Rabbitstorm- Ha! I meant to throw you guys off! I'm glad I was able to worry you though! That was the purpose of the last few chappies!
Daklotes85 -I just told you that in the last chapter to throw you off a tad! I'm evil like that:3
Dragon-Star155 - Well, I decided to continue this one a little bit longer! I'll just have a really really really long fanfic! Yay!
Nameless Nightmare- Thankies! You had me worried there!
Thank you to all you reviewers! I hope this chapter satisfies, and doesn't seem to sudden! Also, I need to comment on how Applefur acts in this chapter. No, she isn't OOC. I had meant to have her like this for a long time. I need to show that she IS Rosethorn's friend and such, so she had to be kind of...well, you'll find out. Enjoy!
And for the record, stop calling me a dude people! I am a girl! Thanks! (Oh Steeltalon! I feel your pain! lol.)
The snow was drifting down now, lying down to rest on Rosethorn's dark ginger pelt, as the medicine cat's sapphire eyes staring at nothing. A chill was crawling up her spine, but Rosethorn paid no attention to it, and simply flicked her tail gently in order to keep warm…
She was having an adventure in her mind, slithering over mountains, flying over the clouds…feeling a joy that she hadn't felt since she had last been with Thorntail. And in her little daydream, she ran along with other ThunderClan cats, matching their stride as an equal…
But a sharp yowl of her name knocked her back down to earth, and while Rosethorn looked around wildly for the owner of the voice, she was hit with the realization that her dream had been nothing more then that – a dream. However, she didn't dwell on that particular thought for long, because her eyes rested on a ginger pelt that was so similar to her own, as it seemed to bolt through the snow and towards her.
The ginger blotch stumbled to a halt in front of her, and Rosethorn suddenly recognized Applefur.
For a flash, Rosethorn felt a pure hatred of the warrior rise up to her throat, and almost yowled out all her hatred to the heavens, and cursed Applefur and her kits, and her kits' kits, but she held back, deciding that Applefur probably wouldn't be too happy to hear about that. What's more, she couldn't really blame Applefur for falling in love with Thorntail. He was such a good looking tom…and had such a great way of living his life. And admittedly, Applefur was a very impressive she-cat, and she had a fiery personality – much like Thorntail. Of course they would have fallen in love! So she couldn't possibly blame them for falling in love – you can't help that.
It took a few moments, but finally Rosethorn was able to work up the courage and self control so that she could speak to her Clanmate. "Hello, Applefur." Rosethorn murmured softly, lowering her eyes away from the she-cat, suddenly ashamed that she had taken Applefur's true love from her for a time. Rosethorn was then ashamed of her shame. Why was she ashamed that her best friend had stolen her mate? Rosethorn didn't really understand herself, but she chased the thought away like an enemy warrior on her territory, and simply asked, "Would you like me to see if you really are pregnant?" she might as well get right to the point.
"I know I'm pregnant," Applefur flashed, and Rosethorn looked up at her in surprise at Applefur's testy tone. A blue fire burned in Applefur's eyes for a moment, but soon the fire died, however the warmth still remained. "I feel the kits inside me already," Applefur continued. Rosethorn wasn't sure if you could tell that you were having kits on sheer instinct, but Applefur continued. "Rosepaw," Applefur mewed, staring straight into Rosethorn's ice-blue orbs with her own pair, and Rosethorn didn't correct her about her name, "I have something to tell you."
Oh, now she decided to come out of the rabbit hole! "I know," Rosethorn forced herself to shrug her shoulders, and gently shook some snow flakes off of her pelt. "Don't worry about it, Applefur. Smokestar…he cleared things up for me." Each word had to be ripped from her throat, and the medicine cat suddenly wondered if maybe her throat was bleeding on the inside. Did throats do that?
"Smokestar?" Applefur echoed, and before Rosethorn could answer, Blackshadow stumbled to a stop beside the other warrior, though Applefur made no attempt to acknowledge him. Instead, she meowed, "What would Smokestar know about…?" she trailed off, and flashed the black tom a curious glance. She seemed to have to tear her gaze away from the other warrior, and turned her gaze back to Rosethorn, and cocked her head to one side in thought.
