A sudden commotion outside of their circle made Mistyfoot turn to face whatever was coming, her light blue eyes shining with confusion. Blackclaw was leading Mosspelt and Pouncetail towards them. All three warriors were bristling with uncontained fury, their eyes glaring hostilely at the loner Night. The black tom looked confused at their approach, mirroring Mistyfoot's reaction as well.
"Blackclaw, what is the meaning of this?" she prompted almost furiously. They were showing outward disrespect to the cat who had saved her life.
"He's the cat who killed Leopardstar. He's the one who we fought when we picked up the rogue scent trail," hissed Blackclaw. "Let's kill him now!" His claws were already unsheathed in preparation. It was obvious he was dying to kill the tom.
Mistyfoot's light blue gaze switched to Night. Fury had begun to burn in their depths. "Is this true?" she demanded in a voice full of authority. Night's similarly colored eyes stared into her own. "No. They are wrong," declared the tom.
"No. They are right!" came a sudden hiss. All of the cats whipped their heads around to see a muscled bronze tom padding towards her. At his side paced a black she-cat with olive green eyes. Behind them, an agile light brown tom and a dark orange tom with black legs walked side by side, looking uncomfortable under the sudden amount of stares. A dark gray tabby she-cat brought up the rear, looking neutral in the hostile environment RiverClan were beginning to create.
"Who are you?" demanded Mistyfoot. She flicked her tail once, a subtle signal, and suddenly all of RiverClan were on the alert. Their leader still only had one life. She would need to be protected.
"I am Flame. This is my mate Shadow, and my group Fox, Saber, and Wolf," Each cat nodded as he said their name, relaxing a bit under his lead. "For a long time we have wanted to join the Clans. When Night appeared, we wanted to protect you. He attacked and killed Leopardstar just as she was coming to regroup with you. If it hadn't been for him, Leopardstar would still be alive,"
Mistyfoot looked at him skeptically, her feelings mirrored by her warriors. Reedwhisker leaned forward to whisper "I don't trust them" in her ear. Mistyfoot nodded, agreeing with her deputy, and asked emotionlessly "Why should we believe you?"
Flame opened his mouth, about to reply, when Shadow snarled "Ask StarClan and you shall receive the truth!" Flame paused, as if surprised by his mate's outburst, but then nodded.
"If it is indeed the truth StarClan will tell you," came the soft meow of Willowpaw. The medicine cat apprentice and her mentor had been listening closely. Mothwing nodded in confirmation, the shard of uneasiness that filled her eyes when it came to StarClan disappearing. "When StarClan said that Hawkfrost had abandoned the Clan, it was the truth," she meowed. "Remember my conversation with him?" Mistyfoot nodded, and then declared "So we shall see tonight as I dream whether it is Flame telling the truth, or Night. You should all stay," she meowed to the loners, her tone slightly menacing. A meaningful look passed between the RiverClan warriors, and they closed ranks, keeping the loners there.
"We would never dream of leaving," promised Flame. "Why would I? I am innocent," declared Night, throwing a glare at Flame. "It's them you should watch out for," The black tom padded away, shadowed by Pouncetail and Minnowstream. Blackclaw and several others settled around Flame and his group, putting up the act of grooming themselves. None of the RiverClan warriors spoke to the loners – they just minded themselves, throwing out the illusion of not watching them but clearly aware of every move they made.
Mistyfoot turned away from the scene. She surveyed the camp, noting that Icewing was very nearly due and Graymist had another couple of moons. She padded over to speak with the medicine cats about the due dates, putting aside her worries about the loners and taking care of regular Clan business first.
Later that night the RiverClan leader lay down on the hard ground. The rest of the Clan slept around the loners in a tight circle, taking their guard duties very seriously. Mistyfoot felt happiness flood through her, combining with pride. Once more the line that made the essence of RiverClan flow through her came; when RiverClan rises up together, we are unbeatable.
She closed her eyes with a content sigh, thinking of nothing but what she could do to feed the Clan the next day…..she could practically taste the mouse scent that was flowing through her nose….MOUSE scent?! Her eyes flew open, and she found herself at Fourtrees once more. But it wasn't Stonestream who rose to greet her – instead, her former leader padded up to her.
Soft pride glowed in Leopardstar's eyes, and she purred at the sight of her former deputy. "Mistyfoot, welcome! You seek an answer to a question you could only answer in the real world based on trust?" The she-cat nodded, her eyes alert and serious. "Do you have the answer to my question?" she queried, dipping her head respectfully.
The warrior she-cat looked at her intently. "Follow your heart, Misyfoot. You already know the answer,"
The silver-blue she-cat's eyes widened. "I knew it!" she exclaimed in wonder, and then quieted. "Is there hope for RiverClan Leoapardstar? Will we survive?" Briefly she remembered the shooting stars, and then meowed quickly "I know the answer to my question Leopardstar! But how are we supposed to be a Clan, without others to help us along?"
"You will find a way……" murmured the unusually spotted golden tabby, and then the dream faded into nothingness….
Mistyfoot opened her eyes to weak morning sunlight. She blinked once, and then sat up straight. Surveying the camp, she picked out the loners and sighed with relief. They still sat in her camp, ready to await her judgment. The leader scented the air, locating Reedwhisker. She padded to her deputy and sat next to his sleeping form, aiming to be the first cat he spoke to that morning.
They had many things to discuss.