for all of this time, and you dare to come here now to tell me that you did, just to make me feel so bad! Why, Appledusk?” Appledusk’s eyes narrowed. His dull claws scraped the ground. “I can’t believe you. You once were a reasonable cat, but the jealousy of your love mating with another cat and many seasons in this horrid forest would change anyone, don’t you think?” Mapleshade felt helpless. She knew she couldn’t win with words, but she knew she could win with claws. She leaped onto Appledusk’s back. She started blindly clawing at him, and in a matter of seconds, bl00d was coming out from a huge g in his side in a steady stream of crimson. Mapleshade ignored his pleas for mercy. To Mapleshade, this was the perfect end to his existence. At the last second, Petalshine pushed Appledusk out of the way. “Kill me, Mapleshade,” she hissed. “My father is dying as we speak. As far as I care, I have no mother. There’s nothing left for me here.” “If you insist.” Without really knowing or caring who she killed anymore, Mapleshade quickly ran her claws across Petalshine’s throat. Right before her eyes, her daughter transformed into a kit in a bright flash of light and then faded away into nothingness. At this point, Appledusk was still struggling to stay alive. Bl00d had since stopped flowing from the gash in his side, but he was in a dark red puddle. Mapleshade felt good as she watched Appledusk’s life ebb away from her own eyes. || Finally, || she thought. || He’s finally gotten what he deserves. || Mapleshade threw her head up to the dark sky. She was victorious. CREDITS ----------------------------------------------------------- Cover art by Story by (aka me) Editing by (aka me) Credit to YOU for reading! PREVIOUS CHAPTER ----------------------------------------- NEXT CHAPTER ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3:
