Chapter 3
A dark gray figure stood in front of Nightcloud's makeshift den, his lips curled into a snarl and blue eyes burning with rage as he stared at the she-cat trying to get out from under the bramble bush.
"How's the prisoner?" he spat, lashing his tail furiously.
The she-cat's eyes flickered quickly around her new den. The bush was only a few fox-lengths away from the entrance to WindClan's camp, but Nightcloud had been confined the bush for the past half-moon, and Onestar still refused to respect the she-cat's right to keep the father of her unborn kits a secret. "I just want to go hunting," the black cat meowed quietly, staring down at the sandy dirt ground.
Crowfeather snorted. "You deserve to go hungry. I can't believe Onestar and Harespring allow you to leave this den at all."
"And I can't believe they made you guard me," Nightcloud retorted. "At least they allow me to hunt- I just cannot go into the camp."
"If I had my way I'd have banished you from our territory forever," the tom growled. "You shouldn't be welcomed here at all."
The she-cat's eyes flashed with indignation. "Why is that? A she-cat expecting kits is a crime now?"
The dark gray tom thrust his face into Nightcloud's. "They aren't my kits," he snarled. "You have another mate, and he certainly isn't any WindClan cat. You broke the warrior code."
"I did not!" Nightcloud cried. "The father is a WindClan cat! Besides, you had kits with Leafpool. Onestar didn't banish you then."
"Onestar's weak," Crowfeather hissed. "And anyway, I convinced him that I was over Leafpool. I fell in love with a WindClan cat, remember?"
"You were never in love with me," the black she-cat growled. "You used me. You used our son. That's not love. You needed to regain your reputation, and Breezepelt and I had to suffer because of it."
The tom stepped back, his eyes widening at Nightcloud's words. "You are right- I never loved you. It was always a trick. You were so easy to manipulate- nothing but a poor she-cat who'd always wanted kits and was willing to fall in love with anyone! And then you gave birth to that…thing and thought I'd love you then! Breezepelt and you mean nothing to me. You've never meant anything to me. Leafpool is the only one I've ever truly loved, and is the only I will ever love."
"Then leave me alone!" Nightcloud begged. "I promise I'll never tell Onestar you still love her! I'll never tell anyone that you tricked me. Just leave me alone!"
"Oh, I know you'll never tell anyone," Crowfeather meowed, suddenly calm. His fur began to lie flat on his back and the fire in his eyes died down. "I believe you."
"Thank you!" the she-cat mewed, a wave of relief flooding over her.
The dark gray warrior continued. "I know you won't tell anyone because you won't be able to speak when I'm done with you."
Nightcloud's eyes widened with horror as Crowfeather unsheathed his claws, glaring at her threateningly. "What…what are you going to do?" she asked, swallowing nervously.
"Getting rid of you forever," the tom snarled, crouching low to the ground.
The she-cat, suddenly realizing her mate meant to kill her, turned to her right and began running as fast as she could, dodging around the tom as she sped off. Crowfeather leaped to his paws, racing after her madly. Nightcloud tore across the sandy ground, her paws barely skimming the dust that covered the moorland. Blinded by fear, she had no idea where she was heading. Blazing through tall, weedy yellow grass the she-cat sent a silent prayer to StarClan, hoping they were guiding her to a different Clan's border. Surely RiverClan or ThunderClan's border would save her from Crowfeather's rage.
The tom was keeping up with Nightcloud, crashing through the moor with thundering paws. The she-cat began tiring, her paws suddenly feeling much heavier and her breath became labored. The black cat was nearing the time her kits were due, and running this fast proved too much for the very pregnant she-cat. Crowfeather was gaining on her, and Nightcloud realized that soon he'd reach her and then she'd be done. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pressed forth, urging her paws not to give up.
Opening her eyes a moment later, the she-cat saw the stream that created the border with ThunderClan. Taking a glance back toward Crowfeather, Nightcloud wondered if he was so determined to kill her that he'd trespass on enemy territory. The black she-cat knew it was her only chance of survival. As she reached the edge of the stream, Nightcloud took a deep breath and leaped to the other side and landed on the soft green grass of the ThunderClan territory.
Hearing a splash behind her, Nightcloud turned around and saw that Crowfeather had fallen into the chilly water. The tom writhed around in the stream for a moment before hauling himself back onto the shore- and to Nightcloud's relief- it was on the WindClan side.
"You think you're safe just because you aren't on WindClan territory anymore?" Crowfeather asked, shaking his pelt furiously.
"Are you going to cross the stream?" Nightcloud asked nervously, knowing she'd never be able to muster the strength to run any more.
The tom shook his head angrily. "No. I won't cross the border. I don't break the warrior code, unlike some cats."
The she-cat sighed with relief. "I only crossed the border because you were trying to kill me."
"Whatever," Crowfeather muttered, his tail flicking with annoyance. "You may think you're safe, but ThunderClan won't take kindly to an enemy WindClan warrior on their territory."
Nightcloud turned away from the angry tom. "But I'm safer here than I've been in WindClan in a long time…"
Not looking back at Crowfeather, the she-cat began to pad toward the tree line that formed the forest that ThunderClan loved so much. She pushed her way through the thick undergrowth, wondering if she should try and find their camp or head toward the hills beyond the Clan territories. Would she really be safe on ThunderClan land? Surely they wouldn't hurt an expecting she-cat who was in no place to fight. Maybe they would be merciful. And would living as a rogue be a good idea for a she-cat who would soon have kits? Nightcloud wasn't sure if she'd be able to provide for herself and her kits on her own. Clans provided support and queens were taken care of; rogues had no one, and leaf-bare would reach the lake territory before long.
Before Nightcloud could make up her mind, a sharp pain twisted in her belly. Fearing the strain of running had hurt her kits, the queen stopped walking and flopped down on the grassy forest floor. Hoping she'd only need a short rest, the she-cat felt another wave of pain pulse through her body. Her black pelt shook as she writhed uncomfortably on the ground, the pain being almost unbearable. Horror filled Nightcloud's mind as she realized what was happening. She was about to give birth on enemy territory.
