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"She's dead."
Solarcog looked over his shoulder at Alloystar, sitting in the entrance of the medicine den. It bowed their head solemnly.
"She was a great warrior."
"She was your mother." Solarcog's tail lashed as he approached Alloystar, eyes narrowed. "Your mother is dead, Alloystar."
Alloystar flinched back, surprised at the hostility. "What's your problem?"
Solarcog snarled, circling him. "My problem," she spat, "is that you keep getting us into these pointless battles. My problem is that you keep getting our clanmates killed for a pointless cause. My problem is that you'd let your mother die before realizing the stupidity in your actions."
Alloystar growled. "Uniting the clans will benefit all of us in the future. A few casualties won't stop me from doing what's best for us."
"Attacking the ones you want to get on your side will only lead to more conflict. Each day I live is spent patching wounds that reopen by the next sunrise."
"You chose to become a medicine cat." Alloystar turned away, eyes focusing on the ground.
"When we were kits, Alloystar. I became a medicine cat so I could improve the lives of our clanmates, not to burn through my supplies to keep them from dying just so that they can endure more suffering at your command." Solarcog hissed, claws unsheathed.
Alloystar's mouth hung open slightly, searching for words that didn't come. His ears flicked uncomfortably. They looked up to see Solarcog staring down at its paws, a mournful look in its eyes.
"I want to believe you're still the kit I grew up with. Every passing moment you're more and more of a stranger to me." She looked up at them. "It's like I'm grieving someone standing in front of me."
Alloystar shook its head. "I am your leader, Solarcog. If you're against me, you're against all of Helioclan."
Solarcog's expression snapped back to its former coldness. "Oh, I'm sure they'd side with the one leading them like lemmings off a cliff rather than the medicine cat trying to save them." She turned to gaze out at the clan camp. "I'm going for a walk."
Alloystar watched as it brushed past them into the clearing. He turned to look down at their mother, her sand-colored fur illuminated by the light of the moon filtering into the den. He sighed.