Squirrelflight lay her head on her paws, watching as the last patrol came into camp.
It was nearly sunset, and the evening hunting patrol would be returning right about- ah, there they were.
She stood to her paws and waited for her sister to walk into camp, blinking in the sunlight.
Brackenfur led the way, carrying a large rabbit and two mice, as Icecloud padded just behind him, a chaffinch trapped in her own jaws. Squirrelflight felt hope rise to her chest, if hunting had been that good, surely-?
No. A fresh wave of grief hit the ginger Warrior as Leafpool padded into camp empty-pawed, having caught nothing. Squirrelflight sighed and sat down, waiting for her littermate to come to her.
A sound suddenly caught her attention, and she turned her head to see Mousewhisker and Berrynose snickering at her sister's poor hunt. She felt her pelt rise in anger, but forced it to lie still. Getting into a argument with a clanmate wasn't worth it.
Leafpool, having spotted her, started heading towards her, head low and tail dragging in the dirt. Squirrelflight swished her tail over the grass nervously, what could she say to help her?
"Hey Leafpool!" Mousewhisker called out to the brown tabby. Leafpool glanced warily at the grey-and-white Warrior, tail flicking slowly.
"Yes?" She said quietly. "What is it?"
"Next time you go hunting," Mousewhisker began. "Why don't you try to actually hunt?" That set him and Berrynose off on another round of chuckles.
Leafpool's shoulders stiffened. "I do!" She snarled, her rare temper flaring up. Squirrelflight winced, wishing that she could stop her.
But Leafpool was beyond stopping. "At least I went hunting, unlike you two lazy furballs! All you ever do is sit around!"
Silence.
Berrynose and Mousewhisker glared at Leafpool, and the tan Warrior had opened his mouth to respond when-
"Leafpool." A new voice came into the conversation. A voice that was achingly familiar to Squirrelflight.
"Enough. You do not pick fights with clanmates." Brambleclaw said, his amber gaze cold as he stared down at Leafpool.
Anger started to burn in Squirrelflight's stomach, her old flame sparking again. "What?" She heard herself say, standing up.
Brambleclaw's gaze shot to hers. She didn't understand how this was the same cat who'd been her loving mate all those moons. "Do you have something to add, Squirrelflight?" He spat out her name like it was crow-food.
She flinched, but stood her ground. "Mousewhisker and Berrynose were the ones picking fights, not Leafpool." She narrowed her eyes, lifting her chin proudly. "Any cat could have seen that."
Brambleclaw's eyes hardened. She tried to tell herself that that was good. He stepped closer to her, his large form swamping her smaller one.
"What are you trying to say?" He rumbled. Oblivious to the growing crowd, the two were now nose-to-nose, backs tense and tails puffed up.
Danger struck Squirrelflight suddenly. He was trying to get her to do something that he could punish her for. Unfortunately for him, she thought, she still knew him too well for that trick. She tried not to decide wether knowing him well was good or bad.
"Nothing, oh great deputy," her sarcasm was right on point, and she saw with a glint of pride his shoulders stiffening in fury. "Just that even you might be mistaken of who is to be told off." There. That should do it...
Brambleclaw's eyes flashed in rage and he seemed to have a hard time pulling away from where she stood. "Your concern is noted." He said gruffly, turning around. The Clan immediately scattered when he turned to them, each of them minding his or hers business.
Leafpool slunk by the tabby deputy meekly, sitting down next to Squirrelflight and wrapping her tail over her paws. Squirrelflight acknowledged her with a flick of her ear, narrowing her eyes at Brambleclaw's retreating form.
"You didn't have to do that," Leafpool said quietly. Her sister's voice was soft, as she knew how much it hurt Squirrelflight to argue with him. "I was fine."
Squirrelflight nodded shortly. "I know," she said, never taking her eyes off of Brambleclaw. "I'm fine too."
It was a lie, and they both knew it, but they only sat in silence.
Squirrelflight finally managed to tear her gaze from Brambleclaw, slipping back into her new frail personality. She'd won. She'd beaten him at his own game, and protected Leafpool while doing it...
So why did she seem even more unhappy?