Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you. -Rachel Platten, "Stand by You.


All Wildflower could do was watch. Her fate, the rest of her life, and her death, would be decided by the tom standing upon Highrock.

"WindClan," the tom announced. "StarClan has spoke tonight regarding Wildflower,"

Her heartbeat quickened, and Ravenfur pushed her into the clearing of cats. Cedarstar glared down at her, his amber eyes piercing her like a thorn.

"As we know, Wildflower has broken the Warrior Code," Cedarstar paused, letting the tension rise between the cats. "Therefore, she must be punished."

"And what law has Wildflower broken?" A tabby tom stepped into the moonlit clearing. "You must tell us, Cedarstar,"

"Ivyleaf…" Wildflower warned, staring into his eyes. "I can fight for myself,"

Ivyleaf ignored her and waited for Cedarstar to respond.

"Rule number one," Cedarstar replied, rolling the words off his tongue, as if he practiced it before. "In addition to rule thirteen."

Ivyleaf's fur rose. "Are you saying that-"

With a flick of Cedarstar's tail, Ivyleaf was pushed back into the crowd by some warriors.

"Rule one of the warrior code is, if I remember correctly," the leader meowed, " 'Defend your Clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from the other Clans, but your loyalty must remain to your Clan, as one day you may meet them in battle.' "

"May I tell my story?" Wildflower asked. When Cedarstar nodded, she straightened herself up. "Ceadertstar," she began, "At the battle, you told me to kill a warrior, correct?"

"Yes," he meowed. "Which you did not do,"

"I did not," she agreed, "Because it would have been dishonorable to do so. Killing a warrior? For what? Some territory?" she scoffed. "And that is why I did not kill him. It is against what WindClan believes,"

"Oh?" Cedarstar mocked. "And does WindClan believe in the Warrior Code?"

"Why of course-"

"And rule thirteen says," Cedarstar cleared his throat. " ' The word of the Clan leader is the warrior code.' Therefore," Cedarstar roared, "Refusing to kill that ShadowClan cat was against the Warrior Code!"

The crowd erupted with cheers and laughter.

"And so, killing that cat was what WindClan believed in!" Cedarstar announced.

"But-" Wildflower started.

"And so, you, Wildflower," he hissed. "Shall be punished! And StarClan has made its decision!"

The crowd of cats was in uproar now. Some tried to swipe at the she-cat, but Ivyleaf jumped in the way.

"Your punishment for breaking the Warrior Code twice is," Cedarstar looked down at the she-cat. His amber eyes burned.

Wildflower tensed up. Please Cedarstar…

"Banishment!"


Banishment. That single word rang through Wildflower's mind.

Banishment. The crowd jeered at her, and jostled her, but she couldn't hear anything but the voice in her head.

Banishment. Three warriors took her by the scruff, and dragged her out of the camp.

Banishment. They dragged her along the moor.

Banishment. They kicked her, ripped out her fur. She felt herself screeching, but could not hear it.

Banishment. Blood and tears blinded her eyes, and choked her.

Banishment. The warriors left her there, at the edge of the boarder. They left her there to die.

Banishment. Did she really care? She loathed the clan when Cedarstar was in charge, but she was taken away from her family and friends.

Banishment. Never again would she laugh at Lightflame's jokes, or even watch Redkit, Fogkit, or Brightkit play around.

Banishment. Blossomsnow… She would never see her own mother again. Her teal eyes and spotted pelt were only a memory now.

Banishment. Ravenfur would never, ever forgive her now. She would be an outcast to her father.

Banishment. And Ivyleaf… Maybe her only true friend… She would never be happy again without him. She would never have confessed to him that she had feelings.

Banishment. Maybe if she had told him, she would have been bearing his kits. Then she would have never been in that battle in the first place.


"Wildflower,"

Wildflower didn't stir; she lay still on the bloodstained grass.

"Wildflower,"

This must be a dream. No one would come to me in real life.

"Wildflower, please,"

Maybe it's real…

"Wildflower," the voice was frantic now. "Please wake up!"

It's probably just a border patrol wanting me to get away from WindClan's territory.

"Wildflower…"

If they don't like me here, then I'll stay here.

"Wildflower!" the voice burst out crying and the cat buried its head into her fur

Wildflower's blue eyes snapped open. "Get away-" She met another pair of blue eyes. "Ivyleaf!" she exclaimed

"You're alive!" The tom's face lit up, as he jerked his head back. His features were hazy against the dark of night.

Wildflower was speechless. "How? Why? Who let you come here?" The questions tumbled out of her.

Ivyleaf turned away from her gaze. "I told the clan that I'd rather never find StarClan than be away from you,"

A small smile appeared of Wildflower's muzzle, and she turned away. "Do you think that we won't go to StarClan now?" Am I truly evil?

"Of course not!" Ivyleaf meowed. "It's just… They think that we won't,"

Wildflower sighed. "We should get going,"

"But just a few heartbeats ago, you were on the verge of death!" he protested.

She smiled. Ivyleaf is right… "But I'm stronger now," she argued.

"How?"

