Cherry sighed as she walked out of the medicine cat den. She was halfway there with healing, to the point where she could run for a few minutes without feeling any pain. And it had only taken a quarter moons and a day. Her mind was still reeling from the information she received from Leafpool, especially towards the ending, where Leafpool started to tell her about her dreams. In one particular one, Whitethunder had need determined to find her, and not to capture her, but to help her.
"Just some days ago your mate and his patrol have been captured by Twolegs, humans in your term, and they have escaped and are on their way here right now."
Humans: disgusting and vile destroying things, capturing her mate? 'No,' she hissed as she shook her head. 'He needs to earn his way back to being my mate, earn all the trust I had for him back.' But the more she thought, the more she admitted that she was at fault for it as well, if only a little. 'He is the tom though; he has to own up to it first.'
Satisfied with her decision, she walked over to Bramblestar. He was busy with his kits, who for some reason kept escaping the nursery. "I swear Squirrelflight lets you out," she heard him mutter as he got near, watching with amusement and depression as he played with his kits, all three of them, while she only had one. A little envy pulsed through her. 'Whitethunder better make this up to me, because I am having more kits.' Gingerkit squealed as his father pent him down and started to run his paw over his ribs. The kit flailed and kicked, laughing while his brother and sister tackled Bramblestar's side at once. The Thunderclan leader fell over with an "oof" and pretended to act helpless as his kits all climbed at him and started pulling his fur and ears.
"I yield I yield!" He yowled while laughed, rolling over so his kits fell on his side. Flamekit rose up on her two hind legs and placed her two forepaws on his leg.
"Did you see that? We soooo beat you!"
"Yes I did," he mewed as he chuckled, pulling them all close with his tail and giving each of their heads a loving lick. "Excellent teamwork my kits, always stick with a clan member in a fight. Two cats are sometimes better than one."
"Why do you say sometimes papa?" Sunkit asked with large amber eyes. Bramblestar smiled at him. "Because, sometimes a cat is strong enough to take on two cats at once, and rarely three. Your aunt Leafpool did that before you were born. She fended off three Windclan cats who were hunting on our territory."
"Really?!" Flamekit squeaked one excitement. "Wow! Well when I grow up, I'm going to take on four!"
"And I'm going to take on five!"
"No you won't Gingerkit! You'll be beaten alive!"
"Nu-uh! I'm going to be the strongest cat in the clan!"
"How when you're afraid of a leaf?" Sunkit taunted. The bright ginger young tom ran while laughing as Gingerkit started chasing him, Flamekit close on his tail.
Cherry chuckled as she watched them, alerting Bramblestar of her presences. "How are you feeling Cherry?" He asked politely. The red cat nodded her head slightly.
"Better than before, that's for sure. I'm pretty positive that I can run for a while without feeling a twinge of pain now, though I feel like I'm full of energy."
"That is good," the Thunderclan leader purred. Both of their heads turned in surprise as the clan started to hiss and growl, Thornclaw and Toadstep blocking someone from around the entrance.
"What are you doing here rabbit breath?!" Toadstep hissed. Blossomfall, Icecloud and Berrynose right behind them with bristling fur. Foxleap hung back, a confused looking in his eyes. A gruff growl of someone mewing "move" and the visitors pushed through, Crowfeather searching the clan and instantly made his way to Leafpool, who likewise did the same.
"Well well look at that! I told you it was true!"
"Traitor!"
"We should've banished you when this happened the first time!"
Leafpool ignored them pointedly and walked over to Bramblestar, Crowfeather, Owlwhisker and his leader Onestar close behind. "Bramblestar," the older leader greeted with a slight dip of his head.
"Onestar," Bramblestar greeted back. "Have you thought of your decision?"
"I wouldn't be here had I not," the Windclan cat replied coldly. "I will allow it, but another cats have to come with them."
Amber eyes narrowed. "Onestar that cannot happen."
"Then it is not a deal. I listen to my ancestors, not others."
Cherry blinked slowly as she stared at the Windclan leader. While he was a healthy cat yes, he was old, and if she had to guess then she would say he had maybe two lives left, three to be fair. "Then allow one of my cats to go with them. We don't tolerate mating from another clan just like you, and Moonclan warriors are very strict about it."
Onestar took a second to properly look her over with curious eyes. "Are you the cats we have been hearing about?"
"Yes. Cherryblossom, ex Moonclan warrior at your service," she meowed while dipping her head, keeping eyes contact. "But call me Cherry."
"Hmm," Onestar grunted dismissively. "Fine, I'll tolerate one of your warriors going, but if anything funny happens because of your little friendship with Thunderclan I will know about it and deal with it accordingly."
