Chapter Text
Chapter Text
》SCENE 1. NASTYCLAN TERRITORY, near camp. SUNRISE, SUMMER.
Tailfur and Deadheart are heading home directly after the events of the previous episode. As the camp comes into view, they pause. Yowls echo through the sky.
Tailfur and Deadheart exchange fearful glances. Then, Deadheart takes off in a run. Tailfur follows her.
NASTYCLAN CAMP.
Deadheart runs through the entrance and freezes. The camp is filled with fighting cats (make sure to show named background characters in addition to unnamed/filler ones-Furpelt, Quickspring, Wormbite, Strongclaw, Grasstuft, Spinethorn, Thornspine, Longstep, and Tremortail; Check further on in the script for positioning). Closest to her, Strongclaw launches Furpelt into the camp walls.
Then, Strongclaw turns. Her fur bristles as she locks eyes with Deadheart.
STRONGCLAW
You!
Strongclaw runs toward her and prepares to leap. Just as she starts the leap, Deadheart dodges. While evading attacks, Deadheart searches the crowd.
Quickspring fights off Grassheart and Thornspine. Tremortail attacks Furpelt. Wormbite defends himself against Spinethorn. Sharpstar hisses at Longstep from the front of the leader's den with Darkfang inside.
Strongclaw finally pins Deadheart, putting a paw in her neck. Her unsheathed claws draw blood.
STRONGCLAW
Pathetic. You're still weaker than a kit.
DEADHEART
Where's Breadheart?
Strongclaw pushes her paw down and sneers.
STRONGCLAW
My claws are on your neck, and that's what you care about?
DEADHEART
You don't matter. The moment I get out of this hold, I'm going to find him. Where is he?
STRONGCLAW
I'm supposed to kill you, but I'd rather see you suffer.
Strongclaw drags her claws down Deadheart's neck, leaving shallow scratches. Deadheart tenses but otherwise doesn't react.
DEADHEART
Why?
STRONGCLAW
You don't deserve to live. StarClan wants you dead. What else is there to it?
Deadheart rolls, using her momentum to kick Strongclaw off, then strikes her face as she lands. Strongclaw stumbles backward and Deadheart takes that brief moment as a way to escape. She sprints across the camp, dodging a couple of scuffles.
She staggers sideways when Wormbite is knocked into her.
WORMBITE
Deadheart!
Deadheart looks at him. He grins.
WORMBITE
Help me tackle this mange-pelt!
Spinethorn charges forward, then freezes.
SPINETHORN
Deadpaw?
Deadheart stares back at them.
DEADHEART
Spinepaw?
SPINETHORN
Spinethorn, now. This is where you went?
Deadheart takes a step closer to Spinethorn.
DEADHEART
I'm Deadheart now. I'm a medicine cat.
SPINETHORN
I won't fight you, then. Not that I was planning to. I didn't know you were here.
DEADHEART
I gathered. Have you seen Breadheart?
SPINETHORN
No, I haven't.
WORMBITE
I did at the start of all this. He was near the back exit. Maybe he's still there.
Deadheart gives Spinethorn and Wormbite one last look before she runs. Spinethorn and Wormbite exchange awkward glances before sitting. Reminded of their shared friend, it's too weird to fight now.
Deadheart dodges more fighting cats before reaching the corner of the camp. She skids to a stop, panting. Before her, Breadheart is pinning Loyalstar to the ground, obviously winning. Hearing her approach, Breadheart looks at Deadheart.
In the split second he's looking at her, Loyalstar kicks him off and bashes his head to the ground. It lands on a rock with a CRACK and blood spatters. Deadheart gasps.
Loyalstar stalks toward her.
DEADHEART
Why?
LOYALSTAR
He was in my way.
DEADHEART
He was your best friend.
LOYALSTAR
He wasn't.
They circle each other with arched backs.
DEADHEART
He was my dad.
LOYALSTAR
(dismissively)
I suppose he was. If he wanted to live, he shouldn't have gotten in my way.
DEADHEART
In your way of what?
LOYALSTAR
StarClan told me to kill you. I shouldn't have hesitated. I hoped you'd starve when you were a kit, but he protested. I hoped Strongclaw would kill you, but he stopped her. I hoped you'd die outside the Clans, but he had allies in twolegplace. I hoped you'd stay away forever, but you came back.
