I pumped this one out fast. If you haven't reviewed the chapter previous this one, you should do that too... I kind of like my twenty-reviews-per-chapter-average. I'm sorry... -looks down at paws in shame- I like reviews too much...
I felt guilty about the poor quality of the chapter before this, so I'm putting this one up... It isn't written THAT well, but I think it's a little better. I had a lot of fun writing it! -nods- But...no, I don't expect you to care about Gingerpaw as you see what happens to her in this chapter. I just had to make that scene to give the information...
xX-Secrets-Xs - I'm embarassed that you read that last chapter. -shifts uncomfortably- I'm sad now... But anyways, I did miss your reviews! I'm glad you're back! Oh, and yes, I have a name for Ebonypaw's kit(s?)
Silversnow of EveClan - RUSHED! That's the word. You're right. It took me so long to get the last chapter out because I didn't WANT to write the Ebonypaw and Rosethorn scene...so I guess I rushed through it. -pouts- But I'm glad you still liked it!
Greenpool-Gylfie's Loyalty - Being on at midnight is ALWAYS a good thing. -nods-
Watersoul - Impatience is good! lol. No, it's bad. But I think you'll like this chapter...
Flamepelt's Wrath- I was rushed. Thunderstorms...blah, blah blah. Seriously, the power might've gone out, and I wanted to get the chapter up as fast as I could...so I just put it up with the review replies I already had. -huggles- I love long reviews!
Steeltalon - Yes, check out the rewrite that has NO rewritten chapters in it. :-) xD I haven't been working on it. I've been putting it off... -shifty eyes-
lmblovesmilk - -huggles back. again- You better head to WindClan with that torch...
Swanfeather - Thorntail has a crush on Tawnyleaf, yes. But if you read into it, he also has/had a crush on Timidstar, Streamstar, and a bunch of other cats. Randomly I'd describe him looking at a she-cat and his thoughts on her beauty, but...nobody really pays attention to them because it's a fanfic, for one thing, and at the time Thorntail and Rosethorn were still a 'couple'.
Squirrelflightlover- You're starting to become an average reviewer, aren't you? YAY! -gives welcoming gift basket- Anyways, every single one of those questions will soon be answered...soon...
Daklotles85- Actually, I was worried you'd hate me because of how I yelled at you. MEEP! All well. I'm just glad all is well now...
Strangefur- You didn't review yet, but when you do, you'll get this reply. Oh, and...if you like...you could leave two reviews - one for each chapter, just to make me happy!
In fact, everyone can do what I told Strangefur...
Anyways, more of my rant about the chapter...it's a Gathering. I think I rushed the ending a bit...And I hope you all understand the conflict in WindClan that Ravenfeather describes. I'm not confident about that...but...meh. Anyways, this chapter gives lots of info, and I think the next few chapters until the end will be nice, easy, and exciting. YAY! Oh, and I also made a shameless nod to one of my favorite authors, V.C Andrews in this chapter by sneaking in something special. Probably nobody will figure it out, but I thought I should give Andrews credit where it is due. -nods- Anyways,
Enjoy,
The distant silver moon slowly rose high into the sky, shedding its warm silver light on the otherwise-darkness-covered hollow beneath it, igniting FourTrees as a flame as white as snow.
Rosethorn stared up at the full moon, the shimmering orb being reflected in her own azure eyes. The ThunderClan medicine cat felt the scents of air and water rise up from the hollow of FourTrees, and she knew instantly that WindClan and RiverClan had already arrived for the Gathering. Her ears twitched as she heard the soft murmur of the other two rival Clans rumbling about like a slow-moving monster on the Thunderpath.
The scarlet-pelted she-cat's gaze strayed away from the moon above her, and she glanced curiously at her Clanmates of ThunderClan, who were standing right beside her, waiting, just as she was, for their leader to give them the signal to enter FourTrees and join the Gathering. Badgerclaw and Twilightfur were arguing in soft tones about some matter or another that had to do with leaves and their being tawny-colored, but other then that, the whole of ThunderClan was silent as they awaited for Streamstar's order.
Gingerpaw, now the only warrior apprentice of the Clan – unless one counted Ebonypaw - was shuffling her paws excitedly in the earth, sending clouds of dust wafting into the air. But that did little harm – the dust blew off to settle into some other area almost instantly. Though, Rosethorn saw Shrewtail, Gingerpaw's mentor, give his apprentice a stern glance for making such a mess.
Rosethorn knew that her Clan was starting to get restless for Streamstar's order – but the white leader was calmly discussing some matter with her deputy, Sandpelt. Rosethorn glanced around some more, feeling somewhat lonely as her entire Clan all seemed to have found another partner to talk about their impatience for the Gathering – except her. Applefur hadn't been chosen to come, and Blackshadow, along with his former apprentice Morninglight, seemed to be more interested in the sun-colored monarch butterfly that was fluttering around their muzzles. And Ebonypaw, having fallen from grace in her change of class, had also been left behind. Rosethorn's only joy at being at the Gathering was that Flamesoul had stayed behind as well, to take care of Icepelt who still needed looking after.
Rosethorn shook herself. Why did that make her happy? She wasn't an apprentice anymore, and in more ways then one, Flamesoul seemed to have redeemed his past actions of when he was her mentor by saving both Baykit and Icepelt's lives...
She dug her claws into the earth, and tried to fight all the recollections of when she had carried the name 'Rosepaw'. But as hard as she rebelled, she couldn't help but seeing the ferns that were blowing in the breeze a few tail-lengths away parting to reveal huge flame-colored paws that belonged to an even larger tomcat with cruel, cruel emerald eyes that burned into her own as...
Finally, Streamstar lifted her ivory-colored tail into the air, and kinked it in the silent order for her Clan to enter the hollow.
Rosethorn slowly worked her paws on the edge of FourTrees, picking her way down to the center of the hollow. Almost instantly, the cats of ThunderClan dispersed to meet their friends, acquaintances, and yes, even enemies, from the rival Clans.
