CHAPTER NINE

"Lionblaze!"

Lionblaze sat, his tail curled around his paws. He had been thinking about the Daylight Gathering. He had been training Seedpaw for her event in the Daylight Gathering, hunting. He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. Tigerheart and Dawnpelt stood over him. "Do you want to go hunting?" Dawnpelt asked. "You know, fake kin to fake kin." she purred.

Tigerheart looked as though Dawnpelt had forced him to go over to Lionblaze to ask to hunt with him.

"What about your apprentices?" Lionblaze asked.

"Sparrowpaw put a few beetles in Mistpaw's nest. And because his mentor doesn't seem to care about discipline anymore, I put him to the lovely task of cleaning the elders den," snorted Dawnpelt. "I would've punished Tigerheart if I could've, but sadly, he's not an apprentice or kit, and I don't have that kind of authority to punish other warriors. But I can report you to Blackstar," she growled the last sentence at her brother. "I do have the power to do that."

"Do it, then," snapped Tigerheart.

"You know what, I thought you could handle a hunting trip with me and your former kin. But obviously, you can't. What's your problem?"

"He killed Russetfur." spat Tigerheart.

"He saved ShadowClan," retorted Dawnpelt. "The whole of ShadowClan. It's thanks to him that we are having this conversation right now."

"It's thanks to Blackstar. He dragged Redwillow off of you and murdered him."

"Fine. It's thanks to him that the cats we know and love are still with us."

"I love no one. I'm done with loving." spat Tigerheart.

Dawnpelt looked at her brother in surprise. "You had a mate? Since when? And when did you meet with her? You never showed any affection for any she-cat when I watched. Who is it?" she fired the questions at her brother.

"Because you never watched," hissed Tigerheart. "First question's answer, yes. Second question's answer, since a few moons after I went on the journey to get the water back. And lastly, I met my mate in secret. At night. At the ShadowClan-ThunderClan border. It's-"

"You like a ThunderClan cat!" gasped Dawnpelt. "You're a double-traitor! For the Dark Forest and ThunderClan! You betrayed ShadowClan in two different ways! Who's the ThunderClan traitor? After I report you to Blackstar, I'll get this traitorous she-cat!"

"You'd really report me?" Tigerheart looked at her in disbelief. "I'm your brother, for StarClan's sake! Besides, I'm done with the Dark Forest, and I'm done with Dovewing!"

Lionblaze and Dawnpelt stared at Tigerheart in disbelief. "Dovewing? She would never betray her Clan like that!" Lionblaze exclaimed, trying not to lose all self-control as Tigerheart accused his former apprentice of betrayal.

Dovewing, who had been playing with the kits with Tawnypelt, pricked her ears. She whispered something in Tawnypelt's ear. She responded, and Dovewing bounded over. "Did someone say my name?" she asked.

All three cats turned to her. "Say it isn't true, Dovewing." Lionblaze growled.

Dovewing frowned. "What?"

"That you betrayed ThunderClan every night to meet with Tigerheart!" gasped Dawnpelt.

Dovewing's expression melted into pure horror. "How could you!" she screeched. She lunged at Tigerheart, claws unsheathed. She pinned him down and batted at his exposed belly.

"Dovewing!" roared Lionblaze. "Get off him!" he grabbed the she-cat's scruff and hauled her off of Tigerheart. The tom sprang to his paws, gasping. He backed up beside Dawnpelt. Pawsteps sounded and Lionblaze saw Blackstar and Rowanclaw bounding over to them. Lionblaze was acutely aware that the whole camp was staring at them. Rowanclaw thrust his kits back behind him, growling at Dovewing, who sat, her expression fixed with a horrified gaze, her scruff still in Lionblaze's jaws.

"Lionblaze, you ought to take your warrior home. I don't know what's acceptable in ThunderClan, but that is not allowed in ShadowClan. We are Clanmates for the day, and as far as I'm concerned, that is not how Clanmates act towards other Clanmates. Take her home. You can come back by yourself, or with another warrior, one who does not think it's okay to attack a fellow Clanmate." Blackstar's tone was icy.

Lionblaze released Dovewing. She let out a sob, then a loud wail. "I'm so sorry!"

