Finally, FINALLY the document thing is working again! YAY!I can update!
Back at Brambleclaw's POV. Thanks for all the reviews!
"Are you all right, Brambleclaw?" Squirrelflight faced him as they made their way back to camp from patrol.
"Yes." Brambleclaw hoped he looked convincing. In truth, he had been jumpy and worried ever since that night at the island. He didn't know what to think. He didn't want to believe Hawkfrost was bad, but what he was suggesting was wrong. Brambleclaw knew it.
Worry was shadowed in Squirrelflight's green gaze. "I'm probably being paranoid," she admitted. "Just lately...something's up, I know it is."
Feeling even worse, Brambleclaw moved closer and licked her ear. "Don't worry about me, Squirrelflight," he mewed, hoping that she would listen to him. He could only imagine what she would say if she heard about Hawkfrost.
Squirrelflight started to purr, and then let out a startled yowl. Brambleclaw watched in alarm as she crouched, her head tucked under, her tail whipping from side to side. She was shaking, and he bent beside her, pressing his flank against hers. "What is it?"
"I..." Squirrelflight's voice broke off and she started again in a gasp.She seemed released from whatever had struck her, though her eyes were laced with a new concern- not for herself "Don't know." She jerked her muzzle up suddenly. "Leafpool!"
The tabby she-cat was coming down the gorse tunnel. When Brambleclaw looked at her eyes, she saw that the fear there matched Squirrelflight's. Her ginger sister leaped to her paws and rocketed over to her. "Leafpool! Leafpool what happened to you?"
"Nothing," Leafpool meowed at once. "Why would you think that anything did?" Her mew was raspy.
"I know it did." There was absolute certainty in Squirrelflight's expression. "You've been lying to me, Leafpool. Something's up with you!"
"No there isn't!" growled Leafpool. She crouched down, looking uncharacteristically hostile. "I told you there's nothing!"
"I felt it." Brambleclaw didn't understand Squirrelflight's reply, but apparently Leafpool did, for she looked down at her paws. "I felt whatever you were feeling. Whatever's bothering you. Why don't you tell me?"
"Why don't you mind your own business for once?" snarled Leafpool. "You think you have to have your nose in everything, don't you, Squirrelflight? Why don't you just get it that I don't need you looking after me like I was a kit! I don'twant you to! Now get out of my way!"
Hissing, she pushed her way past Squirrelflight and raced across the clearing, disappearing in the medicine cats' den. When Squirrelflight turned back around anger, shock, and sorrow were battling on her face, and it seemed as if it was all she could do to keep from leaping after her sister.
&&&
Though he agreed that the young medicine cat's behavior was odd, Hawkfrost was a more pressing problem to Brambleclaw. Squirrelflight, however, who was still clueless to Brambleclaw's secret, constantly paced around camp, stopping only to glare at the medicine cat's den. Her orange fur puffed up and her ears twitched as if she could still hear her sister hissing at her.
"You know, it's all right if she doesn't want to tell you," Brambleclaw meowed to her practically as Squirrelflight stared after Leafpool as she headed back out the thorn entrance. "You aren't kits or even apprentices anymore. She's a medicine cat and you're a warrior. You won't be able to share everything with each other."
He expected an argument, but Squirrelflight only sat down and sighed. "I know that," she mewed. "That's what I've been telling myself. But Brambleclaw, don't you see? I can't forget it. Whatever troubles her- and whatever troubles me- we can feel it. I know when she's afraid, when she's angry. And she's seen where I am in her dreams."
Brambleclaw's pelt prickled in alarm and disbelief. "What? How?" he stammered.He knew they had a special connection from their journey, but nothing like this.
"I don't know. Leafpool reckons that it comes from StarClan." Her gaze fixated unhappily at the sky and she shook her head. Brambleclaw stared at her. He wouldn't be able to believe it at all, but then he remembered what had happened on their journey to the sun-drown-place. When Tawnypelt had been injured by a rat bite, Squirrelflight had mysteriously remembered that burdock root was good for infections, something that no normal warrior apprentice should have known. But Leafpool would have known...was it possible that the message had been passed from sister to sister through a dream?
"What…what is Leafpool feeling now?" Brambleclaw whispered tentatively.
Squirrelflight squeezed her eyes shut. "She's worried and frightened about something. She's angry. And she's keeping some secret, I know she is."
But what? Brambleclaw wondered. If Leafpool knew that she couldn't keep secrets from Squirrelflight, then why was she even trying?Then he remembered the frequent absences of Leafpool, and he had a feeling that it wasn't for herbs
It was so unlike Leafpool to speak to harshly, especially to her sister. What was making her act this way? Was it out of pressure or built-up annoyance at Squirrelflight? The tabby she-cat's words had sounded almost hollow. Could it have been that she was echoing someone else?
He looked out towards the thorn exit, cold claws running down his spine as he thought of all the cats that were keeping secrets. And he was one of them.
&&&
Brambleclaw padded along near the WindClan border, scenting the air, his ears twitching at the sound of bracken rustling in the breeze. It was a relief to be out of camp by himself, with only the sounds of the forest for company.
He was alerted by scrabbling in the undergrowth and immediately crouched down as flat as he could. The wind was blowing against him, so he knew that the creature could scent him. He would have to move quickly. Stalking forward, he made his way towards the rustling, rather surprised that the rabbit or vole hadn't fled yet. Then he saw a pair of eyes blinking out of the heather- not prey eyes, cat eyes.
Brambleclaw held his crouch, narrowing his eyes. A growl bubbled in his throat and his claws unsheathed, but before he could make a sound or attack the cat stepped out of the undergrowth. He looked wary, and his tail-tip twitched. "Brambleclaw. Glad I could find you."
The ThunderClan cat stood up in surprise. He didn't sheathe his claws. "Webfoot? What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you," Webfoot meowed. "I met Hawkfrost at the border yesterday. He has a message for you."
Brambleclaw's ears pricked. He hadn't been expecting this. Thinking it was perhaps a trap, he scented the air carefully. Webfoot was alone. The tabby cat studied the other's skinny shoulders and wiry frame. If it did come to a fight, he knew that he could win easily, and his fur lay flat at this assurance. "What is it?"
"He says..." Webfoot pawed the ground. "He says that he wants you to come to the quarter-moon meetings. He says that you're a great warrior and that you...er...understand. I don't know what he meant by that- do you?"
Brambleclaw had frozen. Understand? Understand what? What it's like to be like Tigerstar? He shook himself when he realized Webfoot was watching him curiously. "I know what he means," he murmured. "Thanks, Webfoot."
The gray tom relaxed and turned around, clearly craving to get back in his own territory. "I'll see you at the quarter moon, Brambleclaw."
His tone was oddly friendly, and Brambleclaw stared after him thoughtfully. Was it because of the meetings? Or was it out of a newfound respect that he ahd found, s imply because Hawkfrost trusted Brambleclaw? His half-brother commanded a great deal of respect from the former followers of Mudclaw, and Brambleclaw's heart pounded as he wondered just how far they would go to obey him.
And the plot thickens...tension's going to snap pretty soon!