Rosethorn herself didn't go to any particular group – though she did see Blueherb, RiverClan's medicine cat, beckon for her. Truth be told, Rosethorn had almost padded over to greet the cat that had been her true mentor, and had taught her more than any cat.
But as Rosethorn began to near the sky-colored she-cat, she caught sight of the moon. It seemed even large that night, much larger than normal. It seemed to be feeding off of the light of all the other stars of Silverpelt, and igniting the same light from itself...but by tenfold.
To Rosethorn, that shining orb above her head seemed to be like an eye. The eye of StarClan, glaring down at her.
Then she focused her gaze in such a way, and saw as well as the moon all the stars of Silverpelt. More eyes...more eyes. She could almost hear them yowling at her: Impure! Impure! You aren't worthy to be in our Blueherb's presence!
For yes, Blueherb was StarClan's. She was pure in every way, and had not taken a mate – and never would. Though, some cats used a metaphor in saying that medicine cats did have a mate. And their mate was StarClan. A disgusting subject if one thought about it too deeply, but if one just brushed the surface, the concept was beautiful.
But Rosethorn couldn't say the same. If one went by the same "beautiful" concept, she was Flamesoul's. And she was impure in every way – she had a mate in Flamesoul, as twisted as it was, and she had been, and still was, in love with Thorntail.
Rosethorn felt her eyes round in horror as she felt a tail tip lay on her shoulder. She leapt into the air, just holding in a yowl of terror...when her blue eyes met Blackshadow's amber.
"Are you okay, Rosethorn?" her friend asked, cocking his head to one side. "You were staring at the sky for an awful long time..."
"I'm...I'm fine." Rosethorn mewed briskly. "I was just going to meet Blue..." she turned to where the RiverClan medicine cat had been seated, but she was already gone. "I was just going to meet... nobody..."
"That's always fun, I guess." Blackshadow meowed thoughtfully. "Well...um... I should probably go now. I have to dig for information..."
"Information? On what? Why?"
Blackshadow shifted uncomfortably, and seemed to glance around as if looking for a way out, before he meowed, "Applefur sent me to hunt for some facts on... Great StarClan, what are you doing here?!" The ebony-furred ThunderClan warrior was staring at something over her shoulder, so she tossed a glance behind her.
At first, she couldn't see what had Blackshadow so surprised. She saw a golden-brown she-cat with RiverClan scent speaking to Rabbitfur of WindClan, Twilightfur and Gingerpaw arguing over some sisterly matter, and some newly-arrived ShadowClan cats – namely Ravenfeather and Foxheart – calmly speaking to the RiverClan deputy about the tastiest bit of prey. Those were all normal Gathering events, so what was Blackshadow so worried about?
Then Rosethorn saw it. No, it wasn't an it. Him. Standing right beside the golden-brown RiverClan she-cat. She recognized his broad shoulders, stone-gray fur, and piercing sapphire eyes in an instant.
Thorntail.
For the moment, the RiverClan warrior seemed focused on whatever conversation he and his gold companion were having with Rabbitfur, and hadn't noticed Rosethorn. Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder why – her heart was beating so loud that surely every cat in the hollow would be able to hear it and pinpoint who it belonged to...
She looked at him in awe, her pelt prickling, and she momentarily forgot all of her misgivings about her purity earlier, and his leaving her at the mercy of Flamesoul. She just felt a warm feeling of pleasant surprise, and a tingling in her paws to go over and greet him. He had just rejoined RiverClan's ranks the other day...why was he already coming to Gatherings?
Suddenly, his ears pricked, and Rosethorn guessed that he had heard Blackshadow's cry, because he slowly began to pick his way towards them. Rosethorn stared hopefully at him against all of her common sense. Had he come to fix the gap that had come between them? Had he come to speak to her? Had he come to...
Her hopes were dashed, and quickly morphed into shock and horror, as she noticed that the golden RiverClan cat was following him.
Applefur's words from earlier rang in her mind. He will pad after some RiverClan she-cat, and she will take the place in his heart that should belong to you! She will be the cat he fights for! She will be the cat he loves! Not you!
Rosethorn stared at Thorntail's new mate, and tried hard to fight the envy that clung to her fur like moss on a tree. Thorntail had gotten himself a new mate...and a prettier one too! His mate had slim shoulders, and fur that was the color of a LionClan warrior's pelt. She had the most gorgeous leaf-green eyes that Rosethorn had ever seen in her life, and she seemed to press each of her paws down on the earth ever so neatly and majestically as she walked that she almost seemed to float.
"Hiya, Blackshadow!" Thorntail's rumbling voice knocked Rosethorn from her thoughts. She looked up at him, hoping that he would acknowledge her, but his focus was clearly all on his old friend.
"Hello, Thorntail..." Blackshadow murmured, touching Thorntail's shoulder with his tail tip. "Duststar invited you to the Gathering...already?"
"Oh, yeah, he did." Thorntail nodded vigorously, before his gaze darkened. "Just... don't tell him I'm here..."
At this, his she-companion purred with amusement, and Rosethorn stared at her helplessly. She disliked the tawny-colored she-cat already, but even so, she knew it was better for Thorntail to be with her instead of an impure medicine cat...
"By the way," Thorntail mused lightly tapping the earth with his tail, "according to Rabbitfur of WindClan, Streamstar is dead. When did this happen?"
Rosethorn stared at Thorntail in confusion. What did he mean by that? Then she remembered. Ebonypaw had conjured up that lie when they had gone to meet Silverleaf in WindClan. That seemed so long ago now... so long ago. That had happened a day after the last Gathering... That seemed like seasons ago now. At the last Gathering, Thorntail had comforted her of her fear of the silver effeminate tomcat, and they had gathered around some of their acquaintances in other Clans and had joked around, and purred, and purred, and purred...
Yes, that was long ago.
