Chapter 21
"Have Leafpool and Jaypaw left already?" Rainstorm asked. Honeywing nodded.
"Not long ago, actually," she said.
"We should go after them now," Lionclaw meowed. "We'll be a pretty good distance behind them and still get there about the same time they do," he added.
Honeywing nodded. "Let's go then," she meowed.
With that, the cats headed into WindClan territory. They stayed within a fox length into their territory and after twenty minuets into the journey, Honeywing stopped in her tracks. She flicked her tail, telling the others that WindClan cats were near. "Rainstorm, run ahead and hide," she whispered to the gray tom. He nodded and did as he was told.
Lionclaw flattened his ears when he saw the unwelcoming face of Breezepelt. Along with him were Weaselfur, Nightcloud and Owlwhisker. They all had faces of unwelcome and disapproval of them on their land. Lionclaw let the fur along his spine lay down because he didn't want to pose a threat to any of them.
"What are you doing on WindClan territory, Lionpaw?" asked Breezepelt.
"It's Lionclaw now," Lionclaw meowed, standing up straight.
Breezepelt glared at him. "Just like you're brother killing father and your Clan destroying grandfather," the black warrior spat.
Lionclaw unsheathed his claws and hissed.
"Come and say that to my face!" Lionclaw challenged.
Nightcloud drew her lip back.
But Breezepelt threw himself at Lionclaw. But before the tom could sink his fangs into Lionclaw, Honeywing threw herself in front of Lionclaw and Breezepelt, full of rage, attacked her.
Lionclaw's eyes blazed with fury. "Get off of her!" he snarled and was about to leap onto him, but Owlwhisker and Nightcloud attacked him. Honeywing and Lionclaw began fighting off the WindClan cats. Lionclaw could see Breezepelt biting deeply into Honeywing's throat and Weaselfur about to score a long claw along her side.
Lionclaw's eyes widened. He knew she wouldn't be able to survive if the ginger WindClan warrior struck her with his claw. He desperately tried to get to her, afraid she would get killed, but couldn't.
Suddenly, Weaselfur was thrown into the grass and Breezepelt was shoved away. Lionclaw recognized Rainstorm. Nightcloud and Owlwhisker backed away from Lionclaw.
Lionclaw got up and rushed to Honeywing's side. "Are you okay?" he asked as she got up.
She nodded. "Yeah, never better," she said jokingly, trying to hide the pain of her wounds.
"You're on our territory!" snarled Owlwhisker.
"We know that!" Lionclaw snarled back.
"We were going to the Moonpool, and you would have known that if you hadn't attacked!" hissed Honeywing.
"I don't think we'll let you pass," Breezepelt said mockingly.
"We need to speak with StarClan," Rainstorm said.
"Who are you? I've never seen you before," Weaselfur meowed.
"Have ThunderClan taken in another outcast?" Nightcloud hissed.
"No!" Rainstorm hissed.
"I'm a ThunderClan warrior," he lied.
"A little large for a regular warrior, aren't you?" Owlwhisker asked.
Rainstorm's fur bristled.
"We need to speak to StarClan," Rainstorm repeated.
"Well you won't get there through WindClan territory," said Nightcloud. Breezepelt flicked his tail in agreement.
Lionclaw saw a look of worry in Honeywing's eyes.
Suddenly, there were dark clouds above them. The grass seemed to shorten and it felt cold.
"That's a sign," murmured Weaselfur.
"So you must let us pass," Honeywing said.
Breezepelt glared at Lionclaw and then at Honeywing.
Lionclaw stepped in front of her protectively. "We'll be going now," he meowed.
He looked at Honeywing and saw that she was glaring at him.
After a long moment of thinking, the WindClan warriors let them pass.
Throughout the whole journey, Honeywing had an angry look on her face.
"Honeywing, did I do something wrong?" he asked her, finally not being able to stand how angry she looked.
"You didn't need to step in front of me as thought I couldn't watch out for myself!" she burst out.
Lionclaw was confused for a second and then mewed, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to make you feel like that," he stammered.
She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Just… know that I can take care of myself. I've got my warrior name to prove it," she meowed.
"You never let me forget," he muttered.
Rainstorm padded next to Honeywing.
Lionclaw felt more comfortable around him. After all, he did save Honeywing's life. He suddenly felt kind of weird.
I think I'm falling for her, Lionclaw thought to himself.
He looked at Honeywing who was talking to Rainstorm, who kept on asking her if the wound on her neck was okay. He felt his fur bristle, but not because he didn't like Rainstorm, but just of jealousy. Lionclaw knew what he had been feeling for the past few moons. He had been falling in love with Honeywing...