Loyalstar punctuates 'back' with a swipe of his claws. It barely misses.
DEADHEART
Why does StarClan want me dead?
LOYALSTAR
I never asked.
Loyalstar backs Deadheart into the camp walls. Deadheart dodges another strike by launching herself off of the walls and over him.
DEADHEART
What's the point in doing something if you don't know why?
Loyalstar turns toward Deadheart.
LOYALSTAR
It doesn't matter why StarClan asked me to. I just have to.
DEADHEART
Can't you just say no?
Loyalstar's expression shifts from irritated to enraged. He launches himself at Deadheart, who, surprised by the sudden anger, barely has enough time to react. His claws rake across her chest before she jumps backward. She responds by slashing him across the cheek.
He rears up and she rises to meet him. They exchange a couple of blows before Loyalstar lowers himself back onto the ground and charges into her. She falls backward and he pins her. Both of them are panting.
LOYALSTAR
I was going to offer you a chance to run, but I don't care anymore.
Loyalstar puts his teeth around Deadheart's neck. He starts to bite down when a shadow passes over both of them. He stops.
Framed by the sun, Breadheart's body rises against a red sky. Blood falls from the wound on his head.
BREADHEART'S BODY
(yelling)
I'm Loyalstar!
Everything goes silent. The battle stops.
BREADHEART'S BODY [LOYALSTAR]
(slurring slightly)
I don't know who's in my body, but it hasn't been me since the battle at the Sunspot!
[Henceforth, the real Loyalstar, who is in Breadheart's body, will be referred to as Loyalstar. The character previously referred to as Loyalstar will be referred to as False Loyalstar.]
The other cats stare. False Loyalstar releases Deadheart.
Sharpstar steps into focus with Darkfang beside him.
SHARPSTAR
At that battle, you lost a life in the water, didn't you?
LOYALSTAR
I did. When I tried to return to my body, it was already occupied.
Sharpstar turns to False Loyalstar.
SHARPSTAR
Who are you?
False Loyalstar stares back at him.
FALSE LOYALSTAR
Gourdstar.
[Henceforth, False Loyalstar will be referred to as Gourdstar.]
Sharpstar's expression shifts from stern to horrified. The crowd echoes his response.
DEADHEART
(confused)
Gourdstar?
GOURDSTAR
You don't know my name?
Deadheart stares at him. He shakes himself.
GOURDSTAR
Of course you wouldn't. You were apprenticed early and spent the majority of it in twolegplace, raised by a cat who never heard any nursery tales.
LOYALSTAR
Gourdstar destroyed the original five Clans and founded ShiningClan from the remaining cats. He's responsible for many deaths.
GOURDSTAR
Correct, but missing the details.
LOYALSTAR
You don't get to talk.
Loyalstar walks past him toward Sharpstar, glancing at Deadheart on the way.
LOYALSTAR
What are we going to do?
Darkfang, who is still beside Sharpstar, speaks before Sharpstar can.
DARKFANG
Get you and everyone else treated. We can ask Gourdstar questions after we've ensured everyone's safety.
Sharpstar nods as Darkfang speaks, approving his mate's commands.
LOYALSTAR
Alright.
》SCENE 2. NASTYCLAN MEDICINE DEN. SUNRISE, SUMMER.
Clevertail and Tailfur (separately) treat background characters while Deadheart works on Loyalstar. As Deadheart inspects his wound, his head starts sinking.
DEADHEART
Keep your head up.
Loyalstar awkwardly obliges. Deadheart finishes inspecting the injury and moves on to palpating his pulse. She sticks her nose into his neck, searching for the carotid artery. When she's satisfied with that, she pulls away.
DEADHEART
Turn on your side. I need the inside of your back leg.
Loyalstar turns, lowering his head in the process.
DEADHEART
Keep your head up!
Loyalstar pulls his head back up. Deadheart comes around him toward his back legs. She noses the top one out of the way and sticks her nose on the interior of the other one to palpate his femoral pulse.
Deadheart hums and brings her head up, looking toward the exit of the den. Furpelt is heading out of it.
DEADHEART
Furpelt?
FURPELT
Yes?
DEADHEART
Could you get a rock and some moss? Loyalstar needs to keep his head elevated and he's having trouble.
FURPELT
Consider it done.
