Chapter Three
"There you are, Brambleclaw. Darkwing. I've been waiting forever for you to come back. We wanted you for hunting patrols but—oh. Who's this?"
Reason had just entered what the two cats had told her was their 'camp'—their home. She'd jumped lightly down a couple of loose rocks, and skidded across large patches of moss. Brambleclaw and Darkwing were well ahead of her, but she didn't care. She took her time strutting in behind them, gazing up at the hard stone walls and all around at the thorn bushes that acted like some kind of fort. Her senses alerted her to bout twenty different cats, all of which seemed to be in some type of den, or holes in the rock wall. She saw a few kits playing by a nettle patch, two of which were chasing a butterfly, the other batting at a purple flower. A smile graced her beautiful features as she took in the scene of harmony. Before this moment she thought no such joy was possible.
"Brambleclaw, this is—"
"This is a cat we found in the forest," Brambleclaw broke in quickly. Taking a fleeting glance at Reason and then to the other she-cat. Her eyes narrowed.
"Come on now, Squirrelflight. You can't possibly tell me you're jealous. We don't even know her name," Darkwing added, trying to enhance Squirrelflight's mood. It didn't.
"My name's Reason," Reason said defiantly, nostrils flaring, "and I won't have you look at me like that. Squirrelflight," Reason sneered her name.
Squirrelflight hissed, her fur bristling along her spine. She tensed, claws spiking the earth. "How dare you," she snarled, jumping at her. Brambleclaw immediately threw herself in front of her, and Squirrelflight sent him tumbling to the ground.
They stayed there, each wrestling to bring the other under control. Darkwing glanced at Reason, as if this was all her fault. He slid in front of her; legs spread out and tail twitching irritably as if he were guarding her.
"I don't need your help," Reason hissed. "I can hold my own."
"No," Darkwing retorted, "not here you can't."
Reason's eyes narrowed, looking away, deciding not to say anything. Darkwing looked back at her. For a moment, it looked as if his gaze softened. But then it was cold and solid. Almost hateful. He looked away.
"Who is she!" Squirrelflight screeched.
"No one! I don't even know her!" Brambleclaw yelled back, gaining control as he twisted his body around, forcing Squirrelflight to flip onto her back and land heavily on the ground. She gasped, her shoulders and spine getting ripped apart by the rocks that littered the ground.
"She's obviously someone!" Squirrelflight screamed at him. "The way she smiles at you, the way you look at her." She snarled, finding strength to kick up her hind legs and claw at his stomach.
He looked at me? Reason thought blankly, letting her guard fall.
"How can anything be going on? How can you think that? We've only just met!"
"I don't care! You should have chased her out or killed her when you had the chance!"
"Well you should've made one!"
"Argh! You don't listen, do you? Once you've made up your mind about what you think has happened, you close her ears and won't listen to anything else until someone finally says you're right!"
"I'm always right," Squirrelflight said sourly.
"No! That's the thing—you're not! Nine times out of ten, you're dead wrong! Why can't you see that?" Brambleclaw shoved her harder into the rubble, and Squirrelflight arched her back, screaming at him. With a visible effort, she squirmed from his grasp, writhing out from underneath him. Leaping back, she hissed at him and bared her teeth.
"You're always to quick to judge people, Brambleclaw! Why don't you just take a time out, sit back, and look at yourself? Sometimes you just see people, see how different they look and act. You don't even get to know them—sometimes I don't even think you know me. The real me. If you want to forget about us so quickly and run off with a she-cat just because of the way she looks, then maybe we weren't meant to be!" She hurled herself at him, raking her claws across his ear and down his cheek. Blood bubbled from the wound, seeping down his face.
"Sometimes, I wish I never met you," Squirrelflight whispered. "I think it would've made my life a whole lot less complicated." And with that, she stalked away.
"Who the hell was she? Does she think she owns you or something?" Reason asked, bewildered. No one made to answer her. It was only then as she looked around the clearing, that every cat had come out of hiding, stopping what he or she was doing. And they all stared. Just stared.
At her.
"Darkwing…" Reason whispered, leaning over, but still looking at the silent cats.
"Don't talk," Darkwing whispered back. "Stay here." Where did he expect her to go?
"Right."
Darkwing left her standing there, stranded. She avoided the hard stares of all the Clan cats, choosing instead to look over at Brambleclaw. He was still there—looking blindly off into the distance. Reason curled her nose in disgust as she was reminded that it was Squirrelflight who'd left that way. It was almost as if she'd broken his heart… Again…
"Brambleclaw," Reason's head snapped towards the voice, realizing that she was sanding rigid and straight. It was an orange tabby cat, his pelt looking as if it were made of fire. His dazzling green eyes were narrowed, infuriated. Chips of ice in a sea of blackness. He was moving toward Brambleclaw, but with a glance in Reason's direction, he switched his course and headed for her. "Who's this?" Bitterness.
