Chapter 4

Brambleclaw's P.O.V.

Brambleclaw watched as Squirrelflight leaped for Highledge and landed directly on it, giving her her earned name. Squirrelflight could always leap at far away and high things. Brambleclaw always wondered how she did it. Brambleclaw paid close attention to what Squirrelflight was saying as she started speaking.

"Cats of ThunderClan, I know you may be shocked, angry and wondering why I took Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather as my own. Well, I love them dearly, but I didn't want to take them at first, nor have I never did. I do love them as a mother love their kits, but I never wanted them in the first place. It all starts a couple moons after Leafpool comes back from her little 'trip' with Crowfeather…"

Brambleclaw remembered that day clearly; it was the day Squirrelflight's behavior changed to what she acted like today. He went back in time as she talked about it.

Flashback

Brambleclaw ran ahead of Squirrelflight and he heard her say, "I'll catch you if it's the last thing I'll do!" She said that while laughing.

Brambleclaw ran faster, but to no avail. He felt paws on his back and he yelped in surprise as Squirrelflight rolled them over, still laughing. He turned around and pinned her to the ground, gazing at her beautiful emerald eyes with love, and at the same time laughing. They rarely ever had time for each other and when they did, they spent it by having fun with each other. Squirrelflight gazed back at him with love her green gaze. "You got me. I didn't think you could."

That's when a voice interrupted them, anxious and worried. "Squirrelflight, I'm sorry to interrupt your moment, but I need to talk to you immediately." Leafpool.

Brambleclaw quietly growled. He and Squirrelflight rarely got to see each other and this was one of those moments that everyone of their Clanmates knew better than to interrupt them. Obviously Leafpool didn't care.

"Aww, Leafpool, did you have to ruin it? We were having fun! Something you seem to lack." Brambleclaw saw Squirrelflight slither out from under him with the speed of a snake and up an oak tree in a heartbeat. Brambleclaw's jaw dropped to the ground (She's that fast?) and gawked at her. "Leafpool, relax and have fun. You're too much like Father. Be carefree for once. Great StarClan, why can't you ever have fun?"

Brambleclaw was still in shock, but he had collected himself enough to ask, "Uh, Squirrelflight? You just slithered out from under me and climbed up a tree in a heartbeat. You're that fast?"

"Duh! Have you not noticed? That's why I caught you." She began laughing again.

Oh, now it made sense. She as fast as a snake and as quick as lightning. Brambleclaw smirked. Impressive.

Leafpool's voice cut into his reverie. "Squirrelflight! Please I need to talk to you!" Leafpool's impatient, irritated voice cut Squirrelflight's laughter short.

"Okay! I'm coming! Hold your fur!" Squirrelflight leaped down the tree and stalked over to Leafpool. She sounded angry and Brambleclaw knew that if it were anyone besides her family, they would've had their ears clawed off.

Leafpool turned and lead Squirrelflight to her den. Brambleclaw sighed. He might as well make the best of this and hunt.

Brambleclaw tasted the air and caught the scent of a mouse and crouched down to stalk it as light as a feather. He sprang and killed it with a quick bite to the throat. He continued to hunt until he had a respectable amount of prey for the Clan. He caught a mouse, two squirrels, a vole and a rabbit.

Brambleclaw headed back to camp and placed his catch in the fresh-kill pile.

"I thought you and Squirrelflight were spending the day together so you were having fun?" Brambleclaw knew that voice belonged to Firestar, Squirrelflight's father.

Brambleclaw turned to face him. "We were, but Leafpool needed to talk to her about something. So Squirrelflight went to talk to her, although she was angry with her."

"I don't blame her. Every cat knows you two rarely have time for each other and when you do, they know not to disturb you. Have you noticed that both Leafpool and Squirrelflight have been acting strange lately? Squirrelflight's always hungry and tired and Leafpool look as if she secretly hunts for herself when she 's out collecting herbs."

"Yeah, I did notice that. I wonder what's wrong with them. Firestar, did you know Squirrelflight has the speed of a snake and is as wicks as lightning?"

"No, when did you find this out?"

"Today. I had her pinned down when she rolled us over and when Leafpool came, she slithered out from under me with the speed of a snake and in a heartbeat, she was up an oak tree."

