Chapter Thirty-Six

Shadowheart stared down at rogue queen in disbelief. Lily trembled under his paws, her eyes shut tight. Upon hearing her name, she opened her eyes. Suddenly, the older she-cat was relaxed, her eyes wide with relief.

"Shadowheart!" she gasped, struggling to her paws as Shadowheart let her up. "Oh, am I so glad it's you!"

Minkpaw crawled out from under the bramble bush, his fur bristling with suspicion. "A rogue! Let's get her!"

The brown apprentice went to pounce, but Shadowheart quickly knocked him aside with his paw. Minkpaw let out a confused hiss, staring at his mentor in disbelief. Lily watched the two cats, her silver eyes wide.

"No," Shadowheart told Minkpaw firmly. "This is Lily. She wouldn't harm any cat." He turned his gaze back to his foster mother, shocked by how scrawny she looked. Her normally soft and neatly groomed fur was matted and unkempt. Ribs protruded from her sides, and her eye sockets were hollow. Just what had been going on back at the gorge for her to have gotten this way? Shadowheart walked over and gently pressed his muzzle to hers.

"It's good to see you," he murmured. "But, why are you here? What happened?"

Lily began to tremble again, flattening her ears. "It's terrible, Shadowheart!" She took a deep breath to steady herself. "I-I had to see you. I had to warn you of the danger!"

Before Shadowheart could question her further, Yellowsky and Daypaw were headed their way carrying prey. Daypaw's eyes widened upon seeing Lily, while Yellowsky dropped her prey with a low growl. Crouching in fear, Lily pressed close to him.

"What's going on?" Yellowsky demanded, her gaze wary and suspicious.

Minkpaw ran up to the golden tabby. "Shadowheart caught her sneaking through our territory!"

"Did he now?" Yellowsky's piercing amber gaze didn't leave Shadowheart's. "Who is she?"

Bristling with indignation at his Clanmate's accusative tone towards him, Shadowheart laid his tail protectively across Lily's shoulders. "This is Lily," he explained. "She raised me back in the gorge. She said our Clan was in danger."

Yellowsky's gaze flitted to Lily, who was still crouched in fear. "Why would she bother to warn us? She belongs to the rogues."

Lily trembled, sitting up a little. "You don't understand," she mewed desperately. "The gorge isn't the place I used to call home. So much has changed…"

Pity clutched at Shadowheart's heart. The cat he had called his mother, was always so gentle and caring. It didn't surprise him that the violence and harsh way of the rogues' had finally got the best of her. By the looks of it, the life hadn't been suiting her well either.

As Lily went to step forward, she let out a hiss of pain and crumpled to the ground. Shadowheart quickly jumped to her side. At first glance, he hadn't noticed Lily was covered in scratches and bite marks. The worst injury, one particular bite wound, still raw and red, was across her front leg.

"We need to get her back to camp," Shadowheart decided, turning his gaze to Yellowsky. "She needs a medicine cat."

Yellowsky narrowed her eyes, clearly debating on whether or not to protest. After a few tense moments, she gave a grunt. "Fine. But, you will be the one to explain to Foxstar why we've brought an enemy into the Clan."

Pointedly, she scooped her sparrow up and turned away. She motioned for Daypaw to follow her, and led the way back to camp. Lily looked up at Shadowheart with pleading eyes. Blinking at her with reassurance, Shadowheart nudged her to her paws.

"Don't worry," he mewed softly to his foster mother. "No cat is going to hurt you. I won't let them."

Minkpaw sniffed at Lily, wrinkling his noise at the strange scent. "She smells!"

Glaring at his nephew, Lily just gave a soft purr. "I'm sure I do," she replied, blinking warmly at the brown apprentice. "You must be an apprentice," she guessed. "I recall Shadowheart telling me a little bit about the way the Clans are."

"Why would he do that?" Minkpaw asked, eyes wide. "He's a warrior!"

Stiffening awkwardly, Shadowheart hadn't really wanted to discuss his past with his young kin. "It's a long story," he grunted. "Right now, you can make yourself useful and dig up that mouse you caught so we can head back."

