Chapter 23: Spotted Owl

Spotted Owl roared in exasperation. Her unsheathed claws tore mercilessly at the ground as she paced back and forth in short, erratic spurts. The crunch of leaves under-paw and heaving of her breath were deafening in her ears, echoing in the otherwise serene forest. But all she could hear was her frantic thoughts buzzing in her mind like a swarm of bees.

I cannot believe that Tall Pine has been meeting up with Frosted Leaf. She lashed her tail midair. He, of all cats, has been breaking the Clan's Code. And for what? A few nights with a pretty she-cat? What does he see in her? But no matter the reason, he's been deceiving his Clanmates. He's been lying to me. And he thinks he has the right to criticize me for spending so much time with Sharp.

Although, I have been lying to him about the real reason why I'm with Sharp. Spotted Owl immediately dismissed her pang of guilt, along with the thought that her mission wasn't the only reason why she was spending so much time with him now. Tall Pine is such a hypocritical furball. I can't stand him. I wish that he wasn't my brother. I wish that we lived in different Clans. Maybe then he'd leave me alone for once. With another roar, she whipped around, raking her claws across the ground. She had been trying to tear up the earth to relieve some of her anger but only managed to buffet a few leaves into the air and get several more stuck on her claws.

What in the stars? Spotted Owl lifted one forepaw, then the other, shaking them in an attempt to dislodge the leaves. They didn't budge. Could this night get any better? She shook her paws harder, but the leaves had been pushed high up on her claws, and they still did not move.

"Arghhh," the fighter trainee exclaimed. With both paws caught with leaves, she had to bend over to use her teeth to gnaw those annoying bits out from between her claws.

"Umm...Spotted Owl?" An uncertain voice said behind her. "What are you doing?"

All senses on high alert, the fighter trainee whirled around, her pelt bristling. Her half-smothered claws were out, and muscles tensed, ready to launch herself at the threat. But she froze as her gaze landed over Sharp, who had taken a pace back, his expression unsure as if he thought she might have bees in her brain. Several different emotions all barraged her at once; her ears burned at the same time as she smiled at the same time as the fur fluffed up even more. Oh, my stars, Sharp must've seen all of that. But he's here, someone I can talk to about everything that happened- Wait, no, I can't. He might be working for the Bands. Ugh, why does this all have to be so complicated?

Glancing at Sharp, she realized that he was shifting uncomfortably. She quickly arranged her features into a mask to hide her uncertainty and internal turmoil. "Sorry." She lifted her claw, smiling sheepishly. "I know that I must look like a crazy furball. I got some leaves stuck on my claws, and I can't seem to get them off."

"Oh." Sharp's expression cleared like the sun coming out from behind clouds. He grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Here, let me help."

Spotted Owl extended each of her forepaws one at a time, flexing her claws, as Sharp bent over, carefully using one claw to dislodge the leaves. She sighed once he finished, relieved to no longer have them stuck on her paws, holding her claws at a hard angle, the rough texture brushing up against her pads.

"So." Sharp took a step back, tilting his head. "How did you get them stuck on your paws in the first place?"

Spotted Owl's pelt prickled with anxiety as they stood close together, but she pushed it away, hoping he didn't notice. "Well, I would say I'm fine, but you can probably tell I'm not. I think being so angry I got leaves stuck in my claws is a good enough indication." She tried for a light tone. "But it's really not a big deal." She twitched her ears, staring at her paws.

Sharp's brow furrowed as he examined her face. "Spotted Owl, it sounds like it was a big deal. I'm here if you want to talk, but if not, that's fine."

The young she-cat looked up, meeting his round eyes. "Tall Pine's been breaking the Clan's Code," she blurted out before realizing what she was doing. Words overflowed from her mouth like a swollen stream, pushed through the barrier of her caution by her overwhelming desire to talk to someone. "I found him tonight at our border with the Clan of the Flowing Waters. He snuck out of camp to meet with a trainee from the other Clan. Her name's Frosted Leaf. Tonight isn't the first time they've met up. I think that Tall Pine might be falling for her. There is no other reason why he would do something so utterly cloud-brained."

