Piketooth watched her silently, his ears twitching. Brookshadow took the chance to glance him over - his orange pelt was ragged and unkept, and his eyes had a haunted look to them.
He's had some experiences since I last saw him, Brookshadow guessed. But then, I've had experiences since he last saw me, too.
The tom was watching her carefully - Brookshadow might have thought she was prey rather than another cat, except it was different. His eyes were less vicious, and the only emotions she saw were maybe doubtful hope and a hint of fear.
"Brookshadow," he choked out, his voice so hoarse it made the tabby queen cringe. "I just need to tell you-"
"You don't get to be the one who tells me anything," Brookshadow hissed, unexpected rage flooding her senses. "You don't know anything about how you've changed my life!"
Piketooth blinked, and she thought she saw hurt glimmering in his eyes, but he didn't argue against her. "Then tell me."
The queen lifted her lips in a snarl. "You don't deserve to know. You never have, and you never will."
"I know you're angry, and I don't blame you-"
"I should hope not!" Brookshadow retorted.
"And this doesn't count for anything, not one single thing, but I'm sorry. I'm genuinely, deeply, truly sorry. If I could go back and redo it all, I would. Believe that."
She watched him, her anger so thick she could feel it coming off of her pelt in waves. His gaze was fixed on the ground for a few moments before he looked up and met her eyes. Then she spoke, her voice chilled with ice. "I will never forgive you - not ever. If you risked your life coming back here just to tell me you were sorry, then you deserve to die."
Piketooth closed his eyes quickly, but Brookshadow didn't miss the deep ache that passed through them at her words, and she felt a glimmer of satisfaction.
"That's all I needed to hear," Piketooth said, his misused voice heavy with emotion. "And this is how I'll die. Tormented until the end. But at least I won't have to wonder anymore."
Brookshadow only felt disgusted. She didn't respond to him as he settled onto his stomach and shivered, waiting. The queen paced slowly by him, waiting for the patrol to come back while simultaneously keeping watch over Piketooth.
He might seem to be okay with dying, but fear is a powerful thing, Brookshadow thought bitterly.
She didn't have to wait long before she heard the sound of crunching leaves and snow and the rustling of undergrowth. The cats were traveling quickly, with intent and unafraid, their pawsteps deliberate.
Brookshadow turned and watched as Bramblestar pushed into view, Lionblaze, Dewfur, and Jayfeather behind him. At once, Jayfeather moved forward and sniffed her for injuries, Dewfur just behind him with worry in his gaze.
"I'm okay," Brookshadow protested softly as he nosed her. "He didn't touch me at all."
Dewfur looked to Jayfeather as if he didn't believe her. Jayfeather nodded and retreated a few paces, settling down on his haunches.
Bramblestar looked Piketooth over, then cleared his throat. "As decided by the Clans, your punishment for returning to our territories is death."
Piketooth looked at him with uninterested, emotionless eyes. "Okay," he said, pushing himself to his paws.
Bramblestar's ear twitched slightly, and Lionblaze tackled Piketooth to the ground. Brookshadow watched as Piketooth allowed himself to be handled by the warrior, not resisting at all as he pinned him. Bramblestar positioned himself on the other side of the orange tom, then looked up at Dewfur.
Her mate was watching Piketooth with undisguised hatred, and Brookshadow didn't blame him. She felt the same way.
A few seconds passed before Dewfur stepped forward. Piketooth looked up at him, then past him to Brookshadow. There was a moment of complete silence before Dewfur lunged forward, killing Piketooth in a single, swift blow.

Brookshadow padded into camp beside Dewfur, following Bramblestar, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather at the back of the patrol. Her paws were muddy from digging - as were the other warriors'. They'd buried Piketooth unceremoniously on the edge of ThunderClan territory. The tabby queen had watched, stone-faced, as they had dropped his limp body into the hole. No words of peace had been spoken over him, and as far as Brookshadow was concerned, StarClan could judge him as they would now.
Sandpiperkit was outside of the nursery, waiting for her and Dewfur to return. Brookshadow sighed slightly as she caught sight of her kit - she must have woken up while she was gone, and the tabby queen hoped that it hadn't been from a nightmare. When they walked into the ravine, she pricked her ears and scrambled toward then excitedly. Brookshadow purred and nuzzled her daughter when she reached her.
