Chapter Eight:

She stuttered for a moment in shock, "You know my name?"

"I noticed you at the gathering, when you were made a warrior."

"Oh." For a moment she was shocked, and then kind of shy.

"Yeah, anyway. What were you running from?"

"I thought you were a rogue."

He smiled. "Runs two ways, doesn't it?"

She smiled too. "Speaking of running, you are fast!"

He blushed, flicking his tail. "Oh, er, it must come naturally, because I never really noticed it. But for being LakeClan, you're pretty fast!"

Briarshine laughed shyly, resting her tail over her paws. "My brothers always told me that I was fast, but my sister always told me she was faster."

"That's the way it is with siblings, sometimes. My brother just died-he was Gorsefern."

"Oh. I'm really sorry about that."

With a sigh, Kestrelclaw sat down and stared lonely at the sky. "Sometimes I wonder if StarClan is really there. I loved Icelight so much, and she died, and then I was very close to my brother, and he died too. I don't get it."

"You're so strong for staying a good deputy, despite the trouble you have within."

He grimaced in an attempt for a smile. "Thanks. I often wonder if Russetstar made the right choice nowadays, and it's so comforting to hear that."

She looked down at her paws, trying to find the right words. "I really don't understand how you feel, for I have all my siblings, and I've never loved someone in that way."

"Oh." he paused. "I'm surprised. You're a really nice cat."

An owl hooted mournfully, interrupting the stillness of night.

"I'll escort you back to your border," Kestrelclaw meowed after a long pause, "So you won't get attacked."

"Oh, I'm not worried anymore," she said earnestly, "You're helped me calm down."

As they walked back, they began walking closer to each other like she had seen Followriver and Whirlwind, and she felt embarrassed by that notion.

When they reached the border, Kestrelclaw leaned forward and licked her ear. "Maybe sometime we could meet again. It was very nice to have someone to talk to."

"Oh, yes, of course. Tomorrow night?"

"Sure." He touched her nose with his lightly and said, "Travel safely."

She licked his cheek and disappeared into LakeClan brush and shrubs.

"Briarshine, there you are!" exclaimed Tinypaw when she started walked into the clearing before LakeClan camp, "You took a while."

"Sorry. That cat was fast, and I had to confront him and tell him I was lost and running from rogues. What'd you find from Poppyshade?"

Whirlwind mewed, "She said that our mother was mentioned and that we need to find her quickly and talk to her, and Poppy'll arrange a meeting between us and her if we get it right on who our mother is."

"I think that it is Lilyflower." Briarshine set her tail over her paws, and briefly remember when she was talking to Kestrelclaw and had done the same thing.

"Why Lilyflower?" Tinypaw asked.

Rolling her eyes and smiling, Briarshine replied, "She was the only NightClan she-cat mentioned besides Creeklight who had recently got her warrior name."

"Oh, wow. You really payed attention!" exclaimed Echovalley, "We argued and argued about that all the way back!"

"Tinypaw thought it was Blackcloud." Whirlwind smiled at Briarshine.

"Blackcloud-who was that?"

Echovalley meowed, "She was the pretty black one with the strange green eyes next to Brownfang, and Brownfang was sitting next to Lilyflower and Creeklight."

"Oh. And you think I pay attention!"

Her sister grinned. "So when are we going to talk to Poppyshade?"

"Not tonight, we just did. Tomorrow."

"How about the day after tomorrow?" Briarshine mewed quickly, remembering her promised visit to Kestrelclaw.

"Why?" Tinypaw narrowed his eyes.

"I-" her mouth went dry, and she meowed quickly, too quickly, "It works better for me."

"Why?" Tiny said again.

Briarshine tail tip twitched while she fought for an answer. "The...uh, I like to get sleep. You know, I've been awake a lot lately and..."

Scowling, Tinypaw meowed, "Why are you lying to us? We're your siblings."

Briarshine blinked, and stuttered nervously, "Tinypaw, I can't say."

"It's against the warrior code, isn't it!" exclaimed Echovalley.

Aggravated and furious and mortified, Briarshine stalked away, her head hung as she tried to find what to say to her beloved siblings.

"Briarshine, you don't need to worry. We won't tell anybody." Whirlwind's voice pecked at her ears, and she wanted just to cry to him what she was feeling, but she didn't think Tinypaw would understand.

"You wouldn't understand."

"I think we would," Tinypaw replied softly.