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Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, Hollyleaf wouldn't be dead, Leafpool and Crowfeather would never have met, and Firestar would've chosen Sandstorm first.
Moonfrost's claws dug into the soft earth as she sprinted with all her might towards her camp. The sun was just beginning to break above the horizon, sending ruby streaks spilling down the pale new-leaf sky. Driftflower's scent was growing stale; she pushed herself even faster in a desperate attempt to catch up with the cat she once thought was her littermate.
She slowed as the gorse barrier loomed into view. The cream-and-silver she-cat's scent still clung to the thorns. Apprehension brewing in her belly, she ducked through the tunnel.
Her Clanmates were gathered around the Skystone. Breezestar was standing above his Clan, tail lashing and teeth bared, glaring in her direction. "Well, well, well," he mewed softly, his voice icy venom. "What have we here?"
"Like you don't know," Moonfrost replied, meeting her father's gaze squarely.
She scanned the crowd for Driftflower. There she stood, between Stingfang and Sheeppaw, her ears flat against her skull and eyes blazing with sapphire flame. "Driftflower, how could you?" Moonfrost whispered, surprised her voice worked at all.
"How could I?" Driftflower exclaimed, leaping to her paws. "You've changed, Moonfrost, and now I know why. I feel like I don't even know you anymore! The old Moonfrost never would've done anything like this!"
"If that's what you think, then you don't know me at all!"
"Enough!" Breezestar's sharp voice broke the tension. He leaped down and stalked across camp towards her, hackles bristling. The crowd parted to let him pass, every eye glaring hate at her. "Moonfrost, you have broken the warrior code by falling in love with a cat outside our Clan, outside any Clan. What have you to say for yourself?"
"I'm hardly the first," she replied evenly, chin held high. "You should know that better than any cat, father."
Whispers erupted around the camp. "What's she talking about?" "Is she mad?" "She's just trying to draw attention away from herself." Nothing more than can be expected from a traitor."
Breezestar's eyes darkened a shade. "You wouldn't," he growled under his breath.
"Try me," she breathed. "That's right!" she yowled so her entire Clan could hear. "Your beloved leader has lied to you for seasons! Before Breezestar took Heathertail as his mate, he had another mate, a ThunderClan warrior!"
Outraged yowls. "Liar!" "Traitor!" "How dare you say such things?"
As for Breezestar, he simply stood there, his gaze carefully guarded. "Mew away," he told her softly. "It won't change a thing."
She glowered at him. "That's right, a ThunderClan warrior!" she yowled. "And she was none other than Hollystar, leader of ThunderClan! She's my mother, and Eagletalon's, too. Breezepelt lied, to me, to my brother, to his mate, to WindClan! He's the one who should be punished! You're no better than a mange-pelt rouge," she hissed at him.
She searched for Driftflower again. The cream-and-silver she-cat's eyes were wide with horror. "You mean," she meowed, her voice wavering, "you're not my sister?"
Moonfrost looked away. "No," she admitted softly. "I'm sorry, Driftflower."
"Well, I don't believe it!" The cry came from Nightcloud. The elderly black she-cat was on her paws, glaring venom at Moonfrost. "My son would never do any such thing."
"Believe it, mother," Breezestar sighed. "It's true. But," he added, raising his voice amid the shocked gasps, "let it be known that Hollystar and I have not met since the night she gave up her kits. She means no more to me now than any other enemy warrior. As for you," he added to Moonfrost, "from this moment you are no longer a WindClan warrior. Leave our camp now, and if my patrols find you on our territory after sunset today, you will be treated as any enemy. Now," he spat, "get out of my sight."
"B-But you can't do that," Moonfrost stammered. "Father, please—"
Breezestar cut her off. "Oh, Father, now, am I? I thought I was a mange-pelt rouge."
Moonfrost opened her mouth to reply, but shut it again almost immediately. She glared at him, digging her claws into the soft earth. "Fine," she snarled. "I'll leave. You're a hypocrite, you know that?" she shot straight at him, and he didn't flinch. "It's your loss."
She turned her back on her family, her friends, her Clanmates, her life, and sprinted out the barrier.
She didn't look back.