Chapter 28

Embertail had looked shocked beyond belief when Willowcloud recited what StarClan told her. The medicine cat kept shaking her head, muttering things such as 'too much' or 'not possible. Willowcloud herself had speculated over the matter during her trek back to the gorge. She was greeted by her three kits who began bouncing around her paws, oblivious to the dangers that surrounded them. They had no idea that in a few days their mother would leave them. Embertail would continue taking care of them as though nothing had changed. She knew them well enough to keep an eye on them while Willowcloud was away.

Petalkit seemed to sense that something was troubling her mother. She nudged Badgerkit, who hissed playfully at her sudden motion. Mistkit had topped bouncing around when she noticed what her adopted siblings were up to.

"Is something wrong?" Petalkit asked. She tilted her head, blue eyes glowing with curiosity.

"I need to leave, for a while my darlings," Willowcloud replied soothingly. She leaned forward to give her daughter's forehead a gentle lick.

"Why?" Badgerkit's eyes were wide with fear.

"Just be good for Embertail." Willowcloud flicked her tail over her son's shoulder. "I know you can do that."

Willowcloud met Embertail's gaze, hoping that her words were true. The medicine cat nodded in agreement. She knew Embertail was a good medicine cat, and she was good at babysitting kits. The pale brown cat had enough experience to know when kits were up to no good.

She rose to her paws and gave her kits one final look. All three would become fine warriors when the time came. They should have become apprentices, but she knew she wouldn't live to see that day come. She hoped that Embertail would find enough survivors after the battle to create a new Clan, one that was free from cats like Ghoststar.

A warm breeze made her fur fluff up as she padded along the path that led to the Clan's territory. Ghoststar would likely send out patrols to make sure no trespassers were found. The rogue that had killed Leopard and Mousekit may have actually been a Clan cat for all she knew. The brown and white fur had been stained with black that Embertail found between Leopard's claws. She couldn't think of any cat in the Clan that had those markings.

Ferns and grass prickled at her paws as she stepped over well-used paths. This was where DuskClan cats had once roamed. The open territory led into thickly covered forests and pine trees. DuskClan cats had once been renowned for their survival skills. Now they were nothing to the world. Their scent had become stale after the new Clan was formed. No cat dared come through this part of the forest unless Ghoststar ordered a patrol, she was certain of it.

Her ears were pricked forward in alarm as the trees began to part. She knew that any cat could find her out here, and would likely see her as an enemy.

She realized that the camp was closer then she had thought. She could hear voices and pick up traces of scents in the air that told her the Clan was near. The voices were just mere whispers, but she knew that the closer she got the more she would hear.

"It seems like nothing much has changed," one cat was whispering.

I recognize his voice, Willowcloud realized. That's Spiderfur, Ghoststar's deputy.

"Yes, but Ghoststar keeps sending scouts out," another cat said. "Do you think he's searching for her, or for Fernpaw?"

Willowcloud felt her fur standing on end when they mentioned her. She knew who they were talking about. Fernpaw was a different story – she didn't know who Fernpaw was, or why the Clan was even concerned for an apprentice.

"Wait, I scent something in the air." Willowcloud stiffened when Spiderfur's ears rose in alarm. "Do you smell that?"

The second cat, Mothfire, lifted her tail in anger. "Yes, it is definitely not one of ours," she growled.

Willowcloud pressed herself against the ground, hoping that the undergrowth would conceal her pelt. She knew silver gray against the leaf litter wasn't a good combination, but it was her only hope. Mothfire's keen eyes would likely catch her if she allowed herself to be seen.

"I'll go and alert Ghoststar," Spiderfur snarled.

Relief swept over Willowcloud when she saw that the two cats had vanished. She would leave them for now. Ghoststar would likely send out patrols to reassure his guards. He knew that she was still searching for him. He knew that she was still vulnerable, and he would likely lead an ambush to attack her.

. . .

The camp was sent into chaos when cats began yowling out that they were under attack. The dark-furred tom watched in amusement as he saw several cats gather around Ghoststar, who looked annoyed to have been woken up from his daily nap. Spiderfur and Mothfire were at the center of the commotion, spitting what seemed like garbage to the dark-pelted tom. Apparently a rogue had been scented near the edge of camp. The two mousebrains were worried that the rogue might attack.

The rogue knows it's too dangerous, the tom thought with a sigh. Every cat knows better than to argue with Ghoststar.

Silently he had argued with Ghoststar. Every rule the new leader came up with he argued against in his mind. Voicing things out loud would only end up killing him. Those same loud voices had killed Poppyfeather and Toadfur. Both cats had joined Ghoststar in the battle against Rainstar, which ended in what Ghoststar called a cleansing.

"Maybe it was Fernpaw." The dark tom jumped when he heard a voice come from behind. He turned around and narrowed his eyes when he saw Winter standing behind him. Her head was tilted to one side as she watched him carefully. "You seem upset, Shadow," she murmured softly. "Has Mistybird been telling you about Star—" He cut her off with a slap of his tail.

"Don't say that in the open!" he spat. "You know what happens to those who do." His green eyes flashed as he thought of Icefeather, their mother, who had mentioned the name only once. Ghoststar had been upon her like a pack of foxes. Their mother had been sent into a den for three days with no food or water as punishment.

"Ghoststar did the right thing," Winter murmured. "Mother's mind was soiled by Mistybird's taunting."

