Wow! I got a lot of reviews in such a short period of time. Thanks everyone!
Rabbitstorm - Yes. I give you permission to give it to your cat.
Daklotles85- I love long reviews! They make me smile! I command you to make more long reviews:) As for the names...you know what...yeah! Woud you like to name one of the kits? Any gender you wish - just because you thought of the idea!
Pearl.H.Sweden- Ebonypaw is fun! I've already thought of her full name! YAY!
Well, thank you ALL for reviewing! And please - as Daklotles pointed out, I need names. For both Applefur's and Sandpelt's kits. (I already have names picked out for Spottedstar's.) I promise you that I'll try to use the name! (However, since Daklotles decided to give me the idea, her name is a shoe-in pick!)
Thanks for reviewing, all!
Enjoy.
"Okay, Morningpaw," Blackshadow eyed his young apprentice carefully. "Stay right here." He flicked his tail at the Owl Tree, referring to that as the 'here' she must stay at.
"Uh…okay," Morningpaw purred, she settled herself down in the tree's shadow, and blinked curiously, as Blackshadow turned to leave. "Where are you going, Blackshadow?"
Blackshadow sighed. He felt guilty about leaving Morningpaw on their first day of being out together as mentor and apprentice…but he had already shown her most of the territory. Now, he had to go and teach Thorntail a lesson of respect. "I have to go erm…'Speak' to Thorntail about something," he answered. Before Morningpaw could ask about what, Blackshadow slithered off – following the gray cat's scent.
It wasn't long until he found the storm-colored cat by SunningRocks – for an instant Blackshadow thought that Thorntail was sneaking off to meet Shadenight…because her scent was fairly fresh, but he soon rested his eyes on his friend – and was relieved to see that he was arguing with Badgerclaw about which prey tasted better –robins, or squirrels…Thorntail defending the robin's taste.
Warriors don't have enough to do.
"Thorntail," Blackshadow called, interrupting the argument. Thorntail looked over to him, startled. "I want to speak to you,"
Thorntail excused himself, and trotted over to Blackshadow. The night-colored ThunderClan warrior flicked his tail, and led Thorntail away, so they would be out of ear-shot and sight, of the beady-eyed ThunderClan warrior, Badgerclaw.
"What?" Thorntail yawned, settling himself down. "You okay, Blackshadow?"
No! It was not okay! To prove this point, Blackshadow swiped his claws across Thorntail's face – the shock making Thorntail flop down onto his side. Blackshadow hissed furiously, and threw himself on top of the former-RiverClan cat.
"That's for making Rosethorn wait so long," Blackshadow hissed, getting off of his friends as quickly as he had pounced. Thorntail was staring at him with a mutinous gaze, so Blackshadow went on quickly, "I don't really give three mouse-tails who you consider your mate, Thorntail," he growled, "But don't make Rosethorn sad. If you're done with her – tell her. And if you still want to be with her – cut your ties from this Nightshade cat!"
"Shadenight," Thorntail corrected, flicking some of the blood that Blackshadow had revealed off of his face.
"Whatever," Blackshadow snapped. "If you use Rosethorn like you used some other cats in the past, I swear by StarClan that…I'll hurt you!" That was the biggest threat Blackshadow could muster.
Thorntail shook his head once more- sending scarlet flecks soaring through the sky, and slowly got to his paws. Blackshadow half-expected his Clanmate to lunge at him, but instead, Thorntail let out a purr of amusement.
"I'll let you go this time, Blackshadow," he growled. "But next time, don't claw someone unless there's a good reason." Blackshadow was about to point out that he had a very good reason to claw Thorntail, but the gray cat went on, "I like Rosethorn – Blackshadow, I do. As for Shadenight…" Thorntail shrugged, clearly not thinking that this was a matter to discuss for long. "She's in RiverClan. Not much can happen between us,"
Rage pulsated through Blackshadow. "Like the Warrior Code has stopped you before!" he snapped. "No matter who you choose, the Warrior Code is broken! So you can't possibly say that you won't go to Shadenight just because she's in RiverClan!" Blackshadow shook his head. "I know you Thorntail!"
"So do I," Thorntail answered cheekily. Blackshadow was about to slash him again, and Thorntail must've sensed it, because he added, "Trust me. Shadenight and I…are over."
