Bluestar hadn't changed.
Firestar breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her. Perhaps StarClan could help him with the problems of his Clan. Maybe even with Lightningscar.
But as her gaze landed on him, he found he could no longer move. His legs felt rooted to the ground, as though the grass had sprouted up and weaved itself around his paws.
And then she spoke, her words whisper-soft and ice cold.
"Traitor's word, and traitor's breath.
Traitor's eyes and traitor's death.
Sorrow kept, never known.
Hidden deep and never shown."
Despite her dreams, Lightningscar was having more fun than she'd ever had in her entire life.
In her new 'Clan' never stopped battle training. Regular mini-wars raged in the clearing, and there was never a time when there wasn't a fight going on. And anyone could join, which was particularly good if you were in a bad mood, which Lightningscar was in often.
But the battles didn't make the members into enemies. Instead, they brought them closer together.
And many of the cats were different, so her voice no longer stood out. They accepted her completely.
"Lightningscar!" Darkshadow called from across the clearing. "Hunting patrol! You coming?"
Lightningscar purred. "Sure!"
Hunting patrols were different here, too. Whenever a cat wanted to hunt, they hunted. They chose when, and there was always a large fresh-kill pile in the clearing, though far away from the battles.
Darkshadow purred as she came up next to him. His tail entwined briefly with hers as they padded along.
"So. How do you like our Clan?" He asked.
"Let's just say it's better than ThunderClan." Lightningscar replied.
He purred. "So it would seem."
They walked in silence, then slowly padded away from each other as Darkshadow started stalking a mouse.
That was when she heard it. A soft sound, like a whisper in the trees.
She followed it, though she was unsure why. Slowly, carefully, she followed the sound to a large Twoleg nest.
It was a Twoleg. The sound was coming from a Twoleg.
It was only then that Lightningscar realized that the noise was someone talking. The Twoleg's mews were soft, and they flowed strangely.
And she could understand them.
How? How could she understand what this Twoleg was saying? She didn't understand…
The Twoleg came up to her and crouched next to her. Lightningscar knew she should run, but her paws wouldn't move.
"Traitor's word, and traitor's breath.
Traitor's eyes, and traitor's death.
Sorrow kept, never known.
Hidden deep, and never shown."
Lightningscar listened to the Twoleg's words carefully, but as soon as they were finished, her paws suddenly responded to her again, and she ran.
She ran as fast as she could, and was a good distance away before she dared to look back.
When she did, the Twoleg and the nest were gone.
Darkshadow purred as Lightningscar came next to him, but her amber eyes were wide.
"What's wrong?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
"I…I don't…" She swallowed. "I…I need a minute."
His eyes softened. "It's ok." He gently smoothed her ruffled fur with his tail.
"It's not." She breathed. "Darkshadow… what do you know about Twolegs?"
He sighed, everything suddenly clear. "They've always acted strangely in these parts, Lightningscar." He looked at her. "What did they say to you?"
She looked at him. "Promise not to tell my father?"
"Why?"
"I don't know. I just… don't want him to know."
He nodded. "Go ahead."
She took a deep breath and recited the Twoleg's words. A long, deep silence followed them. Finally, Darkshadow sighed and spoke. "That's… a little scary."
"Yeah…"
He looked at her, concerned, before brushing up against her. "It'll be ok."
"I know. I just…" She sighed. "I don't know."
He purred quietly. "I understand."
Jadeheart's claws dug into the ground as she thought once more of her sister. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
Her eyes caught Jayfeather padding out of his den, his blind eyes wide and his neck fur bristling. At another end of the clearing, Firestar padded out of his den. They met each other in the center, and it became obvious that they'd been meaning to talk to each other.
Firestar followed Jayfeather back to the medicine cats' den. Jadeheart sat there for a minute before following them, keeping out of sight.
"Exactly the same dream?" Jayfeather was questioning.
"Possibly. What did she say to you?"
Jayfeather took a deep breath and recited,
"Traitor's word and Traitors breath.
Traitor's eyes and traitor's death.
Sorrow kept, never known.
Hidden deep and never shown."
Firestar sighed. "Yes. It was the same dream."
Jayfeather swallowed. "Firestar, if we're both having the same dream…"
"StarClan must really need us to know this."
Jadeheart looked inside, just barely, so that she could see them without them seeing her.
Jayfeather swallowed. "I don't get it. Who is the traitor?"
"Must it really be asked?" Pain flashed in the Clan leader's eyes.