"Why do you have dirt on your paws?" Sandpiperkit asked quietly.
Brookshadow shared a quick glance with Dewfur. "We were, er-..."
Sandpiperkit looked up at her with large eyes. "Were you burying someone? The elders come back with dirt on their paws when they go out to bury someone..."
Brookshadow grimaced, and Dewfur mewed quickly, "Yes, Sandpiperkit... We did bury someone."
The kit looked confused. "But.. the elders are always the ones to do the burial ceremony. Warriors don't usually participate."
"This cat didn't deserve a burial ceremony," Dewfur told her softly. "They did a very wrong thing."
"What did they do?"
Brookshadow looked sharply at Dewfur, who saw her alarm. "When you're older, we'll tell you. I promise."
Sandpiperkit sighed, but seemed satisfied with the promise. She nuzzled Dewfur, then screwed up her nose. "You two should wash. You smell like the dirt."
Brookshadow nudged her. "You need sleep. Go on to bed, and we'll wash."
The kit frowned, but nodded and pattered off.
Brookshadow sighed softly, pulling her ears flat against her head. Dewfur touched his nose to her cheek, whispering softly. "Are you okay?"
The tabby queen hesitated. She wanted to confide in her mate, tell him that they only had maybe two moons left with their precious kit, but she knew she couldn't give him that information fairly. It tormented her to know - she couldn't do that to him, too. "Yes, I'm alright."
Her mate nodded and sat down, lifting a paw and running his tongue over it. He grimaced, curling his lip in distaste. "The dirt tastes gross."
Brookshadow purred slightly in amusement. "Hence why we don't eat it," she pointed out, lifting her own paw and starting to lick it clean.
"The Gathering is tonight," Dewfur mewed after awhile.
Brookshadow blinked. It was easy for her to forget about those things - she hadn't been to a Gathering in moons and moons. "That's right, it is."
"I wonder if Bramblestar will mention Piketooth."
Brookshadow shrugged. "Are you going?"
"I don't know."
"I guess we'll find out soon, then. It's already dark."
Her mate nodded. "It was lucky that Bramblestar hadn't left for it yet."
They fell silent, waiting for Bramblestar to gather the cats he was taking. Brookshadow was just wondering if she should go to bed when their leader called from Highledge.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He yowled. He waited as the warriors gathered before begining. "Today, Piketooth was found in our territory. As decided, his penalty was death, and he has been buried."
No cat uttered a word. There really had been no need to announce it - the news had likely already spread like wildfire from cat to cat.
Bramblestar continued. "Tonight is the Gathering. Squirrelflight?"
His deputy blinked and pushed herself to her paws, quickly calling the names of cats attending. "Birchfall, Ivypool, Dewfur, Spiderleg, Berrynose, Poppyfrost, Flintwhisker, and Aldershade."
Brookshadow had listened quietly, but when all the cats from the list had been called, she felt an overwhelming urge to go to the Gathering. "Wait," she called, standing quickly. "Could Dewfur and I trade?"
Dewfur looked at her, confused. "Brookshadow, what-?"
Squirrelflight also looked stunned. "Uh, I-" She glanced up at Bramblestar, who gave her no clues as to what to say. "I suppose that would be alright," she meowed. "If you're sure that's what you want."
Brookshadow nodded. Dewfur opened his jaws to protest, but she gave him a look that silenced him.
Squirrelflight shrugged. "Then just make sure you're ready to go in a few minutes."
Bramblestar ended the meeting and trotted down from Highledge, meeting with his deputy at the bottom of the rockfall.
Dewfur looked at Brookshadow, confusion clear in his gaze. "Why'd you trade our places?"
"I haven't been to a Gathering in moons," Brookshadow explained softly. "Sorry if you wanted to go. You can stay with Sandpiperkit and see if you can get her to sleep, and I'll tell you about what happened when I get home."
Dewfur looked a little saddened, but nodded. "That's okay. You better tell me what ShadowClan says about their behavior if they go this time. They haven't been to a Gathering almost as long as you have."
Brookshadow nodded, and Bramblestar called to her from the group of cats gathered around the camp entrance. "I love you," she mewed, nuzzling her mate quickly.
"Be safe," Dewfur told her.
Brookshadow nodded and rushed over to the entrance. Bramblestar looked around at the gathered cats before flicking his tail and plunging through the camp entrance, headed for the Gathering.