Blackshadow was about to comment on that, but Thorntail went on. "You know, Blackshadow…Shadenight wasn't exactly…my mate. She was Graywhisker's."
Blackshadow forced himself to widen his amber eyes in mock-surprise. Rosethorn had told him this already, when she had been waiting under the Owl Tree – he reminded himself that Morningpaw was doing the same thing.
Blackshadow wasn't sure what to say for a few moments. Finally, it hit him. He would search for the truth, whilst pretending to just be curious. He'd find out for Rosethorn what happened to Thorntail's brother.
"Graywhisker…?" Blackshadow echoed the name as if it were a foreign tongue. "You mean your brother that died?"
Thorntail nodded absent-mindedly it seemed, and Blackshadow pressed on. "How'd your brother die?"
Thorntail hesitated for a moment, before mewing, "Suicide." He flicked his tail north, and explained, "It was at the Thunderpath. He saw a monster coming…and ran straight into it."
"On purpose?"
"Yeah."
Blackshadow narrowed his eyes. "Why would he kill himself?"
Thorntail hesitated once more – something Blackshadow had never known him to do. Finally, he answered, "A sudden adolescent impulse." Blackshadow looked at him, startled, and Thorntail let out a purr. "At least…that's what Blueherb, the RiverClan medicine cat, told me."
"Oh…" Blackshadow mumbled, realization slashing at him like an enemy's claw. "No wonder Rosethorn worries so much about you…I think she mentioned before that she was worried about your health – your nerves, or something."
Thorntail shrugged, and was silent for a moment, as if deep in thought. Blackshadow curled his tail, waiting for the smoky-gray tom to answer him – maybe confirm Rosethorn's suspicions, or call her a mouse-brain for worrying or something. Instead, Thorntail mewed, "Rosethorn speaks to you about a lot of things."
Blackshadow stumbled back, as Thorntail leveled his blue gaze with Blackshadow's amber. "She depends on you." Blackshadow shivered. There was something in Thorntail's words – something hidden – that he didn't like. How much did Thorntail think Rosethorn told him?
"Don't…don't be a mouse-brain!" Blackshadow snapped, deciding to take Thorntail's words as jealousy. "I'm just there if she needs a cat to talk to – that's all. You know, one that's not as violent as you or Applefur." Blackshadow sighed. "I'm one of the good cats," he explained. Thorntail shrugged his shoulders, as if the matter didn't really matter to him at all. "You know…" Blackshadow decided to defend his and Rosethorn's friendship, "I had a lot of siblings. I was the oldest…I looked after them 'cause my mother – Flowertail…" Blackshadow noticed that Thorntail pricked his ears as Blackshadow mentioned his mother. Was it really that surprising, that his mother was the young-looking tabby queen? "She had been a little grieving when we were born, because her first mate, my father, Vibrantheart, died before I – or my siblings were born. In other words, I've learned how to take care of cats." Blackshadow let out a purr. "It comes naturally. I'm not trying to invade your territory with Rosethorn."
"Your siblings are lucky," Thorntail murmured, possibly not listening to the last few words Blackshadow had uttered, "To have a big brother like you."
Blackshadow flashed his friend a glance, curious to what Thorntail meant.
"My brother had it bad," Thorntail explained, "Not only did I not look after him…but I stole his mate. And then…to top it off…the way he died…" Thorntail shook his head. "Theirs is no way that Shadenight and I could've gone on after that. We couldn't have pretended that there was nothing wrong with our relationship."
Blackshadow opened his mouth to answer, but a loud yowl interrupted him. Instantly he pinpointed the location of the screech. Without even exchanging a glance, the two ThunderClan cats rushed back over to SunningRocks, side by side.
At first, Blackshadow could see no cats in the whole expanse of the area that they called SunningRocks – besides himself and Thorntail – but thankfully, Thorntail had a sharper eye, and quickly jerked his head over to the river.
Blackshadow followed the gray cat's gaze, and his eyes widened when he saw two young cats on the river – the frozen, river.
Neither one of them seemed to be hurt, but curious to what the yowl was, Blackshadow padded over to them, and as he got closer he noticed that one of the cats was Morningpaw – his apprentice who he had specifically ordered to stay at the Owl Tree. The other was a brown tabby tom that he knew was Beakpaw, Shrewtail's son.
