Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!

Title: Deep Dive

Summary: In a world where ThunderClan absorbed ShadowClan seasons ago, young warrior Weaselface is tasked to rebuild the fourth Clan and take her place as leader. But how can she betray all she's ever known and loved, all on the word of one ghost with a grudge?

...

"All I'm saying is that we deserve a feast, that's all! We could even catch it ourselves."

"And all I'm saying is that we're on a vigil, Fogfur. You know. A quiet time? So maybe let's plan this afterwards."

Fogfur looked legitimately offended, ears flying backwards. "I know that! But we deserve a little preferential treatment, don't we? We just saved all of ThunderClan! Tell them, Nutstripe."

The sandy yellow tom was far less self-assured than his littermate, shuffling his paws self-consciously. "It was just one patrol. Any group of warriors could do that."

"Exactly! Which is why we're sitting here now. How many apprentices get to be named for defeating their enemies?"

That was enough for Weaselface, who had been irritably listening for some time now as the new warriors argued back and forth. She twisted her head around, baring the unsightly pink scar that went across her neck and up to the side of her jaw. "Would it kill you to shut up? You're acting like Antpaw didn't die!"

Nutstripe flinched, shoulder bunching up to his chin. Fogfur wound her tail around him supportively and glared at her. "He was our brother, possum-breath- of course we miss him! But he'd want us to be happy about this."

No, he wouldn't, she thought, rolling her eyes. Antpaw chafed with rules and regulations, much like his sister, but unlike her he'd always been a bit more productive with how he showed it. He'd be yowling outside of Spiderstar's den right now, not trying to get us to go swan-hunting.

The black and white fur of Adderpelt registered in the corner of her eye as he settled in beside her, and Weaselface found herself relaxing slightly. In spite of being Spiderstar's son- or perhaps because of it- Adderpelt had always been mild-mannered and easy to get along with. They'd spent most of their kithood together, learning to live with their various ailments; the damage to Weaselface's throat made it harder to breathe in the cold, and Adderpelt had been born with only one back leg.

"I know it's hard," he whispered, ashamed at having broken vigil law even as he nuzzled the side of her face. "Are you gonna be okay? You and Antpaw had that... thing going."

"I'll be fine," she meowed, not quite believing it herself. Maybe, just maybe, if I don't tell anyone, that night will have never happened, and I can enjoy being a warrior, and it won't be complicated.

Adderpelt blinked at her dubiously, but didn't argue. "Okay. If it's never not okay, though, you can tell me, alright?"

Weaselface gladly buried her face in his chest fur. Hearing Adderpelt breathe and move almost made last night feel like a bad dream. "Alright."

"Am I interrupting something?"

The two warriors pulled away as Spiderstar slipped out of the tunnel, looking amused. "I thought I heard talking. But my newest warriors wouldn't do such a thing, would they?" He glanced slyly at Fogfur, who was frozen on the spot, eyes wide. "Ah, I'm just pulling your tail! Good on you not to speak before dismissed, though. Your vigil is over."

Nutstripe sighed with relief. "That felt like it lasted seasons."

"The night air'll do that to you," Spiderstar agreed. "Nothing too bad, I hope? No aches or pains?" he added, looking at Adderpelt.

Adderpelt turned six shades of red. "Dad, I already told you, my leg isn't the same as Smokescar's tail."

"You're the boss, buddy," he meowed. "'Xcept when you're not, of course. Anyway. Who's up for an early morning border patrol?"

"I am!" Fogfur announced. "I'm just itching to get my claws into some fresh-kill."

"Multi-tasking. A good strategy. Anyone else?"

Nutstripe reluctantly shook his head. "I need to sleep a bit before I'll be of much use, sir."

"I guess I'm in," Adderpelt meowed with a shrug. "Weasel?"

Weaselface hesitated. She didn't want to let her Clan down, not on her first day as a warrior, but she had more pressing matters to attend to first. "I'll join up in a bit. I wanna visit Dew."

Spiderstar's features darkened a moment, as though he were remembering something unfortunate, before lighting up again. "Just be careful, okay? The Old Thunderpath seems to be in use more and more these days."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, now, you can't be calling me that forever, dear. When you and Adderpelt finally get together, you're to address me as 'dad', understood?"