"Because I'm with you,"

Something flashed on Ivyleaf's face, and he paused. "Where do you want to go?" he asked, shifting his weight.

She shrugged. "I don't know…" she confessed. "I was planning to just die here before,"

Ivyleaf didn't smile at the joke. "Well I'm glad I came then," he huffed. "You find a place to rest until morning. I'll hunt for something,"

"Is that the plan?" she asked.

"It's better than yours," he laughed, nudging her to her paws.

Wildflower started to lift her weight to her shaking paws. "Okay, okay," When she was fully standing, pain shot through her back leg. She turned to examine it, and saw a large gash running down it.

Ivyleaf gasped. "We need a medicine cat!"

"It's just a scratch!" she disputed. "It's from a cat so it won't get infected like a rat, fox, or badger scratch,"

"Since when did you learn so much about infections?" Ivyleaf rolled his eyes. "We'll find a medicine cat who can help us in the morning,"

Wildflower starting to walk down the slope on three legs. Ivyleaf followed. "Yeah? And which clan is going to help us?"

"RiverClan is close by," he suggested.

"RiverClan has an allegiance with ShadowClan against WindClan," Wildflower reminded him.

"All RiverClan is trying to do is keep WindClan from stealing all of ShadowClan's territory!" Ivyleaf bickered.

"Still, they don't like WindClan," Wildflower gazed the meadow ahead of them. The barn was ahead, but she knew that the farm cats would ask too many questions about her. So the barn won't be a good place to shelter.

"Fine," Ivyleaf sighed. "Would ThunderClan be good? They have an allegiance with WindClan,"

"That's a good idea," Wildflower decided.

"But what happens when they start questioning about us?" he fretted.

"We lie," she proclaimed. "You're awfully good at that," she teased.


Sunshine bathed Wildflower's pelt with warmth. Ivyleaf, who was laying besides her, was shining in the light. Wildflower rolled to her side and stood up, wincing as she forgot about her wounded leg.

"You're up already?" Ivyleaf murmured. "It's barely dawn,"

Wildflower looked out at the sky from they're den of tall grass. It was just sunrise; lavender and rose still stained the sky. "But we have to get to ThunderClan as soon as possible," she meowed, "Before word gets out that we were… banished…"

Ivyleaf tensed at the word. "You're right. We should get moving as soon as possible." He stood and shook out his pelt.

Wildflower followed suit before padding out of the makeshift den. "Is this the last time we'll be near WindClan?" she asked as they walked along.

"I hope so," Ivyleaf growled. "Ceaderstar is crazy, and our friends and family now loath us,"

Wildflower shut her eyes, trying not to think about who she left behind. She'd know Ravenfur would hate her. Even before the incident he hated her. But Lightflame? Would my own brother cast me away? Fear gripped her, and she swayed, now unbalanced.

Ivyleaf swiftly appeared at her side, and he supported her with his shoulder.

"Do you really think Lightflame hates me now?" she asked, her voice weak.

Ivyleaf didn't reply: he just averted his gaze.

"I still love him," she whispered.

"Well," Ivyleaf meowed softly. "It would be for the better, in a way,"

Wildflower titled her head. "Doubt it,"

"If he does hate you- and I mean if- then he wouldn't be sad about you leaving…" Ivyleaf explained. "You won't have to carry around the burden that he's missing you, or wishes a different fate came upon him,"

"If you look so negatively about it," she scoffed. "Then you're right,"

A grin flashed across Ivyleaf's face. "You've got to be a pessimistic to be an optimistic,"


"I'm back!" Ivyleaf shouted, bursting into the den woven from tall grass. "Say hello to your father!"

Wildflower smiled as her four kits scurried to their father.

"What's that?" Ryekit asked, looking at a bundle of herbs his father had placed on the hay-covered ground.

"It's for your mother," Ivyleaf purred, glancing at his mate. "Chervil for an infection, more cobwebs for the bandage, dock for pain, and… I think that was it,"

"Oh, gee," Lightkit giggled. "Daddy went all out this time!"

"I'm doing my job!" Ivyleaf huffed.

"Don't get mad at the kits," Wildlight soothed. She turned to the kits. "Drink your milk now,"

All four of them hurried to their mother's belly.

Krestlekit stopped before settling down. "Your scratch looks much better now," he commented, staring at the wound on Wildflower's leg.

"That's a good sign!" Ivyleaf exclaimed. Wildflower stared up into his light blue eyes, smiling. "I might be doing it right!"

"You did learn a lot from those couple sunrises in the ThunderClan medicine cat den," she purred, now looking at her leg. Krestlekit was right. The cut was now only a scar: a mark on her skin, and fur was starting to grow back over it.

Ivyleaf laughed as he started to put the herbs away. "And I can't believe I remembered so much!"

"You're half way there to becoming a medicine cat," she joked.

Ivyleaf plopped down beside her and put the hare he caught in between them. "Maybe Krestlekit will grow up to be one,"

"In what clan?" Wildflower asked.

"Our own clan,"


Thank you so much for reading! Please check out my profile, as that is where my poll is for what I should write next! Have a nice day!