There was something about the way he looked at her, the way he asked her to do it that made it so she couldn't say no. He was her brother. She could trust him. If he wanted to get her into anymore trouble, that wouldn't affect her current status as most hated in the Clan. She was already buried deep enough in chaos that another tuft more couldn't hurt at all.
Morningwing was certain that his request was full worth the consequences. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Morningwing sighed, wishing once more for him to repeat those words of reassurance. He didn't hate her—at least not to her knowledge. It just pained her to remember how he'd put the first blow to her reputation. He was the one who unleashed the chain of events that followed: Morningwing falling hard for her "Goldenpelt", his sudden, tragic death, and the blame falling on her shoulders for it.
Once more, Morningwing thought about the story she'd tell one day. "Goldenpelt" is who she'd call her lover, a name representing handsomeness and perfection. Instead of using her own name, she'd use "Roseheart", the name showing beauty and loyalty. They were the names she had once hoped to give to "Goldenpelt's" and her kits. Goldenkit and Rosekit, she'd call them. Of course, she had other names planned in case things hadn't gone as she'd hoped.
As it turned out, nothing had gone as she hoped.
"Morningwing, are you alright?" Tallflower meowed, her eyes assessing her wounds. Greenheart hadn't been playing around before he realized it was her. Now that her mind was brought back to the present, she winced as Tallflower worked tirelessly healing her.
The medicine cat tore off Ivypaw's pathetic cobweb job on her nose. Tallflower sniffed at the cobweb and disappointment filled her eyes when she realized it had been her apprentice's doing. "What happened to your nose?" she asked as she started to chew goldenrod into a poultice. "I can't believe they let you get that close to battle."
"Oh." Morningwing sighed. Here goes nothing! "That wasn't from the fight. It was Prowlkit." She felt pathetic blaming her nose-wound on Featherfur's kit, but it was the only excuse she could think of.
Something seemed to click in Tallflower's mind as sympathy clouded her expression. Ivypaw should be more like her, Morningwing flustered. If only everyone was as understanding as Poppybreeze or caring as Tallflower.
"He's a little rascal. The dirty snake made a mess of my herb store, playing with not moss, but with cob nuts," Tallflower meowed. "He and his posse knocked one too many things over." The tall she-cat shook her head. "Featherfur lets them get away with too many things."
After Tallflower dismissed her, Morningwing padded out of her den, feeling much more prepared to face her Clan. To her surprise, Tinyheart and Ravenclaw weren't glaring at her like she'd expected. They also didn't show any expression of gratitude. Sighing, Morningwing decided that the first step toward getting her life back should be with honesty.
She headed over to where the two rested in the fading sunshine. She felt her Clanmates' skeptical eyes on her, but she ignored them. "Mind if I join you?" she asked either of them. When neither of them replied, she sat down uncomfortably. "I don't mean to disturb you, but I'm sorry and would like to explain myself."
Tinyheart looked up to meet her gaze, curiosity and doubt wavering. "Allow me to ask the question, then. Why didn't you go for backup?"
Morningwing replayed the scene in her head, piecing together how to phrase it. "When you gave the signal, I ran like a mad rabbit. One of the CinderClan warriors must've seen me, because I was being chased." That sparked Ravenclaw's attention. He tentatively met her gaze as well. "He tackled me and I threw him off, barely. That had been enough to catch him off guard, so I was able to lead pursuit again. I didn't want to lead him to camp, so I doubled back to the border." Morningwing realized she would have to lie at this part. She couldn't betray Greenheart in that way. Her honest step had failed. "I fought him off and sent him running back to his own territory. By that time, the hunting patrol had already come."
Ravenclaw's eyes narrowed as he absorbed her words. "I knew there was a warrior missing. I was pretty sure I'd counted five of them mouse-brains."
Tinyheart was more thoughtful about her response. "Thank you, Morningwing." She flicked an ear, letting out a mrrow of amusement. "You realize I'd never thought I'd say those words? Well, you just proved me wrong."
They're not so bad, Morningwing thought, unable to keep herself from releasing a purr. They just need some time for me to melt the frost of hatred.
~.~
When Morningwing ducked into the elders' den to transport her nest to the warriors' den, she found it was gone. "What did Poppybreeze do with my nest?" she asked, prodding Talonfoot awake. Her friend wasn't in the den, either.