"What in the name of StarClan are you two doing?" Blackshadow hissed, blissfully aware that as he stood on the edge of the frozen river, he was, in fact, in RiverClan territory. He rested his amber gaze on his tortoise-shell apprentice. "And thought I told you to stay by the Owl Tree!"
Morningpaw was panting – Blackshadow just noticed that she was – far too heavily to answer, so her companion, Beakpaw, answered for her.
"I saw Morningpaw run out onto the ice, and I thought it was dangerous, so I came to get her." He flicked his tail a few tail-lengths away, where Blackshadow noticed that there was a large break in the ice, revealing freezing water below. "Luckily I did," Beakpaw put in, "It broke where she was standing, and I grabbed her scruff to keep her from falling in."
Blackshadow sighed at his apprentice's stupidity. He was grateful for Beakpaw's help, but he didn't comment on the young tom's heroism quite yet. "Morningpaw," he hissed, "What were you thinking? If Beakpaw wasn't here, you could've been killed!"
Morningpaw finally was able to answer, "I saw a mouse!" she explained. "Its leaf-bare, and I thought you would be proud if I caught some prey on my first day as an apprentice with prey so scarce,"
"I wouldn't be so proud if you were dead," Blackshadow snapped. "I ordered you to stay by the Owl Tree. When your mentor gives you an order, Morningpaw, you follow it!" At Blackshadow's harsh words, Morningpaw flattened her ears against her head, and shuffled her paws. The black tom sighed. "Morningpaw," he meowed, "I want you to come over back over here – slowly," he stressed. "And step lightly. The ice your standing on is clearly thin." He glanced at Beakpaw, who also happened to be his half-brother. Pride surged through him, as he noticed that his younger sibling had saved another apprentice's life on his first day of training. "You too, Beakpaw," he ordered. Almost in the exact heart-beat that Blackshadow gave the order, the two young cats slowly stepped safely off of the ice.
Blackshadow eyed the two young cats carefully, before meowing, "Beakpaw, thank you." His words were simple, but Beakpaw's eyes shown with pride, and Blackshadow let out a purr. "Where's your mentor – Badgerclaw?" Blackshadow asked. "You should go find him, Beakpaw."
"He told me to try hunting…" Beakpaw explained where his mentor was in a soft mew – as if Blackshadow had actually cared – before running off to find his mentor.
Blackshadow turned on Morningpaw, his pride for Beakpaw instantly turning into shame as he gazed at her. She was his apprentice – and he had given her a simple order to stay at the Owl Tree! He hadn't been gone very long at all! "Beakpaw couldn't have started out his apprenticeship better," Blackshadow snarled, curling his upper lip, "But Morningpaw, unless you happened to actually die today, I don't think you could've have started out worse!" Morningpaw opened her mouth to defend herself, but Blackshadow gave her no time. "We're in RiverClan territory, Morningpaw! You broke the Warrior Code! When they send out their patrols, they are going to scent ThunderClan. I doubt that they're going to be too pleased about that!"
"In speaking of RiverClan," Thorntail mused – startling Blackshadow. He had forgotten the gray cat was there, "We should probably get out of their territory before they do send that patrol you mentioned, and not only scent us – but see us."
Blackshadow couldn't argue with Thorntail's logic there. "You're right," he sighed, giving his friend a nod. To Morningpaw, he added, "Let's go back to camp,"
Morningpaw's green eyes shot open in surprise. "But you said you'd teach me how to fight today!" she whined.
"And you said you'd stay by the Owl Tree." Blackshadow pointed out, as he started to jog out of RiverClan territory – well aware that Thorntail and Morningpaw were behind him. "Funny, we both lied."
Morningpaw had no answer to that, and Blackshadow took it as a reason to continue. "But don't worry Morningpaw – I'm sure we'll find some bedding for you to clean back at camp. Swiftfoot would love for you to clean his den." He waited for a response, and once again Morningpaw gave none. Curious to what in the name of StarClan she was doing, he flashed a glance behind him.
It suddenly made sense.
"Thorntail!" he hissed. "Stop flirting with my apprentice!"