"Lightningscar is one possibility, Firestar. But she is not the only one."
"Her siblings?"
Jayfeather nodded. "I'm afraid that might be the case."
"They haven't done anything to suggest…"
"True. But it is still possible."
Firestar thought for a moment, then nodded. "Possible, yes. But let's not assume anything yet."
Jayfeather nodded, and Firestar padded towards the entrance.
Jadeheart ran.
"Sorrow kept, never known,
Hidden deep, and never shown."
Bushface and Stormcloud looked at their sister in shock.
"Jadeheart, how can you be sure it's about Lightningscar?" Stormcloud asked.
"Because we've all had that dream, Stormcloud." Bushface replied for his sister. "We don't need to deny it any longer."
Stormcloud looked at Bushface for a long time, then sighed. "What are we going to do?"
"I don't know." Jadeheart replied.
"I do." Bushface replied. "We're going to find Lightningscar."
Jadeheart's eyes grew round. "Are you insane?" She hissed. "We'd have to sneak over the WindClan border! What if they caught us?"
"It's a chance I have to take." Bushface replied. "If you don't want to, that's fine. But I have to go."
Stormcloud nodded. "I'm coming, too."
"Count me out." Jadeheart hissed. "You are insane. Both of you!" And she took off, running as far away as she could.
Bushface sighed. "She's not ready."
"Apparently."
"Tonight?"
"Tonight."
And they left, padding off to their dens to get some sleep.
Darkshadow's brilliant amber eyes darted about, his gaze shifting to the two toms. They were both Clan cats. His lip curled into a snarl, ready to burst from his throat as he pounced.
Suddenly, one of them stiffened. "There's another cat out there!" He breathed.
What was it with all these Clan cats noticing him there? What was wrong with them?
The other one padded up to the bush where Darkshadow was hiding. "Hello?"
Darkshadow knew he was caught. And, without the element of surprise, he'd never be able to beat these cats. With a heavy sigh, he revealed himself.
The other cats took a step back. "Who are you?" One demanded.
"I should ask you the same question." He spat back.
"We…we're looking for our sister."
"Bushface?" A new voice entered the conversation. Darkshadow turned and sighed in relief as he saw Lightningscar.
"You know them?" Darkshadow demanded.
Lightningscar nodded, her eyes dark. "Bushface and Stormcloud of ThunderClan." She replied, pointing with her nose to each when she said their names. "My brothers."
"It's good to see you again, Lightningpaw." Bushface purred.
"Lightningscar." His sister hissed.
Bushface's eyes locked on hers. "I said your old name for a reason."
"What are you doing here?" She spat back, ignoring her brother's reply.
"We came to see you." Stormcloud replied. "We need to talk to you." He looked at Darkshadow pointedly. "In private."
Lightningscar's eyes narrowed. "Whatever you can say to me, you can say to him."
Darkshadow's heart filled with pride. It just showed she trusted him, really.
Bushface sighed. "Does he believe in StarClan?"
Lightningscar was going to reply, but Darkshadow got there first. "Yes."
Lightningscar looked at him.
He shrugged. "I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility."
She purred and pressed against him. "Thank you." She whispered.
He nodded.
Bushface looked at the two of them, before finally speaking. "Firestar and Jayfeather had the same dream. And… and so did we."
"What dream?"
"Bluestar came over to us." Stormcloud answered.
"And she told us…" Bushface trailed off.
Stormcloud sighed and continued for his brother.
"Traitor's word, and traitor's breath.
Traitor's eyes and traitor's death.
Sorrow kept, never known.
Hidden deep and never shown."
Lightningscar exchanged a long and meaningful glance with Darkshadow.
"Bluestar said that?" Lightningscar asked.
"Who's Bluestar?" Darkshadow turned to her.
"The ThunderClan leader before… Firestar." She said the current ThunderClan leader's name with a distasteful hiss.
Darkshadow smoothed her ruffled fur with his tail.
She sighed. "Thank you Bushface, Stormcloud." She turned away from them. "But I think it's best if you leave now."
Bushface's eyes filled with pain. "Will you join us?"
Lightningscar closed her eyes. "No. Never again."
Bushface sighed, nodded, and gestured for Stormcloud to follow him as he headed back into Clan territory.
Darkshadow touched Lightningscar's cheek with his muzzle. "You ok?"
"No."
He sighed. "Lightningscar… I wish there was some way I could tell you how much it means to me that you're staying."
She purred softly, her tail wrapping around his. "I think I already know."