"Oh, my stars," Sharp murmured, shaking his head.

Spotted Owl didn't hear him as she began to pace again, her steps as taut and wound with rage as her mew. "So, that means that he's been breaking the Clan's Code. My brother has been breaking the very code that governs us. The code that makes us the Clans. Yet he had the nerve to come and criticize me for who-" Halting abruptly, she cut herself off as she faced Sharp, her gaze boring into his. "We have to be loyal to our Clans, first and foremost. Our Clans, our Clanmates, our friends, our families-they are what matters. You don't break the code. You don't lie to them."

Spotted Owl released a huge breath, her anger extinguishing as quickly as it had ignited. Her legs grew weak beneath her, so she plopped down, feeling as fragile as a leaf. A plethora of emotions surged in to fill the gap left by her anger, the most prevalent of all deep, dark, aching sorrow. She ducked her head as she tried to steady her breaths.

Sharp stepped closer to her side, extending his tail. It hovered just above her shoulders for a heartbeat as he hesitated before he slowly lowered it. She stiffened at first but relaxed.

"Tall Pine has been deceiving my entire Clan for a while now," the dappled she-cat said, her voice no louder than a whisper. "He's been lying to Fern Dapple and Blossom Dust. He's been lying to me." A sob shook her shoulders. "Y-you don't do that. You don't lie to the ones you love."

Sharp scooted closer to her, letting her lean against him as her tears fell like torrential rain. His familiar scent of embers and birch bark was pungent in her nose as she collapsed against his chest. Spotted Owl cried, releasing all of the emotions that had been pent-up, swirling inside her. Everything else that had happened that night, all of her other stresses and worries, faded into the background. It didn't matter that she didn't know if Sharp was still loyal to the Bands and helping them get revenge. It didn't matter if he had been deceiving her all this time. It didn't matter if she could trust him. He was here, and she needed him. She needed something to hold onto as everything else seemed to be falling apart, the ground shifting beneath her paws.

It felt as if a moon had passed before her tears subsided. Spotted Owl retracted her heat, sitting upright. She swayed, a wave of exhaustion suddenly crashing over her. She blinked drowsily as she yawned. Her mind felt as though it was smothered with hazy gray fog, making it challenging to form even a tiny thought. Her body felt empty and hollow like a dried riverbed. She didn't have the strength to lift a paw, let alone trudge the rest of the way back to camp. She yawned again. "I'm exhausted. I think...I think that I'm going to shut my eyes for a little while if that's okay with you."

Sharp's eyes widened. "Spotted Owl, wait-"

But his protest didn't matter. With no awareness of what she was doing, Spotted Owl had already flopped on the ground, curling up and tucking her tail under her nose. Her limbs were sore, and every inch of her body felt drained, depleted of energy. Sleep called to her like a familiar friend, drawing her in before her eyelids had even closed. She slipped happily into deep dark nothingness.

One heartbeat Spotted Owl's consciousness was fading as she curled up on the frozen forest floor, and the next, her eyes were snapping open. The gushing of water met her ears. Her gaze landed on a narrow brook not two tail-lengths in front of her-where there had been no brook before. Pebbles crunched under her paws as she took a step forward, gaping at the brook. How-? Her mind couldn't comprehend what was going on.

Where am I? What happened? The young she-cat turned in a circle, craning her neck as she stared around. Towering oak trees rose on all sides, not unlike the forest on the Dawn Mountain's lower slopes, but their crisscrossing bows were thick with leaves. The breeze was warm against her muzzle, the chill of the Time of Freezing Earth no more than a distant memory, and fireflies danced like mini suns in the air heavy with bountiful prey scents. She frowned. Am I in the Clan of the Bright Stars? How did I get here?

As she turned around again, her gaze landed on the space between the roots of an oak tree that she swore had been vacant a heartbeat before. A slender dark brown tabby tom sat between two thick roots, his star-crusted tail wrapped around his paws.

"Bramble Foot," Spotted Owl exclaimed. She dashed over to him and pressed her nose against his. "It's so good to see you."