…
Rosethorn's eyes widened, shocked. Shadenight wanted to…join the Clan? Why would she want to do that? As if she couldn't guess! Thorntail!
She flashed a glance at her mother, Streamstar, curious to what the ThunderClan leader would do.
She was surprised to see that Streamstar looked almost as shocked as Rosethorn had felt when earlier that day Ebonypaw had started to sing a small lullaby to the herbs as she stored them away.
Streamstar finally seemed to be able to speak. And she uttered the words Rosethorn had been thinking: "What in the name of StarClan has gotten into your twisted little mind?"
"Join the Clan?" Shrewtail – the cat who had found Shadenight on their territory – echoed, shocked. "Why?"
"Well…" Shadenight drawled, "RiverClan isn't a home to me anymore." The ThunderClan cats all looked at her doubtfully, so she quickly went on. "They've...let in a few cats that shouldn't have been." Rosethorn knew that Shadenight was referring to Rinoa and Tawnyleaf – the two cats she had mentioned in her endless tidal wave of news she had given to Thorntail in the Forest of Reeds.
"Well," Shrewtail pointed out, "If we let you in, we'll be doing just what RiverClan had."
Rosethorn flicked her ears in agreement, and she heard Applefur beside her let out a soft purr. Suddenly, the medicine cat was aware that most of the ThunderClan cats had gathered around the interesting scene.
"I say we let her join," Rosethorn was startled when she heard a voice speak up. Curious to whom it was, she scanned the mass of ThunderClan cats, and suddenly rested her gaze on Swiftfoot, the former ThunderClan deputy. His eyes were sparkling as he gazed at the beautiful Shadenight.
"Swiftfoot," Streamstar meowed, "Why do you say that?"
Swiftfoot hesitated for a moment, before answering, "Let's face it…ThunderClan has strong warriors…but uh…some of them happen to be…uh… …" he left some of the sentence in the air, but most of the ThunderClan cats understood. Some of them happen to be dead.
"And Shadenight is a strong beautiful…lovely…intelligent-looking young she-cat." Rosethorn narrowed her eyes – Swiftfoot seemed awfully interested in the RiverClan cat. "She could be useful to ThunderClan." Swiftfoot's eyes lit up, as if he just thought of an idea. "And until she gains our trust she could stay with me in the Elder's den." To Shadenight he added, "I have it all to myself."
Rosethorn sighed. Swiftfoot already had a mate – a pregnant mate, who also happened to be the Clan deputy, Sandpelt. Why was he flirting with Shadenight?
"Wow," Applefur breathed into her ear, "Toms see a pretty cat and they go crazy,"
Rosethorn grunted agreement.
Streamstar looked hesitant, and before she could utter the words – that Rosethorn predicted she would say – 'I shall discuss this with my senior warriors' Sandpelt, rushed to stand by the silver leader's side.
"Streamstar," Sandpelt offered, "I'll lead her around the territory, if you like." Streamstar looked startled that Sandpelt would be so optimistic and excited about the cat joining, and Rosethorn was wondering the same thing until the deputy continued, "I'll lead her off a cliff first." She flashed a glare at both Swiftfoot, and Shadenight. Rosethorn understood instantly. Shadenight was threatening her right to the young-ThunderClan elder. "RiverClan cats and ThunderClan cats don't mix." Sandpelt growled.
"I volunteer," Applefur yowled out, "To help lead Shadenight off of a cliff."
"Oh! Me too!" Icepelt's hard-edged voice could clearly be heard in Rosethorn's ears.
Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief. No cat seemed thrilled to have Shadenight in the Clan – except for Swiftfoot, who wanted her in the Clan for reasons that were all his own.
"Wait!" Onepaw, Shrewtail's apprentice, a young, brown tom, called out. He padded over to stand beside Shadenight. "I say we let her stay. Think of all the secrets of RiverClan she could tell us,"
"Think of all the secrets of ThunderClan she could tell them," Sandpelt snapped. Suddenly, Sandpelt's eyes lit up, as if a brilliant idea had struck her right then and there. "Wait, I changed my mind, Streamstar." The tawny-colored deputy meowed. "I say we let her join StarClan."
"I second that notion." Applefur mewed firmly.