Blackshadow examined Applefur for a moment, as if wondering what the heck she was talking about, but he caught up quickly, and he flashed a glance from one ginger she-cat to another. "So…Rosepaw, you're saying that Smokestar told you about the…?" he trailed off just as Applefur had, and Rosethorn nodded, and explained the news to them. "He helped me put things in perspective…Don't worry, Applefur." Rosethorn sighed, shuffling her paws in modesty, "It's…It's not my right to choose who can and can't be Thorntail's mate…if he loves you now then…" she was going to say more, but Applefur cut her off abruptly.
"Wha-?" she asked staring at Rosethorn like the medicine cat had grown a horn. Suddenly, Applefur seemed to realize something, and she stumbled back a few pawsteps, nearly knocking Blackshadow off of his paws. "Rosepaw!" Applefur gasped, "That's not what I need to tell you about!"
"But I know about the kits!" Rosethorn meowed calmly, shaking her head vigorously, getting frustrated that Applefur was making her repeat the news from her own mouth. "You don't need to tell me about them! Thorntail loves you, Applefur." As Rosethorn spoke, Blackshadow gave Applefur a glance full of more fury then the greatest storm, and Rosethorn felt a flash of guilt. Hadn't Blackshadow known yet? Maybe he had thought that Applefur was the father of his kits! However, Rosethorn couldn't stop now, so she forced herself to sweep on. "I'll have to learn to accept that…I'm a medicine cat, I shouldn't…be with him anyways."
A heartbeat hadn't even passed after Rosethorn's words were out in the open, before Applefur flared, "You mouse-brain! Thorntail isn't the father of my kits!"
Now it was Rosethorn's turn to stumble back in surprise. "What are you talking about? Applefur, I heard you…"
"Lie?" Applefur finished the sentence for her. "Rosepaw, Blackshadow's the father of my kits. Remember how I was talking to you about getting Thorntail a new mate?" she didn't give Rosethorn any time to answer, but swept on like a roaring river. "I thought about it, and I talked to Blackshadow. We decided that if we call my kits Thorntail's, nobody will think twice about the relationship you two have. Blackshadow told Thorntail about the plan…and he was supposed to tell you, but he's a mouse-brain – I mean, come on. He's a tom." Applefur shrugged her shoulders, and flashed her mate a playful glance, and for s split moment Rosethorn felt jealous of the relationship that she could never have with Thorntail because of Applefur…
Wait a second!
Rosethorn re-examined the words that Applefur had spoke in her mind for a few heartbeats, still not fully understanding the news Applefur was breaking to her.
So…Applefur…and Blackshadow were mates, and Thorntail hadn't done anything with Applefur! And if he hadn't done anything with Applefur – anything – then that meant that he couldn't be the father of her kits, and it also meant that… Thorntail hadn't betrayed her! And that meant that she and Thorntail could flash each other playful glances and make fun of each other!
The medicine cat just stared at the two cats for a few moments, and for a few moments, Rosethorn's voice decided to leave camp and go on a hunting patrol. When it returned, Rosethorn was finally able to choke out, "R-really?" and Applefur nodded.
"Of course," those simple words put more joy in Rosethorn's heart then Smokestar's praise had. Of course, of course, of course! Oh! Such beautiful words! Of course. Rosethorn suddenly promised herself that if by some accident she had Thorntail's kits, she would name one of them Ofcoursekit. And Ofcoursekit would grow into Ofcourselove, who would then become Ofcoursestar who would become a legendary leader of ThunderClan, and kits from many generations onward would be telling the legend of how Ofcoursestar had gotten his beautiful name – from his mother, Rosethorn's best and most loyal friend – Applefur, bearing the greatest news that she had ever heard in her entire life!
Of course!
Rosethorn was still more or less daydreaming about Ofcoursestar, when Blackshadow snapped her back to reality as he spoke for the first time since his appearance "Well," he began, looking at Applefur with a joyous flick of his tail, "That was easier to solve then we made it out to be,"
Applefur nodded, and made a great show of looking around. "So, are we becoming WindClan cats, or what?" Rosethorn had almost forgotten that she was on enemy land. "Look," Applefur continued, "let's get back to camp before we get our allegiances mixed up."
