One of the worst things about being Clan leader, Mistystar thought, is that you can't ever refuse a good idea without looking like a fox.
She, Pebblefoot, and Mallownose were padding alongside the lake, keeping within the allocated boundaries that the Clans had allowed. They had come to report to ThunderClan about the badger (and to gloat).
Mistystar had originally not wanted to go. Reedwhisker's patrol was due back either today or tomorrow, and a cold knot of anxiety had settled in her stomach. She worried for him, but not only that, things just didn't seem to run as smoothly without him. Pebblefoot was a fine deputy, but he didn't understand her idiosyncrasies like her son did. She didn't want to miss his return.
But Pebblefoot had pointed out that it was highly unlikely that two RiverClan cats would be taken to the ThunderClan camp without a figure of authority behind them. It was more probable they would be attacked by a patrol and driven away. And Mistystar had learned over the years that it was not a good idea to ignore Pebblefoot's advice.

So here she was, padding into hostile territory, while even now her son might be announcing his return. Of course, they would tell him where she was, and it might be that Reedwhisker would escort the ThunderClan warriors back to their territories first. She might run into him at the camp.
Again, unlikely. But possible.
The RiverClan patrol stopped just before the stream that marked the borders between WindClan and ThunderClan, and sat down. Mallownose kept shifting uncomfortably. The sweeping wind and lack of cover made him feel uncomfortable; Mistystar knew the feeling. She could hardly wait to get back under the shade of trees herself. But fidgeting was hardly going to help.
"Don't ThunderClan warriors ever patrol their borders?" muttered the young warrior after they had sat in silence for a time.
"Yes, they do," rasped Pebblefoot. "Be patient, Mallownose. Consider this a test from StarClan."
"I'm hungry and I'm bored," growled Mallownose. "Where do you think-"
"I smell RiverClan!" announced a voice from the forest before them.

"At last!" muttered Mistystar, getting to her paws. "We're over here!" she called.
A patrol of three cats emerged from the trees and stopped by the stream. "What do you want?" growled the leader, an old brown tabby. Mistystar knew him.
"It's Dustpelt, isn't it?"
Dustpelt nodded curtly. "What do you want?" he repeated.
Oh, I don't know…help ourselves to some of your territory…steal some prey…
"We wish to speak with Firestar," Mistystar mewed with composure.
Another cat, a cream-coloured tom that she knew by sight but not name, straightened up. "What for?"
"We wish to speak with Firestar," said Pebblefoot pointedly, "not his warriors."
The tom bristled angrily, and Dustpelt lay a tail on his shoulder. The third cat, a tortoiseshell she-cat, did nothing at all, and there was a dullness to her eyes. Did she have family on the wolf patrol, too?
Dustpelt continued to stare suspiciously at her, and Mistystar sighed. "I don't have a whole pack of warriors hidden behind me! I just need to talk with Firestar about something. Either take me to him or drive us out; you choose."
The brown tabby shrugged his massive shoulders. "Fine. Whatever." He looked at the tortoiseshell. "Poppyfrost, go to the ThunderClan camp and tell Firestar we've got visitors."

The sad she-cat said nothing, and merely turned on her paws and disappeared into the woods.
"What's her problem?" muttered Mallownose, and Mistystar hushed him.
Dustpelt and the cream tom walked on each side of them. Mistystar felt like pointing out that if she wanted to fight them she could do so easily, but held her tongue. Dustpelt kept his gaze steadily ahead, but the cream tom kept glancing back at them until Mallownose could not keep silent.
"Lost something?" he demanded rudely.
The warrior just sneered, as though he had won a battle that Mistystar had been unaware of. There was a thud, and Mistystar guessed that Pebblefoot had kicked him.
Mistystar wrinkled her nose as they slid within the brambles into the ThunderClan camp. She always felt a shiver of revulsion. She respected Firestar, but what cat in their right mind would want to sleep and share tongues in a Twoleg hollow? Certainly there were none now, but they could return at any time. And even if Twolegs stayed away, Mistystar knew she could never sleep here, with the walls shutting out the wind and sun. ThunderClan was welcome to their territory, haunted with the memories of enemies long before.

She jolted out of her reverie-how often had she done that lately?- to notice Firestar emerging from his den, with Sandstorm at his side. She knew Sandstorm quite well; in the old forest, the ginger she-cat had helped her mentor Feathertail when she lived in ThunderClan for a brief stint. Mistystar had been impressed with the she-cat's loyalty and fortitude, and calmed down slightly.
"Mistystar!" greeted the leader of ThunderClan, clearing the distance between them with his long stride. "How are you?"
"I'm well, thank you," she mewed politely. Why did Firestar always think that the other Clan leaders were his friends? It was embarrassing, to say the least.
"So-what brings you here?" the flame-coloured tom said, picking up on her formal tone.
Mistystar flicked her ears. "That little badger of yours-which you neglected to mention at the Gathering, I might add."

