It was not much of a surprise that Greysight left the leader's den and was promptly faced by her clanmates. Thistleprick leaned forward eagerly, eyeing Greysight with a doubtful expression.
"He's not coming, is he?"
Browneyes deflated a bit, but none of the cats looked particularly surprised. "So what now?" asked Browneyes. "Are we still going?"
Greysight stepped forward adamantly, a new look of determination on her face. "Of course we're going! Right, Lostheart?" She turned towards the black she-cat's scent in hopes of having her support.
Lostheart made a small nod and rose to her paws. "We have to try, with or without Sunstar. I have a feeling that it would be much easier if he came with us, but that's not going to happen. We'll have to try and win Brisingstar over on our own." Lostheart wondered just exactly how the OceanClan leader would take it. The whole forest was ruled by anxiety over Willowstar's actions, even more so now that Light and Tree had joined forces. Based on his behavior at the Gatherings, Lostheart knew Brisingstar wanted as little involvement as possible, it would not be easy to get him to concede. She had hoped that Sunstar's presence would change his mind, especially because of the two leaders' history, and Sunstar's help in removing Dualstar from power. Brisingstar certainly owed DarkClan, the question was whether or not he would honor his debt.
"So what do we do?" Thistleprick meowed airily, gazing into the trees above. Lostheart surveyed the group, quietly thinking about which cats to take with her. She didn't want to take a large group, worried that it might set off the OceanClan cats. Raggedear was out of the question, although she didn't doubt the tom, she couldn't take the risk... Bringing well known warriors like Darkpelt and Greysight would not be a good idea either, she didn't want Brisingstar feeling threatened. Roseclaw and Moonfur needed to stay in the camp for her quickly approaching kitting, and bringing a medicine cat apprentice for the arrangement was unnecessary. It wasn't like Sunstar was going to join them anytime soon, and that left two cats...
"Browneyes and Thistleprick will come with me to OceanClan. The rest of you should remain in camp, it would be helpful if you would run a hunting patrol as well." Lostheart's last statement had been directed at Darkpelt in particular, and the great tom nodded in agreement.
"Sweet!" Thistleprick turned to Browneyes at his side. "This should be interesting, huh?" The tom had a smirk on his face, but his eyes seemed to be saying something different. Lostheart didn't think much on it, and instead turned to Greysight, who did not look too happy with the arrangement.
"You're taking him? Why can't I go? I went last time." Greysight respected Lostheart's judgment, but Thistleprick was...Thistleprick. If that tom messed something up...
"I think it's for the best if you stayed in the forest. You have the best hunting skills, and we're nearly out of our food storage. We need to make sure we have enough, we have more lives to worry about now beside our own." Personally, if it was possible, she herself would not go. The only reason she had to was because she was deputy and Sunstar refused. Her presence was not welcome, and she knew it.
The looks she had been given last time were still clear in her mind. They didn't trust her, they were afraid. She doubted any cat would want to listen to her, and even if they did, why would they agree to anything she said?
Greysight conceded with a slight nod and tired eyes. "Okay." Lostheart was right, their food store was down to two squirrels after having gone through leaf bare. Newleaf would begin soon, and it would be a perfect time for catching prey...if there was any left. Greysight turned suddenly, narrowing her eyes towards Thistleprick's form. "Don't screw this up for the rest of us." she hissed venomously.
Lostheart glanced at the cats around her, it appeared that they were done. "I don't want to stay too long, so we'll try to get back as soon as possible." Lostheart turned and padded away from the group and toward the tree tunnel. Raggedear exchanged a small glance with Thistleprick before the tom hurried after Browneyes and Lostheart.
Darkpelt grumbled something as they disappeared into the forest before turning to Greysight. "I'm going to hunt near the Dead Oak, I want you to try Blue Hole. Try not to come back before catching anything."
"Yeah, I know."
Darkpelt frowned and padded away toward the camp entrance just as the others had, leaving Greysight and Raggedear alone in the clearing. Greysight let out a small sigh and stretched out her forelegs, 'Might as well get it done now.' She began to follow after Darkpelt, but stopped when she felt Raggedear stepping after her.
Greysight blinked and turned to face him. "You need to stay here and guard camp, Lostheart didn't say for you to hunt."
"I know."
Greysight's frown turned downward in confusion. "Then what-"
"Please stop treating my brother like that."
His words took Greysight by surprise, what did he mean 'treating him like that'? Its not like she was abusing him or anything. Greysight let out a small smirk. "I had no idea my opinions bothered him so much that he has to complain to his brother about it." Was Thistleprick actually getting hurt over her words?