"Before you leave, I'd like to know what that was about." snarled Rowanclaw. "Attacking my son, claws unsheathed, with absolutely no warning at all!"

Dovewing let out another wail and sank down to the ground and buried her face in her paws.

Lionblaze glanced down at the lump of fur at his paws, then glared at Rowanclaw. "She's in no state to talk, but Tigerheart can talk for her. He knows what that was about."

Rowanclaw turned to his son. "Is this true?"

Tigerheart looked at his paws. "It is." he mumbled.

"Tell the story, then." Blackstar turned to his warrior.

"Well, you know how I went with Dovewing to save the water from the beavers?" Tigerheart meowed.

Blackstar nodded. "Go on."

"We became friends. But since we're from different Clans, we weren't allowed to see each other. So we met each other in secret, at night. Then we became more than friends. And just recently, Dovewing said we had to stop meeting with each other. And that is also why I've been so grumpy lately."

Blackstar and Rowanclaw stared at him.

"Son, my son... how could you?" Rowanclaw breathed.

"If I didn't have any sense, I would kill you. You've betrayed us twice now, for the Dark Forest and a ThunderClan cat. But I won't. Instead, I will confine you to camp for a moon, and-"

"What about Sparrowpaw?" interrupted Tigerheart. "I'm his mentor. I don't want him to fall behind on his training."

"His new mentor will continue his training. You have proved yourself an irresponsible warrior, and we don't need more cats like you. You won't have another apprentice until I believe you have gained responsibility and sense." Blackstar meowed sternly. "And you won't be going to Gatherings for two moons." He turned to Lionblaze. "You better go."

Lionblaze sighed and nudged Dovewing, who still lay at his paws, whimpering. "Get up," he ordered angrily. Although he wasn't angry at Dovewing, more shocked, he knew that ShadowClan warriors would never let him hear the end of it if he was kind to the cat who had betrayed her Clan.

"Why, Dovewing?" Bramblestar asked. They had made it back to camp, and Dovewing was able to stop wailing and sobbing and whimpering long enough to tell the story.

"Because I loved him." Dovewing meowed hoarsely, before collapsing again.

"Lionblaze, I need you to get Jayfeather and Graystripe." ordered Bramblestar quietly.

Lionblaze found them quickly, and without explaining anything, he led them into Bramblestar's den.

"Jayfeather, Dovewing seems to be in shock. I'd like you to check her over." Bramblestar quickly told them Dovewing's story. Jayfeather nodded and set to work. "Lionblaze, did Blackstar punish Tigerheart in front of you?" asked Bramblestar.

"He did."

"What was his punishment?"

"Tigerheart is confined to camp for a moon, can't go to a Gathering for two moons, and he lost his apprentice. He is no longer a mentor."

"Okay, then." Bramblestar looked thoughtful. "Well, Dovewing doesn't have an apprentice... Graystripe, Silverstream was from RiverClan, and you became her mate. What was your punishment?"

Graystripe seemed to be battling the pain that flickered in and out of his eyes like a minnow. "Silverstream died," he meowed quietly. "Bluestar said that was punishment enough."

"But then again, Bluestar had had a RiverClan mate, too," commented Bramblestar. "And I didn't do that, and this is ShadowClan..."

"The Clan doesn't matter," interrupted Graystripe.

"All right. I'm just listing the facts," pointed out Bramblestar. "Let's see... Dovewing, you will be confined to camp for a quarter moon, and you won't be going to a Gathering for two moons." Dovewing whimpered.

Jayfeather stood up. "Thyme. I'll take her to my den and give her thyme. She seems to be in shock."

"Very well. Lionblaze," he meowed, turning to the golden warrior. "Does Blackstar want you to go back?"

"Yes. And another cat."

"Graystripe, you can go to ShadowClan with him," meowed Bramblestar.

That night, as Lionblaze padded into the ShadowClan warriors den, and lay down in Ferretclaw's nest, who was in ThunderClan, he wished that he was at his home. There was too much going on in ThunderClan. There were new cats in the Clan, he found that out from Dovewing earlier, and her betrayal made him worried. He wanted to help out with everything. For a cat who has the power of the stars in his paws, I can't even help out my Clan.