you know their reasons to run away right? but do you know where the story all began?
it started many moons ago...
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        On a particular night, unlike any other, it was a blood moon. And two cats had agreed to meet in private during this special night. They swore to not tell a single soul, nor bring a single soul. No medicine cats, no nothing.

   Cobrastar lowered her tail and arrived at the meeting spot. "Marshstar?" She whispered so low to only people a couple of tail lengths away would hear. "Are you there?" The stubby tailed cat asked, only a bit louder than the last couple of words. 

   Cobrastar walked forward, and she glanced at all the wildlife as she did so. The she-cat stopped dead in her tracks, as she heard Marshstar's voice. To her horror, Marshstar laid half-limp on the ground. He was full of scars and a pool of red liquid, no, blood, was underneath him. "Help me, Cobrastar," He croaked like a frog in the dead of the night. 

          "Of course," Cobrastar adjusted the position of her paws and went right up to him. "What can I do for you, Marshstar? Anything?" He took a breath before replying, "Don't get a medicine cat... Just get the right herbs yourself."

        Does he have a death wish? She thought, then went to the nearest cobweb source to at least stop the bleeding. She grabbed some, but then a thought came to her. What if you just kill him? Normally, the thought would make her shocked and angry that she would think that. However, if he doesn't want a medicine cat and is already in enough pain...

   No, she couldn't. Cobrastar would never kill another cat in a million moons. But he would have plenty of lives left anyway, so why would she do it? The idea wrapped around her mind, the little leader couldn't do it.

   But the past leader would. After all, DustClan was more brutal than it used to be so maybe... No! I cannot! She protested in her mind. She ran back to Marshstar with the herbs and applied them to his wounds like how the medicine cats did. Sometimes she watched them apply herbs out of curiosity.

   "Cobrastar, I know what your plans are," Marshstar spoke softly. "You're going to-"

     As Cobrastar dug her claws into the throat of the other leader, blood smeared all over. She quickly washed them off before anything else, as a pond was right next to them. "I don't want to know what I will do, Marshstar," The leader spoke in a cruel voice. Something was different, she was no longer the respectful and reasonable Cobrastar. That life is gone, as darkness practically swallowed her soul whole. What have I done? She thought, but then a new voice came to mind. You mean what haven't I done?

        She waited a while to check if he had any lives left. But the cat guessed not, as she quickly began an act to start. She removed any evidence she ended his life (that she could get rid of) and pretended to panic. She yowled, "Marshstar!" Running to her camp though, she couldn't help but feel proud. It was strange, as no cat should ever purposefully end another's life.

       She thought of his bones rotting when he was buried. She couldn't stop the dark thoughts that kept biting at her. The short-tailed leader exclaimed, "Marshstar is dead! He's been murdered! I need help!" Normally she would go to his camp, but they would just assume that she wasn't telling any truth. 

        Several cats rushed to her. They all ended up going to ReedClan and delivering the news. Both clans involved held a vigil after burying the late Marshstar. A new leader rose to the top. A new deputy was chosen. Lies were believed.

     Many things happened during this blood moon. Blood was spilled, tears were shed. However, the biggest change was the darkness that shaped Cobrastar into a murderer.

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a/n: it's finally here!! in fact, chapter one has already been worked on since the beginning of making this story (but it's not done so please bear with me until then). but please keep in mind that i'm just now getting out of an at least a year-long writer's block, so i am still trying to get in the hang of everything again. since it's the prologue, i kept it short like it is in the books, but i also want to know your thoughts on cobrastar's actions? i know it seems rushed, and it kinda is, but the prologue was meant for the beginning of her cruel actions.

so comment down below your thoughts on her actions!! also this is BEFORE the gathering that split the clans up more.

fun fact: this is the third version/outcome that i stuck with for the prologue