"He hasn't said anything to me, but I want you to take it easy on him. He hasn't done anything wrong, there's no need to be so harsh." Raggedear replied.
Greysight sighed again. "Alright, fine. I'll try to lighten up." She honestly just wanted to hunt and get it over with, and she wasn't in the mood for arguing. Without giving Raggedear another chance to speak, she padded away toward the tree tunnel, fully intent on finding a nice blackbird. It was her favorite after all.
The walk to the OceanClan border was a surprisingly quiet one, neither Thistleprick nor Browneyes bugged Lostheart for any details. Which was good because it allowed her to think. She would be the one who had to negotiate with Brisingstar, she only hoped the OceanClan leader would at least consider it. Being together would greatly increase the defense of both clans, and she would be lying if she said DarkClan wouldn't be happy to share in their great supply of fish.
If he had really tried, Lostheart believed Sunstar could have helped greatly. Without him, bringing up Dualstar wouldn't have as great of an effect in conversation. Hopefully Brisingstar would listen to her reasoning and keep in mind that DarkClan had given them their territory back.
The warriors came upon the OceanClan border, and from where they stood, they could see the waves rolling in the distance. Now they would have to wait for a border patrol, but Lostheart didn't think it would take too long. There was no doubt in her mind that Brisingstar hadn't increased patrols due to the climbing tension in the forest between the clans.
Thistleprick stepped forward, scrunching up his nose at the heavy scent of salt in the air. "I don't think I could ever get used to the smell of salt and fish all the time. Then again, twolegplace didn't smell all that great either. Hmmm, I can't say which I prefer."
Lostheart blinked when she realized he was talking to her, and offered a small shrug in response. She still found it strange that Raggedear and Thistleprick acted normally around her, even since the day they saw her, neither tom had seem bothered by her appearance in the slightest. It just wasn't something she was used to.
"Well I've only been able to see twolegplace from the swamps, and from what you say, that isn't even the half of it." Browneyes meowed, offering a smile towards the other two cats. "We've been living in this forest for centuries, all DarkClan cats know the story of how Xander won us our independence in the great clans of old."
Thistleprick stretched his body, letting out a content breath of air. "Well, we could be here a while. Might as well tell it." The tortoiseshell tom began to settle himself in the grass, tucking his paws underneath him.
Browneyes prepared to settle beside him. "Okay, we'll-" He stopped as a single gray ear suddenly twitched. He glanced at Lostheart and saw that he wasn't the only one. Browneyes stood up straighter and squinted ahead to see the approach of cat-like figures. Thistleprick blinked, looking between the two.
"They're coming." Browneyes meowed.
"What? Already?" Thistleprick meowed, stumbling to his paws. "And here I was just starting to get comfortable." He padded up between Lostheart and Browneyes and squinted ahead to see if he could recognize any of the cats. Which he couldn't, which wasn't very surprising considering how long he had been in the forest.
Lostheart, on the other hand, recognized all of the cats, even if only by appearance. Among the group were the same apprentice and mentor from the last time she had been here, only this time instead of Hawkmask accompanying them, there were two other warriors in her place.
One of the she-cats paused as she saw the DarkClan cats waiting by the border and promptly said something to the warriors accompanying her. Both of which followed her gaze and immediately quickened their pace.
"Here they come." meowed Thistleprick. "Let's see how this goes, huh?"
The group approached them quickly and quietly, not uttering a single word until they had reached the border and stood across from the DarkClan cats, eyeing them carefully. It was a large gray tom who finally stepped forward to speak.
"Why do DarkClan cats wait at the edge of our territory?" his eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to intimidate them. Despite this, Lostheart could see the fear hidden in his eyes. What was he so afraid of? In fact, as she realized it, the other cats looked anxious as well.
"Why have you come back here? Have you returned to take even more of our precious herbs?"
Lostheart stood calmly despite the toms accusatory tone, and both Browneyes and Thistleprick looked to her from the corner of their eyes. Wondering what, if anything, they should do.
"We are not here to take your clan's herbs. Sunstar has sent us to speak with Brisingstar, he has a proposition that would be in the best interest of both our clans." Lostheart meowed in a calm tone that she hoped would help reassure her clanmates.
"Don't listen to her."
Lostheart's caught the sound of a small whisper coming from the warrior's side, where she saw the apprentice from before eyeing the DarkClan cats with both fear and vehemence. "They'll take our food and murder our kits." His eyes landed on Lostheart and he shrunk back, eyes wide upon realizing the she-cat was watching him.
