Chapter 2
"All cats old enough to run in the sunlight gather beneath the highbranch for a Clan meeting!"
Mistyshine was surprised how quickly cats of all ages swarmed to the rock. He noticed how Wind Feather was swelling with kits, Whispering Sky beside her with a proud look on his face. For an instant, jealousy bubbled up inside the tom. Then, as soon as it came, it was gone.
"A patrol scented fox near the tunnels." Ripplestar reported. "They're stale, so we're not sure if they're left there from the battle or not."
Of course they're from the battle, Mistyshine thought, rolling his eyes, that was only a moon ago.
"Be cautious." The SunClan leader warned. "If the foxes are still there, we'll have to prepare for a fight."
"A patrol?" Some cat called. "The deputy abandoned us!"
Murmurs of agreement followed the statement. Ripplestar silenced the crowd, however, with a flick of his tail. "Stormstrike needs space! He's-" Ripplestar stopped, his one eyes darting to Mistyshine, who gave a snort, "he's grieving."
"For who?" Hail Storm asked.
"For Hazecloud!" Ripplestar was yelling. "And he thinks Mistyshine is dead, for StarClan's sake!"
At least ten pairs of eyes turned in Mistyshine's direction. He sank in his fur, praying he could melt into the stone beneath his paws and never come back.
"This flea-bag should reveal himself." Hail Storm hissed, turning to Mistyshine. "Did you do that on purpose? You pretended to be dead so you could get back at your brother at a later date?"
"That's enough." Night Whisper yowled. "Mistyshine is your Clanmate, no matter what."
"Then why did he keep the name ScarClan gave him?" Tumbling Wind's words stung the warrior more than his leg did. "Are you trying to hide who you are, Misty Frost?"
"I said, that's enough!" Night Whisper stood in front of his apprentice, anger bright in his orange eyes. "Is this how a medicine cat is supposed to treat her Clanmates? As a medicine cat you should help cats in need, not accuse others of treachery!"
Tumbling Wind dipped her head to her mentor. "Sorry."
"You should be."
Mistyshine caught Ripplestar's eye. You were supposed to be my father, but you do nothing to defend me. As if the leader could hear his thoughts, he turned away. Typical Ripplestar.
"You do have a point, though." The gray tom announced from highbranch. "Stormstrike told me before he left that he'd be gone for many moons. We need a temporary deputy."
The angry bog seemed to lift as Ripplestar made the announcement. "I say these words before StarClan, so they may hear and approve of my choice." There was a long pause. Ripplestar was scanning the crowd with his mouth half open. Then he spoke. "Mistyshine will be the deputy of SunClan."
What?
The only sound was the whoosh of the wind as everyone slowly turned towards the rogue-born cat. "Mistyshine has a place in this Clan. Maybe being deputy is it."
"If Mistyshine becomes leader, it will just give the Mountain Hawks permission to overthrow us." It was Hail Storm again.
"Don't you know about Firestar?" Ripplestar meowed. "The ancient leader of ThunderClan? He was born a kittypet, but he was one of the greatest leader the Clans had ever seen."
"ThunderClan had no quarrel with kittypets." Tumbling Wind pointed out. "The Mountain Hawks are our worst enemies."
"I'll chew off my own tail off before I take orders from him." Hail Storm whispered to the cat next to him, but the sound still hit Mistyshine's ears.
"Then why don't you?" Mistyshine growled. "Chew your tail off, because you'll be taking orders whether you like it or not."
"Clan dismissed." Either Ripplestar didn't hear the retort, or he was trying hard to ignore it. "I expect only respect for the deputy."
Mistyshine made his way over to the SunClan leader. "Why?" He asked.
Ripplestar looked up. "You are my son, are you not?"
"I…" Mistyshine held his jaws open. "I'm not."
"You weren't at Hazecloud vigil, right?" He was glad the gray tom changed the subject. "Why don't you go to her right now?"
Mistyshine dipped his head. "Thank you."