"She didn't die..." Blackshadow meowed. "I don't know what's wrong with Rabbitfur, but Streamstar is alive and well." The ThunderClan warrior shook himself, as if he had to rip himself from the very thought of his leader resting in StarClan. "So...how are things in RiverClan?"
"Oh, fine and dandy!" Thorntail purred, curling his tail with delight. "I've rekindled all of my old friendships – except for the ones that I didn't - and made some new ones. Blackshadow, this is my friend Tawnyleaf." He nodded at the she-cat that had been padding alongside him.
Rosethorn wondered why the gold cat wasn't speaking, until she noticed that "Tawnyleaf" as Thorntail had called her, was enthralled in a conversation between Runningwhisker of WindClan and wasn't giving Thorntail any attention besides the fact that she just happened to be sitting right next to him. Rosethorn looked down at her paws – she had been so busy eyeing Thorntail she hadn't noticed the WindClan cat come up.
As ashamed as she was, Rosethorn couldn't help but feel a guilty sense of relief. Thorntail had introduced Tawnyleaf as his friend, not his mate. Though...Thorntail very rarely referred to a cat as his mate when he played around with them for just one night...
Rosethorn tried to pretend that she wasn't being hurt, as Thorntail didn't even spare her a single glance as he spoke to Blackshadow about what he had missed in the past...two days.
"So, Blackshadow, are your kits apprentices yet?" Thorntail's voice was that normal lighthearted sound, and as much as Rosethorn felt guilty for doing so, she drank every word he was saying like it was refreshing water during a hot day. Even if Thorntail wasn't hers anymore, his presence still calmed the tom-hating and fearing she-cat she had transformed into.
Blackshadow fixed his friend with a cold amber gaze for a few heartbeats that seemed like moons, before he meowed, "Thorntail, they're two moons old."
"Still?"
Rosethorn flicked her tail about, now only half-listening as Blackshadow and Thorntail argued about the ages of the kits. She felt her heart warm as she stared at Thorntail. He looked so happy...so free, now that she wasn't holding him down with her dark past. She had been right before – she didn't deserve him. Thorntail was blessed by StarClan, and would find another mate that StarClan approved of...like Tawnyleaf.
Rosethorn tried not to glare resentfully at the tawny-colored she-cat who had rolled onto her back in a purr at a joke Runningwhisker had made. Tawnyleaf had Thorntail, yet...she wasn't clinging to her mate's words for dear life, like Rosethorn was. She supposed...that you don't know you have a good thing, until it's gone.
Rosethorn's tail jerked into the air with surprise, as she saw a pale brown blurb rush right into the gray tomcat. Thorntail stumbled forward a few pawsteps, before he swung his head, and let out a snarl. "Cinnamonfur," he growled. "What is it?"
The young RiverClan tom was kneading the ground furiously with his paws, and seemed ready to spring into action at any moment as he meowed, "Thorntail, haven't you always dreamed that you were Silverleaf?"
The very name made Rosethorn feel torn. She disliked Silverleaf, but for some reason, she couldn't ever bring herself to hate him. She had wracked her brain why for over a moon now, and she had recently pieced it together: Silverleaf and she both shared dark pasts with their mentors. She with Flamesoul, him, with Goldclaw. Except Silverleaf had escaped by murdering his mentor. If only she had the guts to do the same...
Thorntail narrowed his eyes at the mention of his former apprentice, but his voice was calm as he growled, "Why would I dream that I looked like a she-cat?"
"Not that," Cinnamonfur retorted, flicking his tail wildly about as if he were swatting super-flies from the air. "But...haven't you ever felt jealous of him for being the only tom in a Clan full of she-cats?"
"Who hasn't?" Blackshadow mumbled, reminding Rosethorn that her Clanmate was still there. However, he almost instantly excused himself after putting his two-sense in on the matter, and went off to collect that 'information' that Applefur had ordered him to retrieve.
Thorntail's jaws parted into a yawn, and Rosethorn wondered if it was a real yawn or if he feigned it to seem bored. "I think every real tomcat in the forest has."
Cinnamonfur let out a purr of pure glee, and Rosethorn didn't feel that pulsing fear rush through her like she had back at camp when some other toms had purred. She looked at Thorntail, and felt those guilty-pleasure butterflies float around in her stomach. For some reason, he just made her feel safe – even if his promise of protection no longer stood because he no longer shared her Clan.
"Well then, Thorntail, you need to come over here right now!" Cinnamonfur flicked his wild tail over towards a small clump of bushes that was growing just on the side of the hollow. "You need to speak to Timidstar, now!"
"Am I joining WindClan or something?" Thorntail asked rising to his paws.
"No, no." Cinnamonfur meowed briskly. "Follow me!" the RiverClan warrior scurried off and Thorntail took a pawstep to follow him, before hesitating.
"Cinnamonfur, I'll catch up!" Thorntail called after his Clanmate, who flicked his tail to show that he had heard. Rosethorn looked at the gray tomcat curiously, wondering if he was going to share a quick word with Tawnyleaf before following Cinnamonfur to speak to Timidstar...
Instead, Thorntail shifted, and soon he was staring her right in the eye. Rosethorn felt bubbles rise up inside her, and she felt as light as a feather. It was like she was an apprentice with a silly crush on a cat she could never have...
"Rosethorn," Rosethorn felt her eyes round with awe. Thorntail was actually speaking to her? Maybe her first instinct had been right, and he had planned on bridging the space that had grown between them – but hadn't been able to before because Blackshadow and Cinnamonfur had been in the way... Whatever it was, just hearing him say her name again made her feel almost as if he really did love her.
But his eyes were that of an enemy warrior speaking to a cat in another Clan. That alone was what reminded Rosethorn of what they had become, as he meowed cheerfully, "How are things in ThunderClan?"
She didn't even notice that Thorntail knew what was going on in ThunderClan from his talk with Blackshadow as she answered, "Every-everything's fine." She had to lie about that an awful lot lately.
Thorntail narrowed his eyes. "So...everything's fine. So nothing's happened with Flamesoul..." Was that relief in his voice?
