Only One Way

 ONLY ONE WAY

Episode Five, Season Six, of Rise.

Enjoy <3

Only One Way
As they left the Twolegplace, Terran couldn’t help but notice the way Karina kept glancing behind her, as if waiting for Aleric to come back. The white tom knew that the brown tom would do whatever it took to bring the Blood Army down and that he would come back, if only so that he could live a happy life with Karina.

Terran had to admit that Aleric deserved a happy ending, even after all he had done. They all did.

The trip back to the Coalition was agonizing, and Terran made sure to have every last bit of the herbs when he delivered it to Flameshadow. He paced outside of the den for a good hour before Flameshadow finally poked his head out to call him in.

Before he did, he noticed Karina was sitting be herself, staring at the camp entrance with those sad, golden eyes. It had been awhile since Terran had seen such a long look on her face.

He made a silent apology to Bryce and quickly padded over to his sister. “Hey,” he nudged her as he sat down. “Are you feeling all right?”

“Fine,” Karina sighed, though her eyes never left the entrance. “It’s just that I can’t help but worry for Aleric. One of us should have gone with him. I shouldn’t have just left him there.”

“Aleric will be fine,” Terran forced himself to sound normal. “He is the best fighter in the entire Twolegplace. If you were there, he would spend more time worrying about you than getting back here as quickly as possible.”

“You really believe he’ll be fine there?”

“Positive.”

“Then you must be a certified idiot.” Karina spat. Terran raised an eyebrow, too surprised to be hurt by her words. “Aleric didn’t want to step foot in the Twolegplace ever again. I could see him hesitating as we drew near because it haunts him day and night what happened to him there. We made him go back; we left him behind all by himself.”

“We needed him there,” Terran tried to reason. “And he made the decision to go back. We have our own war here.”

Karina looked on the verge of tears. “You guys don’t even care about him anymore!” She burst out. “All of you except Bryce hate him. You think he’s a monster and a demon. Except he’s neither of them.”

“Karina, he killed--”

“He was always an assassin when we met him!” Karina flattened her ears. “You guys didn’t find anything wrong with that, especially when he proved to be useful. But now you found out the truth that he killed some cats we knew, you guys turned on him without a thought. But nothing has changed with Aleric. In fact, he’s been better than he had been before when we first met him. He’s trying, Terran.”

“I know,” the white tom met his sister’s gaze evenly. “I know he’s trying. He’ll come back to us, Karina, I promise.”

“Promise?” Her voice broke.

“Promise.” Terran said firmly. He didn’t know how he could ensure that the brown tom would return, but he knew if Aleric survived the Twolegplace, he would come back for Karina. There was no doubt that Aleric loved Karina as much as she loved him.

He left his sister there. He mulled over her words as he padded back towards the medicine cat’s den. It was true, Terran had looked at Aleric differently since Bryce asked for his pardon, but it was hard to forget bursting into that clearing with Karina’s tearstained face pleadingly staring at Aleric. The brown tom had turned away, hiding the hurt in his eyes.

Perhaps when Aleric came back, Terran would change his views on the assassin. He had helped all of them and had probably saved all their lives more than once. Terran owed the brown tom.

“Bryce?” He poked his head into the medicine cat’s den, where his mate was sleeping. She raised her head groggily and sat up straighter as Terran entered. “You’re awake.” He said in relief.

“More like I’m alive,” Bryce purred, her usual humor in check. “How did things go with…whatever you guys were doing?”

“We went to go find herbs for you. You gave us quite a scare when you fell ill.” Terran touched noses with the tiny black she-cat. “We had to go to the Twolegplace.”

Bryce leaned back and surveyed the expression on Terran’s face, no doubt reading everything on his mind. “How did Aleric do going there?” She asked softly. There was a hidden question too: How did Aleric deal with being normal?

“Fine,” Terran automatically said, even though it wasn’t true. “Well…sort of. I thought he was fine, but Karina said he was downright terrified of reentering the Twolegplace. It’s sort of become a haunting memory for him.”

“That’s not surprising.” Bryce shook her head. “I hope he is faring well. Where is he? Perhaps I can speak to him and reassure him, unless Karina has already done that.”

“He stayed at the Twolegplace.” Terran hadn’t really known how to break this to her. “He wants to completely wipe out the Blood Army, and find the supply of food the Blood Army keeps to feed the cats in the Twolegplace. Cats are starving there.”

Bryce straightened a bit. “I should have stayed with him. I was victim to the famine that spread throughout the Twolegplace. I should show those cats that I care.”

Terran drew closer to his mate and brushed his tongue along the top of her head but Bryce pulled away again. “Aleric can handle it,” Terran murmured, “You were a figurehead for the Twolegplace once, let him be one this time. He needs to know that they will forgive him too for the crimes he’s done against them.”

Bryce coughed against him and he pulled her closer. “You should rest. Let the rest of us deal with the Vipers. You’ve done so much for the Coalition already.” He rested his head on hers. “Let me be your hero for once.”

“You’re always my hero.” Bryce murmured. “But I have to go. I need to finish this last part before I can rest.”

“Flameshadow says you need to continue taking your medicine.” Terran reminded her. “You’re still a bit weak from the illness. I don’t want you to risk it.”

“Don’t coddle me,” Bryce snapped. “I can handle myself. If you let Aleric wander into hostile territory after all he’s been through, I can handle a war while being ill.”

“You need your rest.” Terran tried to insist.

Bryce bristled, obvious angry at his declaration. She shoved him away and opened her mouth to retort something back but at that moment, Feathershine nosed her way into the den. She stopped short at the sight of the two of them facing off.

She smiled shyly. “I think I came at the wrong time.”