Rosethorn blinked. It seemed that most of the toms in the Clan wanted Shadenight to stay- possibly because they wanted a mate - while all the she-cats were yowling for Shadenight to go back to where she belonged, jealousy taking heart.
Shadenight let out a purr of amusement, and shuffled her paws. "Don't worry, Sandpelt. I wouldn't ever dream of stealing Swiftfoot from you."
"Why not?" Rosethorn heard Swiftfoot's and Sandpelt's voice intermingle with one another – Swiftfoot sounding disappointed, and Sandpelt sounding insulted.
"Well…" Shadenight let out a chuckle. "It's clear that you love him. I would never break up true love." Though she was speaking to Sandpelt, she was staring Rosethorn right into the eyes. "I can tell that you love him, because of how you are willing to fight for him. Only a piece of fox-dung would keep two cats in love apart."
As ThunderClan continued to yowl out their opinions – as if Streamstar who looked like she was too busy playing with a kitten's moss ball at her paws to listen or care about them – Rosethorn couldn't help but feel a shiver crawl down her spine like a thousand spiders. What did Shadenight mean by that? Shadenight was the one breaking up true love – what Rosethorn and Thorntail had! Then it hit Rosethorn, like the monster had hit Graywhisker on the Thunderpath. Shadenight was saying that Rosethorn was the piece of fox-dung who was keeping Shadenight and Thorntail apart!
Applefur must've made the same connection, because she noticed that the queen's muscles bunched together, as if ready to pounce.
"Enough of this," Streamstar looked up from her intriguing ball of moss, and suddenly was taking the lead of the Clan again. "I will discuss this matter with my senior warriors," she growled, nodding at Sandpelt, Icepelt, and Shrewtail. Rosethorn knew that Badgerclaw was one of the senior warriors as well, but he was out training his apprentice, Beakpaw. "Until we make our decision, Shadenight will be guarded outside of the camp."
"I'll do it," Applefur volunteered instantly. And without Rosethorn's consent, Applefur also mewed, "Rosethorn will too."
Rosethorn flattened her ears. She had never said that she would! However, she didn't snap at Applefur – her friend was only trying to protect her and Thorntail's love.
Streamstar hesitated, as if unsure if that was a wise decision – a pregnant queen and the medicine cat. However, Sandpelt was quick to advise her leader, "Let them go," she growled. "Applefur will fight with great strength if worse comes to worse – both for her kits, and the right to her mate. And Rosethorn…" Sandpelt shrugged. "Let the medicine cat go. Most of the Warriors are out training their apprentices – we need some strong cats to stay behind at camp."
At this, the ThunderClan leader finally gave the veto to the two friends – which Rosethorn found quite surprising. Streamstar usually seemed determined to keep queens and Rosethorn confined to the camp for their entire lives.
"We'll take her to SunningRocks," Applefur meowed thoughtfully. "That way it won't be as much trouble to send her off to RiverClan territory."
Rosethorn knew that it was really so they could yowl and screech, without being heard back at camp.
"Fine," Streamstar meowed flashing the two ginger she-cats worried looks. "Go,"
Applefur wasted no time in taking off towards Shadenight, and Rosethorn had to run to catch up.
"This is great, Rosethorn!" Applefur hissed in her ear. "Now we can finally show her with whom Thorntail belongs!"
Rosethorn mumbled an agreement. Yes…but if Thorntail really loved Shadenight…then did she really have any right to hold him back?
…
Rosethorn glanced at the snow-layered earth that she was thumping through, and let out a sigh. So far, the trip to SunningRocks with Shadenight had been silent. Though, Rosethorn knew that the fight would break out a little before they got the stretch of land, to make sure that they were not heard by any cat. Shadenight wouldn't want anyone to know about her crush on Thorntail, because then the Clan would almost definitely shun her, Applefur wouldn't want to ruin Rosethorn's reputation as a medicine cat, and Rosethorn wasn't sure if she wanted to argue anyways.
She looked up from the white powder, and glanced at Shadenight, who was following Applefur with her tail was held high in the air.
She couldn't deny Shadenight's beauty. Especially in Leaf-Bare, where her dark fur contrasted with the snow just perfectly.