Weaselface's heart clenched in her chest as her tail sheepishly wound around her back paws. It was nice to know that no one knew just yet, but it was also terrifying. "Yes, Spiderstar."

Getting from the ThunderClan camp to the elder's camp was no small feat. It required crossing a Thunderpath and a Twolegpath, and that was just to get into the more pine-filled part of the territory. It was at least midday by the time Weaselface found herself at the entrance, which was being guarded by the last new warrior.

"Sweetshine," Weaselface greeted.

The calico barely glanced up from her paws. She looked destroyed inside and out; her usually soft and plump coat was ragged and dirty, and her eyes had become dull and listless. "You can go on in."

Remembering Adderpelt's kindness, Weaselface responded in kind, gently brushing noses with her. "I'm sorry I couldn't join you last night."

"No, no, it's okay. I... needed to be alone." Sweetshine let out a weak laugh. "I always thought we'd be... at least, I didn't expect it to end like that."

"He'd want us to be happy today."

"No, he wouldn't."

"No, he wouldn't," she agreed. "But don't tell Fogfur that."

Weaselface shoved her way past an untangled bramble and into the rotting camp. Most of the elders were out by now, sunning themselves merrily. Off to the side was Squirrelwhisker, who had announced she was pregnant almost a moon ago now and was just beginning to show (presumably, to keep the comfort coming, she had finally deigned babyhood worthwhile), snoozing fitfully. She awkwardly tip-toed past her. She probably blames me for Antpaw. He was her apprentice, after all.

The elders den was musty and dark, keeping her mother in shadow even as she approached, head low. "Hey, Dew. I didn't see you at the ceremony yesterday, so I just figured I'd come by and-"

"I was there," she rasped, not bothering to look at her. Dew rarely ever did. "Weaselface. What a horrible, horrible name."

Weaselface settled in beside her, loafing. "Spiderstar says it's to honor my good looks."

Dew hissed irritably. The elder shifted, raising a paw to gently touch the side of her face. "No one blames him for what happened to Mudcloud. No one blames him for what happened to you. But stars-forbid he ever let us move past it."

"Antpaw-"

"I know. Squirrelwhisker won't stop bitching to me about it." She sighed gruffly. "Maybe the name is a good thing. Your father got such a big head over his, you know. He thought it was the coolest thing. I don't want history repeating itself with you."

"I won't get a big head, mom," Weaselface meowed. It was a common enough topic for her mother to rant on about; her father, and how he died. Part of Dew never really recovered from that night, she thought. When she looks at me, she sees him. "I gotta get going, okay? Spiderstar wants me on patrol as soon as possible."

Dew snorted at the tom's name, but didn't argue.

Weaselface licked her cheek and stood. "Anything I can get you before I go? Prey?"

"I might mope a lot, but my legs work fine," she replied. Dew paused, studying her pelt. "You smell different today, Weasel."

"I think that's just part of growing up."

"No, that's not it. Dovefrost brought it up to me the other day, all worried and stuff. I hadn't noticed until now." Dew gave her a nudge. Something almost happy flickered in her yellow eyes. "Be careful on patrol, eh? Lots of stuff to trip on out there."

Weaselface swallowed a wave of anxiety. Crap, it absolutely happened and it's not just me going bat-brained. "I won't, mom. Wouldn't wanna make an idiot of myself on my first day, right?"

Author's Note: Fun fact, Squirrelwhisker being Antpaw's mentor was actually a very recent development. He was originally gonna be Mudcloud's (he wasn't originally gonna die; Weaselface's injury was once something a warrior did to her a kit when she tried to protect one of her fellow kits- probably Sweetshine? I wanted to solidify a bond between them early- when Dew and another queen took them from the ShadowClan camp to the ThunderClan one.

That ended up feeling a bit too cruel, since I'm not a big fan of Cats Do Things Cause Evil, so have guilty Spiderstar uber-dadding Weasel at every turn while being a douche anyway instead.

-Mandaree1