clash of the stars [closed]
"You broke your promise."
There was an edge to Hawkstar’s voice as he approached Brokenstar, but Brokenstar heeded it naught. Stoney eyes watched the RiverClan leader as Hawkstar shoved his face into his. "You told them they'd be awarded lives based on their merit - Cindersky and Sparrowstar both did plenty to prove their leadership."
The faintest of smiles crossed over Brokenstar's muzzle. Behind it held no humor. "That’s where you're wrong, but I would expect nothing less from the cat who favors the feeble-hearted. My expectation for ThunderClan's future is not something a cat who settles could understand.
"To truly thrive, ThunderClan cannot continue on the path of minimalism. They need to be united as one; a bustling community prepared for whatever is thrown at them."
"They've been prepared for seasons now. This isn't Eveningstar or Aspenstar, they’ve already dealt with the ramifications--"
"No."
Hawktear stared at him. Brokenstar snorted. "I never knew you to be so daft. Look, I don't care about past leaders. What they've shown is an unhealthy trend that needs to be broken - and it hasn't been. In a matter of moons, ThunderClan has already hit its third leader after I cut off their lives, and that's without anything significant happening. No death, little drama... ThunderClan can't even win a battle they started, for sky's sake." The cove had been an exception, but it had been losses from there. Their momentum crumbled with slothfulness.
"I will push ThunderClan to the test. They and you can damn me all you want, but I have never forsaken my promise to ThunderClan itself. I will do anything I deem necessary to protect my Clan, and if it takes purging them of weak leaders, so be it."
Now, Brokenstar dismissed him with a flick of his tail. "If there's nothing more."
Hawkstar regarded Brokenstar sadly. "The last cat so determined to force ThunderClan into greatness nearly destroyed them. Is that the legacy you want?" Underlying that, Brokenstar understood the implication. The comparison sent a jolt of anger through his body, and Brokenstar snarled.
"Bold words coming from a cat who never fought for his Clan! You're content standing by and letting them burn, but I refuse to be complacent. I hold my Clan to standards, but it isn't tyrancy like you imply. Reach the expectations and rewards will come; fail and you will amount to nothing."
His tail lashed and he turned away. "Leave. This conversation is over."
"I tried to lead my Clan peacefully, Broken." Hawkstar’s voice softened. "All the battles you caused, the bloodshed - it didn't benefit anyone. Countless lives marred by your pointless wars."
A scoff. "Pointless? My conquest led to us taking the Cove for generations, your Clan was content to sit by and get walked over.
"Let me educate you on reality, dear Hawkstar, because it seems your time away from the living has blinded you. We're Clan cats, not kittypets. Survival is in our blood, and when faced with challenges only the strongest flourishes." A short pause, then coldly: "Let's not forget your leadership didn't last a moon, so perhaps dictating how I run my Clan isn't the wisest plan you've had."
Then Brokenstar stalked off. If Hawkstar wasn't going to end this, he would. He had no interest dialoging with a failed leader further.
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