Opening his mouth to protest, Minkpaw clearly thought the better of it and stomped off to pick up his catch. Shadowheart gave a sigh. He felt guilty about being short with his apprentice, but it was best not to explain his difficult relationship with the rogues now.

Lily was pressed close to his side now, using him to support her weight as they walked ahead. Minkpaw met them a little ways up, the mouse dangling from his jaws. As the three cats slowly made their way back to camp, Shadowheart could feel the anxiety roll off Lily's pelt in fierce waves. It was obvious that whatever Lily had come to warn him about, it was more serious than he imagined. Growing up, Lily had never left the gorge. Not once. It had to be something horrendous to make his foster mother run away from the gorge, and towards the rogues bitterest enemies.

The camp entrance was just ahead, and Shadowheart nodded for Minkpaw to go ahead first. He fixed his gaze on Lily, letting her catch her breath as she sat down.

"Are you well enough to go into camp?" he asked, concern edging his mew.

Lily nodded breathlessly, flexing her claws to steady herself as she stood again. "I-I have too," she mewed, barely a whisper. "Lives depend on it."

Admiring her courage, Shadowheart licked her ear gently. "I'll be right here beside you, I promise."

Gazing at him with love, Lily turned and limped beside him as they emerged into camp. Cats had already gathered, clearly hearing the news from Yellowsky. Foxstar was waiting on the Highoak, her narrowed gaze unreadable. Collapsing once they stopped, Lily panted heavily while Shadowheart sniffed at her pelt worriedly. He looked around anxiously, hoping to catch sight of Pinefrost or Ravenfeather nearby. Firelight, who had emerged from the warriors' den, caught his eye questioningly. He shook his head. He would explain everything once he spoke to Foxstar.

Gazing up at his leader, he could see she was waiting to hear what was going on. Twitching her tail irritably, the ginger she-cat flicked her ears at him to speak.

"Foxstar," he began, making sure to keep close to Lily. "I found her on the PineClan border. She said there was urgent news the Clans must know."

Amber eyes cold, Foxstar stared at Lily with hostility. "And why should we trust the word of a rogue?"

"Send her back!"

"She can't be trusted!"

"She's been sent to spy!"

The angry and suspicious yowls of his Clanmates' rang throughout the clearing. It wasn't until Foxstar waved her tail, that the hisses had died down at last. Lily seemed scarcely aware of them, her breathing shallow and eyes drooping with exhaustion and pain.

"She can be trusted!" Shadowheart pleaded for them to understand. "She raised me! She would never hurt the Clan that I belong to!"

"That's it? That's all we've got to go on?" growled Lionclaw, from underneath the HighOak. "Those rogues may have raised you Shadowheart, but they aren't Clan cats."

Alderleaf, the Clan deputy, sat beside him, eyes dark. Murmurs spread through the gathered cats, all clearly agreeing with the golden warrior. One voice spoke out then, and Shadowheart saw that Silverleaf had gotten to his paws.

"Isn't it because Shadowheart was raised by the rogues, that he would know who was trustworthy?"

Hollycloud came to stand beside her son. "Silverleaf is right," she agreed. "Shadowheart has proven himself to be a good and trustworthy warrior. My mate, Sagepelt, mentored him as well. Would any cat here be as bold enough to assume otherwise?" she challenged.

"No!" Firelight jumped to her paws, nodding in agreement. "Shadowheart would never let a dangerous cat stay here in the Clan with us!"

Pinefrost, who had emerged from her den, made her way over to Lily. "Foxstar, this cat is needs treatment. Please, let me bring her to my den."

Foxstar pondered this for a moment, before finally giving a wave of her tail. "Very well," she conceded. "However this doesn't mean I have accepted a rogue into our ranks. She will stay under watch until she is well enough."

Shadowheart nodded stiffly. "Thank you, Foxstar."

Lily's glazed over eyes turned to look at Pinefrost, who was sniffing at her pelt. "...Pine?" she breathed.