Thorntail gave her a curt nod, before he turned to follow Cinnamonfur. Rosethorn watched him go, flabbergasted. He asked her about Flamesoul and her Clan...and had said her name...and now he was just going to leave? No...He wouldn't have asked those things unless he still cared!
Before she could think the better of it, she called out to him. "Thorntail, wait!"
He stopped instantly, and twisted his neck so his ice-blue eyes were staring into hers.
"Thorntail...are...are we...are we really over?" Rosethorn knew how silly she sounded – the cat had left the Clan to get away from her – but she still clung to that shred of hope, that last hair of hope, that deep down, the Thu- RiverClan warrior still cared for her.
Thorntail held her gaze for a full heartbeat, before he turned his body so that he was facing her as a whole. He was silent for a few moments that seemed to Rosethorn, to last forever, before he meowed softly, "Isn't it easier for both of us this way?" Thorntail couldn't have hurt her more if he had dug his thorn-sharp fangs into her neck. "I mean...what's the point of us struggling together? We had gone stagnant; anyways... we weren't getting any closer... Rosethorn, it had ended long before I had told you that it did. You know that as well as I do."
Rosethorn wanted to deny it, but how could she? It was true. All they had was a spiritual love...they weren't going to progress as normal mates to – when they would mate, and have kits, and watch them grow...
"But..." Thorntail looked down at his paws, and shuffled them as if he was embarrassed about something, "it was really fun. For the first time, I was completely devoted to a single she-cat." He looked up, and took a pawstep towards her.
Rosethorn felt numb. She didn't know what was coming...was he going to apologize, take her back, or was he going to say good-bye for one last time? She stared into his big, blue eyes that were identical to hers, and waited.
"I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending I never cared for you when I did... So I'm going to say this in all honesty: Rosethorn, I am really glad I got to know you." Thorntail dipped his head in the deepest of respect to her, but to Rosethorn, he might as well have thrown dung into her face. It would have had the same, hurtful effect. "Bye-bye."
The gray tomcat followed Cinnamonfur's previous path, and soon disappeared into the mass of cats.
Rosethorn would've run after him, but her paws seemed as heavy as stone. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into her nest back at camp and just cry out, and sob, and...Do anything to make the hollow feeling inside go away. But she knew she couldn't. Not here. If she had been a warrior she could've. She would've been looked down upon for showing such weakness at a gathering if she was a warrior, but it wouldn't have brought her any true shame... But since she was a medicine cat, and wasn't ever supposed to have loved Thorntail in the first place, she had to stand rigid, with a stoic expression, and act as if nothing at all had happened – even as a storm of heartbreak raged within her.
Rosethorn blinked as she heard a voice behind her. "'A she-cat from ThunderClan...'" it sounded as if the cat was quoting someone...
Rosethorn twisted her neck around, to see Tawnyleaf watching her through narrowed eyes. Rosethorn cringed. Had Tawnyleaf heard what had just happened? How long had the RiverClan she-cat been watching her?
"So you're the she-cat from ThunderClan that made Thorntail so sane," Tawnyleaf meowed thoughtfully, twitching the tip of her tail.
"I...I have no clue what you're talking about." Rosethorn snapped, feeling the fur on her neck bristle.
Tawnyleaf's whiskers twitched. "Don't worry, neither do I."
Rosethorn stiffened as she stared into the leaf-green eyes of the RiverClan she-cat. What was that...that familiar feeling that had just surged through her?
"Anyways," Tawnyleaf meowed beginning to rasp her tongue along a forepaw, "I had been speaking to Runningwhisker about her kits in WindClan with Ravenfeather, Rinoa, and Rockyheart...would you like to join us?"
Rosethorn blinked curiously, as she felt Tawnyleaf's golden pelt brush against her own ruby. She felt that same warm, protective feeling she had gotten with Thorntail...but for some reason, this one seemed more like a façade. An illusion...So familiar... When had Rosethorn felt this before? It had to have been recent. Couldn't have been more than a moon ago...
Before Rosethorn could give her answer to Tawnyleaf's question, the RiverClan she-cat had wrapped her tail around her neck, and was leading her towards the group of cats that she had previously mentioned.
Realizing that there was no way out now, Rosethorn settled herself down beside the tabby WindClan she-cat, Runningwhisker. Rosethorn noticed that Tawnyleaf picked a spot between a gorgeous black and white she-cat that smelled of RiverClan, and Ravenfeather, the ShadowClan deputy.
"Rosethorn, this is everyone, everyone, this is Rosethorn, she's the ThunderClan medicine cat." Tawnyleaf announced briskly as if she had been introducing cats every moment of every day for her entire life.
Rosethorn noticed Ravenfeather eyeing her scarlet pelt carefully. "Tawnyleaf, are you trying to bring another medicine cat to the dark side of the warrior code?"
Rosethorn stared blankly at Ravenfeather. What did the ShadowClan she-cat mean by that? She was so busy wracking her brain for the answer; she didn't hear Tawnyleaf's response. Though, it must've been a clever one because Ravenfeather didn't comment anymore.
"So, Runningwhisker, you finally had your kits?" Rosethorn asked trying to distract herself from...well, everything, and noticing that the WindClan queen's belly wasn't round any longer.
Runningwhisker glanced at her excitedly, and Rosethorn wondered whether or not she had heard a groan from the other cats around her. "Yes, I did. I gave birth to three kits."
The black and white RiverClan she-cat's green and blue eyes glittered as she put in, "But none of them are toms, so you failed in your mission miserably, and have let down your Clan. How terrible! Now you have to mate with that gorgeous tomcat again! Poor you... " She paused. "But seriously though, will there be more kits?"
Rosethorn recalled that WindClan had no tomcats aside from Silverleaf.
"Well, there will definitely be more kits." Runningwhisker retorted. "I love him, he loves me, and that always ends with kits."
