ONE MORE CHANCE
Episode Three, Season Six, of Rise.
Enjoy <3
One More Chance[]
When morning comes, I make up my mind. There’s no way I’m not going to fight to keep Aleric alive. I may have turned him in like he wanted, but that doesn’t mean he has to get the sentence he desired.
I hurry off to the leaders’ den as soon as dawn breaks. “Bryce,” Amberstar dips her head at me, “what a lovely surprise.”
“You know why I’m here,” I jump straight to the point, “I am asking that you please reconsider your decision on Aleric.”
Whitestar sits up with a small sigh. “We’ve done so many times, Bryce. He’s killed and terrorized too many cats in his lifetime for us to overlook it.”
“He’s only killed one Coalition cat. He was only involved in one other battle with the Coalition and the entire time he was talking or fighting with me.” I counter, “The others he’s killed are Twolegplace cats. We do not own or protect those cats.”
“What does Applepaw say about this?” Amberstar asks, her eyes filled with genuine concern for the young apprentice. “After all, Firepaw was her brother.”
“She hasn’t killed him like she once promised to do to Firepaw’s killer, so that’s a start,” I give a shrug, “Aleric was her friend once. She doesn’t want him to die. Forgiving him completely will be another matter.”
When both leaders are silent, I decide to play plan B. “I have a proposition for you.”
Whitestar flicks an ear. “We’re listening.”
“You once gave Terran and Karina a chance to prove that they are innocent. We’ve done the same with Aleric once as well. He’s been nothing but helpful for us once he switched allegiances. We need his help to defeat the Vipers without many casualties. I say he should be given one last chance. If he betrays us, then it is over for him.”
Whitestar looks skeptical about this but Amberstar nods. “I am willing to give him one more chance.”
“He will stay under my guard and in my den,” I continue, “my friends and I will watch over him. We know him best, so it will be easier for us this way.”
Whitestar exchanges a glance with Amberstar and I’m relieved when both nod once. “One last chance,” Whitestar says grimly, “if he steps out of line, we will execute him without hesitation.”
I dip my head, relief spreading throughout my entire body. “Thank you for changing your mind.”
When I hurry back to my den, Karina and Terran are awake. “There you are,” Terran touches his nose to mine, “where have you been?”
“I went to go talk to the leaders,” I smile at Karina, who tries to smile back. “They said they are willing to give Aleric one last chance to prove that he is on our side.”
Karina lets out a squeal and Terran embraces me. “What’s the deal then?”
“We keep him in here and guard him at all times. He can’t be alone for anything. Once he shows that he isn’t going to murder the entire Coalition, the leaders will back off him.” I explain.
“That’ll be easy,” Karina flicks her tail, “Aleric isn’t going to kill anyone.”
“Easy for us to say, but he just has to show it to the leaders.”
“I’m going to go tell him,” Karina disappears in a flash.
I lean against Terran, weirdly exhausted. “Do you think he’ll be happy to have this last chance?” I ask quietly, “He did seem rather adamant about paying back for his sins.”
“There are ways to give back other than death.”
~
Karina yanked open the screen door and rushed into Aleric’s den. He jerked away, his eyes filled with sudden alarm. “Is it time?” His voice was hoarse, the only indication to his fear.
“No,” Karina fought back her smile. “Bryce convinced the leader to give you another chance!”
Aleric blinked. Understanding dawned him and he blinked again, the only indication to his surprise. “They’re not killing me?” He asked, as if he was still confused.
“Nope!” Karina couldn’t stop herself from smiling for real now.
Aleric just stared at her. He didn’t smile. His eyes seemed to hollow out and Karina’s smile slipped away. “Aren’t you happy?” She asked quietly.
The brown tom stared vacantly at the space next to her. “I was supposed to die.” He murmured.
“But you can have another chance,” Karina insisted, “we can fix this together.”
“Fix this?” Aleric’s voice was sharp and Karina flinched away by the sudden harshness. “There is nothing to fix, Karina. I killed them! The only way to pay them back is to die myself.”
His claws glinted in the darkness and Karina lunged forward, clamping her paws on his. He stared at her with wide eyes, fear filling the emptiness in his gaze. “We are going to fix this together,” she told him softly, “I am going to help you like you once helped me.”
Aleric sheathed his claws and closed his eyes, slumping to the floor. “I don’t know how I’m going to face the rest of them,” he whispered.
Karina breathed in his scent, breathed in his quiet fear. “I’ll be there with you,” she promised, “every step.”
The two of them stayed there for a long time, both enveloped by the dark, both ready to face the light together.
~
I’ve been trying to calm everyone down in the den for an hour now. Karina has already gone to tell Aleric but she hasn’t been back yet so I decided to gather up the rest of my friends and prepared them for the news.
Applepaw had sat up so quickly she hit her head on the ceiling above. Feathershine had started in surprise, almost suffering the same fate as Applepaw. Nightshadow had choked while eating and had ended up coughing for the next ten minutes.
I flatten my ears as the three of them continue arguing. “Guys!” I shout, “Guys, shut up!”
