Disclaimer: I do not own Stoneteller, Firestar or Blackstar. The others I made up.
Cloudfeather walked closer to the Shadowclan border. She stopped for a moment, thinking she had seen a flash of movement. She sighed. It was just a rabbit. Not one of her clan mates.
Nearing the border, she took a step onto Shadowclan territory. She paused, thinking she had heard voices. Cloudfeather listened, then shook her head. No voices.
She continued to pad through the Shadowclan territory when she heard paw steps. A patrol!
Cloudfeather drove into the bracken quickly and hoped they wouldn't catch her scent.
"Do you smell something?" She heard a male voice asked.
Another tom voiced, "No…"
The first cat walked by her, followed by a set of tortoiseshell legs. Cloudfeather could smell the tortoiseshell she-cat perfectly from here, and she recognized her worst enemy, "Moonclaw," She hissed.
"I think I hear something," said the last cat.
Are you sure?" The first tom asked.
The second tom nodded, "I'll be fine, Ravenwhisker,"
Ravenwhisker nodded, "Whatever you say, Scruffclaw,"
The tom nodded and peered into the bush, "Come out,"
Cloudfeather wasn't worried. She knew this cat. As soon as Ravenwhisker and Moonclaw were gone, she poked her head out of the bush, "Scruffclaw!"
The scruffy brown tom gazed deep into her eyes. His blue eyes were filled with love and concern, "Cloudfeather! I told you to stop coming to Shadowclan. It is too dangerous! Moonclaw would have killed you on sight,"
The creamy and tan she-cat frowned, "I know, Scruffclaw, but I love you. Even if I am the deputy of Thunderclan,"
Scruffclaw lowered his lead and gave her a lick, "Please don't come back,"
Cloudfeather sighed, "Don't you want to have kits, Scruffclaw?"
"I love you, Cloudfeather, and that is why I don't want to have kits. It would ruin the relationship that we have,"
Cloudfeather said nothing, put pressed her head against him and looked at her love. He was not handsome, nor brave. His body was lithe and scruffy, with perked ears. His pelt was a dark brown in colour, and his tail was just a little but too short. But he had won her over with his charming attitude.
"Scruffclaw!" Moonclaw's voice rang out.
Scruffclaw turned to Cloudfeather, "Get in the bracken, Now,"
Cloudfeather nodded, and dove in a large bush as she watched Moonclaw approach Scruffclaw.
The she-cat looked beautiful. The light danced off her tortoiseshell fur, making her look like Starclan on earth.
"Scruffclaw, we should get going,"
"I don't feel so well," Scruffclaw mumbled, avoiding Moonclaw's eyes.
"We can't go back to camp. Russetheart and Ravenwhisker would get so mad at us," Moonclaw argued.
"We can catch a vole or two on the way," Scruffclaw mewed. Moonclaw nodded and the two left.
Cloudfeather came out of hiding and headed back to Thunderclan.
Scruffclaw sighed as he remembered how he had first met the wonderful she-cat Cloudfeather. It had been at a gathering. He had seen her and headed over. She had still been an apprentice then, and him a newly named warrior.
It was later that Riverclan, growing so strong with all the fish, declared war with Thunderclan. Scruffclaw had persuaded Blackstar to help Thunderclan, and so they had fought with Thunderclan and Scruffclaw had saved Cloudpaw's life.
Scruffclaw had been deeply injured, but Shadowclan had no clue about that so they had left the clearing, leaving him behind. Firestar had taken pity on Scruffclaw and brought him back to the Thunderclan camp, where he had witnessed Cloudfeather's warrior ceremony.
She had come over to him, and they had shared tongues until the sun went down.
It had been the most memorable moment of his life.
As soon as he was able, he had rejoined Shadowclan. At the next gathering, he had told Cloudfeather of his love for her.
"Scruffclaw!" The voice of a thickset tabby broke him out of his thoughts.
"Yes, Duststorm?"
Duststorm stepped closer to him, "Come with me. Now,"
Scruffclaw puzzled for a moment, then asked, "Why?"
Duststorm sighed, "You know how the rabbits have been scarce?"
Scruffclaw nodded, and Duststorm continued, "Well I found out why,"
The brown tom looked up, "Really?"
Duststorm nodded, "Thunderclan has been stealing them. Without telling Blackstar, let's go get some back,"
Scruffclaw's stomach pitched, "Thunderclan…"
"Something wrong?" Duststorm teased, "Fall in love with a Thunderclan she-cat?"
"Of course not!" Scruffclaw lied, annoyed.
Duststorm smiled, "Good, then let's go!"
Scruffclaw sighed but got to his feet. They padded out into the forest, and ducked under Russetheart's question of where they were going, leaving the deputy behind.
The scruffy brown tom followed his large friend waddle towards the border. They descended the hill, and Scruffclaw felt his heart following. His heart was descending as well. Could he bring himself to hurt Cloudfeather's clan?
No, he thought. I can't. But I must.
"Warriors, fight!" The cry of Firestar rang through the clearing.
Cloudfeather turned her head. She could only scent four Riverclan warriors. But then she smelt Shadowclan. Shadowclan warriors! She turned to see Scruffclaw running towards her. She didn't expect him to leap on her and knock her down, "Stay out of this," he hissed.
