Featherpelt woke up the next morning, finding herself underneath a yew bush. She was surprised to find that the bush still retained all of its leaves, though they were a dull brown and starting to crinkle. Out of habit, she glanced around for Night until memories of their fight last night flickered through her mind. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. I hope I never see him again.
She quickly groomed herself and was about to step out the bush to begin hunting when she heard a she-cat's voice. "I told you, Hawkclaw! I don't need supervision to take a walk!"
Dread filled Featherpelt's body. Mouse dung! she thought. I'm on Thunder Clan territory. She crouched down, trying to make herself as small as possible. If those cats smelt her...
"Yes, but that was before we were at war with the clans, Cloudflight," Hawkclaw argued, "And you're lucky Falconstar didn't catch you. He'd put you on apprentice duties for a moon if you didn't have kits back in the nursery. Speaking of which, why aren't you taking care of them?"
Featherpelt's eyes widened. Hawkclaw, the biggest flirt known in the whole forest, the cat with the sharpest tongue in Thunderclan, had actually mellowed out enough to settle down with a she-cat - with her best friend, no less. She could picture Cloudflight rolling her eyes as she said, "Relax. Grayheart is watching them. Besides, I need some fresh air. The nursery is so cramped!" There was a slight pause. "Why are you even here? Isn't the clan's deputy supposed to be on a patrol with Falconstar?"
Falconstar? Featherpelt thought, dumbfounded. He's leader now?
Hawkclaw sighed. "Yes, but-"
"Then go patrol. Worry about your clan, not me."
Hawkclaw sighed. "Make this walk quick," he mewed, his gruff voice softening with affection. "I don't want to see you get hurt. Falconstar -"
Cloudflight let out a mrrow of laughter. "I can handle Falconstar. Now go patrol!"
There was a brief moment of silence before Featherpelt heard paw steps walking away. She waited a few moments before stepping out of the bush into a patch of sunlight. She let out a sigh of relief. "I can't believe they didn't scent me," Featherpelt mewed, basking in a warm patch of sun. The day was abnormally warm, considering how close it was to leaf-bare.
"I wouldn't be celebrating yet," a voice said behind her.
Featherpelt turned slowly around, bracing herself for an attack. She unsheathed her claws. I just knew this was going to happen. She thought as she faced an albino she-cat. The newcomer stared at Featherpelt, her expression unreadable. "How'd you know I was here?"
"Your fear scent was overwhelming. If Hawkclaw wasn't so worried, he would have smelt it, too," Cloudflight mewed, coldly. "What are you doing on our territory? Falconstar banished you."
Featherpelt's heart sank. She thinks I am the murderer. "I-I stumbled here by accident," she remarked. "I wasn't-"
Cloudflight cut her off with a laugh. The albino she-cat relaxed her posture and touched noses with Featherpelt. "I'm just playing, Featherpelt," she said. "I know you did not kill anybody." She entwined herself with Featherpelt in an embrace and exclaimed, "I missed you so much!"
Featherpelt sheathed her claws. "I missed you, too!" she mewed. "There wasn't a day that passed when I didn't think about you, Whitetail, or my kits. How are they, by the way?"
Cloudflight smiled. "They are doing fine. Sunpa- I mean, Sunstrike, became a warrior about a moon ago. Silverpaw is doing fine, though Whitetail is having a hard time keeping her away from flirting toms."
"Poor Whitetail! Silverpaw does realize that medicine cats can't have mates, right?"
"Try telling her has his paws full with her."
The two she-cats laughed.
Featherpelt lowered her voice. "How's Falconwi- I mean, Falconstar?"
Seriousness replaced her friend's features. "I guess you heard he became leader."
"Yeah, I heard Hawkclaw mention his name."
"Falconstar, well, I really can't tell you how he's doing."
"What do you mean?" Featherpelt demanded.
"Falconstar changed when you left. He is cruel, short tempered, and very strict. Just yesterday, Riverbreeze was leading a dawn hunting patrol and did not bring back a whole lot of prey. With it being close to leaf-bare, any cat would know that was normal, but not Falconstar. He ordered Riverbreeze's group to go back into the forest and not return until they had brought a suitable amount of fresh-kill. They didn't come back until moon high last night."
"That's horrible!" Featherpelt exclaimed. That doesn't sound like the Falconstar I know.
"It is," Cloudflight agreed. "And the sad thing is, Falconstar made them get up early and do another patrol." g
She shook her head. What happened to my mate?
"I better get back to camp before Falconstar finds me. Queen or not, I will be punished," Cloudflight mewed.
"Will you at least come back?"
Cloudflight shook her head. "I don't think I'll get another opportunity like this. It's very rare Falconstar leaves camp. In fact, had we never had that battle at Four Trees with Shadowclan and Windclan, I would not be out here talking to you."
Cloudflight touched noses with her friend and fled the scene.
Featherpelt stared after her. Only then did it hit her that she had missed a golden opportunity. I should have asked if she had any information concerning Eaglestar. She thought, mentally kicking herself. I wonder if Cloudflight knows who killed him.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A Shadowclan spy?"
Oh, no.