A light tabby she-cat by his side flicked the apprentice with the tip of her tail, giving him a warning look. "Hush, Skypaw." The young gray and white tom flinched slightly and shut his mouth. The gray warrior seemed to consider his words for a moment, "If its so important, why didn't Sunstar come himself?"
Lostheart had been afraid of something like this, the OceanClan cats didn't trust them. "Sunstar is busy with other things, so he sent me in his place." Her words came out sounding colder than she had intended, but there was not much she could do about her voice.
The warriors continued to look unsure, and each were sending each other wary glances. "And this is in the best of both our clans' interests you say?" Lostheart, Thistleprick, and Browneyes each nodded at the gray tom, causing him to sigh and shake his head softly.
"Okay..." he meowed, causing his clanmates to look at him in shock. The tom blinked through dark, green eyes," My name is Foamstep, and this is Skypaw, Clamtooth" he gestured toward the tabby she-cat, "and Dunefur." The warriors regarded them with small nods, but still looked uncomfortable with Foamstep's decision.
"-But Foamstep! Brisingstar said-"
"Skypaw! Hold your tongue!" Dunefur hissed. "You should know better than to interrupt your mentor." Skypaw closed his mouth and turned away from Dunefur, clearly embarrassed by her scolding.
"I think we all know you three." Foamstep continued. "Lostheart, Browneyes, and Thistleprick correct?"
It was no surprise that the OceanClan cats were aware of their identities. Lostheart, whether she wanted to be or not, was known throughout all the clans. She had quite the reputation, and it seemed that she had even made it into the tales mothers told their kits. No doubt OceanClan would not be pleased to have her in their camp again.
Foamstep had recognized Thistleprick from the recent Gathering, and although he was wary of the rogue, he tried hard to hide it, as well as the other warriors accompanying him. Browneyes, however, had the best name of them all. He was very involved with clan meetings and participated in many conversations, he was well known by many warriors.
"Come, we will take you to see Brisingstar."
"What is the meaning of this?"
Lostheart, Browneyes, and Thistleprick were each taken aback by the hostility in Brisingstar's tone as he approached them inside OceanClan's camp. Brisingstar's deep blue eyes focused on the patrol surrounding them, "I thought I told you, no more visitors! Was that not my order?"
Brisingstar looked more tired than anything, and Lostheart could understand the leader's frustration. "We wanted to talk with you about the recent developments between LightClan and TreeClan." Lostheart meowed.
Brisingstar's eyes focused on the strange black she-cat, instantly recognizing Sunstar's daughter and the cat known throughout the clans. "Is that why you have returned here? I thought I made it clear at the Gathering, I want no involvement with any of your or TreeClan's quarrels."
It appeared that this was not the best time to approach the OceanClan leader, but they didn't have a choice. "There is a chance Willowstar will come after OceanClan as well. If we ally ourselves with each other, we may be able to stop him. Both our clans would be safe."
Brisingstar's eyes narrowed, "Safe? My clan would only be put in harm's way, and for what? DarkClan's sake?"
"DarkClan gave you back your territory when you needed it, and do not forget what Sunstar did to free your clan. If it wasn't for DarkClan, you would still be living under the tyranny of Dualstar."
"OceanClan has long since returned the favor for our past. And I was kind enough to allow DarkClan to take some of our precious herbs, was that not enough for you?" Brisingstar paused to give the DarkClan cats a long look, his gaze lingering on Thistleprick in particular. "I know DarkClan has been pushed to taking drastic measures, and I agree that Willowstar has overstepped his boundaries as a clan leader. However, there is nothing I can do, this is a matter for StarClan."
Browneyes suddenly stepped forward, dipping his head respectfully. "We understand you only want the best for your clan, and we want the same. Maybe together, we can change things."
Brisingstar's eyes closed slowly before re-opening to meet the cats with a impassive expression. "I am sorry, but I will not put my clan in that kind of danger. It would prove to be only a fruitless effort. Times are changing, and I must do what is best for my clan."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I did manage to draw up Raggedear and Thistleprick, although I did mess up on Raggedear. :P You can see it on my youtube, I haven't drawn a bg yet, but I will eventually. I really suck at bgs. I can't believe were almost to 200 reviews, and I want to thank everyone whos still reading. I know we still have some unanswered questions, but if we didn't then where would our story be? ;)
Lost
P.S Probably going to put up a new poll
P.P.S Hope everyone has a great holiday!