Chapter 7: Uncertain Truth

"Limesplash!"

Prismlight awoke to Willowheart's shriek. Ferretnose was already on his paws, pelt bristling.

"I smell blood," he hissed. "Come on!"

Prismlight followed her mate out of the den and stopped dead in horror.

Owlclaw was standing over a still white-and-green form. The she-cat's neck was stained with blood.

"A rogue attacked us," Owlclaw mewed. "I tried to fight it off." He looked at a patch on his flank where fur was missing. "He took down Limesplash before I could stop him."

"Oh, Limesplash!" Willowheart wailed. "Please don't die!"

Honeyleaf emerged from the medicine cat den. "What happened?" she asked in alarm. "Who's hurt?"

"Limesplash!" The pale tabby cat turned to Honeyleaf. "A rogue attacked her while she was sitting vigil!"

Honeyleaf put her ear next to Limesplash's snout, then to her chest. "She's alive, but just barely," Honeyleaf mewed. "Bring her to the medicine den."

Owlclaw immediately helped Willowheart, supporting the weight of the injured she-cat.

His claws are out. How odd.

Redstar leapt down from Highledge. "Will she live?"

Honeyleaf met his gaze evenly. "If StarClan wills it."

"How is she?"

"Stable, for now."

Owlclaw's claws flexed. Fox dung. Why did she have to fight back? I would have ridden this Clan of her.

"Owlclaw?"

Owlclaw turned around to see Lavenderflight padding toward him. "Hello," he meowed. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Owlclaw, why are you skulking around the medicine den like a hungry badger?"

"I'm worried about Limesplash," he offered. "I wish I could have stopped the rogue."

"Do you know who it was?"

Owlclaw thought quickly. "It was...Lion."

"Your brother?" Lavenderflight's mew was incredulous.

"Yes. I think he disapproved of my joining DareClan. He attacked Limesplash. I tried to protect her, but the damage was already done."

"I must tell Redstar." Before Owlclaw could stop her, Lavenderflight was leaping up Highledge.

-0.0-

"Owlclaw?"

Redstar's call made Owlclaw look up. The ginger-red tom was standing over him.

"Is it true that your brother Lion attacked Limesplash and tried to kill her because he disapproved of your choice to join DareClan?"

Owlclaw leapt to his paws and nodded. "Every last bit of what you just told me is true. Lion always had a mean streak."

"I'm leading a patrol to catch Lion. I want you on it."

Owlclaw hesitated. "I'd rather stay here. Lion didn't like me very much." With good reason.

Redstar looked serious. "All right."

()o.o()

Lion yawned and stretched, ducking his head as he emerged from a bramble bush. A run at midnight had tired him out.

At least Owl isn't here. He always pushed me around.

He dropped into a crouch at the sound of mouse feet. It was under a juniper bush, nibbling a berry.

"Got you!" he yowled triumphantly as the little critter slid between his paws. He nipped it sharply at the neck and tucked in hungrily.

I hope those wild cats don't mind me having a mouse or two. A cat's got to eat! This place has more prey than the last place I stayed. It had so many pine trees that I couldn't see the sky.

"Pine," he murmured, remembering his brother. He had died young, taken by a hawk. Sometimes Lion imagined Pine watching him from the treetops.

"Can you hear me, Pine?" Lion called. "Pine?"

Oh, my brother. I'm here. Trouble is about to arrive. I've warned you before. Beware the owl.

"Beware the owl?"

The woody scent of his brother faded as a breeze tickled his fur.

"Lion?"

A strange voice made him whirl around.

Redstar peered into the clearing. Cat scent hung heavy around the area, as if a tomcat had slept here for the night. A golden head peeped out from underneath a bramble bush, followed by a strong golden tabby body.

I see why he's called Lion.

The tom dropped into a crouch, favoring one of his back paws. It was heavily scarred, Redstar noticed.

The tom yowled, "Got you!" upon his catch. He ate hungrily, but paused, talking to himself. "Pine. Can you hear me, pine? Pine?"

"Great StarClan, now he's calling for pine," Nightfrost grumbled. "When are you going?"

The tom was gazing around now. "Beware the owl?"

"He's a total mouse-brain," Nightfrost continued. "Lion?" he called more loudly. "Are you Lion?"

The tom whirled around, his green eyes wide as he tried to find the source of the voice.

"Thank you, Nightfrost," Redstar muttered sarcastically, ducking out of the bush. "I'm Redstar, leader of DareClan. Your brother Owlcl—Owl tells me that you attacked him and a white-and-green cat last night, badly injuring the she-cat."

"You've got pollen in your head!" Lion exclaimed. "I haven't done anything of the sort! Sure, I took a couple mice, but I wouldn't dream of hurting one of you wild cats!"

Nightfrost exchanged a glance with Redstar. "He didn't do it."

"That's what he says," Redstar agreed.

"Owl is my brother," Lion meowed. "He was the biggest in the litter, always pushing me and my siblings around. Pine was taken by a hawk when he was seven moons old, and Primrose was captured by Twolegs. When our mother was hit by one of those huge, smelly things that Twolegs ride in, Owl took our den as his own and made me find my own place."

Redstar looked at Nightfrost. "Do you think we should believe him?"

Nightfrost met his gaze steadily. "What do you think?"

Redstar studied the young tom. "He certainly seems more trustworthy than Owlclaw."