"Spotted Owl." Bramble Foot rose to his paws as she approached, greeting her with a purr.

"Why did you call me here to the Clan of the Bright Stars?" Spotted Owl asked, tipping her head after she had stepped back.

Bramble Foot gave her a sad smile. "I've been watching over you."

Spotted Owl's eyes widened for a heartbeat. "Oh. Right. So you know-?"

The former regent nodded grimly, his ears twitching. "I've seen everything, from Sharp's arrival to what happened tonight with Tall Pine."

"Yeah." The black and white she-cat stared at her paws, a lump coalescing in her throat. "This past moon or so has been hard."

"I know."

"I'm doing my best, but I feel so overwhelmed with all of the uncertainty and looming danger," Spotted Owl confessed. "I was given a mission from Mossy Moon to spy on Sharp because we don't know what is happening with the Bands. We are just waiting for them to come. The chieftains are doing nothing." Her gaze jerked up, boring into Bramble Foot's. "But if that's not enough, Gray Moon is trying to provoke a war between our Clans. We have no clue why. Also, we still have no idea why Sharp came to the Valley of Hidden Stars. I was beginning to trust him again, but after tonight I'm not so sure. And don't get me started on what happened tonight with Tall Pine. I feel like the ground has been yanked out from beneath my paws. Everything's changing; everything's uncertain. It's all just too much."

Bramble Foot stepped closer as her breath trembled, but no tears came as her well was empty. His starlit serious but gentle yellow eyes met hers. "I know, Spotted Owl. A lot is weighing on your shoulders right now. There are a lot of unknowns and bad things that could happen. I can't imagine what you must be going through with Sharp. He hurt you before, and you were just starting to trust him again, but tonight happened. I imagine that what Tall Pine has done, meeting up with Frosted Leaf of the Clan of the Flowing Waters must also feel like a betrayal. I understand that you feel that everything has gone wrong. But, you need to know-"

Spotted Owl's gaze jerked up, her glistening eyes wide. "Bramble Foot, you're a Clan of the Bright Stars cat. Do you know anything? When will the Bands come? What is their plan? How can we stop Gray Moon and make the Clans work together?" She took a shuddering breath as her heart leaped in her chest. "Can I trust Sharp?"

The Clan of the Bright Stars cat stared at her, his eyes round and sorrowful for a heartbeat. Then he shook his head. "I'm sorry. But our powers as the Clan of the Bright Stars don't work like that. I can't tell you what's going to happen."

The young she-cat sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Oh, come on. Why not? Please, Bramble Foot. Please," she begged. "I can't stand all of this uncertainty and waiting. I need to know even just one thing. Please."

Bramble Foot's expression hardened. "I already said that I could not tell you." His mew was stern. "No one can know what is going to happen." He softened at her crestfallen expression. "But I can tell you this. There is a lot weighing on your shoulders, especially for someone so young, but I know you can handle it. You were noble and selfless when you agreed to spy on Sharp for Mossy Moon despite your trauma to save your Clan, especially when it meant lying to your family. You were stronger and braver than most cats for having the courage to face Sharp again. You are compassionate and generous for giving him a second chance."

"I know this," Spotted Owl snapped, her eyes narrowed. "Can't you tell me anything useful?"

Bramble Foot closed his eyes and sighed. "All right. I can tell you this. Not everything is always as it seems. You know the right thing to do. You need to have faith in yourself."

Spotted Owl gaped at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What? What does that mean? Explain."

A great wind began to howl in the dappled she-cat's ears, tearing her words from her mouth and spinning them around. She stared as the lush green forest around her began to blur, rapidly fading to white. Her gaze snapped back to her Spirit Guardian, who was also beginning to fade, the stars in his fur shining brighter and brighter. "No." She tried to run to him, but somehow the forest floor was like mud, trapping her paws. "Wait. Explain what you mean, please," she yelled desperately. "What are you trying to tell me?"

But the wind drowned out her words. The stars in Bramble Foot's fur glowed brighter and brighter, blinding her. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself. As the wind died down as quickly as it had risen, she opened them again. Instead of the warm, moonlit forest, she lay on the cold ground, only tempered by the sunlight filtering through the branches.