She exits the den. Deadheart turns back to Loyalstar, whose head his already drooping.
DEADHEART
(sternly)
Loyalstar.
Loyalstar lifts his head. It immediately starts drooping again. Deadheart sighs and lays down in front of him. He puts his head on her back and closes his eyes.
They sit for a moment.
LOYALSTAR
(mumbling)
I'm sorry.
DEADHEART
For what?
LOYALSTAR
Being... overtaken.
DEADHEART
Not your fault.
LOYALSTAR
I should've been there.
DEADHEART
(slightly irritated)
Not your fault.
Another brief silence passes. Loyalstar takes in a deep, tired breath. Deadheart closes her eyes.
》SCENE 3. NASTYCLAN MEDICINE DEN. DAY, SUMMER.
Deadheart exits the medicine den. Clevertail and Tailfur sit near the entrance. They look at her, obviously interrupted mid-conversation.
DEADHEART
Loyalstar is asleep. His head is elevated and the bleeding stopped, so he should be okay as long as one of us checks in on him.
TAILFUR
Good.
CLEVERTAIL
StarClan willing, he may just survive.
DEADHEART
StarClan definitely had a role in this. Gourdstar told me he was sent to kill me during the fight.
CLEVERTAIL
Loyalstar said he'd been in his body since the fight at the Sunspot the day you were born. You don't think...?
DEADHEART
That he was supposed to kill me as a kit? I don't know why. Gourdstar said he didn't ask.
TAILFUR
Whatever it is, we won't get answers just sitting around. Gourdstar left the den after I treated him. We should find him.
SUNSPOT.
Gourdstar stands at the edge of the cliff, one of his paws hanging off of it. He knocks some pebbles off the edge when Deadheart appears.
DEADHEART
We were looking for you.
GOURDSTAR
You found me.
DEADHEART
Why did you leave?
GOURDSTAR
Why did they let me? I'm a dangerous villain possessing their dear leader's body.
DEADHEART
You have nowhere to go.
Gourdstar stares down the cliff again. 'Except down there' remains unsaid.
DEADHEART
Loyalstar's body needs to be kept safe.
Gourdstar glares at her.
DEADHEART
If he left it, he can return to it. Once we figure out how to do it safely, you don't have to stay.
GOURDSTAR
Of course.
Gourdstar pulls his paw away from the edge. A small wind blows.
GOURDSTAR
The night I came here-after Breadheart took you in-I went into the nursery. He was curled around you. I leaned over to pull you away from him. All I needed to do was strangle you. There would be no signs. It would've been easy to say you just died of weakness. But I looked at him holding you so tightly and I couldn't.
DEADHEART
Because you would've woken him up?
GOURDSTAR
No. I just couldn't. I killed countless cats, but I've never killed a kit. The situation reminded me of someone I used to know.
DEADHEART
Who?
GOURDSTAR
My sibling. They... we grew up hearing about a prophecy.
The background fades away as Gourdstar speaks. Behind him, visuals following his descriptions appear.
GOURDSTAR
Two siblings would be born. One, a brilliant golden cat, would save the Clans from a great evil and lead them into an age of prosperity. The other would commit crimes beyond imagination. Coalstar was born with black fur, while mine was orange. Obviously, Coalstar was the evil brother. When we were both apprentices, one of the Clan's warriors attempted to kill him. I saved Coalstar's life by taking theirs. When the rest of the Clan arrived, they assumed it was him, and he let them. He was exiled and I vowed to change the Clans. I succeeded. But, years later, he returned. I didn't recognize him at first. Somehow, his fur had turned golden.
The visuals fade, leaving only Gourdstar.
GOURDSTAR
StarClan's prophecy was a lie. Without it, Coalstar wouldn't have been exiled. We would've been happy. I couldn't do that to you.
DEADHEART
Thank you.
GOURDSTAR
What?
DEADHEART
You let me live. If you had blindly obeyed, I wouldn't be here.
Gourdstar stares at her, speechless.
DEADHEART
I have an idea. If you were able to enter Loyalstar's body, and Loyalstar was able to enter Breadheart's, then we can bring Breadheart back. All we need to do is get Loyalstar to leave his body so he can come back in, and then you can leave Loyalstar's. You can take action against StarClan for what they've done to you.
Gourdstar is silent for a moment, contemplating.
GOURDSTAR
I'll do it.