Rockyheart, ShadowClan's medicine cat apprentice stared at Runningwhisker through narrowed eyes, and seemed to be trying to fight a purr rising in her throat. "Love you?" she burst out. "Great StarClan, Runningwhisker, he doesn't love you at all. He may have mated with you, but hasn't he with every single one of your Clan? You just happened to be the only one lucky enough to have kits."
Tawnyleaf spoke up, "Isn't Moortail a queen now too?"
The conversation soon had the distress at Thorntail's words knolled, and Rosethorn was able to – albeit briefly – forget about what had just happened.
Rockyheart's yellow eyes widened, and her rusty-red fur bristled as she seemed to find another way to dig at the love-struck Runningwhisker. "So Moortail is having..."
"Has had..." Runningwhisker corrected her voice hoarse.
"Ah." Rockyheart nodded. "So your Clanmate Moortail has had Silverleaf's kits as well, yes? Runningwhisker, this is quite obvious – Silverleaf doesn't love you. You shouldn't love him, either...There's a line between love and just playing grown-up warrior games."
"But every cat in WindClan is in love with him." Ravenfeather meowed thoughtfully, twitching her tail. "I heard Rabbitfur bragging about her... hmmm...'warrior adventures' with WindClan's prized she-cat looking tom. She's clearly infatuated with him as well..." Ravenfeather glanced around. "And I don't notice your deputy, Mapleleaf, anywhere..."
Rosethorn's heart went out to Runningwhisker, who mewed in a shaky voice, "Timidstar ordered her to stay behind with Silverleaf..."
Rosethorn heard Ravenfeather hiss almost inaudibly into Rockyheart's ear, "I would to, if I were in Timidstar's place. No doubt there's a struggle for power in WindClan."
Rosethorn didn't understand what Ravenfeather meant by that, so she asked Runningwhisker the names of the kits. The tabby seemed relieved to get off the subject of her 'love' for Silverleaf as she meowed, "Well, I had three she-kits. I named one Sunkit, and he named the other two Tawnykit and Rinoakit."
Rosethorn didn't have time to comment on the names – especially 'Rinoakit' because the black and white RiverClan warrior flicked her tail cheekily as she meowed, "I bet you a mouse that the first time a WindClan cat has a tom, it'll die...that would be just your luck."
Ravenfeather raised her tail into the air. "Wait a heartbeat," she growled using her whole aura of deputyship authority in her tone. "Runningwhisker, what kind of name is Rinoakit?"
"My name's 'Rinoa'...Rinoa is a good name," the RiverClan she-cat from earlier piped up.
"Yes, but what is a rinoa?" Rockyheart mumbled.
Rinoa shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't know...Tawnyleaf named me after her deceased daughter..."
Rosethorn noticed that Tawnyleaf stiffened as the conversation went on – and the golden-brown she-cat's jaw dropped open as Runningwhisker mused, "I asked Silverleaf about the name, and he told me that 'Rinoa' was the name of his deceased sister, too." Runningwhisker's eyes rounded in awe, and she jerked her head towards Tawnyleaf. "If your daughter and Silverleaf's sister both had the same name...that means...that means...that means that..." Runningwhisker took in a deep breath. "That means cats with the name 'Rinoa' certainly don't live very long."
Rosethorn stared at Runningwhisker. The WindClan queen had had the right idea, certainly...if only she had taken it further. If Silverleaf's dead sister, and Tawnyleaf's dead daughter had the same name...yes, that could mean that cats with the name Rinoa didn't live long...but it could also mean...
Rosethorn looked at Tawnyleaf, who was digging her claws into the earth at something Rockyheart was saying to her. Tawnyleaf had leaf-green eyes, slim shoulders, long legs...she looked so familiar. And her aura, that weird illusive-aura that shrouded her reminded Rosethorn of someone too. If...if Tawnyleaf's pelt was silver, instead of gold then she would look just like him. And if Silverleaf had a dead sister that carried the same name as Tawnyleaf's dead daughter, then that could mean that Tawnyleaf was Silverleaf's -
"Mother!"
Rosethorn turned her head, to see a pale ginger she-cat rushing towards Tawnyleaf, full-speed. Rosethorn recognized the cat in an instant: It was her Clanmate, Gingerpaw.
Gingerpaw stumbled to a halt about a kitten's step away from Tawnyleaf, and identical leaf-green eyes burned into one another. Rosethorn's Clanmate's eyes were shining, though Tawnyleaf's darkened.
Rosethorn took this pause and gazed at the expressions each cat in their group carried. Runningwhisker just looked confused that a random apprentice would come out of nowhere, Rinoa had busied herself by batting at the same butterfly Morninglight and Blackshadow had played with earlier...but the two ShadowClan cats, Rockyheart and Ravenfeather, their eyes were shadowed with interest, as if they knew exactly what would happen.
Gingerpaw used a tentative paw to try and touch Tawnyleaf's flank, but before she could complete the exchange, the RiverClan she-cat leapt back, as if Rosethorn's Clanmate had some sort of disease. "I don't know you." Rosethorn flinched at how cold Tawnyleaf's tone was. Rosethorn noticed that Rinoa and Runningwhisker did the same – and Rockyheart and Ravenfeather dug their claws into the earth, as if Tawnyleaf's reaction made them furious. Why did the ShadowClan cats feel so strongly about the RiverClan cat's reaction?
Gingerpaw just stared at Tawnyleaf as if dumbfounded for a few heartbeats, before she took another pawstep to the cat she believed to be her mother. "But...I know you. No cat ever forgets the scent of their mother – you have it. And my mother was a beautiful tawny-colored cat with eyes of pale green... My brother told me so, even though I can't remember... You're my mother...though Twilightfur always described you as a cat as black as coal with a heart to match, with eyes as red as blood with horns spewing out of your forehead – but somehow, I don't believe that..."
Tawnyleaf shook her head. Her voice was hoarse, as she meowed, "I don't have any kits anymore...they all went to StarClan."
