AN: Hopefully this turns out okay. Typed this the iPad for the first time /=

Chapter 20

Ashfur was gone. Stormstar made sure that he left the Clan soon after his arrival.

Riverspirit sat by herself like she normally did, but she was watching the nursery for some time now. Ferncloud had refused to leave the nursery since she learned about her brother's betrayal. It was difficult for the queen to understand why he had done everything.

"Ferncloud would you please just eat something?" Dustpelt was begging his mate now, using every method he knew to coax her. "Think about what you're doing to the kits!"

"That's all you care about, isn't it?" Ferncloud spat. Riverspirit leaned forward when more cats peered into the nursery. "You only care about having more kits, you didn't even notice that my brother was here!" Her voice was filled with bitter rage as she turned around to ignore her mate.

Dustpelt was about to say something else when Cedarclaw approached him. Riverspirit looked down at the ground when she watched the medicine cat. They had not spoken to each other since she returned to her Clan duties.

"Give her some time," he whispered. "She's grieving."

The dark brown tabby looked like he was ready to argue when he thought better of it. Riverspirit watched with amusement as he stalked away from the nursery.

Despite every ounce of anger he normally showed, he was so caring towards Ferncloud. Riverspirit wondered where he got that from. He was nothing like that towards other cats.

"We should go hunting," Birchnose announced.

He stood up and flicked his tail towards Skypaw, who nearly leaped to her paws in response. Her blue eyes glowed with excitement as she bounded after her mentor, who was joined by Sootpelt and Honeyleaf.

Riverspirit watched them leave with longing in her own eyes. She wished she could go back to the days when things were actually normal. When she didn't have these wings that always ended up ruining her hunt.

Cedarclaw told me that it's impossible to get rid of them, she thought bitterly. Not unless she wanted to die a very painful death.

A shudder coursed down her spine as she remembered the last time she had been close to death. Stormstar had randomly attacked her, sinking her teeth deep into her shoulders. Riverspirit closed her eyes as she remembered the teeth and pain.

"Are you okay?" Riverspirit nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard Leafheart speak up.

She turned to see the pale ginger she-cat looking at her worriedly.

"I'm fine," she snapped. "Like you would care."

Her tail lashed as she remembered the way she had treated Leafheart earlier. Leafheart's eyes narrowed as she glared at Riverspirit.

"You know, I was only trying to help!" she spat. "Maybe now I know that you truly are a mousebrain who cares only about yourself!"

Riverspirit watched with sorrow as she watched her former friend storm off. Leafheart had been her only friend. Now she had no one.

Without warning she flared her wings and flew to the highest branch she could reach, ignoring the startled cats below. After everything she had been through, she deserved to be alone.

The Clan thought she was useless now because of her wings. They thought she was some kind of freak who stood out in a crowd. Stormstar even refused to let her go to Gatherings because she was afraid of what the other Clans would think.

"Don't let them get to you." Riverspirit closed her eyes once more when she landed on a nearby branch.

That was what Cedarclaw had told her when the Clan first saw her wings.

"I know that I'm not like the others... StarClan, what do you want me to do?" she asked when she looked up at the clear sky.

Leaffall was coming. She could already feel the change in temperature. Leaves were beginning to fall from the branches as a cool breeze picked up.

Riverspirit shook her head and jumped down from branch to branch until she landed on the ground. She let out a startled yelp when she nearly landed on Leafheart. The pale ginger she-cat's green eyes narrowed when she shook Riverspirit off.

"I thought you wanted to be alone!" Leafheart snarled.

"Leafheart, I'm sorry about the way I treated you," Riverspirit sighed. She looked away when Leafheart scoffed in disbelief. "I know that you were trying to help. And it was wrong of me to turn down your offer. I'm sorry."

Surprise gleamed within Leafheart's eyes. She finally looked Riverspirit in the eyes and let her fur lay flat.

"You really mean it, don't you?" she whispered. Riverspirit nodded as faintly as she could so that Leafheart would understand.

Leafheart suddenly purred when she realized that Riverspirit was telling the truth. Hope flared within Riverspirit's chest. Finally an understanding had been made between them.

"You're a good friend, Leafheart," Riverspirit meowed. "And I would have never gotten through this without you."

"I'm glad," Leafheart purred. "I don't enjoy fighting you." Riverspirit nodded and flicked her tail as she thought of what to say next. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay long," Leafheart added. "I have to join a hunting patrol nearby."

Riverspirit blinked in surprise when the pale ginger she-cat stalked off into the undergrowth. She opened her jaws to taste the air and picked up the scent of ShadowClan.

Why is she going towards the ShadowClan border? she wondered.

Riverspirit simply shook her head and tried not to think about it. There were some things if life she wasn't meant to know.