Rosethorn nodded, and for the first time she realized how long she had sat in the snow. She'd have to treat herself for a chill when she got back…
As they started to pad back to camp, Rosethorn wanted to claw herself for being so foolish. She should've stayed in camp long enough to hear the whole side of the story. Admittedly, she wasn't sure if Applefur had told the truth, but what sane cat would run all the way into enemy territory just to tell a Clanmate a lie about mates? Rosethorn purred gently to herself, as she realized how hard the journey must have been for her two pals. They were more loyal then she had thought. Especially since Blackshadow had given up his claim on his kits, just for Rosethorn's undeserved honor to be restored. And Thorntail…
That brought a question into the medicine cat's mind. "Does uh…Thorntail know about this?" Rosethorn finally asked them, as they drew closer to the border of ThunderClan.
"Nope," Applefur purred, flicking her tail lazily about. "It didn't seem like a good idea, and what's more, I think he was off on some patrol." Rosethorn nodded, thankful. Thorntail didn't need to know that she didn't trust her best friend and semi-mate enough to think that they wouldn't… mate. Applefur continued, "Since the Clan seems to have forgiven you – or forgot, you two will probably be able to come in contact more often. I say that you two go on a hunting patrol together."
"Applefur, we just got their suspicions to die down," Blackshadow pointed out. "I don't think that they should start spending time alone again."
"Oh, alright." Applefur nodded in agreement with that, and looked thoughtful. "Oh, I know! Take Blackshadow with you! And once you get to Owl Tree or so, ditch him! Oh Rosepaw, it is easy to work around these things!"
Rosethorn purred at that, and then realized that she still hadn't told her friends of her new name. She couldn't have them call her Rosepaw for the rest of her life. "Applefur, Blackshadow." She announced trying to give her voice as much authority as possible. She was surprised to realize how much she sounded like her mother, and apparently it startled her companions just as much, because for a heartbeat they looked at her like they would Streamstar. "I'm going to have to ask you to stop calling me Rosepaw,"
There was silence, as if the two warriors didn't understand what she was saying, when finally Applefur seemed to figure it out. "Oh, finally!" Applefur almost leapt out of her fur with pure joy. "You got your name, didn't 'ya Rosepaw?" Applefur suddenly seemed to realize her mistake, and shook her head violently. "Oh, oh sorry Rosepaw! Oh fox-dung! There I go again…" Rosethorn stared blankly at Applefur, and wondered if this truly was the same cat that had tried to kill her once.
"Just tell us your name, so she'll stop apologizing!" Blackshadow sighed, rolling his eyes.
Rosethorn had opened her mouth to answer, but Applefur cut her off, "No, don't tell us! That'll take the fun out of it!"
"She'll have to tell us eventually," sighed Blackshadow, rolling his amber eyes once more with annoyance.
"Yeah, but I want to guess!" Applefur's mew was almost a pitiful wail, and before Rosethorn could protest, Applefur started to spill out a few names. "Is it Rosefrost?"
"Nope," Rosethorn murmured softly, suddenly sorry that she brought up the subject of names. Rosethorn…such an ugly name!
"Roseflight?"
"No."
"Roseheart?"
"No."
"Rosetail? Rosepelt? Rosestream? Roseclaw? Rosefur? Rosefeather? Roseshadow? Roselight? Rosecloud? Rosestorm?"
Applefur's attempts were rather humorous, admittedly. However, each one dug into Rosethorn like an enemy's claw. Any of those names would've suited her, and given her honor, anything but…Rosethorn.
Applefur looked rather disappointed that she failed at guessing, and opened her mouth to spill out another avalanche of names, but Rosethorn stopped her with a flick of her tail.
"My name is Rosethorn," she mewed in a voice barely above a whisper as she told her friends of her new-found shame. "To curse my days…so I will always remember what I've done..."
Her morbid words made her two companions stop in their tracks, so Rosethorn did the same so she wouldn't completely lose them.