"Yes," someone echoed, "tell us." More of the same calls rose up, starting as a dull buzzing, and then becoming more persistent.
"Silence," the orange cat said. At once everyone was perfectly still, their eyes yearning for gossip.
"I'm Reason," the she-cat answered for him, stepping forward regally.
"She was found trespassing on the southern border near the Great Lake and the Ancient Oak." Bramble claw interjected, looking up into his leader's eyes. "Firestar," he added, looking down once more. Reason shrank backward, suddenly afraid with all of these strange cats around.
"Well," Firestar said, still looking t Reason, "you look…" he paused, running his gaze up and down her perfect, lithe form, "…new." A few cats murmured agreement—all of them, Reason noticed—males. They all smiled at some private joke; all of the she-cats sneering and looking put off. Reason thought them jealous.
"What should we do with her, Firestar?" Darkwing asked, stepping forward. He was in front of Reason again, blocking her from everyone's view. "As far as we know, she has no experience with any of the Clans. We think her to be rouge. If you'll permit, I'll take her—"
"That's enough, Darkwing. Thank you. Brambleclaw, Spiderleg, if you'll please escort Ms. Reason to my den, I'll met you there at Moon High," Firestar nodded to Spiderleg, who nodded in return. He rushed over to Brambleclaw, who just stood there until Firestar repeated his name, twice more.
"Ms—uh—Ms," Spiderleg stuttered, looking to Brambleclaw for support as they walked toward her. He gazed at her helplessly, until he finally nudged his companion rather hard in the ribs.
"Reason," Reason finished for him, her lips twitching into a small smile. He blinked back a her, at a loss her words. He laughed nervously.
"Right. Right this way, Ms. Reason."
"Just Reason, thank you. Spiderleg."
Spiderleg coughed, turning around and standing at the edge of the rock. By now, Firestar had dismissed all of the other cats. Yet still, some stared openly at her, unashamed. Brambleclaw hadn't moved a muscle.
"Brambleclaw? Do you—u. Do you want to take me to umm—"
"Yeah," Brambleclaw said sullenly, "I do. Let's go."
Reason narrowed her eyes. Something like suspicion and sympathy—that's what she felt. And that was what surprised her. "Maybe you and Spiderleg should, umm. Well. I don't know. Do whatever."
"Yeah, we will," Brambleclaw was still looking straight into her eyes, penetrating her thought and feelings that were meant to be kept as a secret. "Spiderleg, come. Take Reason's other side."
As usual, Spiderleg was quick to obey, not daring to falter in front of the older warriors' eyes. "Sure."
Reason smiles at him, an in an instant Spiderleg look away, down at his paws. Was he self-conscious? Reason could tell the cat was still young, about a year or so old. Perhaps he still had that over-excited, shy when being talked to, eager to be liked, kit personality; she wouldn't be surprised.
The she-cat's walk was proud, like normal, and she couldn't help but stand a little taller and walk with more pronounced steps as she saw heads turning in her direction. She glanced at Brambleclaw from the far corners of her eyes; he was still looking for something. No. Someone. He was looking for her.
"Whatever," Reason muttered, huffing. She walked a bit closer to Spiderleg. He moved away. She stared at him curiously.
"Keep moving," Spiderleg mewed. She could almost hear the remorse in his voice, but it was covered up by what he obviously thought to be a pretty good imitation of malice. Reason looked around; Darkwing was watching. She laughed. Maybe he was the kit's father or something.
"In here," Spiderleg again. He was suddenly very jumpy. Reasons wondered why they change. She looked at Firestar's den; it looked like a place where a leader should sleep. The outside was covered in white roses and green, thorny vines. They slithered down and across the opening, covering it like a veil. Blue flowers were coiled amongst them. White looked silver were green was emerald on a glossy bed of granite.
"It's…" She was at a loss for words.
"Get in," Brambleclaw hissed, jabbing her with his forepaw. "We don't have time for your rambling."
"We?" Reason snarled, "Or is it just you?" She flitted past him, her shoulder catching on a clutch of unforgiving thorns. She hissed and tore her shoulder away, trailing fur and drops of blood.
Brambleclaw followed her. Spiderleg's eyes grew wide, and then went to slits. Females—he shook his head. He'd never understand.