The branches? Spotted Owl thought, her gaze snapping back to the canopy overhead. Why are there branches? Where is the trainee's den? Why am I out in the forest? She leaped to her paws, her hind legs jostling something furry, and looked around herself. Crumbling leaves clung to the fur on her chest and belly, and there was a circular imprint where she'd been laying, curled up on the forest floor, sheltered by a few clumps of ferns and a bushy cedar tree a few tail-lengths away. Sharp had been sleeping beside her; she had brushed up against him as she'd stood, stirring him. Between the crisscrossing bare branches overhead, she could see the brilliant disk of the sun, its golden rays long since chased away the frost of the night. It was almost halfway to sunhigh. She must have been so exhausted that she'd fallen asleep in the forest and slept in long past dawn. Fox-dung.

"Sharp," Spotted Owl hissed. Spinning on her heel, she bent over him, shaking his shoulder with her paw. "Wake up."

"Hmm?" Sharp mumbled. He was still half-asleep, refusing to cross the final length into full consciousness despite her prods. "Go away. Let me sleep."

"Sharp," she said again, poking him in the shoulder hard. "Wake up, you lazy furball."

"Okay, okay, fine, I'm up." Sharp rolled over and opened his eyes, meeting the fighter trainee's narrowed gaze. "Hey, Spotted Owl." He tried for a grin. "How'd you sleep?"

Spotted Owl was not amused. "Why are we still in the forest?"

Sharp scrambled to his paws and shook leaves, twigs, and other debris from his pelt. "I tried to get you to go back to camp, but you curled up and went to sleep before I could do anything." He shrugged. "And, well, I couldn't exactly leave you here."

"Oh." Spotted Owl's ears burned. That was very thoughtful of him. Maybe-maybe I can trust him. I don't know. She brushed her worries and embarrassment aside as she arranged her face into a serious expression. "My Clanmates, especially my family and friends, will probably be worried about me. The Clan might also be freaking out that you are missing too. Let's just pretend that we went out for an early hunt, okay?"

Sharp nodded, though, for a heartbeat, he looked disappointed. "Okay."

"Good." With a swish of her tail, Spotted Owl began to walk briskly, trekking up the slope toward the Clan of the Morning Sun's camp.

"Hey, Spotted Owl." Sharp hurried after her to catch up. "How did you discover that Tall Pine was meeting up with a cat from the Clan of the Flowing Waters? Last night, I went out to make dirt, and when I came back, you were gone."

Oh. She glanced swiftly in his direction. Of course, Sharp knows that I was out in the territory last night. He's probably trying to figure out if I saw him. "Well, I woke up and saw Tall Pine sneaking out of camp, looking suspicious. So, I followed him to the border, and that's when I saw him with Frosted Leaf." She tried to keep her tone light, hoping her lie was convincing enough. "How did you find me?"

"When I came back and found you gone, I figured that something was wrong, so I went looking," Sharp explained.

"Ah." Spotted Owl nodded as if she thought that that made sense. Liar. Though we both are lying, she thought with a pang of guilt. But Sharp is a much better liar than I am. If I didn't know better, I would believe him. Her stomach turned. Could he have been deceiving me this entire time?

Spotted Owl and Sharp traveled in silence for the rest of the way back to camp. The young she-cat's fur prickled the entire way; the question posed the night before hanging over her head like a storm cloud. It was nearly sunhigh by the time they came within sight of the bramble thicket. Behind it, the stone cliffs that created the Clan of the Morning Sun's gorge, albeit the shorter end, towered above their heads, dark and formidable against the icy-blue of the sky. The sun appeared to perch the jagged cliffs like Mossy Moon standing on the pinnacle of the Rockperch.

Spotted Owl paused for a heartbeat, taking a deep breath to collect herself. I can't appear worried or frazzled. I have to look as if everything is normal. With another deep breath, she settled her nerves and began to walk again. Sharp followed her as they headed out into the open, now in view of the camp entrance.