Blackshadow's eyes were round with sympathy. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Rosethorn…" he mused. His sympathy was suddenly replaced with raw rage, and he spot furiously at the snow-covered earth. "That's such a cruel name,"
However, Applefur had reacted rather differently. "Why are you so down, Rosethorn? I mean, come on Rosethorn! You, as Rosethorn, have a terrific name! I see nothing wrong with the name Rosethorn," Applefur continued using Rosethorn in sentences even though she didn't have too – as tradition dictates, but she seemed to notice that Rosethorn wasn't entertained by her jokes, and she sighed. "Oh, come off it, Rosepaw…er…Rosethorn!" Applefur corrected herself. Applefur's mistake was starting to get on Rosethorn's nerves, but before she could comment, Applefur continued eagerly, "It's not a curse at all! You carry your beloved's name in your own. It is amazing in every way! Every time someone says your name, you'll think of Thorntail, and feel his love pulsating through you!" Rosethorn was about to compliment Applefur on her ability to describe things well, but Applefur didn't even stop to breath, giving Rosethorn no room to interrupt. "Plus, its one-of-a kind! In any of those legends that the elders talk about, was there ever a Rosethorn? There was some Rosepelt that was the great Tornstar's deputy, but she died…oh, and there was Roseflight who saved the Clans from…some threat…but there's never been a Rosethorn."
Rosethorn thought about that for a moment. But then she realized that Applefur was incorrect about one of her statements, and opened her mouth to correct her, but the tom beat her to it. "Applefur," Blackshadow sighed, "Rosethorn was the she-cat that Emberstar murdered Tigertail for, because Rosethorn was the most beautiful she-cat in the forest…"
Rosethorn's eyes widened. She had known there was a Rosethorn, but she had forgotten that the Rosethorn in the legends had been the cat that both Emberstar and Tigertail had sought after. She should've known that too. Crimonspirit had loved that kitten's tail almost as he had loved his daughter. Almost.
"Oh." Applefur was silent for a moment. "But come on Rosethorn! You'll always have Thorntail with you, in one of the most romantic ways I can think of…"
The medicine cat thought about that for a moment. That was true…She hadn't thought about it that way. There was more then one occasion, where a cat had asked to have his or her warrior name carry something of their mate within it – kind of intertwining them as one in StarClan's eyes (even though StarClan didn't really pay much attention to those things it seemed. ) Rosethorn couldn't have ever asked for this, it would have given away their love for one another…but instead it had been handed to her. And no cat would think of it as a curse anymore – her name had been cleared by her friends' thoughtfulness.
Rosethorn… It did sort of have a good ring to it. Something beautiful on the outside, but on the inside…housed a dark heart. Oh yes! It suited Rosethorn just fine!
The medicine cat was still daydreaming, when suddenly Applefur jerked her head into the air, with her eyes round and curious. Blackshadow stared at his secret-mate with a curious look for a few heartbeats, before imitating her and shoving his chin into the air and taking a good whiff. Rosethorn followed suit, and suddenly she caught what Applefur had noticed.
"Spottedlight…?" Blackshadow was the first one to pinpoint the she-cat's scent. He lowered his head back down, and the two ginger she-cats mirrored his gesture. "What's she doing in WindClan territory?" he asked out loud.
"Maybe hunting?" Applefur asked, but Rosethorn doubted that the traitorous ThunderClan deputy was just chasing a few rabbits. Apparently Applefur didn't even believe herself, because she started trotting deeper into WindClan territory, instead of exiting it like they had planned. "C'mon!" she hissed over her shoulder. "I want to see what she's up to."
"Spying on the Clan deputy?" Blackshadow asked doubtfully as he and Rosethorn started to pad after her. "Isn't there something in the Warrior Code against that?"
"There's also something in the Warrior Code against…" Applefur trailed off, as if she had forgotten what she was going to say, and after awhile it seemed she didn't really care anymore, so instead she snapped, "Shut up."
"There's nothing in there against spying on your deputy," Rosethorn put in, and she remembered Thorntail's accusations against Spottedlight. Applefur purred in agreement, while Blackshadow just rolled his eyes.
Applefur suddenly stopped padding, and jerked her chin into the air once more as she caught a new scent. "It's this way," she growled, jerking her tail in another direction, and then she started to charge away. Rosethorn just accepted Applefur's judgment and apparently Blackshadow did as well, because the two cats just started to more or less blindly follow Applefur deeper into WindClan territory. Rosethorn suddenly noticed a Badger set a few tail-lengths away, and it was just a heartbeat after Rosethorn registered what it was that Applefur stopped in her tracks.