She glanced at the poor cat that had been kept under guard for so many moons. By now Mistybird had gone mad with grief. She'd lost Willowcloud and Sparrowfur. She'd assumed that Ghoststar had been lost to her the moment he turned the Clan against StarClan. Shadow couldn't blame her for going mad.

"Mother knew what she was doing," he hissed angrily. "Why should we be punished for thinking out loud?"

"Because thinking out loud only brings death." He was answered by Whiskertail, his former mentor. "I don't expect you to understand. But I expect you to keep your mouth shut about it." His eyes were like chips of ice when he glared at the younger cats.

Without another word he padded past, tail lashing from side to side. Shadow lowered his muzzle as he tried to ignore Whiskertail's words.

"Don't mind him, he just—" Shadow cut his sister off once more.

"Your mind has been soiled," he whispered. Sorrow made his voice deepen as her eyes widened in shock. "I'm sorry, but I can't live on like this."

"Please, don't leave!" Winter's voice rose as she tried to keep him with her.

"Who's leaving?" Shadow flinched when he heard Grub speak. "You're not leaving, are you?" The younger cat stared at Shadow in disbelief.

"I don't belong here," Shadow murmured. He was thankful that the Clan was in such a commotion. Ghoststar was still trying to calm the warriors down, though it wasn't working. "I'm going to find Willowcloud. Maybe she'll forgive me and allow me to stay with her."

The idea had never really occurred to Shadow until now. Willowcloud's name had barely been said since Ghoststar became leader of the Clan. Only Mistybird remembered who she was. Mistybird had whispered the name when Shadow gave her fresh-kill or moss for drinking.

"You know Ghoststar will hunt you down," Grub whispered. "He will stop at nothing to get his revenge."

Did I just see his eyes gleam? Shadow found himself shivering when he realized just how much these younger cats worshiped Ghoststar. I'm glad I was never like that.

"Goodbye sister." He rubbed his muzzle against Winter's, though she looked as though she would continue protesting. He had no time. If the meeting drew to an end cats would question what he was up to. Winter and Grub had been trained to tell their senior warriors what cats were doing. Spying was something they were well-known for.

He padded away from the pair, feeling their eyes burn against his pelt. He would become known as the traitor and outcast now. Perhaps upon his leaving, Willowcloud would have been forgotten. The Clan would focus on his disappearance.

The forest itself was alive with new life as he left the camp. He kept his body low to the ground, hoping no cat would catch him. Dark gray fur wasn't exactly the best way to blend in with one's surroundings. He'd learned how to conceal himself, keep himself hidden away from prying eyes.

Green eyes peered through the undergrowth when he heard the sound of twigs snapping. Something heavily built was moving through the undergrowth.

Shadow dropped to a hunter's crouch as he prepared to spring. Tackling an enemy he didn't know was foolish, if not asking for death. His eyes narrowed into tiny slits as he drew in the scent. Much to his dismay the wind was blowing in the opposite direction.

"Who goes there?" he demanded.

I need to make it seem like I've got the upper paw, he thought.

"Shadowkit?" The voice sounded shocked, and his pelt stood on end.

I haven't heard that name in moons, he realized.

"Who are you?" He rose to his haunches to see who was speaking.

Surprise made his hackles stand on end when a pair of dark blue eyes met his own gaze. Shadow forced back a sigh of relief when he realized it wasn't the same icy gaze that belonged to Ghoststar. It belonged to the one cat that he had been searching for.

"Shadowkit? Is that really you?" Willowcloud's voice was stiff with surprise as she stared at him.

"My name is Shadow now," he replied after recovering from his shock. He was surprised to have found them so easily.

"Shadow? Why don't you have a warrior name yet?" Willowcloud's eyes narrowed as she looked down at him. He was still smaller in size comparison, but he knew that he could easily outlast her if it came to a fight.

"Because he pushed away StarClan he doesn't hold ceremonies," he explained. "The others after me don't have warrior names either. He stripped them of their true identities."

"Yet he still carries the name of a leader." Willowcloud's lips curled in anger.

Shadow tilted his head to one side until he realized what she meant by that. Only a leader who had received nine lives from StarClan would have had a name with the ending of 'star'. Ghoststar was contradicting himself in many ways.

"Cats are too stupid to question that," he muttered under his breath.

"Shadow, do you know if there are any other cats who are willing to fight him?" She looked down at him once more, her eyes gleaming with determination.

"I know Mistybird would fight him if she knew you were alive," Shadow growled. "And there are those who keep their voices silent. I was one of them, I'm sure there are others." His tail lashed as he thought of Mudstripe and Goldenpaw. Both cats had shown signs that they didn't believe in Ghoststar's view of life. He would seek them out first. "I'll go back and search for those who are willing to fight back," he added when Willowcloud lowered her gaze.

"Maybe some of the rogues that live on the outskirts will be willing to fight," Willowcloud murmured. "I know there's one cat who would likely fight against the Clan."

Shadow flicked his tail in contentment before he nodded. "Good. When should we meet again?" He knew that Ghoststar would grow suspicious if he kept disappearing from the camp. Grub and Winter already suspected that he'd betrayed them to StarClan's way.

"During the half moon," Willowcloud replied. "That gives us a few days to figure out what we can do."

The dark gray tom gave her another nod before he watched her slip away into the undergrowth.

A few days, he thought. I hope you're on our side, StarClan. We'll need all the help we can get.

A/N: Whoot! Shadow makes his appearance! Is he on Willowcloud's side, or will he betray her? Ah the never ending questions continue...