Gingerpaw stared at Tawnyleaf for a long moment in silence, as if unable to comprehend that the she-cat before her wasn't her mother. Rosethorn wondered who was correct: A heartbeat ago she had thought that this Tawnyleaf was Silverleaf's mother – and therefore would be Gingerpaw's too, but...why would she deny her own kit?
The ThunderClan apprentice seemed to accept Tawnyleaf's words as the truth, because she looked down at her paws and shuffled them in embarrassment. "I'm sorry...I just thought that you might be here..." she looked up, and her eyes shone once more, as if she had already forgotten her embarrassment. "Well...even if you're not my mother, you are really pretty...you should have some more kits of your own."
Rosethorn jumped as she heard a venomous voice spew out from behind her, "Some cats don't deserve to have kits,"
Rosethorn jerked her head about and soon found herself staring into the cold eyes of Twilightfur – who was clearly as skilled at sneaking about as her brother, because the medicine cat had not noticed the warrior's approach. Gingerpaw padded over to her sister, and pressed her muzzle affectionately into the blue-gray ThunderClan warrior's side. In answer, Twilightfur laid her tail on Gingerpaw's forehead, but didn't take her eyes off of Tawnyleaf.
"Cats like you, Tawnyleaf." Twilightfur continued, narrowing her eyes into tin, hateful slits. "You chose a warm, fuzzy Clan to wrap itself around you to protect you from the harsh world outside... You chose that, instead of the cats you had brought into the world. Time will tell if you made the right decision."
Rosethorn expected Tawnyleaf to defend herself, but all the RiverClan cat was doing was digging her claws into the earth beneath her paws, as if imagining that it was Twilightfur's pelt.
Twilightfur turned her attention to her sister, and gave the tiny scrap a quick lick between the ears, before she meowed, "Tawnyleaf was right, Gingerpaw. She isn't our mother. A mother is warm, kind, and caring, and would protect her kits at all costs. A mother would die for her kits; she wouldn't expect her kits to die for her. She wouldn't sacrifice them so she could have an easier and more relaxed life, would she?"
Rosethorn didn't hear Gingerpaw's answer, or the excuse Twilightfur had used so she and her sister could pad over to speak to Badgerclaw and a group of warriors from other Clans...
Rosethorn was too wrapped up in her thoughts to see the other cat's reactions to the event that had just played out before them. In fact, she didn't even acknowledge her own reaction. Twilightfur's words rang in her head – along with Thorntail's.
A mother is warm, kind, and caring, and would protect her kits at all costs. She wouldn't sacrifice them so she could have an easier and more relaxed life, would she?
Though Rosethorn hadn't heard Gingerpaw's answer, she could answer Twilightfur's question herself: No, a good mother would never sacrifice her kit. Thorntail had said before that Streamstar had sacrificed her to Flamesoul... and, if Rosethorn thought about it, in a way she had... But Streamstar was still her mother...and Streamstar would die for her like any mother would for her kit, right? Streamstar wouldn't expect Rosethorn to die for her... right?
Right?
Rosethorn got off that morbid path of thought, when she heard a loud yowl atop the Great Rock. She raised her gaze, and saw that already the leaders of RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan were clumped on the great stone. Duststar, RiverClan's leader, seemed to be the one who had cried out as he was standing a pawstep or so in front of the others. Duststar waited a few moments for the last of the conversation to die down, before he meowed diplomatically, "Cats of all Clans, StarClan has once again brought us together under the truce of the full moon... Smokestar, would you like to begin?"
Smokestar gave Duststar a curt nod, and as the RiverClan leader stepped back to stand beside Timidstar and Streamstar, Smokestar came forward. Rosethorn only half-listened to him, and only heard news of a few new apprentices, a new warrior, kits – generic things like that. The ShadowClan leader gave no mention of the attack on ThunderClan, however, and he soon allowed Timidstar to give her news.
Timidstar dipped her head to Smokestar, and she began to give WindClan's news. "WindClan has two new litters of kits," she announced. "And we have some new warriors. Skypaw and Yewpaw are now Skyclaw and Yewpelt." Though Timidstar was giving WindClan's news in that calm tone that leaders often used to reveal nothing but what they were saying, her eyes kept straying to something at the bottom of the Great Rock, though Rosethorn wasn't able to see just what had the WindClan leader's attention.
Timidstar went on to mention how WindClan was growing stronger, how she was gaining a good footing on her new position of leader, and other things that Rosethorn guessed almost every single cat ignored.
The WindClan leader soon stepped back, and Streamstar came forward. Rosethorn completely closed her ears to the message that her own mother and Clan leader had to give. She knew what it would be: Flamesoul had rejoined the Clan, Morninglight, Aquamist, and Beakclaw had received their warrior names, Flowertail had passed on to StarClan, and that their medicine cat apprentice had changed class and was going to train for her warrior name. Besides the warrior names, it was all bad news to the young medicine cat. Whether or not Streamstar mentioned the attack from ShadowClan, Rosethorn didn't know.
One of the leaders brought the meeting to a close – Rosethorn didn't notice who – and soon the Clans were starting to disperse. Well...at least WindClan and RiverClan were. Streamstar and Smokestar were still in the shadow of the Great Rock, and seemed to be speaking to each other in soft tones. Rosethorn guessed Streamstar was challenging him about the recent attack on her Clan, but she couldn't he positive. Either way, without the leaders giving an order to leave, ShadowClan and ThunderClan had a prolonged Gathering with just the two of them.
"Hey, that's weird."
Rosethorn swung her head to see that Blackshadow had returned to her. The ebony-furred tom was looking at the stream of WindClan cats exiting the hollow.
"What's weird?" she asked her friend curiously.
Blackshadow didn't shake his amber gaze from the retreating WindClan cats. "I was talking to these RiverClan cats named Speedtail and Cinnamonfur earlier. I can smell as good as ever – Cinnamonfur and Speedtail were definitely RiverClan cats. So...why are they leaving with WindClan?"