"Spotted Owl," Dappled Fur called, rising to her paws from where she had been seated, stationed beside the tunnel. She hurried to meet them. "Our Clanmates have been looking for you. Everyone was worried when you vanished from your nest and didn't return." Her gaze slid past the dappled she-cat, landing on Sharp, a suspicious air wafting off of her. She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to.

"I hope I didn't worry anyone too much," Spotted Owl said, trying for a smile. "Sharp and I went for an early hunt. The guards must've missed us leaving."

"Oh, okay," Dappled Fur said with a frown. She didn't look entirely convinced. "Well, I'm glad you're safe."

"Thank you. We should head into camp now," Spotted Owl said briskly, leading Sharp past her and through the brambles into the passageway. The atmosphere was tense as she stepped into the sunlight on the other side. Although most patrols were out, so there weren't many cats in the camp, the eyes still weighed heavily on Spotted Owl's shoulders.

Sharp paused beside her. "I'm going to head back to my den. I'll see you later?"

"Sure," she said, not paying any attention, as she was occupied with scouring the camp. The elders lay in a pool of weak sunlight near their den, and Red Maple talked to a very disgruntled-looking Dewy Grass, large leaves laying at their paws, so they were presumably heading out to gather herbs, but Tall Pine was nowhere to be seen.

"Spotted Owl." Paws pounded the earth as Blossom Dust raced over, Fern Dapple hot on her heels. She skidded to a halt, extending her muzzle to touch noses with her sister. "Thank the stars you're all right. I was worried when I found your nest empty this morning."

Spotted Owl smiled effortlessly. "I'm fine, Blossom Dust, but thank you for your concern. I went out early to hunt with Sharp." The lie tasted sour on her tongue. Changing the subject, she asked, "have you seen Tall Pine? Is he around?"

Blossom Dust shook her head. "No. He's out on a hunting patrol. He was worried too, so Quick Clouds grabbed him before he could tear up the entire camp looking for you."

"Oh, good." Spotted Owl sighed in relief.

"Good riddance," Fern Dapple huffed, stabbing the ground with one claw.

Blossom Dust gave her a weird look but turned back to her sister, her brow furrowed. "Why do you ask?"

Spotted Owl sighed again. "Tall Pine's been really on me recently about spending so much time with Sharp. It gets irritating after a while. I'm glad that he's gone so I can breathe for a while."

"You're not the only one who's annoyed with Tall Pine right now," Fern Dapple muttered. "He's been a real mouse-brained dung-face lately."

This time, both sisters gave her a confused look. "Fern Dapple, what do you mean?" Blossom Dust asked.

The hunger tossed her head. "Tall Pine's just been distracted lately. He's always had his head in the clouds, but he's never been this oblivious to something that's right in front of him. I'll explain more another time." She glanced over her shoulder at the chieftain's den, her eyes glazed over.

Spotted Owl furrowed her brow. What is she talking about? Tall Pine has been distracted lately, and now I think that I know why. But what could he have done to make Fern Dapple so annoyed?

"Anyway-" Blossom Dust turned back to Spotted Owl. Tilting her head, she met her gaze. "-I have also noticed that you've been spending a lot of time with Sharp." As Spotted Owl shifted her weight, she continued quickly. "I know that Tall Pine's already tried to talk to you about it, and he's been overbearing. You haven't seemed like you want to talk about it, so I won't press you." She placed her paw over her sister's. "I'm just worried about you. I'm here if you want to talk."

"I'm worried about you too." Fern Dapple moved to stand beside Blossom Dust.

Spotted Owl took a deep breath. I wish Blossom Dust hadn't brought this up. I don't want to lie to more of my loved ones. But at least they're not pushing me about it. I think I can trust them to back off. She met Blossom Dust, then Fern Dapple's gazes. "Thank you both for your concern. I appreciate it, but I can't talk about it right now. I need you to trust me."

Fern Dapple exchanged a look with Blossom Dust. "We do."

Spotted Owl smiled, warmth swelling in her chest. "Thank you."

