Thriftclaw lifted his head from Briarstar's limp body. Jayheart's eyes widened, spotting the blood dripping from his brother's chin like he'd tasted fresh prey. Thriftclaw's claws were curled around Briarstar's shoulders, holding her down. Jayheart was watching as the wound was beginning to heal. He didn't realize their leader had more than one life left.
"I'm going to keep killing her," Jayheart hissed, "Until her lives run out."
"She's our leader!" Jayheart wailed, feeling helpless as a kit, "And our kin!"
"Kin! Ha!" Thriftclaw laughed, "She's always hated us! She came into the nursery and kicked us!"
"You know that was an accident."
"Bullshit," Thriftclaw snnarled, "Stop apologizing for her. She made our mother work hard after she gave birth to us. She threw our father around! She deserves to die!" The wound was fully healed by this point and Briarstar was awakening. "She hated us. I want someone else as my leader. Someone who doesn't see me as dirt to be burried."
"You are dirt," came Briarstar's growl from under her grandson, "You especially. I know you're the one who killed Puddlestep for making fun of your stupid father."
"Ouch, wrong yet AGAIN, grammy," Thriftclaw said, digging his claws into her shoulders. Jayheart couldn't believe his skinny brother with the WindClan-like frame was holding down the massive Briarstar. "That's not me. But Blossomfeather."
"B-Blossomfeather...killed Puddlestep?" Jayheart stammered.
"And a few others," Thriftclaw shrugged, "I can't believe nobody noticed, really. You all are oblivious to a lot."
"Jayheart," Briarstar coughed, "Jayheart, you were always the most respectable one. I gave you the name Heart because I knew you were rising above your kin. Prove to me I was right about you."
"I-I..." Jayheart swallowed. What should he do? Save his grandmother who hated him and his siblings since the moment Blossomfeather kitted them? Or attack Thriftclaw, who'd saved him countless times in battle, who'd played with him, who was objectively his closest sibling? And his mother! Blossomfeather was a murderer? But she'd loved him so much. And his poor father! Did he know?
"STOP THINKING AND SAVE ME!" Briarstar shrieked, "Or go get help! I might die but your brother must not go unpunished for his crimes."
Jayheart dipped his head. He knew what he was going to do now.
