Chapter 27

"So the legendary Shadowheart comes back home, huh?" Scar hissed. Shadowheart faced his father in the murky depths of the dark forest. His father's gray pelt was shaggy and muddy, the scars on his face where glinting as if it was freshly carved. Shadowheart flicked his tail in anger and narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want?" He demanded.

"So what…a father can't congratulate his son for becoming the next deputy?" Scar smirked. "Come on…don't be so rude to your only father."

"Because of you, everyone thinks I'm a murderer!" Shadowheart growled.

"Oh yes…" Scar smirked. "I almost forgot. I'm surprised at how much enjoyment I take out of it."

"I tried to save you the day you died!" Shadowheart growled. "This is how you thank me?"

Scar flicked his tail and lowered his ears. His blue eyes looked full of sorrow when he looked up again. His eyes looked bloodshot. "How is Mistyfern?"

"Why should I tell you?" Shadowheart challenged. Scar ruffled his fur and shoved in muzzle in his son's face, his long fangs gleaming.

"You better watch yourself!" Scar warned, his eyes burning. "My love life was ruined because of you; don't think I won't ruin yours too!"

"You wouldn't dare touch June!" Hissed Shadowheart

"Try me!"

Shadowheart shot open his eyes and thanked StarClan for being back in the warrior's den. The morning sun was shining on his pelt through holes in the den walls. All the warriors where gone, except for Rainstorm. The silver tabby was half-awake in her bed of moss.

"Where are the others?" Shadowheart mewed.

"They said they felt threatened sleeping in the same den as you." Rainstorm yawned. "They woke up early…"

"Even Airwhisker," Shadowheart questioned, finding it hard to believe that his best friend would feel threatened by him. Rainstorm rolled her eyes.

"No, Mouse-brain." Rainstorm mewed. "She went out to hunt with Clifffall."

Shadowheart felt reassured and stretched his long legs until a satisfying tingle ran down his spine. Rainstorm yawned and rolled on her back as Shadowheart left the warrior's den. The sun was unusually warm and Shadowheart noticed the snow begin to melt from the rock walls of SkyClan's camp.

He never realized how much he had missed his clan.

"Shadowheart, Shadowheart!" Called a young voice, Shadowheart turned his attention to Palepaw who was running towards him. The pale tabby tom was bursting with energy. "You're awake!"

"Yeah…" Shadowheart tried to sound enthusiastic. "I see you are too."

"I waited until you woke up." Palepaw meowed. "I couldn't wait to talk with you. My sisters don't like you, but don't worry….she-cats are annoying anyway."

"You'll think that one day…" Shadowheart meowed, making his way to the fresh kill pile. "But one day you will fall for a she-cat and she'll mean the world to you."

"Eww…no way," Palepaw spat, "I don't have time for all that! All I want to do is follow in your footsteps, and be a deputy like you when I get older."

Shadowheart felt an unfamiliar emotion course through his body. He had never heard a cat say that they wanted to be like him…it made Shadowheart feel special and important. Palepaw reminded Shadowheart of when he was a kit…always looking up to Scar and wanting to be big and scary like him.

"I'll be the best fighter in all of SkyClan!" Shadowkit hissed, swiping his paws in the air. "I'll fight just like you one day!"

Scar chuckled and tapped Shadowkit's head with his tail. The kit huffed and fell onto the ground, the sand getting in his eyes. Scar looked over at Mistyfern and smiled, raising his tail as Shadowkit got up with a puffed chest. "You still have a long way, Shadowkit…but never stop trying."

Shadowheart looked down at Palepaw and envisioned his kits with June. He imagined a gray tom…with white paws and light yellow eyes. Shadowheart felt a purr rise in his throat and blinked away the image of the gray kit.

"Well, I'm not a deputy yet." Shadowheart meowed to Palepaw. "But I will be soon."

Palepaw curled his nose and looked over in the medicine den where Whistleleaf was treating Fallowfur for her greencough. Palepaw's sister, Sprigpaw was the new medicine cat apprentice. Sprigpaw and Whistleleaf looked worried.

"I wish Fallowfur would die." Palepaw mewed flatly.