The three she-cats looked up as movement from behind them caught their attention. The dull thuds of paw-steps told them that a patrol was coming through the passageway. They scooted to the side to let their Clanmates pass. Falling Star was in the lead, her expression strained, with Sage Fur, Drifting Leaf, and Jagged Path in tow, each of them equally tense, their pelts bristling. Spotted Owl's eyes widened as she saw a few tufts of fur missing from Jagged Path's shoulder and fresh blood on his ear. As the other cats dispersed into the camp, Falling Star strode directly toward Mossy Moon's den. The chieftain met her at the entrance, and they vanished inside.

"What was that about?" Blossom Dust wondered aloud.

"Did you see the scratches on Jagged Path's pelt?" Spotted Owl looked at her companions. "My guess is that there was another incident at the border with a Clan of the Flowing Waters patrol. At least no one was hurt badly, unlike last time. I can't believe them. They'll ambush peaceful hunting patrols but are too scared to fight an equally matched border patrol."

"We don't know what happened for sure." When her sister gave her a look, Blossom Dust relented. "But that is the most probable answer. What do you think, Fern Dapple?"

The silver tabby she-cat didn't answer as her attention was elsewhere. Her eyes tracked Jagged Path as he headed toward the healer's den.

Blossom Dust gave her a nudge. "Fern Dapple?"

The silver tabby she-cat started. "What? Oh, I agree."

Spotted Owl shook her head, a feeling of despair settling like a boulder in her stomach. "What are we going to do? If we're right, that'll be the third time in the past quarter moon the Clan of the Flowing Waters has attacked us or tried to provoke a fight. Gray Moon is pushing harder and harder for a war. On top of that, we are still facing the threat of the Bands, and the chieftains aren't doing anything."

"That does seem to be true." Fern Dapple took a seat, sitting back with a sigh. "I've noticed that Mossy Moon has looked worn and weary. She always looks tired, and her muzzle has gotten grayer. I imagine that she's under a lot of stress between the situation with the Bands and the potential war with the Clan of the Flowing Waters. But-" She sat up straight, her ears pricked. "-Mossy Moon also told me recently that she will do whatever it takes to protect our Clan, and she will defend it until her last dying breath. I have a feeling that she has a plan-or multiple plans-to deal with Gray Moon and the Bands, even though the other chieftains won't help. I think that we need to have faith in her."

Spotted Owl blinked. She turned away, her gaze traveling out across the camp as she sank deep into thought. That's right. I have an essential role in one of her plans. I need to make sure that I complete my mission-the fate of our Clan depends on it.

"I agree," Blossom Dust said as she sat down beside her friend. "I hope that Mossy Moon has a good plan. I wish that we knew what it was and that there was something we could do to help."

Fern Dapple tilted her head, her blue eyes contemplative like a serene pool. "Maybe there is. I've already been talking to Mossy Moon a few times. I'll keep checking in with her and see if there is anything I can do to help her. I'll also let you both know if I find out anything."

Blossom Dust's eyes lit up like fireflies. "That's a good plan. I'm quiet, and I often go unnoticed, so I'll listen to see if any of our Clanmates know anything."

And I'll continue to keep an eye on Sharp. Spotted Owl glanced at her sister and her friend, a smile creeping like the breaking dawn across her face, though her hope was mixed with a pang of guilt. Maybe we can do this. We could make a difference. We just have to have faith in ourselves.

I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! It was not quite as action-packed as the last one, but a lot happened that is quite important. Spotted Owl has hit a low point, but luckily Bramble Foot was there to talk to her. It was nice to write him again and have him make an appearance. I loved writing the scene where Spotted Owl wakes Sharp up, but boy, it is quite a predicament in terms of whether she can trust him. Blossom Dust and Fern Dapple's support of Spotted Owl is really sweet.

Fun Fact: Spotted Owl's exasperation with Tall Pine is only a little bit because of the fact that she's upset that he criticized her for spending so much time with Sharp. It has deeper roots in the guilt that she is feeling about her own lies to her friends and family, as well as the fact that despite all of her growth, she still is affected by her half-Clan heritage in that she believes she should be firmly loyal to her Clan and hates the idea of cross-Clan relationships.

- A Warrior At Heart