Rosethorn looked at the group of WindClan warriors more carefully. Blackshadow was right. Cinnamonfur, the cat who had been harassing Thorntail to speak to Timidstar earlier was padding alongside a golden tomcat with darker patches that she knew was Speedtail – Thorntail had introduced them, once. Both toms were circling around the WindClan cats, and kept giving each other excited glances.
Rosethorn's heart skipped a beat – and then lurched forward – when she saw Thorntail padding alongside Timidstar. He was saying something softly in her ear, and from the she-cat's expression it certainly wasn't an insult.
"I wonder what's going on..." Blackshadow murmured, curling his tail in thought.
Rosethorn shrugged, unable to answer his question...when she felt a cat nudge her in her flank. She turned her head, and soon found that she was staring into the yellow orbs of the ShadowClan deputy, Ravenfeather. She had been sitting further away before and Rosethorn hadn't noticed, but now she could see a fresh wound running down Ravenfeather's cheek... Rosethorn recalled Thorntail fighting both the ShadowClan deputy and leader at once. That slash on her cheek was from Thorntail's claws...
Was it sick to envy Ravenfeather for having something that Thorntail had given her?
"You two seriously don't know?" Ravenfeather asked curiously, her whiskers twitching in sheer surprise. When neither Blackshadow nor Rosethorn answered, Ravenfeather snorted. "Rosethorn, surely you know. Tell your mouse-brained friend here."
Rosethorn opened her mouth to do so, but for the life of her, she had no idea what Ravenfeather was talking about.
Ravenfeather looked at her in awe. "You don't know?" Rosethorn shook her head no and this made Ravenfeather stumble back in over-exaggerated surprise. When the deputy had regained the composure she had pretended to lose, Ravenfeather meowed, "Rosethorn, you heard. Every cat in WindClan thinks that they are in love with Silverleaf."
"What...does that have to do with RiverClan warriors following WindClan home?" Blackshadow asked.
Ravenfeather let out a purr of amusement, and explained. "Think for a moment, you two. Silverleaf didn't even come to the Gathering when he received his warrior name...did he?"
Rosethorn shook her head, no. So she hadn't been the only cat who had found that weird last gathering...
Ravenfeather seemed relieved that some cat knew what she was talking about, and she went on, "And he didn't come to this one either... and Mapleleaf was specifically ordered by Timidstar to stay behind with Silverleaf... And at the same time, every WindClan she-cat is throwing themselves to Silverleaf's mercy. Rosethorn, Shadow,"
"Blackshadow,"
"I'm calling you Shadow. Only cats with common sense get warrior names," Ravenfeather growled coldly, and Blackshadow flattened his ears against his head – though Rosethorn didn't understand why Ravenfeather was being so cruel to her friend. "Anyways," Ravenfeather continued, "Rosethorn, Shadow, Timidstar is a new Clan leader. Don't you think that a cat with that much power in the Clan is a threat to her?"
"Power?" Blackshadow echoed. "What do you mean 'power'. Silverleaf is just a regular warrior."
Ravenfeather rolled her eyes. "But every single she-cat in WindClan thinks that she's in love with him. That alone gives him power and authority! And since he isn't WindClan born, Timidstar doesn't know for sure how responsibly he'll use the control he has over her warriors... If Silverleaf wanted to take over WindClan for some reason," Rosethorn knew Silverleaf didn't seem like the type of cat who would try and conquer a Clan, but she didn't comment as Ravenfeather went on, "If Silverleaf wanted to take over WindClan for some reason," Ravenfeather repeated, "how may cats would defend Timidstar? If they love Silverleaf...would their love for him override their loyalty?"
Rosethorn stared at Ravenfeather in awe. She was right. If every cat in WindClan was infatuated with Silverleaf – as they certainly seemed to be – their love for him might clash with their loyalty to their Clan. If Silverleaf tried to usurp Timidstar as leader of WindClan, how many of Timidstar's warriors would fight for her? So that was why Mapleleaf had stayed behind – Silverleaf needed a cat to keep an eye on him at all times, otherwise he might concoct a plan to become WindClan leader. Or maybe, Silverleaf would conquer the Clan in a smaller scale... It seemed more like him to keep Timidstar alive as some sort of figurehead, as he led the Clan and gave all the orders in the shadows. He was too conniving to just up and have a coup like Spottedstar had – as much as Silverleaf did seem to relish the thought of murder...
"But that doesn't explain why those RiverClan cats left with WindClan." Blackshadow pointed out.
"But it does." Ravenfeather growled. "Speedtail, Thorntail, and Cinnamonfur – I think those are the ones that left with WindClan, right? Those three are all very good looking – and very willing tomcats."
"So...so...they are joining WindClan?" Blackshadow growled. "Just like that?"
"No," Ravenfeather shook her head. "At least, I don't think so. I was speaking to Rabbitfur of WindClan earlier. Apparently tonight, Silverleaf is at Mapleleaf's mercy at mating. I believe that while they are romping around on the outskirts of WindClan territory, inside the camp, the other warriors will have their pleasure with those RiverClan toms."
"Why?" Blackshadow asked.
"Because it ruins Silverleaf's standing. If the WindClan she-cats stop looking at him in pure admiration, and maybe fall in love with another cat – even if it is in another Clan – Silverleaf loses some of the authority he has. So in the end, Silverleaf will lose all the potential power he wields, and Timidstar will maintain hers without a single swipe of a claw. It's a grotesque thought – using mating to gain leadership of a Clan - and is an insult to the Warrior Code, but I must admit that Timidstar is quite intelligent to think of having some cats from other Clans come and raid the camp..."
"Wait a heartbeat," Blackshadow growled. "So you mean...Timidstar is hoping that her warriors will fall in love with one of those RiverClan cats – and forget about Silverleaf?"
"Exactly. Or...or maybe she just wants them to understand that there are other toms in the forest besides that feminine looking one. And it's genius: She isn't risking anything at all – but the three RiverClan warriors are if they get caught by Duststar...I think it's quite clever." Ravenfeather nodded.