Cherry stared down at the tom with a cold look. "Are you suggesting that my kits are disloyal, that we are mange?"
"Yes and no," he commented with the flick of his tail. He looked back at Owlwhisker. "We also came to thank you for letting us take Leaftail's body back. We are proud of her, especially because she died of a righteous cause."
"We thank you for putting her in our services," Bramblestar returned. Cherry was still a bit hot about his accusations and took a step towards him, ignoring the fact that the whole clan was watching with bated breaths. When she growled menacingly and fluffed her fur Onestar was instantly on defense, eyes narrowed and lips pulled back into a snarl. Owlwhisker and Crowfeather were by his side, but she too paid them no mind.
"Listen here, Tiny One. We were sent to help you survive our clan attack, to help you fend off the very cats that will kill you. Don't you dare start threatening my kits or my cats without first knowing them."
"I wasn't threatening them," Onestar growled defensively.
Cherry snorted and stepped closer. "Well I took it as one. A little fun fact for you, Moonclan cats live to spill blood, and I am the most dangerous she cat they have. I was given the title Rīdākirā and for a good reason by all the clans. Don't make me make an example out of you."
"Mother," Sakura hissed as she gave the clans a slightly afraid look. "You're overreacting. Calm down!"
Cherry wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Raven!" She snapped, and the long legged black tom was instantly by her side, mismatch eyes gleaming. "You will accompany Leafpool and Crowkit over there on their journey to retrieve my mate." Crowfeather made a growling noise which nearly tuned out Leafpool's amused one. Chery glared at the Windclan leader one last time before stalking away. "I need to hunt!" She called out, waiting for no reply as she ran out of the camp. Ocean and Luna ran to both of the leaders with apologetic faces.
"We're sorry about her, we really are. You see, she told us that in Moonclan conflicts like these were settled in fights." Ocean explained, switching from paw to law nervously as he glanced repeatedly at the entrance.
"And she was restraining herself. Mother didn't want to upset your laws or anything, and she is used to being treated like a leader since her mate was so, well, fearless." Luna added.
"And a deputy." Sakura stated helpfully. "We will go get her now. Raven good luck on your journey!" She tapped him once on the shoulder with her tail before running off, the other two following her out as she exited the camp.
Bramblestar twitched his tail. "Well then," he muttered. "Crowfeather, you, Leafpool and Raven will leave when sunhigh reaches its peak." The three cats nodded, Crowfeather turning to the apprentice den and trotting inside. Onestar and Owlwhisker turned to leave, surprised when Bramblestar and Dovewing followed them. "We will walk you out. There's something I'd wish to discuss with you."
"Very well," the cat nodded, following the tabby out of the camp.
~ooo~
"Cherry that was uncalled for and you know it." Luna scolded.
The red she cat snorted and tossed her head, stalking noisily around the forest. "Well he deserved it."
"Maybe, but still. You didn't have to threaten him!" Ocean hissed. "You aren't in Moonclan anymore, you aren't Cherryblossom anymore. We are in their case runaways and rogues."
"You are calling us rogues?!" Cherry growled as she rounded him.
Ocean stared back at her calmly. "Yes, because only a Moonclan cat act that way, and we aren't Moonclan at the moment."
"It doesn't matter! Even though I ran I am still Moonclan cat. I was born that way and I will die that way. I will not abandon my ways for anyone!"
"Not even for us?" Sakura mewed lowly. Cherry froze and Sakura took the opportunity to rub her head against her mother's. "Look, we know that this clan's ways isn't to your liking, but it is their clan. That means we have to play by their rules. Yes, we all feel like tearing out another cat's throat and bathing in their blood, but we can't. We have to control the urges and ourselves. A warrior in control is a dangerous one after all." She smiled slightly and Cherry had to stare at her daughter in amazement and a bit of proudness. 'And not only did she sway me, she made me feel like a kit and threw my lesson right back at me. No doubt she would make a great rīdā.'
She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly along with the tension in her body. "Alright, I will apologize. It just frustrates me that I can't do anything until I'm healed! Even if I don't obey other clans, I do listen to the medicine cats, and Jayfeather is a strict one."
"Well, you can always take some of your tension out on me," Ocean offered with a shrug. Cherry gave him a grateful and reluctant gaze.
"As tempting and sweet as the offer is Ocean, I will have to decline. The only cats strong enough to take my pent up strengths is Whitethunder and my brother Autumnspot." She went quiet after that, her gaze distant. Understanding dawned on all of them.
"I'm going to see my father," Sakura muttered. Ocean and Luna traded looks, then turned back to the two now distant she cats.
"Let's go back in camp," Luna mews, nudging them twice before they gave and walked inside.
~ooo~
"Lionblaze how many times do I have to tell you? I can't think about that right now!"
