CHAPTER 11

The claw-shaped moon hung over the frozen river, a remarkable sight. Spottedpaw swore all of Silverpelt was reflected in the depths of the ice.

"Rainpaw!" she hissed, padding closer. Her paws hurt from the bitter cold, and her breath came out in clouds. She was grumpy, and Rainpaw noticed after he walked across the ice.

"What's the matter?" he asked curiously, tilting his dark tabby head.

"It's so cold!" Spottedpaw grumbled. She shook, trying to rid herself of the cold. "Are you going to the Gathering?"

Rainpaw shrugged. "How would I know? It's not even half-moon yet!"

"True."

The two apprentices had been meeting for almost a full moon. She loved spending time with her friend, but little sleep was taking its toll on her. She let out a huge yawn, and watched as the cloud in front of her dispersed.

Rainpaw narrowed his icy blue eyes. "You need your sleep."

"So do you!" Spottedpaw retorted.

Rainpaw nodded, and reached out to brush his muzzle against hers, like a Clanmate. "Meet me half-moon."

"Agreed." Spottedpaw yawned once again, then turned and headed back to camp.

o.o.o

Spottedpaw lay in the leaf-bare sun, too cold to complain about the little warmth it brought. She lay stretched out on her belly, eyes half-closed. She shot up when Spruceclaw burst into the thorny bramble entrance, yowling "BrookClan!"

"Where?" Hailstar was sunning on a rock, but had sat up, instantly alert.

"It's not a battle patrol." Rainheart padded into camp calmly. "Just one or two cats. Bramblepelt is escorting them."

Sure enough, the tabby warrior led two cats inside the camp; Minnowstar and Ripplepelt.

Runningkit wrinkled his nose from near the nursery. "What's that stink?"

"BrookClan!" Rosekit squeaked, and the fluffy kits toddled up to the rival Clan's warriors.

"Whoa!" Runningkit mewed.

Minnowstar's whiskers twitched with amusement, but she had a serious, if not angry, look in her blue eyes. She dipped her head. "Hailstar."

"Minnowstar." Hailstar meowed coolly.

"May we speak in your den? Ripplepelt, you can stay here if Hailstar wishes."

"He's fine." Hailstar said, cutting Ripplepelt short of speaking. He led the way into his den.

Spottedpaw was curious of what was so important that Minnowstar had to speak to Hailstar in private. Surely she hadn't seen her and Rainpaw playing by the river?

The Clan waited, breathless, until the cats returned. Minnowstar walked out of the cave with bright eyes, and sat at the foot of the Mossledge, while Hailstar walked stiffly up to it and leaped to the top. He had a grim look on his face, and Spottedpaw exchanged glances with Cherrylight, who had made her way to sit beside her.

"As we know, a few seasons ago one of our best warriors disappeared." he began hoarsely. "We assumed Smoketail died in the forest, giving birth to her kits with no medicine cat to help. But where was their father?"

Confused murmurs spread through the Clan.

Then Ivytail spoke up. "She never mentioned the father. She seemed embarrassed of him, like we'd tease her." the old she-cat shook her head slowly.

"That's because the father was a BrookClan tom." Hailstar said. Yowls of disbelief filled the clearing, and Hailstar called for silence. "She thought we'd exile her if we found out, so she ran away."

"How do you know, and why would we believe another Clan's cats?" Greyfoot grunted.

"Believe you me, I don't like this, either." Minnowstar mewed.

"And those cats weren't the only ones keeping secrets." Hailstar's voice became bitter. " The same night Smoketail ran away, Russet-tail had her kits, but neither made it." Hailstar stared at the she-cat.

Spottedpaw followed his gaze. She and her brother were well, and alive. "So Blackfoot found these two kits in the forest. He brought these kits to a grieving Russet-tail, who still hadn't told Swiftfoot about her loss. Minnowstar wants these kits back, now that she knows the truth."

Spottedpaw felt disbelief, pain, and confusion at her leader's words. She was a half-Clan cat. She let the feeling sink in, frozen to the ground. She didn't even notice Cherrylight pressing against her.

"We will fight for them!" Minnowstar called over the outraged StormClan cats.

Spottedpaw looked over to Swiftfoot. Her foster father was rigid, fur bristling, and his eyes held unreadable emotions.

"No!" Cloudspot yowled.

"They belong with their mother's Clan!" Lightspring growled.

"Their mother is dead!" Ripplepelt retorted.

Spruceclaw stalked up to him, his muscles rippling under his tabby pelt. "So is their father!"

The two toms stood facing each other, lips curled, eyes bright with fury, and fur fluffed out.

"No!" Icepaw yowled. He stood up, and made his way to the Mossledge. "This is pointless!"

Spottedpaw stood up, trembling. "He's right. I don't want any bloodshed." she stepped up to her brother. "I'll go."

"Me too," Icepaw agreed.

Swiftfoot bounded up to them. "No!" he turned to the cats, fur fluffed out. "You'll just let them take them like this?"

"Swiftfoot..." Russet-tail walked slowly up to him, eyes clouded.

"No! You lied to us! You are a Clan traitor!" Swiftfoot snarled, and Spottedpaw shrank back. She looked at Icepaw, expecting reassurance, but in his eyes was cold fury.

'"Now that's not true!" Hailstar grunted. By now, all the cats had fallen silent, even Spruceclaw and Ripplepelt, although their fur was still standing.

"You two don't have to do this," Dewpelt mewed. Russet-tail backed away as her brother stepped up to them, looking at Icepaw.

Icepaw slowly shook his head. "It's for the best."

"Then, by the name of StarClan, I pray we never meet in battle." Dewpelt brushed his cheek against his apprentice's, then backed up to sit down.

Spottedpaw said the rest of her goodbyes in a few short moments. She walked up to Russet-tail, whose head was ducked. Her mother looked up as she approached. "You hate me, too, don't you?"

Spottedpaw shook her head. "I love you. You raised us," she purred, licking her forehead.

Russet-tail stared at Icepaw.

"He'll forgive you," Spottedpaw mewed.

"Are we ready?" Ripplepelt called impatiently.

Spottedpaw nudged Russet-tail once more. "I'll see you soon."

She caught up with her brother, and followed Minnowstar out of camp, leaving her former home forever.