Lion's tail bushed out suddenly. "Owlclaw? What do—are you—?"

He broke off, trembling slightly. He sniffed the air and cocked his head, listening intently. Redstar tasted the air, but he couldn't smell anything unusual.

Finally Lion looked back at Redstar. "I did not hurt your warrior. I would like to join your Clan. I will help you find this threat, no matter what."

Nightfrost looked the tom up and down skeptically.

"All right," Redstar agreed. "But if you did attack Limesplash, you will feel our claws."

Lion's eyes widened, and he nodded. "I didn't, I promise you."

;=;

"Let all cats old enough to think of a dare join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Limesplash staggered out of the medicine den and collapsed. Honeyleaf steadied her. Fernpaw sat a few paces behind. Owlclaw was sitting nearby with narrowed eyes. Lion was crouching beneath the Highledge, his gaze distant.

"Cats of DareClan, you have heard that Owlclaw's brother attacked Limesplash. He did not!"

Gasps rippled around the Clan.

"Lion knows nothing of the sort. He has agreed to join DareClan as a warrior to help us find the cause of Limesplash's injury. It was definitely feline, but who?"

Limesplash closed her eyes tightly as the Clan muttered. Owlclaw gave her a look and she whimpered faintly.

Redstar leapt off of the Highledge. Lion came forward at a twitch of Redstar's tail. "I, Redstar, leader of DareClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to watch over us during these dark times. We have decided to take in an outsider, and I ask you to guide our paws. Lion, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan at any cost, even that of your own life?"

If Lion experienced any uncertainty, he didn't show it. His eyes glowed. "I do."

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lion, you shall be known as Lionspirit. StarClan honors your strength and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a member of DareClan."

Redstar rested his muzzle on Lionspirit's head. The tom licked his shoulder.

"You will sit vigil tonight, but you will not be alone. Patchclaw," Redstar beckoned the patched tom forward, "I would like you to take guard duty outside the camp. From now on, no one should leave the camp alone."

Lavenderflight drew Bramblekit and Spottedkit closer with her tail. Shinyheart gave her sons a scathing look.

Darkpaw stepped forward. "What if—? Permission to speak, Redstar."

Redstar nodded.

"What if a rogue didn't hurt Limesplash?"

"How could you think such a thing?" Owlclaw had leapt to his paws.

Darkpaw met the warrior's gaze steadily. "You were sitting vigil with Limesplash that night."

"Are you questioning my loyalty?" Owlclaw's voice shook in outrage.

"I'm simply putting forward a possibility," the apprentice replied. "You've been here for barely a day. What reason do we have to trust you?"

Owlclaw opened his jaws for a retort, but there was none. He sat back down, glaring at Darkpaw.

The Clan was murmuring amongst themselves now. Owlclaw's claws twitched as his eyes flicked toward the medicine den.

"You're barely even strong enough to lift a paw," Honeyleaf argued. Redstar could hear her from Highledge. "Why do you want to go out?"

"The Clan has to know!"

Then Limesplash staggered out of the medicine den. Smokesplash steadied her.

"Lion did not attack me," she announced unsteadily. "It was Owlclaw."

DareClan:

Leader: Redstar: reddish ginger tom with amber eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Deputy: Nightfrost: black tom with light blue paws, tail-tip, and light blue eyes. Invented by Shadus Krifetalon.

Medicine cat: Honeyleaf: light gold she-cat with green eyes. Invented by Jayfeather Luva.
Apprentice, Fernpaw

Warriors:

Willowheart: light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Silverstreak: silver she-cat with blue, dark gray, and black streaks throughout her fur and blue eyes. Invented by MyrtleFalls and Mothstar.
Apprentice, Darkpaw

Smokesplash: blue and dark gray tom. Invented by Smokeclaw of ShadowClan.

Patchclaw: black-and-white patched tom. Invented by Patchkit.

Palestorm: pale gray tom with darker gray paws, chest, and tail-tip, and green eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Rainbowheart: rainbow tabby she-cat with green eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Prismlight: white she-cat with a sheen to her fur that makes it shine in all the colors of the color spectrum and golden eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Solfang: tortoiseshell-and-white tom with long fur, a ruff of fur around his neck, a tail tuft, and amber eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Lemonpelt: yellowish-grayish-green tom with yellow eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Molespots: creamy brown tom with gold spots and green eyes. Invented by Mothstar.
Apprentice, Jetpaw

Ferretnose: cream-and-brown tom with yellow eyes, former loner. Invented by Mothstar.

Owlclaw: dark brown tabby tom, former rogue, with deep green eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Limesplash: white she-cat with lime-shaped green splotches and green eyes. Invented by Velvet Masquerade.

Apprentices:

Fernpaw: pale gray she-cat with green eyes, apprentice to the medicine cat. Invented by Mothstar.

Jetpaw: jet black tom with very dark blue eyes. Invented by Darkhead.

Darkpaw: smoky black tom with yellow eyes. Invented by Darkhead.

Queens:

Shinyheart: very pale gold she-cat with yellow eyes. Invented by Mothstar.

Lavenderflight: pale gray she-cat, former loner, with green eyes. Nursing Owlclaw's kits: Bramblekit, a dark brown tabby tom, and Spottedkit, a pretty tortoiseshell-and-white she-kit. All invented by Mothstar.

Elders:

Stormspeckle: jet black tom with pale gray flecks and amber eyes. Invented by Mothstar.