Bryce waved her in, huffing slightly. “Come in. What did you want to tell me?”

“Tell us?” Terran corrected. “Unless you only wanted to talk to Bryce.”

“I want to tell everyone,” Feathershine shrugged. “I already told Nightshadow and Applepaw. Karina is…out somewhere. So that leaves the two of you.”

Bryce nodded for the gray she-cat to continue.

Feathershine looked slightly embarrassed. “I know this isn’t a good time to tell you this but—I’m having kits.”

Terran didn’t know what Feathershine expected them to do but he just gaped at her. Bryce, instead of being annoyed that they would have one less cat at their side, jumped up in delight. “Kits? That’s wonderful!”

Feathershine smiled, relieved at Bryce’s approval. “I’m worried of course. We’re in the middle of a war—I should be out there with the rest of you. Especially since you’re still recovering--”

“I’m fine,” Bryce interrupted, shooting Terran a glare. “You should rest, Feathershine. I’ll take your spot in the battle patrol. Soon we’ll defeat the Vipers and you can raise your kits in a peaceful environment.”

Feathershine purred at the thought. “Thanks. I don’t want to be a burden but Nightshadow and I agreed that I shouldn’t be risking the kits’ lives by fighting. I’ve spoken to Amberstar and Whitestar already and they’re okay with me staying behind.”

“We shouldn’t always be the heroes,” Terran murmured. “You should have the right to make the choice about your life.”

“Let’s go meet with the others.” Bryce struggled to stand but she shrugged off Terran’s attempt to help her. “We need to make plans and accommodate the fact that Feathershine and Aleric will not be there.”

“Aleric might come back in time.” Terran pointed out, but he followed her out nevertheless.

“I won’t jeopardize my plan on chance.” Bryce limped out of the den and headed for the den all of them shared. Terran watched her carefully, making sure she didn’t collapse. But Bryce stayed strong all the way to the den, where all the others were waiting, even Karina, who looked a bit red-eyed.

They all greeted Bryce as she entered and the black she-cat cheerfully nodded back to them. Terran’s heart swelled with love as he watched his mate act like the leader she was.

~

Thanks to the herbs Aleric had retrieved for me in the Twolegplace, I feel much better. I don’t even remember what had happened when I fell ill, just that Terran had told me that he would make sure I was safe.

The next day had been a blur of feverish nightmares, though I can’t recall what any of them were. Then Flameshadow had been feeding me something and I woke up an hour later feeling much better than before.

Aleric. The tom had gone through so much but I can’t help but wonder how he is faring in the Twolegplace now that we had left him there. He is strong, I know, but I’m afraid that he is a lot more broken than he had been when he was an assassin for the Blood Army.

Karina looks distressed for the brown tom, but she covered it well as we made our plans for the Vipers. None of my friends disagreed that we shouldn’t wait for Aleric to come back. Who knew how long it would take for him to accomplish his goal in the Twolegplace? I hoped that he found peace there after he helped feed the cats.

I know in my heart that he will return. I want him to return to peace, not to a war that he has to fight in again. I don’t want him to ever kill again—I fear that will shatter him forever.

“Let’s go over the plan once again.” I order. “Tomorrow, all of us but Feathershine will head out. We will ambush the Viper camp and end this war once and for all. It is time we taste peace.”

My friends are all grim-faced. My sisters sit quietly in the corner, but I know better than to include them in this mission. “Feathershine will watch over you two.” I tell them.

“We want to go.” Jewel says quietly. “We’re as old as Applepaw was when she first started to join in with you guys.”

“You’re a moon younger,” I correct. “You’re seven moons old; you barely have any training!”

“We’ve been working hard.” Emerald insists.

I hesitate. I want to protect them so badly it hurts. Ruby’s death had nearly crippled me and I don’t want to subject my sisters to any more horror. They have been through enough. “Please,” I crouch down in front of them. “You’re all I have left as family.” Lies, I had Terran and my best friends. Even Aleric feels like a brother to me.

Jewel stares into my eyes. Her blue eyes spark with the intelligence that I wish I had. “I want the two of you to be raised in peace. This is not a battle I want you to fight.”

“It’s the last one.” Jewel argues, “We want to go for Ruby.”

Fear threatens to suffocate me but Terran brushes against me. “Let them come,” he advises, “your sisters are stronger than you give them credit for. They will not let any surprises get to them and we’ll be there to protect them.”

I look at my other friends. They all nod grimly. Every single one of them would lay down their life for my sisters. “Jewel, you’re a medicine cat apprentice.” I push.

“Flameshadow always says we need medicine cats on the battle field. He’s going too to make sure nobody will die.” Jewel has already thought about how she would counter my protests. I know I’m losing the battle.

I sigh. “All right, you can come.”

They squeal in happiness but I can’t help but feel deep sadness in my heart. For some reason, I search the group for the familiar yellow eyes of a tom who would understand the thought of losing your kithood innocence.

But he’s not here. My heart aches at the thought of Aleric roaming the Twolegplace alone, fear crowding his heart. No. He won’t let fear get to him. He’s stronger than that.

We all are.

Applepaw faces me instead. “I’ll protect them,” she vows quietly to me. “I will make sure they are safe.”

“Thank you.” I feel a shadow lift from my heart. Applepaw means every word she has promised me and I know I can count on the young apprentice to protect family. She had lost Firepaw but she had persevered and kept going. She won’t let me lose another sister tomorrow.”

“Get some rest,” Terran advises, guiding me to my nest. “Tomorrow, it will all be over.”

It seems too surreal, but I smile to myself, letting my mate curl around me, humming a soft lullaby as I fall asleep.

The End.