"Cinderheart come on you've been saying that for nearly nine moons now! How long are you going to use that excuse! I've waited after the battle, and after that I've waited a bit longer! Why do you keep doing this?!"
"I can't talk to you right now OK? I have a clan to watch over."
"No, we are going to talk about this now," the ginger tom growled. "Before all of this we planned, planned to be mates and have kits. Why the change now? Why have you been holding out on me?"
"Maybe because I don't want to have kits!"
Lionblaze stated widely at the grey tabby she cat in front of him. What?
"Y-you don't?"
"No I don't! I want to live as a warrior now! I've already been stuck doing medicine cat duties and it's driving me crazy!"
"But Cinderheart," Lionblaze started as he stepped closer. "You said that now that you've been giving a second chance you wanted kits."
"Well now I don't. If I have kits I won't be a warrior."
"You can still be a warrior if you have kits. We have, like, seven moons to do this Cinderheart!"
"Yes," Poppyfrost interjected. "If you want I will nurse your kits for you." Lionblaze gave her a thankful glance, one that the queen returned back with a smile and a nod.
"No," Cinderheart growled. Lionblaze nearly wailed in exasperation.
"Well at least be my mate. We don't have to have kits if you don't want to."
"No, Lionblaze."
"Why?!"
"You know what, forget it. I've lost interest, OK Lionblaze. I don't want a mate! I just want to be a warrior!"
With that she turned and stalked away, leaving Lionblaze standing with wide eyes. Mousewhisker passed by him and gave him a sympathetic glance, then turned and ran after her. Squirrelflight sighed as she watched. 'It must've really felt hard to be dissed by a cat you've been waiting on for ages and in front of the whole clan no less.'
"Lionblaze," she called softly. Lionblaze's ear barely twitched at her call, and like a shell he turned and walked over to the warriors den. Leafpool and Crowfeather watched with piteous eyes, Cherry sneering with distaste. Leafpool turned to her, but was instead met with glaring amber eyes as Cinderheart stared at her. To say she was shocked was an understatement. 'What did I do?' Her mind shrieked. Crowfeather nudged her with a growl.
"Forget her. She's just another follower of your stupid Thunderclan idiots." He walked away from her and over to Jayfeather, and Leafpool would have jumped to defend her clan mates had she not know who he was talking about. 'They've got Cinderheart too? Just how many recruits did they have now?' Leafpool counted over in her head, and her mind recoiled at the number. 'Including them, that's at least six or eight. About a third of our clan. What is with this?!' Unconsciously her claws dug into the ground. 'They are trying to turn the whole clan against me, but what did I do?!' Green eyes turned to look up as Jayfeather walked over to her and dropped some traveling herbs before her.
"Here," he growled. "You, Ravenpaw and Crowfeather are leaving now."
With a sneer he turned and walked away, and Leafpool could've sworn that he was looking a bit thinner than yesterday. 'Even my own son,' her mind wailed. With a sad sigh she ate up the herbs, then went to the warriors den to talk to her sulking son. 'At least Lionblaze still believes in me.' But what if they turned Lionblaze too? And her sister? Dear Starclan, what if they turned Bramblestar against her? 'I'll be exiled, or killed for treason, or both!' Fear shook her body now, to the point where she didn't even notice she was lying shivering against her concerned son. 'Starclan help me!' She pleaded. 'Make them see, please!'
"All in due time," a faint voice whispered as a scent washed over her. "Don't lose courage."
"Firestar?" She mewed loudly.
Lionblaze smacked his paw on her back, making her yowl in surprise. "Are you OK? You came in here looking so shaken! What happened? Who did it?" Leafpool looked at her son, heart soaring at the fierce sight of protectiveness in his eyes. That moment she knew he wouldn't betray her. She stuck her head under his chin and purred, catching him by surprise. "Leafpool?" He returned the hug. "Mother, everything will be fine."
It took her a while to realize she was still shaking. With a strong will she forced herself to stop and pull away from him. "I'm fine now Lionblaze."
"What happened?" He asked, voice dripping with concern. It made her realize that she was also alone with him in the den.
"I will never betray you or hurt you, and you know that," she started, leaning over to lick his head with as much motherly love she could muster. "So please, don't turn against me too."
Lionblaze made a bewildered noise, making him move away and take a good look at her. 'That's why,' the thought with anger. 'I will kill them if this keeps on,' he thought darkly. "Never. I trust you completely." He touched his nose to her head, and the she cat purred happily. She stood and stretched herself, then trotted to the den.
"And about Cinderheart, don't worry about it. You will find another she cat soon." She mewed over her shoulder, and was gone out of sight. Lionblaze sighed brokenly.
"I'll try," he muttered.