Suddenly, Applefur stumbled to halt, and Rosethorn did as well – as did Shadenight. Rosethorn knew that the fight was about to break out – they were just a few tail-lengths from the dip in the earth that would become SunningRocks. They weren't going in SunningRocks, she assumed, because there could quite possibly be cats in there. But they were far enough from camp to not be heard from their Clanmates – to their knowledge, at least.
"Alright, Shadenight," Applefur hissed, unsheathing her claws, "What do you think you're doing here?"
"Joining ThunderClan," Shadenight purred. "I planned it just right – RiverClan probably doesn't even know that I'm gone yet." Applefur's icy glare probably told the RiverClan she-cat that that wasn't the answer she was looking for, so Shadenight went on. "I'm here to see Thorntail. Is that a problem?"
Rosethorn felt her eyes cloud with hate.
Rosethorn wanted to yowl out insults to Shadenight, but she wasn't an expert at it, and Shadenight would probably have her running back to camp in a heart-beat, she seemed talented. Luckily for Rosethorn, Applefur seemed to be ThunderClan's champion at arguments.
"I don't know what you and Thorntail had in the past," Applefur hissed, "But he's Rosethorn's mate now! Why don't you stop trying to stir things up?" Rosethorn flattened her ears, not sure if Applefur should've given out that bit of information about her and Thorntail – but then…Shadenight had seemed to already know, and what's more, ThunderClan would believe Applefur's word over Shadenight's that Rosethorn was indeed, a pure medicine cat. Applefur was a good liar too.
However, Applefur's words didn't seem to cut into Shadenight at all, and instead she let out a purr of amusement. "I'm not trying to stir things up…" she meowed, "It's funny that you're getting all worked up just because a friend from his apprenticeship wants to be in the same Clan as him." Shadenight shrugged. "Since you're getting all worked up about it…maybe things aren't going to well with that medicine cat."
Applefur snapped. Shadenight's words still hung in the air, as the dark ginger queen threw herself at the RiverClan cat – throwing Shadenight off guard. Applefur lifted a claw into the air, most likely to slash it across Shadenight's face, but before she could do that Rosethorn rushed forward, and knocked her friend off of her – and since Applefur was so persistent, in the end she was forced to sit on the queen to keep her from killing Shadenight.
"Let me go, Rosethorn!" Applefur hissed. "I'll claw some sense into her! Heck, I'll kill her! We'll just tell Streamstar that she attacked us, and we were forced to resort to killing!"
"Applefur, you're starting to act like Thorntail." Rosethorn hissed,
"Well…" Applefur meowed, "I promised myself to protect you – just like he promised you he would."
Rosethorn let out a purr at Applefur's words, but her amusement was cut short, as Shadenight let out a hiss – forcing Rosethorn to turn her attention onto her.
"What…what do you mean, 'Thorntail said he would protect you'?" the black cat hissed furiously. "He couldn't have said that!" Rosethorn blinked, curious to why Shadenight was freaking out about that, but Shadenight was quick to explain, "He promised me that! He promised me first!"
Before Rosethorn could question what Shadenight was doing, the RiverClan cat lunged at her – knocking her off of Applefur with one swift movement.
"Take it back!" Shadenight hissed, digging her front claws into Rosethorn's neck. Rosethorn let out a gasp of pain, and tried to push the cat off of her, but jealous cat was stronger than she looked under her beautiful coat. "Thorntail would never promise you that! Ever!"
Rosethorn let out a ferocious hiss – enough was enough. She unsheathed her front claws, and instinctively dug them into Shadenight's shoulders. The black cat let out a yowl of agony, and instantly retreated off of her.
Shadenight had more or less fallen onto the ground – which Rosethorn didn't understand, since she hadn't hurt the legs…when she noticed that she had dug her claws into Shadenight's shoulders further than she had thought, and blood was coming out of them uncontrollably.
She was about to apologize, when a cracking tom's voice cried out from just fox-lengths away.
"Shadenight!"
The voice belonged to Thorntail, who, alone, scurried over to her quicker than a WindClan cat chasing a rabbit.
The gray tom bent down next to Shadenight, and Rosethorn closed her eyes pained. Thorntail had made his choice.
Rosethorn eyed Shadenight's shoulders again. "I…I'm…sorry," she apologized, "I didn't mean to-" Shadenight cut her off sharply. "No you're not!" the black cat snapped. "You did it on purpose…you…you act all nice and sweet in front of Thorntail, but that's not how you are at all."
