River(2)
"Good, you got the battle technique down. Jumping backwards and bouncing off a wall is hard to master, Swiftpaw," Nightfrost commented on the sand in the Sandy Hollow, pinned down by his apprentice.
Swiftpaw took his paw off, letting him go. Nightfrost got up and licked himself. "We'll go back to camp. You do have a patrol to go."
Swiftpaw nodded and padded after his mentor to the tunnel when a small white fur flashed by with prey in mouth.
"Was that Cloudpaw?" asked Swiftpaw.
"That was. Let's see what news has he brought," mewed Nightfrost and both toms padded though the gorse tunnel.
Cloudpaw was standing with a shrew at his paws, mewing to Bluestar and Tigerclaw. Soon after, Fireheart padded in with the Riverclan deputy, Leopardfur and two Riverclan warriors.
"Thank you, Cloudpaw." Bluestar dismissed the apprentice as Fireheart approached with the newcomers. "Take your fresh-kill to the elders."
Cloudpaw looked disappointed to be sent away, but he went without protest. Leopardfur walked up to Bluestar and dipped her head respectfully. "Bluestar, we come to your camp in peace," she began. "There's something we must discuss."
Tigerclaw let out a low disbelieving growl, as if he would rather be ripping the fur off the intruding cats, but Bluestar ignored him. "I can guess what brings you here," she meowed. "But what is there to discuss? What's done is done. Any punishment for Graystripe will be handled by his own Clan."
While she spoke to Leopardfur, her eyes kept straying to Mistyfoot and Stonefur, her blue eyes seemingly filled with wistfulness.
"What you say is true," Leopardfur agreed. "The two young cats were foolish, but Silverstream is dead, and Graystripe's punishment is not for RiverClan to decide. We've come here about the kits."
"What about them?" asked Bluestar.
"They're RiverClan kits," meowed Leopardfur. "We've come to take them home."
"RiverClan kits?" Bluestar's eyes narrowed. "Why do you say that?"
"And how do you know about them?" Tigerclaw demanded, glaring in fury as he sprang to his paws. "Have you been spying? Or did some cat tell you?" He turned on Fireheart as he spoke, but Fireheart stood his ground.
"Sit down, Tigerclaw," murmured Bluestar. She flashed a look at Fireheart. "Who knows, perhaps a RiverClan patrol saw what happened? Such things can't be hidden for long. But Leopardfur," she went on, turning back to the visiting deputy, "the kits are also half ThunderClan, and one of our queens is taking good care of them. Why should I give them to you?"
"Kits belong with their mother's Clan," Leopardfur explained. "RiverClan would have raised these kits if Silverstream had lived, without knowing who the father was, and that makes them ours by right."
"Bluestar, you can't send the kits away!" Fireheart couldn't stop himself from interrupting. "They're all Graystripe has to live for."
A growl rumbled once again in Tigerclaw's throat, but it was Bluestar who answered. "Fireheart, be quiet. This doesn't concern you."
"Yes, it does," Fireheart dared to meow. "Graystripe's my friend."
"Silence!" hissed Tigerclaw. "Does your leader have to tell you twice? Graystripe is a traitor to his Clan. He has no right to the kits, or anything else."
Fireheart whirled on the deputy as Tigerclaw bared his teeth in a snarl.
Bluestar flicked her tail angrily at both of them. "Enough!" she ordered. "Leopardfur, I admit RiverClan has some right to the kits. But so does ThunderClan. Besides, the kits are small and weak. They can't travel yet, especially across the river. It's too dangerous."
Leopardfur's hackles began to rise and her eyes narrowed to slits. "You are just making excuses."
"No," Bluestar insisted. "Not excuses. Would you risk the kits' lives? I'll think about what you have said and discuss it with my warriors, and give you our answer at the next Gathering."
"Now get out of our camp," growled Tigerclaw.
Leopardfur hesitated, as if she would have liked to say more, but it was clear that Bluestar had dismissed her. After a few tense moments, she dipped her head again and turned to go, with Mistyfoot and Stonefur behind her. Tigerclaw stalked across the clearing with them as far as the tunnel. Swiftpaw padded away to the fresh-kill pile, and took a sparrow to the elders' den, occasionally looking back at the tunnel.
"We can't let them take the kits! You know how Graystripe would feel," Fireheart retorted, making Nightfrost to turn back.
The bleak look Bluestar gave him made him wonder if he had gone too far, but her voice was soft as she replied, "Yes, Fireheart, I know. And I would give much to keep these kits. But how far will RiverClan go to take them? Will they fight? How many ThunderClan warriors would risk their lives for kits that are half-RiverClan?"
Fireheart's fur prickled with fear at what she said.
"Have courage, Fireheart," urged Bluestar. "It hasn't come to a battle just yet. I've won us time until the Gathering, and who knows what will happen before then?"