Sorry, guys. I've had this chapter written for a long time. I just never bothered to put it up. Well hope you enjoy! (Chapter 10 is coming up next...)

Chapter 9

It had been a week since his confrontation with Squirrelflight in the warrior's den and to Brambleclaw's surprise he found he was enjoying his time. He had snuck out of camp early this morning, letting the morning sun pour soothing, golden rays down onto him. They helped warm his pelt when he first set out but soon he was under the shade of the cool, forest trees, slinking in and among the undergrowth. He sighed in content and breathed in the sweet-tasting air as though he were just about to take a bite out of a tasty vole or mouse. Everything was peaceful, everything was right—except Squirrelflight.

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, trying not to let it ruin his perfect day. He had been spending the hours by himself these days. Spiderleg never left Whiteshadow's side; he'd always be beside her giving her ears a quick lick or rubbing his pelt against hers. Squirrelflight was never around either. She always seemed to be on a patrol or out hunting—she always seemed to be with Ashfur. And both Tawnypelt and Crowfeather lived in different Clans—Hawkfrost too.

He exhaled noisily but this time it wasn't of content. This time it was of sorrow, disappointment and anger at both his friends and himself.

A rustle in the bushes behind him disturbed him from his thoughts. He spun around, lifting his muzzle to taste the air. At once the scent of an unfamiliar cat wound around him, filling his nostrils with the stench of loner. He crouched down, his belly brushing against the ground as he prepared to attack. His claws slid silently out of their sheaths while his tail lashed from side to side. He snarled menacingly as a gray-and-white shape appeared from the greenery.

It was a tom like him. He was large, with shoulders almost as broad as Brambleclaw's and the scars of many battles. He was obviously battle-fit. Brambleclaw briefly wondered if it was one of the kittypets on ShadowClan territory but the harsh tang of twoleg scent did not come off him.

Then both cats wound around each other, their eyes locked together as they prepared to strike. The splotched black-and-white tom raised his paw for the first blow. He lunged for Brambleclaw, screeching with fury. Brambleclaw dodged nimbly to one side letting the tom slide right into a bramble patch. He appeared a moment later, angrier then ever.

This time Brambleclaw couldn't escape as the loner cornered him against the trunk of a cedar tree. He shot forward trying to grab Brambleclaw's throat with his teeth. Brambleclaw ducked, just getting away with a glancing blow and shot back with a fury of thorn-sharp swipes, scraping the tom's belly and shoulders. He leapt away from him, growling angrily before swiping out at Brambleclaw again, catching him by the side of the head. Brambleclaw yowled with pain as the loner's claws reopened his wounds he had received from Tigerstar. He leapt away from the hostile cat and into the safety of the bushes.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Brambleclaw spat at the tom; the hair along his back began to rise higher and higher.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he snapped. "I'm coming for my mate!"

"Sorry," Brambleclaw retorted wistfully, his amber eyes narrowed. "ThunderClan cats wouldn't mate with loners like you."

"She isn't in this, ThunderClan!" he growled. "She used to live in the horseplace with me—before the nofurs took away Floss's kits!"

Brambleclaw blinked in surprise and bounded a few conscience paces forward to take in the gray-and-white cat's scent once more. The tom waited patiently as Brambleclaw sniffed his ratted, bleeding pelt. Yep. He was the horseplace cat, Smoky no doubt about it.

"Sorry for attacking you," Brambleclaw apologized curtly. "Clan cats usually don't let other cats on their territory."

"Oh, I see. I wish I knew that before," Smoky, grunted bending his head to lick the scratches he had inherited from Brambleclaw's claws. He raised his eyes a moment later. "So, do you know where Daisy is?"

Brambleclaw was uncertain and didn't answer but instead began to lick the wound that spilt blood out of his neck.

"Do you?" Smoky repeated more firmly this time, a hint of a snarl in his voice.

"Y-yes," he meowed, not ready to risk his neck for another squabble with the horseplace cat. "She's staying in the ThunderClan camp with her kits."

Smoky nodded slowly. "May I see her?"

Brambleclaw hesitated once more, wondering what Firestar, the other senior warriors and Squirrelflight would say. Then he glanced back at Smoky and saw his green eyes gleam with worry for his family and somehow Brambleclaw felt that he couldn't say no.

"Of course," He meowed at last, touching Smoky's shoulder with his tail. "I'll take you there right now."

Brambleclaw scanned the stone hollow looking for a glance of the creamy brown pelt of Daisy. His face was creased with frustration when he couldn't spot it. Smoky didn't seem to have any trouble though.

"There she is," he meowed after a couple of heartbeats, pointing her out with a sweep of his tail.

Brambleclaw nodded and led the way through the stone hollow. A few cats gave him accusing looks while a few others shot concerned eyes his way when they saw the blood spewing out of his wounds. Brambleclaw did his best to ignore these stares as he made his way over to the nursery.

"Tell Firestar that Smoky, the horseplace cat is here." He ordered Thornclaw as he passed by the golden-brown tom.

The tomcat gave a brisk nod then trotted over to the highledge while Brambleclaw ducked his head to enter the bramble nursery. The first thing he met in the nursery was the snapping teeth of Cloudtail. He flinched away, eyes closed tightly as he lashed out at him. Brambleclaw didn't bother fighting back as his already beaten body received more damage. Then the clawing stopped and he opened his eyes to find the warrior staring down in surprise.

"Brambleclaw?"

"Cloudtail, you mousebrain!" he gasped out, breathing heavily. "Of course it's me."

"Sorry," Cloudtail meowed though he didn't sound very apologetic, "I swear I smelt loner."

"You probably did," Brambleclaw replied, pulling himself into a sitting position. "Smoky's here. He wanted to talk to Daisy."

Cloudtail's eyes narrowed, a fierce light burning in them, "I see."

Brambleclaw stared at him for a moment before brushing past the anxious Sorreltail and her sleeping litter to find Smoky. He was sitting in the far corner of the nursery having a quiet conversation with Daisy.

"The nofurs haven't been in the stables for quite a while," he was meowing urgently. "I think it's ok for you to come back now."

Daisy was quiet. "That's all very well," she meowed after a moment. "But what would I say to the Clan? Firestar, Sorreltail… Cloudtail, they've all been so nice to me this whole time, I don't think I can leave."

"Of course you can," Smoky urged. "There's nothing her that can stop you."

"Yes there is," she murmured, sounding guilty and unsure. "Not when I love a cat who belongs in the Clan."