Chapter 26: Dear Agony

The patrol, all slightly weak from the fight, all returned to The Bending Tower, where the others were waiting for them. Upon their arrival, the animals all scurried over to them, beginning to ask so many questions that Ash could barely handle the noise, not able to answer everything at once.
"Did you win?"
"What happened to the deer?"
"Did anyone die?"
"How big was the deer?"
"Is anyone gravely injured?"
"Hey!" exclaimed a voice, and everyone stopped. Ash looked to see it was Goldwing who had called out. "Do not ask questions, I am sure Ash can go over everything in detail and answer all of your questions. Let him speak." With that, Goldwing nodded towards Ash and he trotted to the front of the crowd, who all gathered closely to listen. Even the Firebenders seemed interesting, which was new, because usually they wouldn't give a mouse's tail about any victories The Bending Tower had.
"The deer is dead--" Ash began, but was cut off by the howls of victory from The Bending Tower, while the Firebenders growled in frustration. Poisonfang looked shocked, she had obviously been sure she had condemned Ash to his death. Ash fought back a triumphant grin. "...Yes, the deer is dead. However, we lost Skye and Maisoon during the fight."
A moment of silence followed, except the Firebenders were all exchanging words and growling.
"Yes. Well done," Poisonfang said coldly. "And I believe we found out the reason why some of our warriors were used to fight the deer..." Ash, confused, followed Poisonfang's gaze, and saw she was looking at Miguel, who looked pleased about something. This can't be good, Ash thought worriedly.
Poisonfang whispered something into Flamingclaws's ear. He trotted up to Crystal, who looked up at him with worried eyes. "You," he growled, jabbing her chest with his paw, "make a square hole in the ground, Earthbender."
What? Ash thought. He looked to see Rusty looked a bit scared.
"Why?" Crystal asked. Despite she sounded brave, she didn't look brave.
"Do it now and no questions," Flamingclaws snarled.
"I want to know why," Crystal demanded.
Ash flinched as Flamingclaws rose his paw in the air, revealing long, sharp claws. Ash half marveled, half stumbled back from fear at the sight of the claws. He gasped as he realized what Flamingclaws as about to do, but before anyone could stop him, he dug his claws into Crystal's chest, sinking them in. She screamed in pain, and Ash wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn't. He couldn't even imagine what pain Crystal must have been getting from the claws. Crystal tried to get out of Flamingclaws's grip, but couldn't. "This is what happens when you question the Firebenders," snarled Flamingclaws.
Ash looked to see Rusty leaped. "Hey!" he snarled, and pushed Flamingclaws away. Crystal took a few steps back, still wailing in fear and pain. She leaned against Rusty for comfort, and blood spilled from her chest. Ash was sure Rusty was satisfied she went to him for comfort, but he was giving Flamingclaws a hostile look. Rusty turned to Crystal. "It's over, it's over, I won't let it happen to you again," Rusty murmured soothingly.
Flamingclaws spat in disgust. "Well, Earthbender? Are you gonna do what I asked you?"
Crystal, still shaken, nodded slowly.
"No," Rusty said, "don't do what he tells you."
"I'll give you the same injury if you interfere," Flamingclaws snarled.
Rusty looked at Flamingclaws. "I'd take the pain for Crystal any day," he insisted.
"N-No," Crystal breathed, still trembling, "I-I'll do it."
Right in the middle of the group of animals, a square area of stone moved down. What are they going to do now? Ash thought in fear. It looked horrible, what Flamingclaws did to Crystal. The Firebenders seemed ready to kill and torture at the moment. Ash wondered if they were going to torture him next. He silently prayed to the Peacebenders that no one else would suffer today.
Eclipse had walked up to Crystal to tend to her injury while Rusty stood protectively over her, saying calming things to her. Crystal was looking up at Rusty with a look of relief on his face. Well, he's got her hooked I guess, Ash thought, but quickly turned his attention back to what the Firebenders were up to. All of The Bending Tower seemed to have looks of fear among them.
Then, Poisonfang slithered forward, a murderous glint in her eyes. She bared her fangs. "Feather."
Ash felt dizzy. They were about to do something horrible to Feather. Ash could tell, because the Firebenders had scents of excitement among them, and The Bending Tower animals had fear scent on them. Ash watched as Feather slowly stepped forward. No Feather, no. Fly away, please! he pleaded silently in his head. After seeing the incident with Crystal, he felt like he wouldn't be able to bare anymore ugly sights.
"You have had the idea of using our warriors to go fight the deer, hoping they'd die. One of us have heard you talking about it. True?" Poisonfang hissed.