"What nest are you talking about?" Talonfoot growled. "I don't know any more than you do, Poppybreeze."
Morningwing bit back a hiss of frustration. Talonfoot's eyesight had begun to decline, as did his hearing. "It's me, Morningwing. I lived in here for many seasons. What did Poppybreeze do with my nest? I need to move it!"
Talonfoot mumbled something indecipherable.
"It's in the warriors' den, dear Morningwing." Poppybreeze's warm voice came from behind her. "I moved it myself: right next to Grayfeather's. She's the one who requested it. Your poor mother has bonds to mend with you."
An icy shiver ran down Morningwing's spine. She didn't want to tell Poppybreeze, but her mother was the last cat she'd rather sleep by. She would prefer Jaypaw over Grayfeather—and that was saying a lot. These days if she slept near Jaypaw, he'd never let her wake up alive. She didn't have the time or patience to melt the frost of his hatred. Some things can never change.
"Thank you, Poppybreeze," she muttered as she padded out of her former den. I still will one day retire here. That fact haunted her. It was one of the many things she recorded as her life's worst moments. Among the collection was the day of "Goldenpelt's" death.
Morningwing's stomach growled, so that decided her next move. She padded over to the gradually size-decreasing fresh-kill pile and selected a vole. Featherfur's kits were out to play, so she made sure to stay well away from them as she ate in peace. From the opposite side of camp as them, she still could hear Prowlkit's frustrated meow as he and Webkit argued about a battle move either Jaypaw—or now more suspiciously, Featherfur—taught them.
Unlike her Clanmates, Morningwing preferred herself as her only company. Having been in the elders' den so long has taught her to rely on herself for entertainment. It was quite a switch from being with "Goldenpelt" every moment she could get to suddenly having lonely, quiet, long days. Now here she was, switching again, but this time for hopefully the last.
In her mind, she sorted out the story she would either die with or have the guts to tell one day. Larkfrost had a couple moons before she was due, so Morningwing still had some time to complete the tale. "Roseheart" and "Goldenpelt's" love would have to wait for now.
Thinking of "Goldenpelt" reminded Morningwing of Greenheart's request. Tonight, she was supposed to meet him by the rocky shore of the Shadow Pool. Morningwing knew little of what he would want to discuss and even less of why he wanted to meet there. It would be much easier to meet up at the border. It had been a while since she'd been around SootClan's territory. The Shadow Pool was near CinderClan's border, but on no-cat's land. Neither Clan wanted to be owners of the Shadow Pool. It was rumored that evil spirits still lingered there. That was exactly where her trust in her brother was pushed to the limit. It could be a trap.
What hurt Morningwing the most about it was that it made her question her loyalty. Should she really put her faith in the cat that put the first blow to her reputation? She was torn between finding out why he wanted to meet and if she should report him to Froststar. The problem being, if she reported him, that would involve revealing their friendly conversation while the battle raged. If she met up with him, it might mean more trouble than to begin with.
Morningwing shook her head. What did she have to lose?
~.~
She had managed a minimum conversation with Tinyheart before drifting toward her new den. Morningwing made sure to move her nest away from Grayfeather's before her mother came in. She planted her nest beside Brightstorm's. At least she didn't cast glares her way or make threats.
As Morningwing curled up in her nest, she quickly shut her eyes as Grayfeather entered, pretending to sleep. She felt her mother's tail brush her shoulder and her breath hot by her ear. "I want to speak with you sometime tomorrow," she whispered. "Please." Grayfeather padded to her own nest.
Morningwing waited for the gentle sound of her mother's breathing. It was then that she got an eerie feeling about what was going to happen later. Greenheart expected her to sneak out of camp all to speak with him at the Shadow Pool on no-cat's land. It was a horrid thought.
"Goldenpelt" suddenly flashed in her memory.
Roseheart's breathing was quick, her pulse just as rapid. She instantly knew something wasn't quite right. Something had happened to Goldenpelt. Her lover was hurt.
She could feel his pain as he did. StarClan gave them that special connection. Something was twisting. It was twisting from the inside. Roseheart yelped as it almost became unbearable for her to carry.
Her long legs brought her instinctively toward where her lover laid.
Roseheart couldn't bring herself to pick up details—there was only the twisting pain. The pain that twisted the consciousness right out of her.
