Skystar strode about his warriors, checking them over briskly.
Injuries?
None of any significance, my leader.
Tend to them.
The healing cat set about SkyClan's wounds. Now, to business. thought the lithe leader to himself. He set a slow pace towards a creamy white she-cat.
Skyleaf!
The lean cat raised her head.
Yes?
What were you doing? You let a WildClan warrior escape!
Skystar, he had a-
Don't give me any of that! Skyleaf, if you go about giving away our life secrets, you know your fate! Let this be your only warning.
Skyleaf dipped her white head in respect, though bitter hate burned within her.
"Now," Skystar turned to Stormyheart. "I am Skystar, leader of SkyClan. You are Stormyheart, leader of…?"
Stormyheart's composure snapped back into place. "We bear no name," he meowed smoothly.
"Rogues, then. We come to your assistance, and my Clan is temporarily-" the brown and black cat put emphasis on that word. "-at your service."
"And what provokes this… assistance and service?"
Skystar's eyes gleamed. "Our provocation, I believe, comes from you."
Stormyheart was forced to look away. SkyClan's leader's icy blue eyes bore into his soul.
"From me?" the gray tom pretended to scrutinize Skystar's warriors.
"I will tell you more in a place more private. I do believe you have a nice camp near the Twoleghouse?"
"Yes," Stormyheart returned his gaze upon the small tom. It was full of suspicion. "You would like to see it?"
"That would be…enjoyable," this cat knew how to play his words, Skystar thought. "My Clan is ready."
"If you would be so inclined as to follow me?" without waiting for Skystar's response, Stormyheart turned and bounded out of the clearing. It took his rogues a few heartbeats to realize he had left, Skystar noted with amusement.
In one fluid motion, the leader of SkyClan leaped onto the trunk of a tree and clawed his way up. By the time he had reached the top branch, the rest of his Clan was halfway up the surrounding trees.
Skyleaf, remain on the ground.
Yes, my leader.
Skystar, now invisible to the eye, lauched himself from his tree, flew through the air, and came to rest on the tree beside it.
Depart.
Affirmatives came from SkyClan, and as a whole, the multitude of cats copied their leader, leaping from one tree to the next.
A lone figure raced after Stormyheart and his rogues on the ground, swift as a falcon.
Skyleaf supposed this was her punishment.
To remain on the ground as a messenger while the rest of her Clan travelled in the trees. I don't care! she told herself. The ground isn't all that bad. It has mice and grass and flowers. All we eat in SkyClan are birds and squirrels. Mouthfuls of hair and feathers, that's all they are!
She cleared a fallen log to come up behind one of Stormyheart's rogues. The cat, a large ginger tom, looked back at her. His eyes grew inquisitive at the lack of SkyClan.
"Where's your Clan?" he rasped.
Skyleaf ignored him. The rogue was not worthy of knowing. Only Stormyheart could hear this. Instead, Skyleaf put on a burst of speed and shot past him.
The slender she-cat wove through the rest of the rogues, slipping silently in beside Stormyheart.
"My leader," she meowed, dipping her head as she ran alongside the dark gray tom.
He didn't turn his head. "I told you, Lightning, we can't trust-" Stormyheart broke off as he caught her scent. "What? Oh," he finally acknowledged her. "SkyClan, right?"
"Yes," Skyleaf replied. She was unsure of how to address him. In SkyClan, it was proper to address Skystar formally whether speaking or thought-speaking.
"Where's Skystar?"
Skyleaf motioned with a flick of her creamy white tail towards the treetops.
Stormyheart glanced upwards. "What's that supposed to mean?" he inquired, confused once more.
The pretty she-cat sighed. "Stop," she meowed, sliding to a halt.
Suspiciously, the tom obliged. "Wait," he commanded his followers.
"Now, look up at that tree. No, that one."
Stormyheart stared at the place on a towering birch she had indicated. Suddenly, he drew back with a gasp as Skystar flew through the air and landed on a neighbouring tree, then flickered out of sight. "You travel by means of the trees?" Stormyheart murmured in curiosity and a touch of awe.
Skyleaf nodded. There, her duty was done. "Continue to lead us," she meowed, and made for the nearest tree. From there, the white cat disappeared into the leaves and joined her leader.
It is done.
Good. For the rest of our stay with him, you will be our envoy.
What?
You heard me!
Fuming, Skyleaf leaped to a different tree, leaving Skystar with his deputy.
"Revenge," vowed Skyleaf under her breath, "is mine."
Nutflower poked her head out from under the small Twoleghouse. Something was missing. She felt it in the air.
The calico she-cat crept to the pine tree wall. She inhaled deeply. The pungent scent of pine overwhelmed her, but pine was the only scent she could smell. Her tail lashed in delight, making the pine branches rustle loudly. Her guard was gone!
A new scent made her turn back to the small Twoleghouse. Twilight padded from the shallow dip in the ground.
"You're leaving, aren't you?" the black loner asked with sadness.
"Yes," replied Nutflower. She couldn't help it - she had to ask. It was her last chance to do it. "Your mate, was it Stormyheart?"
Twilight bristled, the first time Nutflower had seen her angry. "Why does it matter?" she hissed.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you," Nutflower had no desire to get into a fight with the queen.
Her fur laid flat, and Twilight sighed with surprising fatigue in her voice. "Whitestar may not want them in his Clan. How did you know of their father? Did he tell you?"
"No," confessed Nutflower. "It's Rainkit. He looks like Stormyheart."
"That kit is completely innocent, and you know it!" Twilight meowed firmly, twitching her long black tail.
Nutflower looked away from the fierce queen's gaze, not wanting to answer.
A long silence stretched between the two she-cats.
"Well," meowed Nutflower. "I'd better be getting back to my Clan. Goodbye, Twilight, and my thanks are with you."
With that, she disappeared into the pines.
"Goodbye," said Twilight softly.
Nutflower pelted straight out for the forest, having decided this was her best method of escape. The large Twoleghouse loomed in front of her threateningly.
She slowed her pace, dropping into a crouch.
Belly pressed to the grass, she advanced cautiously.
A noise made her whip around. The same she-Twoleg was standing in the trail that led to the forest, holding a dish of something in its clumsy paws. Kittypets swarmed around its legs, meowing loudly.
The Twoleg was once again in Nutflower's way, but this time there was no way around it.
"Come eat!" a black she-cat meowed cheerfully at Nutflower, noticing her. Fox dung! Nutflower thought furiously as another kittypet turned towards her and meowed a greeting.
Nutflower looked around in a panic, trying to find the pine tree she and Stormyheart had sheltered beneath.