It was as though he predicted the future moments. They come upon him, young and full of something long lost. Rainywhisker stares at Buckstar, who mourned to see them approach. It hurts, but something in the warrior feels unmoving.
"There was much ThunderClan could have done to avoid this catastrophe," he meows. After a heartbeat, he sighs and turns away. He doesn't watch Applepaw careen into Buckstar. Instead, he steps closer to the sheet of water behind the other cat. Peering into it, he stares into the eyes of his younger self, too. Strange, he hadn't quite noticed the others and how different they both were.
He was in his youth again, with a mean face and a scowl to boot. Was that why he felt so unnaturally displeased? Surely death didn't change more than just his appearance.
"The Clan is trying to clean up now, are we sitting here to welcome them all? Lionstorm will tire but how many are following us? Dogspirit only just kitted and she's down there trying to avenge you."
He turns to face Buckstar, his ears flattening back.
"Dusk tried too hard to please Lionstorm, you tried too hard to do nothing! All this time, all of our efforts, in vain for your sake. Now that we're dead what are we going to do- Sit by and sigh, say 'oh well, we're in a better place now...'?!"
Whatever had washed over Rainywhisker was unexpected by far. As he became increasingly angry, pent up feelings came spilling out. He had no more reason to be just, to be forgiving and mature. Who was watching him now, at the finish line?
"You carried how many lives with you to make things right, how many of your Clanmates riding their hopes and their very lives on your shoulders! Dusk abandoned ThunderClan when RiverClan helped us out of that fire. She left us with you, the only cat she wanted to be around anymore- You had so much promise, you swore up and down you'd do right-" By now, Rainywhisker's voice echoed through the glade.
He angrily gestures to the vast, open field full of nothing but stars and grass for as far as any of them could see.
"Congratulations, this is what became of us for it all."
[ @
spade, @
Slushie ]