"Hmm. I always knew she had her mother's hunting ability, but I neve knew she was as fast as Sandstorm."

"Who's as fast as me?" That was Sandstorm.

"Your daughter is," Firestar answered simply.

"Which one?" Sandstorm's pale green eyes had amusement and mischief in them.

"The one who has your hunting ability and my bravery. Squirrelflight. Apparently, she has the speed of a snake and is as fast as lightning."

Sandstorm purred. "I always knew she was that fast. She just never showed it. And I know why. She accidentally clawed Leafpool when they were kits and they were play-fighting. Squirrelflight got frustrated and all of a sudden she was a blur, All I could see of her was her fire-colored fur. Then I heard Leafpool wail out in pain and Squirrelflight was in the nearest, most highest tree when I got there. She realized what she did and slowly got down the tree, afraid of her own speed and what it could do."

"Hey! I remember that day. I thought I had seen her, but when I looked, she wasn't there. I thought my mind had tricked me or something." Firestar shrugged.

"I remember seeing a fire-colored pelt, but I thought it was Firestar. He was the only one who I knew had a pelt the color of fire, until I met Squirrelflight. I couldn't believe the resemblance. I thought I was looking at a younger you, Firestar, but as a girl. I thought she's be as polite and as kind as you are, but she turned out to be annoying! Until I got to know her, that is." Brambleclaw purred in amusement. He saw a fire-colored pelt flash by in the corner of his eye and turned to see Squirrelflight stalk toward the lake, her tail lashing in anger. "I got to go. Something's wrong."

He chased after Squirrelflight. He found her by the lake, staring angrily at the water. He walked quietly out of the shadows. He saw her ear flick behind her and knew that she knew he was there. He sat down next to her and stroked her flank gently with his tail.

"What's wrong, Squirrelflight?"

"Leafpool. All she cares about is her position as Medicine Cat. As far as she's concerned, she's done being Medicine Cat! And she expects me to help her! I'll never help her, just so she can keep her position as Medicine Cat," she growled.

"What do you mean by, 'she's done being Medicine Cat?"

"To angry to talk about it."

"Okay, just remember I'll be here when you want to talk about it."

He pressed his muzzle in her flank and enjoyed the sunset with her.

End Flashback

Brambleclaw never knew what happened between her and Leafpool when she went to talk to her. Now he understood why she was so angry. Her own sister broke the warrior code! And expected her to help her with her problem! At first she had said no, but something made her do it. So the question was, why'd she agree to this outrageous betrayal?

He heard murmurs of approval as she finished her side of the story, he was among them, but Brambleclaw noticed that Leafpool stood out with her head hung in shame and guilt. Obviously there was more to the story that Squirrelflight had yet to get to.

He asked, "So, you refused from the start? Leafpool, is this true?"

Leafpool lifted her amber gaze and nodded. "Yeah, it's true."

"But what made you change your mind?"

"Well, I was furious with Leafpool that she broke the warrior code, so I tried to keep as far away from her as possible, but she kept begging me to help her. I was so sleepy all the time then and hungry. Sandstorm told me I was pregnant the day I finally gave in to Leafpool's annoying pleads. I knew I'd never forgive for that, and I knew the consequences, but I accepted them as a warrior should, but my Mom's news came too late. I'd already agreed and I was shocked. Since then, I've regretted it even more. My kits died at birth and I was angry with Leafpool the day they died, but I'd already made my promise. Dad always told me to keep your promises, so I did."

"Right. Go on."

"I talked to my Dad, Mom, and….Brambleclaw. I asked what to do when someone you know broke the warrior code and they pleaded for help. All of them said, "Help them. Protect them. The warrior code says 'Help your fellow warriors out.' So I promised I'd helped Leafpool. But I didn't know I was pregnant until Sandstorm told me!"

Brambleclaw hung his head and he noticed so did Firestar and Sandstorm, knowing that Squirrelflight had, in fact, asked for their advice. The Clan gasped in shock.

"You gave her advice? When that cat broke the warrior code?"

She didn't break the warrior code, her so-called sister did!

We nodded shamefully. "But we didn't know it was Leafpool she was talking about!" We defended ourselves at the same time, so that it sounded like one voice.

"Who else would I have been talking about? I basically gave you a clue! And who wanted to talk to me so impatiently, Brambleclaw?"