Silence-dead silence-fell over the hollow as every cat turned their head to stare. Eyes widened, pelts bristled, and tails twitched. Mistystar held her ground, though unease traced its way up her spine.
Firestar seemed shaken. "Oh, yes, the badger," he mewed, clearing his throat. "I apologize, but we discovered it after the Gathering so there was no real way we could have let you know. Anyway-we weren't aware it had left our territory."
Pebblefoot shifted beside her, and Mistystar found herself remembering his words: How did the badger cross the borders without a patrol picking up its scent?
A badger that didn't leave a scent trail? It wasn't possible. Everything had scent.
She looked into Firestar's eyes. "That seems rather careless of you, Firestar," she said softly. "But you'll be glad to know that the badger is dead."
The tom's mouth dropped open. "You killed it?"
"Yes."
There was a ripple through the ThunderClan cats, and suddenly a cat yowled out, "Murderers! They killed Sorreltail!"

A fierce snarl of agreement echoed through the hollow, and Pebblefoot swung around. "What in the name of StarClan are you talking about?"
But Mistystar was remembering the scent of ThunderClan on the badger's claws. "Sorreltail?" she demanded harshly, staring at Firestar.
"A warrior of ours-"
"I know who she is!" snapped the blue-grey she-cat. "Why does your Clan think we killed her?"
Firestar shifted his paws. "We believe she was fighting that same badger and was slain by a cat shortly afterwards."
"So that we did it, is that right?" Mallownose shook his head. "How can your Clan be so incompetent that you let a badger and a rogue slip through your borders without being detected?"
"Watch who you call incompetent, you piece of fox dung!" snarled Dustpelt.
The cream tom sprang to his paws. "Let me rip his fur off," he begged. "See if he's so cocky then-"
"Enough!" spat Firestar. He rounded on Mistystar. "Control your warrior!"
"Not when he has a point," she said wearily. She looked at Mallownose. "Keep your opinions to yourself in future, Mallownose."

The ThunderClan cats were drawing into a circle, baring teeth and unsheathing claws. Firestar flicked his tail angrily. "Enough!" he repeated. "Mistystar, may you and I speak privately?"
Mistystar tilted her head. How much of a fool does he think I am? "And leave my warriors to this mob?"
"Your warriors will not be harmed," said Firestar through gritted teeth.
Brambleclaw stepped forwards. "I'll look after them, Mistystar." He at least did not seem to be hostile.
Firestar met her gaze, and she shrugged. "Let's just get this over with," she muttered, and nodded to Pebblefoot. He drew closer, and she whispered in his ear, "Keep Mallownose from opening his mouth. If he does, tell him he'll be on apprentice duties for a moon. Two moons, if he complains."
The tom nodded and stepped back. She followed the ThunderClan leader to his den.

Firestar sat down, and suddenly looked weary. "I'm sorry, Mistystar," he mewed. "But ever since Sorreltail's death they've been on the edge. They want vengeance."
"I can see that, Firestar," she replied curtly. "But RiverClan had nothing to do with the death of your warrior. We would not be such fools."
The ginger tom stared at her intently. "Are you certain?"
She dug her claws into the earth. "I can bring Pebblefoot in here and get him to account for each of my cats, if it would please you."
Firestar shook his head. "No, I believe you. I brought you in here to ask something else. Come closer."

She did so, feeling uneasy. To her confusion, he lifted a paw. "Look."
The RiverClan leader stared at him. "What am I supposed to be seeing?"
"Look closer!" he insisted, and Mistystar realised she would have no peace until she did, and leaned forwards.
A faint, foul smell of something that she could not name-almost like rotting crowfood, but not quite-came from his paw. Her eyes piercing, she followed the scent to his source-a bulging mass in between his pads that had no fur on it.
Curling her lip in disgust, Mistystar sat back. "What…is that?" she said.
Firestar shook his head. "I don't know. Jayfeather doesn't know. It started nearly three moons ago, and nothing we've tried has brought down the swelling. This isn't even the original mass. It was on the back of my leg at first, until Jayfeather cut it out. Then, this one started growing."

Mistystar shuddered. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I'm dying," he said with perfect composure. "I can feel it. It's sucking out my strength, bit by bit. I have one life remaining, Mistystar. When I lose this one, I go to StarClan. This small, seemingly insignificant mass will be my end. It grows larger every sun. Sometimes, I can hardly feel my paw." He blinked his green eyes.
Mistystar gaped up at him. "But-"
"I don't know why I'm telling you. Maybe so you understand why I might be slipping slightly." His shoulders quivered. "Or maybe I just need someone to turn to. Sandstorm and Jayfeather both know, but they don't believe I'm dying. They think it will go away on its own." The tom gave an ironic smile. "I always wanted to die in battle, you know…not sickness."
Mistystar took a few steps back. That's it. I came here to discuss a badger, not take a trip into Crazyfield. "I'm…I'm sorry," she mewed, "But-I don't see what I can do. Forgive me…" She padded out of the den, feeling his green gaze on her bristling spine.
"Come on, we're done here," she muttered to Pebblefoot. "Did Mallownose behave?"
"Fortunately," he replied. "What did he wish to speak about?"
Mistystar bit her lip. "I don't know. I need to do some thinking about it, first." She heard Firestar emerge from his den. "Goodbye, Mistystar," he said softly.
"Do we escort them to the border?" demanded Dustpelt. Firestar shook his head. "They know the way."