Rosethorn's eyes widened. How in the name of StarClan could Shadenight have blamed this on her? Shadenight was the one who had attacked her.
"I hate you!" Shadenight screeched, staring up at Rosethorn with eyes filled with blue fire.
"Oh, give it a rest!" Rosethorn was startled to hear that it was Thorntail who snapped at the pretty cat, and…it was Thorntail who scraped his claws down Shadenight's face.
Shadenight didn't seem to be able to believe it either, because she just stared at Thorntail, her blue eyes wide.
"Apologize to Rosethorn," Thorntail ordered sharply. Shadenight muttered something that might've been an apology, but Thorntail flashed the cat a furious glance. "I'm sorry," she muttered.
Thorntail helped Shadenight to her paws, while telling her, "Don't come around here, Shadenight. It's starting to irritate me."
Rosethorn blinked. She should be happy that Thorntail was rejecting the RiverClan cat, she knew…but…
"Oh…" Shadenight's voice was cracking with sorrow. "I…I see…sorry to be…troublesome."
Rosethorn narrowed her eyes. Something about Shadenight's voice was disturbing her. However, she pushed it out of her mind. Shadenight had no reason to stay in ThunderClan now – Thorntail had rejected her…without even knowing her goal!
"We'll escort you to SunningRocks, and you can go on your way," Applefur meowed coldly, and without waiting for an answer, the queen started to trudge off.
Shadenight got to her paws and started to slowly follow the ginger-colored cat, and Thorntail twitched his whiskers, before turning to Rosethorn. "Let's go," he purred, flicking his tail. Rosethorn grunted, and trotted over to him.
…
Thorntail sat down on his haunches beside Rosethorn and Applefur in SunningRocks, as the three cats watched Shadenight go on home.
"Well, she's out of our fur," Applefur purred cheerfully, and Thorntail turned to her and meowed an agreement. "Hey, Rosethorn, how about when we get back to camp, we show Ebonypaw how to make that one sweet mixture- you know, the one that doesn't do anything, but makes the nursery smell nice?"
Rosethorn was only half-listening to her friend. She couldn't take her eyes off of Shadenight. She wasn't…going in the direction of the Stepping Stones, which would be the safest thing to… No…instead she was walking right onto the…
"Thorntail!" Rosethorn couldn't help but yowl. "Shadenight's walking right onto the ice!"
Thorntail blinked, surprised, but after that heartbeat's thought, he started to cross the border of RiverClan, straight to the River.
Why was he so worried? Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder. She had just thought it was odd that Shadenight was taking a potentially dangerous way…
Rosethorn, curious, leapt to her paws and pounded after her mate, leaving a very confused Applefur.
She stumbled to a halt beside the ice-river, and instead called out, "Shadenight! It's dangerous!"
Thorntail stood beside her, though he didn't bother to yowl out any warnings. Suddenly his eyes widened with understanding. "She knows it's dangerous!" he meowed, sounding hysterical. "She's trying to…oh StarClan, no!"
As if Thorntail had trained for it his whole life, he skidded onto the ice, and ran towards Shadenight faster then Rosethorn had ever seen him run… Could he honestly say that he had no feelings for Shadenight?
She watched, struck by horror, as the ice under Shadenight's paws broke, sending the she-cat into the dark depths of the freezing water…
Rosethorn closed her eyes, not wanting to watch Shadenight freeze to death…but slowly opened them, when she heard no 'Oh my gosh, she's dead' from Thorntail or Applefur.
Thorntail must've been faster than she had thought, because miraculously he had caught Shadenight's scruff right before she tumbled to her death. Still holding onto the scruff of her neck as if for dear life, he slowly started to drag Shadenight back to the shore, beside Rosethorn.
"What in the name of StarClan were you doing?" Thorntail gasped. "Why'd you do that?"
Shadenight's voice was a cracked whisper, "Because I may as well be dead, if I can't be with you Thorntail….Graywhisker's gone, and now I'm losing you too." Shadenight closed her ice-blue eyes, and let out a pitiful wail of sorrow. "I can't take that! I can't go on living, without you Thorntail!"