Chapter 82
"How did that piece of foxdung know?!" Mousewhisker snarled, stalking around the entrance to Jaystar's done. After arriving home from the Gathering, Jaystar had called a meeting with all her senior warriors. Berrynose and Toadflower were looking just as angry as Mousewhisker though they weren't stalking around while Sandstorm, Thornclaw, and Squirrelflight were sitting around more calm. Jaystar reminded herself that they were seasons older than her and probably had seen the same things earlier in their lives. Jaystar looked up as Badgerpaw padded to the entrance of her den, but before she could say anything, Mousewhisker stalked over to Badgerpaw. "Didn't you hear Jaystar? This is a meeting for her senior warriors! Not annoying apprentices!" Everyone glanced at Mousewhisker in surprise. Usually Mousewhisker was good with the younger cats especially his half-sister.
"Mousewhisker that's enough," Jaystar snapped at Mousewhisker, her tail lashing. Turning to Badgerpaw with kinder eyes, Jaystar meowed gently, "I'm sorry, Badgerpaw, but we are in an important meeting. Can you talk to Bumblethroat about whatever is troubling you?" Badgerpaw's mentor should be able to talk to her more than her Clan leader anyway. Jaystar saw Badgerpaw glance over her shoulder and saw the golden brown she-cat's father, Thornclaw, nod. Badgerpaw dipped her head and the other senior warriors before padding after the den. Jaystar watched Badgerpaw leave and wondered what that was about. Turning back to her senior warriors, Jaystar asked, "Does anyone know how Oakstar learned about some of our Clan secrets?" By Clan secrets, Jaystar mainly met her secrets. How had Oakstar learned that Jaystar was a kittypet? Jaystar herself had just found out.
"Well no ShadowClan scent has been smelled over our side of the border so I don't think they have been spying," Mousewhisker mewed, looking embarrassed at exploding on Badgerpaw. Mousewhisker's green eyes were glancing at where Badgerpaw had disappeared and he took a step forward before stalking over to sit next to Berrynose. His brother whispered in his ear, probably trying to lighten Mousewhisker's embarrassment. Berrynose then got to his paws and stalked towards Jaystar, growling in his normal tone, "Maybe ShadowClan haven't been spying on us, but one of us could be relaying information to them." Jaystar saw Berrynose glance at Toadflower who had been sitting silently throughout the meeting. Jaystar didn't need Berrynose to voice his thoughts: the cream-colored warrior suspected Toadflower- his halfbrother- of giving ShadowClan information because of his recent history with the other Clan. Toadflower obviously guessed Berrynose's thoughts because he snarled in the direction of the older warrior.
"Everyone be quiet. I don't think Jaystar suspects any of her warriors of giving ShadowClan information unless..." Squirrelflight paused and then turned to Jaystar. "You don't think that Rosestripe could have told them when she was alive do you? She had plenty of time and as Clan deputy she could've gotten out whenever she wanted too." Jaystar paused, thinking about Squirrelflight's words over. It made sense... there was so many times when Rosestripe could have told ShadowClan and she was the only cat in ThunderClan who would've betrayed her Clan on purpose. But what if the culprit didn't do it on promise? Jaystar didn't want to blame Rosestripe if she didn't do it. Rosestripe was already going to be known for killing her Clanmate and attacking her Clan leader. Jaystar didn't want Rosestripe's memory tainted with another evil fact that she had shared ThunderClan secrets with ShadowClan. Rosestripe had been Jaystar's friend a long time ago.
"I don't think Rosestripe did it, Squirrelflight, and I'm not just saying that because she was my sister," Toadflower meowed, his voice speeding as Berrynose opened his jaws to argure. Berrynose had looked like he had forgotten that Rosestripe had been his sister too. "Rosestripe killed Stripepool because she was Spiderleg's mate. I wasn't close to Stripepool because of this, but I would have never done what Rosestripe did. Then Rosestripe only attacked Jaystar because you found out her secret. Rosestripe was only evil because she was angry Spiderleg had left Daisy and found a happy family with Stripepool forgetting all about his old life and old kits. Rosestripe would never have betrayed ThunderClan. Rosestripe loved ThunderClan if nothing else." Jaystar didn't want to believe Rosestripe had good in her after killing Stripepool, but Toadflower was right. When Rosestripe had been ThunderClan's deputy, she had been a brave friend and a loving warrior towards her Clanmates. If Rosestripe had controlled her anger than she could have been remembered for seasons to come. And she had been part kittypet.
"Then who?" Sandstorm meowed, making everyone's thoughts return to the problem at hand. Jaystar knew it was sort've selfish to go through all this trouble to find out who had revealed her secret, but she needed to know if someone was betraying ThunderClan.
*
Jaystar led Briarcloud, Ashgaze, and Bearpaw towards the WindClan border, glad to be out of camp. After the meeting, Jaystar had wanted to go out into the forest with some of her old friends and just try and forget that she was ThunderClan's leader. Glancing at Briarcloud who was talking to Ashgaze, Jaystar remembered when she had only been a warrior of ThunderClan and not their deputy or leader. It was an easier time, but Jaystar realized she would never have been satisfied just living the life as a normal warrior. Jaystar loved leading ThunderClan. She just hated having to suspect some of her warriors of trechery.
"Jaystar! Jaystar!" The golden brown leader turned and her eyes widened as she saw Bumblethroat and Badgerpaw sprinting towards her. Both cats stopped infront of Jaystar and Bumblethroat panted, "Jaystar, Badgerpaw has something very important to tell you." Bumblethroat glanced at Badgerpaw, his amber eyes soft. Jaystar wondered why Bumblethroat was being so kind- a feat that she had accepted he would never had- when a strange thought crossed her mind. Was Bumblethroat over Jaystar and more importantly was he falling for his apprentice? Jaystar glanced at the way Bumblethroat was looking at Badgerpaw and realized that her thoughts were right.
"Okay, Badgerpaw what happened?" Jaystar asked Badgerpaw gently, hoping to win Bumblethroat's friendship by being kind to his apprentice. Badgerpaw glanced around, nervous underneath so many cats eyes. Turning to Briarcloud, Jaystar meowed, "Briarcloud, can you check the WindClan border with Ashgaze and Bearpaw?" Briarcloud dipped her head and then it was only Jaystar, Bumblethroat, and Badgerpaw. "Is everything okay, Badgerpaw?"
Badgerpaw paused before blurting out, "It was me and Bearpaw who told ShadowClan everything!"