Brambleclaw sighed. "Leafpool. But that still doesn't explain how Leafpool 'forced' you to do it."

What made her change her mind? Why did she do it? It was obviously terrible for her to give in.

Brambleclaw saw Squirrelflight turn her head, her green eyes sad.(What happened?) Then Squirrelflight glared at Leafpool, her green gaze full of anger and determination.

"Leafpool forced me by giving me and herb to make my unborn kits die. She said if I wouldn't take care of her kits and protect her position, I'll never be able to have kits! When they died, that day, before mom gave me the news, I ran away from my sister. She was so cruel to do that. I knew her kits would never replace my dead kits, but I had to do it, so I could have kits."

What? No, that couldn't be true. Leafpool is a kind and gentle cat. She couldn't have done that!

Gasps of shock and horror erupt from the Clan. Brambleclaw saw Leafpool flinch under the cold gaze of her sister and the horrorstruck one of her Clanmates.

It's true! Why didn't she tell me that Leafpool was making her take care of her kits, just to keep her position as Medicine Cat? 'But she did tell you; nit directly at least, but she gave you a clue, a voice in the back of Brambleclaw's head told him.

Brambleclaw saw Firestar look at Leafpool gravely and he asked his daughter in a flat voice, Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Yes, dad. I'm sorry Squirrelflight. Forcing you to look after my kits by killing yours wasn't the right way. I should've told dad and mom and accepted the consequences, but I didn't and I'm sorry. I'm sorry to you Brambleclaw, I didn't mean to kill your kits. I was desperate. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. And now, because of my mistake, Brambleclaw won't even accept Squirrelflight back and the whole Clan hates us. I'm sorry for my part. I'll resign being Medicine Cat, now that Jayfeather is a fully trained apprentice."

Brambleclaw shouldered his way through his Clan until he stood in front of Leafpool. "I can't believe you, Leafpool. Lying about your kits is one thing, but killing my kits with an herb? I'm disgusted! You're the Medicine Cat! You're supposed to help cats, not kill them," Brambleclaw growled.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Squirrelflight leap down the Highledge, just a fire-colored blur, and she hissed at her sister, "I'll never forgive you. You killed my kits! You made me look after them by killing the ones in my stomach!"

Brambleclaw watched in shock as Squirrelflight launch herself at her sister, snarling and clawing at her. They began to hiss, claw, growl, and they rolled around, trying to dominate the other. I never thought I'd see the day where Squirrelflight would attack her sister and actually fight with her. Brambleclaw watched them beginning to tumble in a tussle.

"This is for killing Flamekit, Thistlekit, and Oakkit! You killed them and felt no mercy! Traitor! Murderer!" Brambleclaw stepped forward as Squirrelflight clawed at her belly and he grabbed her neck fur, gently pulling her away from her sister. It wasn't easy, as Squirrelflight still growled and tried to claw at her. "I'll never trust you again! You are no longer my sister! You're just like Tigerstar! Killing to get what you want! Maybe you should be his daughter! You sure do act like him! Not even Brambleclaw acts like him and he's his son!"

Brambleclaw beamed at Squirrelflight. She trusted him! He thought she didn't trust him anymore and that's why she growled at him this morning and didn't tell him that Hollyleaf, Lionblaze and Jayfeather weren't really his kits because Leafpool didn't trust him anymore. Now that he knew Squirrelflight trusted him, he trusted her again.

He dropped her and quickly got in front of her in case she tried to attack Leafpool again. "Hey. Hey. Calm down. It's okay. We'll try and have kits again. Just don't kill Leafpool. You might regret it later," Brambleclaw gently soothed her, quietly. Did I just say that? 'Well, yeah, you love her and now that you know why she lied to you, you can impregnate her again and she can have your real kits. She did that for you, so she can have kits with you, you mouse-brain,' the voice in the back of his head told him.

Squirrelflight calmed down and Brambleclaw guessed it was because he just said that to her, of all cats.

"Really?" She asked quietly. He couldn't believe it did it, but he nodded. He wanted this. He knew had had wanted to have kits with Squirrelflight since he found out he loved her.

She yelped in excitement and bowled him on to his back, purring. Brambleclaw laughed. It would be just like it used to, before Leafpool got in the way of everything with her lies and ambition to keep her position as Medicine Cat.

To be Continued…