"She's in there," she growled referring to the badger set, and her eyes flashed around for some place to hide. Suddenly Applefur nodded her head to the south a tad, and Rosethorn followed her gesture, and she saw a small clump of frost-covered brambles.
"We aren't hiding in there, are we?" Blackshadow mewed, as he cringed at the thought.
Applefur ignored him, and started to dart towards the only protection from sight the terrain had offered, and Rosethorn meowed, "Apparently," before she followed her friend with Blackshadow at her heels.
The trio of cats crawled into the nest of brambles, and Rosethorn had to keep herself from squeaking in pain as the sharp thorns dug into her fur. She now knew for a fact – and not just on Applefur's guess – that Spottedlight was in the badger set, because she saw the golden fur that the deputy owned flash in the darkness. What in the name of StarClan was Spottedlight doing in a badger set in WindClan territory? Was she completely out of her mind?
The question was answered, when Spottedlight crawled from the set, panting heavily. She seemed to more or less flop down in the snow, barely two tail-lengths away from her Clanmates. Luckily the wind was in their favor, and even if it wasn't, Spottedlight's attention seemed to be on something in the set. Rosethorn bunched her muscles together, ready to come to the deputy's rescue if a badger lumbered out, but no badger came. A few moments passed before there was any movement in the Badger's set. What came out wasn't a badger, however. It was something much worse and Rosethorn dug her claws into the ground beneath her as she realized who it was.
The tabby leader of WindClan lumbered from the den, and lay down beside Spottedlight, and gently started to groom the deputy's ears. Rosethorn noticed that his fur was tangled, and slightly…dirty…
Spottedlight giggled at Runningstar's…grooming…and Rosethorn suddenly realized that those two weren't looking for badgers in that set! They were full-blown mates, had to be. And from their fur, and tired appearance, they had done what mates had been known to do. Mate.
"That piece of fox-dung!" Blackshadow hissed beside her, and Rosethorn couldn't help but put in, "Which one? The traitor or the tyrant?" Blackshadow had no answer to that.
"They're mates?" Applefur growled, her hackles rising in fury. "And Spottedlight dared to say that what you and Thorntail were doing was wrong?"
"At least you two are in the same Clan," Blackshadow agreed, and Rosethorn longed to say something in agreement, or maybe insult Spottedlight a tad, but bit her tongue. You couldn't help who you fell in love with…she couldn't very well judge Spottedlight's affair, when she herself had a secret love. Though…Runningstar was old enough to be Spottedlight's…father…or maybe even grandfather.
Runningstar suddenly started to speak, and Rosethorn pricked her ears to make sure she heard every word. "You are the most beautiful Clan deputy in the forest," he meowed, digging his muzzle in Spottedlight's blotched fur.
"Only deputy?" Spottedlight asked, pouting.
"Sorry," Runningstar apologized, removing his muzzle from her side. "You're the most beautiful she-cat in the forest."
Rosethorn glanced at Applefur. Did they really need to see anymore? So Spottedlight was in love with the WindClan leader, they could report it to Streamstar later if they wished. They didn't really need to hear them declare their love to one another.
"Well, I don't know." Spottedlight mumbled, batting the WindClan leader's ear playfully with her tail. "Shadenight in RiverClan is awfully pretty…"
"She's only pretty." Runningstar pointed out quickly, as he started to groom her ear once more. "You are beautiful. I love you, Spottedlight."
Spottedlight didn't answer, and she let Runningstar groom her ears for a few moments. While he did so, Spottedlight's eyes flashed about as if looking for something, and Rosethorn sure hoped that she didn't notice the three ThunderClan cats in the brambles! However…if she did what could she do? An elderly Clan leader who was probably on his last life – after Thorntail's beating – and one ThunderClan deputy who was breaking the warrior code? Spottedlight was in the wrong here, and Rosethorn comforted herself with that knowledge.
Spottedlight seemed to find what she was looking for, whatever that was, and she asked Runningstar curiously, "What happened back at camp…that was real, wasn't it?"
"What was?" Runningstar asked lazily. "My declaring my love for you?"
So…Spottedlight was at the WindClan camp? WindClan knew about the affair?
"Oh Runningstar! I know that that's true!" Spottedlight giggled, "I meant that… uh…I am you know…" she didn't seem to want to say whatever it was that Runningstar had made her, but Runningstar suddenly blurted it out.