"And how do you know all this?" Blackshadow challenged. "I mean...you're in ShadowClan. What do you know of WindClan's affairs?"
Ravenfeather flicked her tail dismissively. "I'm the ShadowClan deputy. I pick at the other Clan's weaknesses and try to find every single detail. Quite frankly, I was sort of hoping Smokestar would forget about his feud with ThunderClan and turn on WindClan. I would love to have some of their moors... All well." She shrugged, and dismissed herself before she began to follow her now-leaving Clan.
Rosethorn watched her go, standing rigid, and hardly noticed as Streamstar called for ThunderClan. So...Thorntail was just going to go into the WindClan camp and mate with every single she-cat there that was willing? She had thought maybe he had found true love in RiverClan...but all he was doing was breaking the Warrior Code! Of course...what did she expect? That was the cat Thorntail was. The Thorntail she loved...
Rosethorn didn't know why, but her friend Applefur flashed into her mind, along with the queen's words: You two have gone through so much together, why are you giving up now? If you really love him, you need to tell him what's in your heart! ...Even if it feels mouse-brained, it doesn't matter. Go catch him, Rosethorn. Yowl. Throw a fit. Use the most mouse-brained, idiotic way if you have to – as long as it makes him stay, isn't it worth it?
She did love Thorntail! And the fact that he was going to go take another she-cat as a mate without another thought made a gale of heartbreak wind around in Rosethorn's body. But it was her fault! She was the one who had pushed Thorntail away from her! She had chosen Flamesoul to take care of the Clan, instead of Thorntail to take care of her. And, besides, she was impure. Dirty. Maybe it was better if he had found a mate in WindClan – at least she wouldn't be so filthy...
Applefur's words rang in Rosethorn's ears again: Why do you always feel like you're worthless, Rosethorn? Why do you always blame yourself? For once in your life, blame someone! Streamstar!
Yes! Streamstar! Streamstar was the one who had been such a weak leader that she couldn't keep her Clan away from terrible disasters such as The Blood and Greencough, and attacks from ShadowClan! That was no fault of Rosethorn's! And it had been Streamstar who had made Rosethorn feel guilty enough about her mediocre skills as a medicine cat that she allowed Flamesoul into the Clan! Streamstar had been the one who had come up with the idea – it hadn't been Rosethorn! Twilightfur was right: A good mother would never sacrifice her kit!
Flamesoul! Applefur's voice rang in her head.
Yes! Flamesoul! Flamesoul was the one who had started all of this in the first place! If he had just been a good, loyal mentor and had not fallen prey to his disgusting feelings of lust, then Thorntail never would have had to leave! Rosethorn would have been innocent and pure, and never would have felt so inadequate! And if Flamesoul had never come back to the Clan, Thorntail never would have left! They would still have been together; they still would have loved each other! What Flamesoul had done to her when she was still an apprentice was his sin, not hers!
Even me, if it suits your fancy! Applefur's rant continued.
Yes! Applefur had chipped away at the little scrap of pride that Flamesoul hadn't torn up when she was an apprentice! Applefur, trying to steal Thorntail away from her... Why had she done that? Because she had been jealous of their love! Applefur had taken Thorntail as a mate – even if it had been before Rosethorn had even acknowledged Thorntail as a decent cat! And Applefur had poisoned Thorntail's mind against her when their love was still blooming!
And then there were Silverleaf, Shadenight, Spottedstar... they had all kept Thorntail and her from enjoying their love to the fullest! Why had they all poked their muzzles where it didn't belong?! Those pieces of fox-dung!
Flamesoul, Streamstar, Applefur, Silverleaf, Shadenight, Spottedstar...they had all been the things that had kept Thorntail and Rosethorn from getting close! It was no fault of hers!
Rosethorn suddenly remembered how she had rushed full-speed after Thorntail to try and keep him from leaving ThunderClan... then she would've done anything to keep him with her... Why so quickly did she lose her hope to get Thorntail back? Why'd she give up as soon as Thorntail dove into the river? No...no...She wasn't going to make the same mistake again. Admittedly, she couldn't run head-first into the WindClan camp and get him back before he took another cat as his mate for the night...
Okay. Thorntail would have his fun. But one way or another, he would eventually go back to his RiverClan camp. And to do that, he would have to cross the border of WindClan and RiverClan... And when he crossed, he would find her waiting for him.
"Blackshadow," Rosethorn meowed turning to the night-pelted warrior who was staring at her through worried amber eyes. "You go on back to camp, and give Applefur whatever information you had been hunting for. I'll follow you later... I need to get my mate back."
Blackshadow's eyes widened with surprise. "What...how are you going to do that?"
"I'm going to do exactly what Applefur told me to do... I'm going to yowl, shriek, throw a fit, and use my most idiotic and mouse-brained way to get him to love me again. Simple." Though, the more Rosethorn thought about it, the more she doubted she could. She had been ready to take on the whole of TigerClan for Thorntail just a heartbeat ago, why did she suddenly feel pessimistic about what she was about to do?
Blackshadow's ears twitched and Rosethorn thought she caught a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "You get more like Applefur every day. You know that, right Rosethorn?" he asked playfully. More seriously, he added, "Okay, Rosethorn. You do that. I'm going to run back to camp with our Clan, and tell Applefur everything...And you know Applefur. She'll probably want me and her to go straight into the WindClan camp and rip Thorntail away from the she-cats..." he shifted uncomfortably. "I guess that's what we'll do..."
Rosethorn flicked her tail with glee. "By the time the sun rises, Thorntail will be mine again," she vowed trying to mimic Applefur's cocky attitude. Though, she didn't have much hope for mending the relationship between she and Thorntail, she had to try. She always gave up on things too soon... She wouldn't this time. She was going to at least try to wrap Thorntail around her paw once more.
And StarClan willing, she would succeed.
I hope you liked it. Anyways, plushie, plushie, I need to give out a plushie... Runningwhisker? She said a lot...okay, you review, you get a Runningwhisker plushie. YAY!
Review.