They don’t quiet down and Applepaw lashes her tail. “What are we supposed to do?” She demands.
“Stay calm and just greet him like normal,” I snap, “he’s still our friend.”
“Is he?” Nightshadow frowns.
“He was our friend when he was off killing other cats that we didn’t know,” I glare at the black tom, “he can still be our friend even after…everything.”
“Firepaw was my brother!” Applepaw snarls, more vicious than I have ever seen her. “I promised that I would kill whoever killed my brother.”
“Please don’t do that,” I let out a long sigh.
She opens her mouth to retort something but at that moment, someone appears at the entrance. We all pause and turn and stare at the brown tom illuminated by the sun at his back. He is a dark shadow in the entrance and Karina appears behind him.
Aleric takes a small step into the den, his eyes wary as he surveys the crowd. “Didn’t know everyone was here to greet me,” he rasps as his gaze darts between us.
If looks could kill, Aleric would already be dead. Applepaw is staring daggers at him while Nightshadow just scowls at the brown tom. Feathershine looks a bit sympathetic as Aleric swallows.
Karina steps all the way in, her eyes glowing from her own happiness. She notices everyone else’s discomfort and clears her throat. “I assume everyone has heard the news then?”
“Unfortunately,” Nightshadow grunts.
“Maybe I should just stay down there,” Aleric turns like a caged animal. It is then that I notice he has several fresh cuts along his side. I narrow my eyes. “Aleric, why are you bleeding?”
Aleric turns, his eyes filled with strange sorrow. “No reason.”
I turn to Karina, who shakes her head. “The Clan cats didn’t take it kindly when Aleric came out.”
I purse my lips in disapproval. “Well you’re not going back out there, Aleric. The leaders will be making their announcement soon but for the meantime, you are to stay in this den. When you leave, one of us will accompany you.”
“I’ll just stay in here,” Aleric slinks closer, seemingly to shrink away from the glares of the others.
“Stop that,” I hiss at Nightshadow and Applepaw, who drop their scowls, though Applepaw still does her best to drive Aleric off with her eyes.
Aleric settles in the back of the den and curls up to ignore the rest of us. I glance at Terran helplessly and he stands. “Nightshadow, Feathershine, why don’t you guys train your apprentices? Emerald must be itching to train with Applepaw again.”
Feathershine gives a grateful nod and the three of them file out of the den. When they’re gone, Aleric peeks at the rest of us.
“You don’t have to stay, you know.”
“One of us have to stay guard,” I cast a glance at Karina. “And Terran and I need to talk to you. Or at least I do.”
Terran flicks his tail at Karina. “Let’s go hunting,” he suggests.
Karina touches her nose to Aleric before heading out of the den without another word. Terran brushes his pelt against mine. “I’ll be back soon,” he promises quietly.
I breathe in his scent to give me strength as the two siblings leave. Aleric is watching me with those sorrowful green eyes, his charm gone and dead.
“I almost miss that assassin we first met a few moons ago.”
Aleric sits up delicately and stares at me. “Oh? Why is that?”
“Because the assassin I knew wouldn’t have moped. He wouldn’t have backed down from any challenge. There’s no spark in your eyes anymore, Aleric, you don’t have to change your entire personality for this.”
Aleric tips his head to watch me carefully. “Would you be able to laugh and smile when all you want to face is death?”
“You only have one chance, Aleric,” I tell him softly. “One chance to make Karina happy. If you screw up now, I’ll never forgive you.”
That made him snort. “You know I don’t want to hurt her more than I’ve already had.”
“Then be yourself,” I advise him, “it will take some getting used to for everyone now that they know the truth about those deaths, but it will be easier if you are still you. Be the cunning, smirking assassin that we all loathed at first. They will learn to love you again, Aleric, but only if you be yourself.”
“What about you?”
“Me?”
Aleric has erased the empty look in his eyes and he puts on a smirk that is so familiar it almost breaks my heart. “Yes, you, Bryce. Will you ever learn to forgive me?”
I search my heart for the real answer. I let my paws turn me away before I reply. “I’ve already forgiven you, Aleric.”
I know he’s dying to learn because he rasps. “Why?”
Glancing back behind me, I look into those familiar green eyes, emotionless just like how he had been once before. Again, I have to pause to find the right answer.
“Because you did what you had to do to survive. Perhaps you should have realized you had different choices but in the end, you did the right thing. I will never forget who killed them but I will always remember everything you’ve done for me, Aleric. You’ve saved my life multiple times now and I always be grateful for that.”
“Thank you,” Aleric meets my gaze evenly. He puts on another half-smirk that makes me smile softly. “Thank you for trying to save me when I had given up already.”
“You did the same for Karina. I can do nothing else to repay that debt.”
Aleric only shakes his head. “Karina did that herself. I was just there to remind her that she had more to live for.”
“Remember that yourself,” I walk away again, “You have much more to live for as well.”
Aleric murmurs something else that I almost don’t catch. Thank you for one more chance.
The End.