"You mean you're asking me if you really are WindClan deputy?" he asked curiously. "Of course you are, Spottedlight."
The two cats started to chat once more, but Rosethorn wasn't listening. Spottedlight was the deputy of WindClan?! How the heck did she manage that?
The two forbidden mates crawled into the Badger's Set, and Rosethorn suddenly knew how Spottedlight had managed to do that. But that was besides the point…how did Runningstar…
"Spottedlight is deputy of WindClan?" Applefur gasped interrupting Rosethorn's thoughts.
"Can she be that?" Blackshadow asked flicking his gaze from the Badger Set to Applefur, to Rosethorn, and then to the Badger set again.
"She is." Applefur murmured. "She must've been ordered to kill Steeltalon so that there would be a deputy position open in WindClan."
"But…" Blackshadow's amber eyes were as round as full moons as he took in the news. "Don't you have to be a member of the Clan to be named the deputy? How can a ThunderClan cat be named WindClan deputy?"
"You mean how can ThunderClan deputy be named WindClan deputy!" Applefur corrected him.
"They must've accepted her into their Clan." Rosethorn murmured, as the pieces came together in her mind. Now it all made sense! Since Runningstar and Spottedlight were…mates he set an elaborate plan up for her to become…both deputy of ThunderClan and WindClan! Oh great StarClan! What did they have in mind? If Streamstar died…and Runningstar died…then Spottedlight would become leader of two Clans! Had that ever happened before?
Apparently her Clanmates had figured out just what she had, because Applefur and Blackshadow's eyes were now not only as round as full moons, but as large as full moons as well!
However, they didn't get to discuss the subject for much longer, because Spottedlight was padding backwards out of the badger set, meowing, "Don't worry Runningstar. I'll be right back – I have to make some dirt, that's all."
Runningstar meowed an answer, but Rosethorn didn't hear it. Nor did she particularly care – in fact; she wasn't even worrying about Spottedlight at the moment. Instead, she was focusing on the odd scent that she just noticed. WindClan scent, close. Of course there was Runningstar, and they were in WindClan territory…but it wasn't him. It was clearly a group of cats coming closer. At first Rosethorn wondered if it was a patrol, but if it was…why would there be ThunderClan scent mingling with it?
Spottedlight made a swift movement with her tail, turning Rosethorn's attention back on her. The ThunderClan – and WindClan deputy, was letting out a hysterical purr, and the medicine cat suddenly understood why. Slithering around her, were warriors of both the Clans. Bearmoon of ThunderClan was leading the group from his Clan. Featherfrost, Lightheart, Shadowfire, Frostfang, Smokefang…and Howlingheart too! Suddenly it made sense to Rosethorn about how quickly the Clan had condemned Robinwing! They were in on it! And among the WindClan cats were Stumpface, Graycloud, Giantclaw… and a couple of others that Rosethorn didn't recognize.
"He's in the set," Spottedlight purred. "I as your deputy am giving you a direct order." She flashed her gaze from Howlingheart – her father and Robinwing's mate, to Graycloud. "You two, I want you to kill him. He's on his last life, correct?" the two cats gave no answer, and slithered into the set.
Runningstar's screams of agony were terrifyingly loud, but Rosethorn ignored it as if she heard cats yowl in pain every day of her life. Of course she didn't, and though Rosethorn was able to tune them out for a while, they would ring in her ears long after they became silent, and her dreams thoughts later would be plagued by the image of Runningstar being savagely murdered – by his deputy, and apparent mate.
"As for the rest of you," Spottedlight meowed coolly, ignoring Runningstar's yowls just as Rosethorn was, "I want you to enter the ThunderClan camp and make my leadership of both Clans a reality." The traitorous two-timing deputy let out a purr. "After The Blood there shouldn't be much of a resistance. Any half-decent warrior already has realized that it is I who must lead and is around me."
That was true! There weren't many ThunderClan cats – who were alive – that were still loyal and could defend the camp! There was Icepelt…Thorntail…Blackshadow, Dusktail, Shrewtail and Badgerclaw and Streamstar. No apprentices now. And the rest were queens and kits! Normally, seven warriors would defend the camp quite nicely, but it seemed that the whole of WindClan was around Spottedlight now – apparently supporting her leadership over Runningstar's (though who could blame them?). The Clan would be hopelessly outnumbered!