"Yes, it's Pinefrost now," the medicine cat answered gently. "Come now, I'm going to get your wounds treated."

Nudging Lily to her paws, Pinefrost carefully led her over to her den. The rest of the Clan watched in silence, clearly divided on what they thought to do. Foxstar stood up on the HighOak, her eyes narrowed. "Until our guest is well enough, the Clan will keep quiet about her to the other Clans."

"You suggest that we should lie? Just how shameful is our Clan going to become?" the elder, Frosttail, hissed in disbelief from the back of the crowd.

Foxstar fixed her with a glare. "It is best the other Clans don't know about us harboring one of the rogues in our camp," she growled. "Until I know what to do with her, that is my decision. This gathering is over."

As Foxstar descended from the HighOak, she waved her tail at Shadowheart for him to follow her into her den. Alderleaf joined beside him, and together, the three cats gathered in the small sandy cave.

"You said this rogue had news for us," Foxstar meowed, crouched in her nest. "Do you know what that is?"

Shadowheart shook his head, frustrated. "No. I wasn't able to really get anything out of her before bringing her back to camp."

"What do you think?" Foxstar turned her amber gaze on her deputy.

Alderleaf looked thoughtful. "In her state, I think she may be telling the truth. And if she was the one who had raised Shadowheart, surely she could mean no harm?"

"Lily was the only mother I had," Shadowheart added, digging his claws into the sandy floor. "She loved me and Cinder like we were her own! I know she wouldn't come all the way here to cause trouble. Please Foxstar, just let me talk to her!"

Foxstar narrowed her eyes. "Do you think your judgment is clear?" she challenged quietly. "You say this cat raised you, does that not cloud your loyalties?"

Shadowheart stared at his leader is disbelief. Did Foxstar really just question where his loyalties lay? Forcing his fur to keep flat, he fought to keep the anger out of his voice.

"My loyalty will always be to LeafClan," he growled. "I will not do anything to put our Clan in any more danger than it already is. However, I'm not going to turn my back on the cat that I always called my mother either."

The den was quiet. A tense silence filled the air, and Shadowheart felt his heart was burst out of his chest from the tension. Finally, Foxstar sat up straight, her eyes thoughtful.

"Very well," she decided at last. "While she recovers, I want you to see why she was in our territory. And I also want you to squeeze any information you can out of her regarding the rogues and their camp."

Relieved that Foxstar seemed willing enough to trust him, Shadowheart nodded. "I will," he promised.

Alderleaf still seemed worried however, his tail flicking nervously. "What if they come looking for their lost campmate?"

Foxstar growled, revealing sharp fangs. "Then we fight. The rogues will not defeat us, no matter what they think," she turned to Shadowheart. "Go on. There are things I must discuss with my deputy."

Grateful to be away from his leader, Shadowheart dipped his head and hurried out of the den. Firelight was sitting nearby, clearly waiting for him to emerge. Her fur rippled nervously as she met his gaze.

"What did Foxstar say?" she asked instantly, padding up to him.

Shadowheart sighed. "She's willing to keep Lily in our camp. She's hoping I can get information about the rogues out of her."

Firelight's eyes brightened at the prospect. "That's brilliant! She can give us the edge on defeating Hawk!"

"Will any cat trust her word though?" he asked bitterly. Or mine? Shadowheart hadn't forgotten the hostility and suspicious gazes from his Clanmates' when he brought Lily into camp. Despite everything, all it did was open an old wound from when he was a young apprentice. Not only raised by rogues, he was also half-Clan. Shadowheart could understand why any cat would be ready to cast suspicion on him.

"Shadowheart, don't take what the others' said too personally," Firelight told him, flicking her tail across his muzzle as she turned to head off. "It's a tough time on the Clans right now. Everything will work out, knowing you."

Shadowheart watched his friend walk off towards the fresh-kill pile. Despite her reassurance, Shadowheart wasn't sure if she was right. Would he always have to work to prove his place in LeafClan? Or was being raised by the enemy always going to hang over him like a dark cloud?