Cloudfeather nodded and watched him run towards a Riverclan warrior, Sleekfur. Sleekfur mewed something to Scruffclaw and Scruffclaw nodded. The two headed towards the fresh-kill pile when a silvery tom with dark stripes running over his back stepped in the way. His voice was low.
"Stay away from Cloudfeather if you value your life. I love her, and you shall not harm her,"
Scruffclaw stopped short and cast an angry glance towards Cloudfeather, who gaped, "…"
When the two warriors had left, Cloudfeather got up, "Blackstripe…"
The large tom turned away, "Not now,"
But Cloudfeather wouldn't stop, "Why did you say that to him?"
Blackstripe paused, "What does it matter?"
"You can't say that to the cat I love, Blackstripe!" Cloudfeather cried out.
Blackstripe's eyes went wide, "But he is-"
"Shadowclan, I know," Cloudfeather snapped, and walked away, leaving a crestfallen Blackstripe behind.
A cat hurled at a breakneck speed at Cloudfeather. Time went slower then it should have. It's going to kill me, thought Cloudfeather. I am going to die.
Then a Shadowclan warrior leapt in front of her.
"Scruffclaw?"
It wasn't Scruffclaw. Duststorm picked himself up and turned to Cloudfeather. Cloudfeather realized at that moment how handsome he was. A dusty brown with a white under belly and fluffy fur. Intelligent green eyes sparkled with laughter. But not laughter at her. Laughter not at her, but at life.
"Where's Scruffclaw?" Cloudfeather asked.
Duststorm pointed to a motionless brown body near the fresh-kill pile, "Dead,"
Cloudfeather's eyes filled with tears, "I loved him…"
"Cloudfeather, I know I may never replace Scruffclaw, but I can try…."
Cloudfeather looked up at the Shadowclan tom and nodded, leaning against him.
Riverclan had gone, and Cloudfeather smiled in relief.
"Who is that?" An angry voice hissed.
"I said, who is that?" Eaglefoot asked, hissing at Duststorm.
Cloudfeather stepped forwards, "That's Duststorm and I-"
"I'll go now," Duststorm interrupted, walking towards the edge of camp. Cloudfeather ran after him.
Duststorm turned, "What?"
Cloudfeather gulped before mewing, "I don't think we will ever be anymore then friends,"
Duststorm nodded sadly and padded away.
Cloudfeather stared a little bit more then walked away, ambling towards the Medicine cat's den, where she found Brackenclaw, healing a wounded she-cat.
The golden brown tabby looked up, "Yes?"
Cloudfeather took a deep breath, "I'm leaving the clan,"
Brackenclaw and the she-cat, Goldenpetal, stared at her, "What?"
"I have to," Cloudfeather explained, "My love is gone. He won't come back,"
"Duststorm?" Brackenclaw asked, confused.
"No," Cloudfeather disagreed, "Scruffclaw. He died today."
Goldenpetal looked at her and softly mewed, "Love between two different clans only brings sorrow, Cloudfeather,"
"I know that!" Cloudfeather snapped, and walked away from camp, out past the river, towards the highstones. When she got there, she rested for one night, then set out again, towards the mountains.
"Starclan guide me,"
And so Starclan did.
Cloudfeather wandered on her own for days, tired and hungry. She lay down and fell asleep.
In her dream, a scruffy brown tom appeared, his eyes full of pain, "Do you…really love Blackstripe?"
"Of course not," Cloudfeather cried out, "I didn't even know he liked me!"
Scruffclaw was silent, "I see,"
Cloudfeather took a step towards the Starclan cat.
"Cloudfeather?"
"Yes?" Cloudfeather asked.
"Look at yourself. You are having my kits. They are in you," Scruffclaw said.
Cloudfeather looked down to see a swollen belly and gasped in delight and in horror, "But I'm alone. I can't take care of them,"
"Follow the star, Cloudfeather," Scruffclaw instructed.
"What star?" But Scruffclaw was gone.
The next morning, when Cloudfeather awoke, she thought she saw a falling star. A dying warrior. She thought nothing more of it until she had eaten and then remember her dream. Follow the star. Scruffclaw had told her to follow the star. It had been going towards the mountains.
So Cloudfeather sighed and headed towards the mountains.
What she found amazed her.
A clan, no sorry, tribe, as they called themselves, of cats, with names like Falcon of the night sky, and Stoneteller, who was the most important. They welcomed her, and for the first time, Cloudfeather felt at home.
"Want to go hunting?" Falcon asked, two months later.
Cloudfeather nodded and as they strolled outside, she noticed how much he reminded her of Scruffclaw. That was what had drew her in, but she really was interested in him. But what would Scruffclaw think? Would he understand?
"Oh…" Cloudfeather moaned, falling on the ground. Falcon rushed over to her.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I'm having my kits!" She groaned as the first one came out of her.
Falcon rushed over and began to lick the kits, "Who is the father?"
"Scruffclaw. He's dead,"
Falcon looked dejected as he helped her with the kits.
"Don't be jealous," Cloudfeather mumbled and gave him a lick on the ear, "You will be the father. The one who teaches them,"
Falcon of the night sky smiled.
After, they counted three kits. One a scruffy brown, one white and one grey tabby.
"That's Scruffpelt," Cloudfeather pointed to the first one.
Flacon nodded, "The white one is Mist of the morning air,"
"And the last one is…" Cloudfeather said slowly.
"Cliffhawk," They said together.