The cats started to leave to carry out her order, and just as they did, Graycloud and Howlingheart emerged from their deed. Spottedlight updated them, and the two cats bolted off.
Rosethorn was tempted to follow them, but she knew that they couldn't now. Spottedlight would see them, and yowl for the large patrol to return, and it wouldn't be long before Rosethorn and her pals were in StarClan.
The double-deputy watched her patrol go, and then turned towards the set, and bowed her head. She muttered something nearly inaudible, and all Rosethorn heard was, "Love…Runningstar…" before Spottedlight started trotting off. Curiosity struck Rosethorn, and she wondered if Spottedlight felt regret for what she had done to, what seemed to be, her love.
However that didn't matter now. The three cats waited for a few moments making sure that Spottedlight was long gone, before they simultaneously fled from the brambles they had been hiding in, scraping their fur as they did so. Their eyes met then, and they silently agreed that they had to get back to camp, and warn them of what was going to happen. If Spottedlight killed Streamstar, then she would become Clan leader of both Clans. As much as StarClan would disapprove of that, if she had been named deputy by Runningstar and Streamstar both…then in their eyes she was to secede them both…
As they started to run wildly towards camp, taking another route so they wouldn't accidentally meet with the deadly patrol, Blackshadow suddenly meowed,
"I just realized something,"
"If you say that Spottedlight's a traitor I am going to claw out your eyes!" panted Applefur, and Rosethorn muttered an agreement, and Blackshadow shook his head. "Spottedlight didn't leave towards the border. That would be West, she went North."
"So what?" Applefur panted, and Blackshadow explained.
"She's probably going to HighStones now. She'll stay there until tonight, and receive her nine lives to become WindClan leader."
At those words, all three of them stopped dead in their tracks.
"We…we have to stop her!" Applefur burst out. "If she becomes leader of WindClan and gets her nine lives, she'll be a pain in the tail to kill!"
Rosethorn nodded in agreement. Spottedlight wouldn't be able to receive her nine lives until moonhigh. They could find her and stop her before then.
"But we can't stop her!" Blackshadow moaned. "We have to warn our Clan!"
"But there are three of us! Two of us can go to the Clan and defend it, and the other one will go and kill Spottedlight!" Applefur hissed, unsheathing her claws as if she volunteered for the latter.
"No," Blackshadow growled. "You're pregnant with my kits – I'm not leaving your side. And Rosethorn is trained as a medicine cat! She can't go and defend the Clan."
"But we can't let Spottedlight become Spottedstar!" Applefur snapped. "Blackshadow, you'll just have to let me go and kill her! I promise I'll be quick about it."
Rosethorn shifted uncomfortably. The longer they waited the less chance they had of stopping Spottedlight and saving their Clan! They had to at least choose one!
"No," Blackshadow growled firmly. "And Spottedlight's a seasoned fighter! I know you're strong, Applefur…but if she was able to get a good swat at your belly…"
"Then you can kill her!" Applefur sighed. "Does it really matter as long as she's dead?"
Rosethorn tried to ignore the chill she got from Applefur's coldness.
"No! I won't let you go alone to the ThunderClan camp! I'm staying by your side, Applefur."
"Then Spottedlight will get her nine lives!"
Rosethorn blinked curiously, as a thought dawned on her. "Maybe we'll meet a patrol on the way, and they can take care of Spottedlight."
"Okay, Rosethorn," Blackshadow looked away from Applefur, and stared at the medicine cat doubtfully. "The chances of that are very slim."
"We're not very lucky…" Applefur murmured. "Unless StarClan sends a miracle nothing's going to happen!"
Rosethorn was about to agree, when a mew interrupted her. She turned her head, as did her companions, and she suddenly realized that StarClan had sent them their miracle. It wouldn't have been clearer if they had sent him with starlight shimmering in his fur. Before them, with a dead rabbit at his big gray paws, was Thorntail, blinking his sapphire eyes curiously as he noticed his friends.
"Hello," he purred, playing with the dead brown lump of fur that was a rabbit. "What's going on?"