★ ★ sorry to get sentimental tonight ➟ rise 800

[Areater]

my form for rise cat 800! please do not post.

areater ★ bramblepool ★ she-cat ★ thirty-nine moons ★ blitheclan ★ medicine cat

[Areater]

bridget stood on shaky legs, breathing heavily, trying to ignore the pain from her fresh wounds. ahead of her stood venus, laughing, her pale gray fur puffed up and her tail raised high but showing no signs of exhaustion or pain despite her torn ear and gashed shoulder. "what do you say, duskrunners?" she called to the group, stepping closer to bridget. "should i finish off our pathetic excuse of a leader?" bridget turned her shocked gaze to the cats surrounding her. did they want this? had they...helped plan this mutiny? no, she could tell on their faces - venus had planned this all on her own. walter looked back and forth between the two she-cats and muttered something to his mate, arrow, who inched closer to him and nodded. she couldn't tell if they were on her side or not. possum lashed his tail and shouted, "may the strongest cat lead us!" but sunny shouldered him hard. "you can do this, bridget," she meowed softly, but when venus fixed her with a harsh look she turned away. mouse lowered his head, fresh tears pooling in his amber eyes. "mouse, please," bridget whispered. mouse shook his head furiously and refused to raise his gaze. he'd always been so afraid. she should have helped him more. "i am your leader! i have ruled this clan for moons. why turn your back on me now?" she called to them, fighting for breath. "help me chase out this traitor or face a life of shame." venus grinned and in a booming voice shouted, "has bridget really led us, or has she enjoyed the benefits of power while forcing us to do all her work for her? stay out of this, and i promise an era of power for all. no longer will we stick to the shadows and feast on scraps - we will all take what we deserve and run these streets like we deserve to!" bridget tried to refute her claim, but as she opened her mouth to defend herself, venus leaped. she hit her hard and she finally buckled, her head hitting the curb hard, feeling sharp teeth closing around her neck. "stop!" a voice from the crowd yowled. she felt venus loosen her grip and she desperately scrambled to push her off to no avail. "release her or we'll never follow you." bridget turned to see red, fury in his yellow eyes. how long had he been there? apparently long enough to know what was going on. venus snarled at him, but sunny nodded in agreement. "you've already beaten her. let her leave!" she agreed. mouse looked up at them and nodded, still afraid to look at the dueling cats. arrow's fur bristled and he nodded his agreement as walter watched on, a bit of fear in his eyes. possum rolled his eyes, but didn't outwardly disagree. venus considered her options for a moment, then dropped bridget. "don't come back," she warned as bridget turned and limped away, embarrassed and furious that they would turn her back on her for losing a fight.

bramblepool looked up, startled, a mouthful of herbs in her jaws. she dropped the dock leaves as she scanned the area, trying to find the source of the rustling she had heard. "show yourself," she hissed, her claws unsheathed. "don't hurt me!" a little voice called. recognition relaxed her for a moment, then she snarled in fury. "mouse!" the young little brown tom scurried out of the bushes, eyes wide. "i just wanted to see you," he meowed softly, his ears pinned back. "i hate venus. she's turned the whole group against you and she's so mean to kittypets." the former kittypet was clearly upset, and it hurt bramblepool's heart. "come with me," she offered, but he shook his head. "no, i couldn't leave, i just wanted to see you again." she decided not to push him, but she doubted that was the only reason he came. "how about we take a walk," she offered, and he smiled. as they wandered the forest, they chatted about how things had changed. "my new name is bramblepool, and i'm in a clan now," bramblepool remarked. "i heal cats who need it. it's nice not having to be in charge, but i miss the duskrunners sometimes." mouse nodded. "we miss you too, bridg-bramblepool." he paused, then continued on. "red especially." bramblepool's ears twitched in amusement. "really?" mouse nodded. "yep, he's never taken a liking to venus, and he talks about you a lot. he said something about how he should have been brave enough to tell you." she looked down at the younger cat. "tell me?" she asked. "yeah, but he won't tell us what. just that he should have told you. i think maybe you should talk to him." bramblepool's ears flattened, but then she remembered how he saved her life. she'd always been particularly fond of the brave ginger tabby. "tell him to meet me by the old thunderp-i mean, road." mouse grinned and nuzzled her shoulder. "it was nice seeing you, bramblepool."

"bramblepool," red greeted her coolly, but the anxiety in his bright green eyes deceived him. "hello red," bramblepool replied, her tail wrapped around her paws. "i never did get to thank you for saving my life back then." red shook his head. "shouldn't have to; venus is a cruel cat. but the rest of the clan likes her well enough and they're too passive to overthrow her." bramblepool shrugged. "i'm happier now." red glanced at the ground. "i really miss you, bramblepool." she stepped closer. "i miss you too, but i'm sure you didn't risk venus' wrath to tell me that." he raised his eyes to meet her's and smiled. "no, i suppose you're right. i...i thought it was just a silly crush, but i've been miserable since you left. i think i love you, bramblepool." she stared at him in shock, then began to laugh. "oh, red, you really should have told me." she had liked the handsome tom for quite some time, but she'd forced herself to focus on her leadership duties, and now being away from him had eased her longing. but she had to admit, she still quite liked the charismatic tom. it was technically allowed, but she had to put the clan first. "red, i really like you, but i don't know..." he leaped forward and licked her muzzle sweetly. "we could meet here, the duskrunners don't have to know," he pressed. bramblepool's heart beat frantically as she found herself nodding. "yes, yes, we could!"

it had been three seasons since their relationship had blossomed, and there was talk of kits. bramblepool had never really seen herself as much of a mother, but red had changed her mind. blitheclan wouldn't be pleased, but if she found an apprentice, then she wouldn't be breaking the code - her apprentice could take over for her and her relationship wouldn't interfere with her duties. she wanted to have a family with the cat she loved. as bramblepool reached the clearing, she looked back and forth for red, but she didn't see him. odd - normally he was here first. she heard a rustle and grinned. "caught you!" she meowed as she whirled around, but a wide-eyed mouse looked back at her. he was taller now, but he still had a nervous demeanor. "mouse, what are you doing here?" she asked. "i'm so sorry. i should have told you sooner," he replied. she cocked her head in confusion and he licked his fur nervously. "red, he's...he's cheating on you. he just had kits with another cat. i thought maybe it wasn't true, but they announced that they're mates yesterday." bramblepool stood shocked, but then fury took over her body. "how could he?" she wailed, and mouse trembled slightly in fear that she would lash out at him. "her name's ellie, she joined the duskrunners shortly after you left." bramblepool snarled at him. "i never left! why does everyone keep saying that i left? i was chased out of my own group while you all sat and did nothing! i was a mousebrain to ever trust one of you." terrified, mouse turned and fled.

- next: red & bramblepool become secret mates with only mouse knowing and most of blitheclan knowing but kinda ignoring it
- bramblepool kills ellie

characters
- bridget/bramblepool: overthrown leader of group of strays called "duskrunners"
- red: bramblepool's mate, somewhat hidden from blitheclan and nearly completely hidden from the duskrunners
- mouse: troubled young tom who blindly follows authority but misses bramblepool's leadership & hides her relationship with red
- walter/sunny/arrow/possum: members of duskrunners
- ellie: red's lover, killed by bramblepool
- venus: the cat who overthrew bramblepool, leader of the duskrunners