Feather looked at Ash. Ash flinched, realizing that they had been mistaken. When he was telling Feather about his plan to use the Firebenders, someone must have overheard them and thought Feather had the idea herself. He tried to remember what Firebender was nearby. He gasped.
Miguel.
Ash shook his head at Feather. Don't say yes. Don't say yes!
Feather looked away from Ash, then grew wide-eyed. Her head zipped around, looking from one direction to the other. She seemed to be looking for something. Briefly, Ash thought Feather was going mad. Then, she sighed, closed her eyes and then opened them. "Yes."
She must have gone mad, Ash thought, wanting to yowl out that it was his fault. However, he found that he couldn't open his mouth. A breeze swept through the area, and Ash grew wide-eyed as he saw a ghostly silhouette perched in a nearby tree.
It is Feather's time to die, said Cloudsky's voice inside Ash's head.
No! Ash thought in fear, no more deaths, please!
Ash, said a voice, this time Susan's, many will die if the Firebenders are to be driven from the land. There are sacrifices that must be made.
No, no, no...if many are going to die, I don't want the Firebenders to be driven away! He began worrying about who he'd lose just because the Firebenders were to be defeated. No, no...I can't let this happen! Please stop this, Peacebenders, you're the ones we look up to!
"Very well," growled Poisonfang, and Ash snapped back to reality. "Firetalon? Fang?"
Firetalon and Fang approached. Feather looked at them with pleading eyes. "You were my sons...please, don't do this. You've gone evil, this is wrong. Do you not see the bad of this? You two don't have to be this way. I'm sorry you ended up like this..."
"Sorry?" sneered Firetalon, "we like it this way! Feather, you've been a fool since I first met you. We're Firebenders now, not soft-hearted like you!"
"Then suffer a painful death..." Feather breathed. "Cloudsky, please, have mercy on them..."
"Cloudsky's dead," snarled Fang. He then threw Feather into the pit.
Ash could hear Streak wailing in fear. Ash looked at him. He felt sorry for Streak, it was a horrible thing to witness as a kit. He closed his eyes tight and put his paws over his ears, obviously not wanting to witness anything more horrifying. And Ash couldn't blame him.
Rainbow quickly trotted over and picked Streak and another kitten up, about to take them in The Bending Tower. However, Wildfire looked at them. "Put them down. This will be good for them to witness. They will see many die like this. They'd better just get used to it."
"Mom, I'm scared...!" squealed Streak.
"I know," Rainbow whispered, putting her kits down. "I am too. But I'm here for you."
"Feather," Poisonfang began, "you are to die for your wrong doings. Miguel, since you found out the information of Feather betraying us, you get the privilege of killing her."
Miguel looked spook. "Poisonfang, I am aware that Feather deserves to die. But I..."
"You're what, too much of a coward?" sneered Wildfire. This made the Firebenders howl with laughter.
"No, I, um...er, what I'm, er...trying to say...is that..." he fell silent.
"You're not meant for this," Poisonfang said, giving Miguel a cold stare, "I always knew you were a coward. You could never be given a job like this and carry it out. You're soft-hearted, Miguel. It looks like you don't have the guts to murder like I thought you would. You being with The Bending Tower for a while has made you soft."
"I...I can't...I-I..." Miguel stammered.
"Just as I thought," Poisonfang said, eyes narrowed. "Wildfire! You do this."
"With pleasure, my dear sister," Wildfire sneered. He made a ball of fire appear in the air.
Ash looked wildly at Miguel. He was staring at Feather, and he mouthed something to her. Ash could tell what he was trying to say.
"I'm sorry."
Before Feather could respond, Wildfire threw the fire into the pit. Feather screamed as she caught on fire, and all the animals from The Bending Tower gasped with horror. The Firebenders, however, yowled with delight and triumph as Feather yowled out. Ash howled in fear. What have I done...my simple plan resulted in Feather's death!
Feather let out a final shriek before she went limp, the fire still there. She was dead.
The Firebenders howled in delight. However, The Bending Tower animals looked scared, yet some annoyed.
"That's it," growled Rusty's voice.
"But Rusty!" Dust began to protest, "don't--"
"I don't care what the orders were, I'm fed up, we need to do this now!" Rusty snarled. He then leaped onto Flamingclaws, biting down. Flamingclaws shook Rusty off and he fell down. Dust, giving in, leaped onto Flamingclaws as well, and Rusty kicked at Fang, who was coming over to break it up.
Charlotte decided to help out, apparently, and she leaped onto Firetalon and bit down on him. He shrieked and scratched her with his talons. Mistletoe sprung into action, leaping at Miguel, who wasn't expecting the attack at all.
Then, everyone else broke out into a fight.

Author's Note:
Sorry I haven't posted in a while! Bet this makes up for it. ;D
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