A.N: Hey everyone! I decided to do this chapter in Thorntail's POV; it might be interesting to hear his thoughts after his discovery! I hope you enjoy, R&R!
Thorntail's POV
I ran, my vision blurred by tears, taking no notice of the many thorns and burs that snagged on my fur as I fled wildly through the trees. My mind was a hazy fog of disbelief as I slowed to a stop in a clearing, panting and huffing. Thistlestorm…my father! I couldn't believe that my own mother would keep such a huge secret from me. Every cat knew Thistlestorm. The story about his betrayal and how he had framed Icestar had spread like wildfire, despite some efforts to keep it hushed. After it got out, Thistlestorm became a hated name. We valued loyalty and courage, and Thistlestorm had showed neither in his actions. Never would I have thought…I shook my head furiously. This was big. I was his son, I had the right to know!
And Flamepelt…he was my friend. I kept telling myself that he had wanted to tell me, I had heard him try to convince my mother with my own ears. But a small, annoying voice kept nagging me. He had tried, but obviously not hard enough to convince my mother. Why should he? He had a kittypet mother, and even though he never saw her anymore, Icestar was like an older brother to him. That was better than nothing. He didn't have to bear never knowing whose son he was. He had never spent sleepless nights praying that Starclan could let him meet his father, at long last. I had even confessed some of these longings to Flamepelt. He knew how I felt, and he still couldn't tell me? If I were him, I would do what I could to ease my pain.
I felt familiar tears prick my eyes. I had saved Flamepelt's life – I had risked myself to save my friend, and he was still too cowardly to tell me who my…father…was!
I could faintly hear my mother running after me, calling my name. I faltered at the sound of her distress. Then my mind snapped back to my father and my eyes narrowed again in anger. Why should I stay loyal and trusting to these cats who had lied to me, who hadn't bothered to tell me my own father? Flamepelt was my friend, but he didn't care enough to help me, to tell me. Lynxfoot…my mother. She loved me, I knew that. Just thinking of her warm scent brought waves of sadness back. But she hadn't told me, she didn't think that I could handle it. I'll show her, show her that I wasn't some ignorant kit who had to hide behind his mother from scary news. Icestar…he knew, too! I wasn't stupid, I had seen those looks he shot me when he thought I wasn't looking. He mistrusted me…every cat who knew must have mistrusted me because of who I am!
I had no reason to stay. Flamepelt had figured it out, Icestar as well. How long would it be before the whole clan knew? And once they knew, they would stray from me. Subconsciously, maybe, but they would realize they wouldn't trust me, wouldn't treat me the same as before. Ever again. Not of anything I've done, but because of what my father did. And I'd be alone…indeed, why should I stay to face that fate when there were other cats, Shadowclan cats who had known my father and worked with him? They would accept me, they wouldn't shun the son of a cat they had worked with themselves. I hardened. I would go to them. I would follow in my father's footsteps and make Thunderclan pay for ever doubting Thistlestorm's son!