Chapter 35 A Secret Revealed
A few moons had passed and leafbare was starting to approach. Lightclan was preparing for leafbare, so patrols became more frequent; both hunting and border patrols. Lightclaw was in camp, about to eat a scrawny mouse, before a border patrol had returned and Blossompaw ran towards the apprentice's den, crying. Lightclaw was confused; Blightpaw quickly followed her sister, until Lightclaw stopped her.
"Blightpaw, what happened?" he asked.
"It's dad, while we were out on patrol, we scented that loner again, dad made the comment that if they catch the loner that it would be Lightclan's slave. Blossompaw made the suggestion that they could just chase it out. Dad didn't like that and both cats started to argue, but in the end, Blossompaw managed to get the upper paw." She explained.
"And how did this make Blossompaw cry?" Lightclaw asked confused.
"Well, dad was kind of embarrassed by what happened and got angry with Blossompaw. They both started fighting and then…" Blightpaw continued.
"LIGHTCLAW!" a voice shouted.
Blightpaw jumped scared and ran into the apprentice den, Lightclaw looked and saw Snaketooth approach him, mad. Snaketooth was barley touching noses with Lightclaw.
"Listen here, Lightclaw, if you keep teaching Blossompaw your ridiculous anti-slave rhetoric, you'll turn her into a mousebrain anti-slave cat like you." He hissed.
"And what about Blightpaw or Icetuft? Does that make them mousebrains?" Lightclaw asked rhetorically.
"They don't count, but Blossompaw is the only kit that is willing to keep the family legacy. If you keep this up, I'll rip you to shreds, got it!" Snaketooth threatened.
"I'd like to see you try." Lightclaw growled.
Both cats were about close to starting a fight, cats around them were starting to be scared; especially Feathershine and Brightshine.
"Uh, Snaketooth, Whitestar wants to see us in his den." A voice meowed.
Lightclaw and Snaketooth looked and saw Icetuft behind Snaketooth, looking worried. Snaketooth gave one last glare at Lightclaw, before heading towards Whitestar's den. Lightclaw looked at Feathershine and Brightshine, than headed towards the apprentice den. He looked inside and saw Blightpaw comforting Blossompaw. Lightclaw approached the two apprentices and sat down.
"Blossompaw, are you okay?" he asked.
"I never got into a fight with my dad like that, I've never seen him so angry before. Do you think, he'll still love me as a daughter?" she cried.
"Of course he will, he's just mad that's all. Just give him a few days, he'll get over it." Blightpaw comforted.
"And what if he doesn't?" Blossompaw asked.
"Well, I'm afraid that your relationship with your father may be damaged. It may never recover and the same can be said for your mother." Lightclaw meowed.
"Lightclaw!" Blightpaw shushed.
"Blightpaw, Whitestar wants to see you." A voice meowed.
Blightpaw, Blossompaw, and Lightclaw looked and saw Daisypetal peaking inside. Blightpaw left the den and went to Whitestar's den. Lightclaw placed his tail on Blossompaw's shoulder, Daisypetal glared at Lightclaw.
"Don't worry, I'm with her." Lightclaw meowed.
Daisypetal gave a hostile glare at Lightclaw, her claws unsheathed, and her fur bristled. Lightclaw bristled with annoyance.
"Relax, I won't hurt her." He meowed annoyed.
Daisypetal grunted, but said nothing. She poked her head out of the den and walked away. Lightclaw looked at Blossompaw.
"I'm sorry, but that's the reality of the situation. Cats so stubborn to believe in an idea that is so outrageous and insane that it tears families apart." He meowed.
Lightclaw placed a paw on Blossompaw's back and she looked at Lightclaw.
"But hey, lets forget your father for now, your sister maybe right; Snaketooth will get over it. Anyway, you're improving on your training." Lightclaw meowed.
"Really? Which one?" Blossompaw asked.
"Your hunting, but I want to look at your fighting, so tomorrow, we're going to go out and train with Icetuft and Blightpaw." Lightclaw meowed.
"We're practicing our fighting skills, right?" Blossompaw asked.
"Yes, that's right." Lightclaw nodded.
Blossompaw looked down, she wasn't fond of the idea of fighting her sister, but than she remembered that she would keep her claws sheathed, so she was relieved. Blossompaw looked up at Lightclaw and smiled.
At Night
It was nighttime, Lightclaw couldn't sleep, so he got up from his nest and left the punishment den. He looked up, the sky was clear and stars shined brighter than ever. Lightclaw smiled, he knew Darkpaw, Riverstripe, and Poppycloud were looking down on him; along with his ancestors. Suddenly, several bushes rattled, making Lightclaw jump in alarm. Lightclaw quietly followed the sound and crept as quietly as he could. He saw a flash behind a log and got into a hunting crouch. When he was close enough, Lightclaw leaped and he pinned a smaller cat beneath him.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She meowed, pleading.
Moonlight revealed the smaller cat to be Blossompaw; Lightclaw was surprised.
"Blossompaw, what are you doing out here?" he asked.
"I…I had a bad dream, when I woke up, I saw Cloudberry leaving the camp." She explained.
"What…what was Cloudberry doing out of camp, this late at night?" Lightclaw wondered.
"Could it be halfmoon?" Blossompaw asked.
"No, the moon's full." Lightclaw meowed, shaking his head.
Lightclaw sniffed the air, Cloudberry's scent was far from the trail that led to the Starpool. What she could be doing so late at night, he wasn't sure.
"Should I get Whitestar?" Blossompaw asked.
"No, we need to figure out what she's doing. I'm going to need you to come with me." Lightclaw meowed.
"Right." Blossompaw nodded.
Both cats followed Cloudberry's scent. As they did, they were trying to be quiet, but cracking leaves and snapping twigs made it difficult and that worried Lightclaw. Lightclaw and Blossompaw continued to follow Cloudberry's scent, until they were a few feet towards the eastern border. Lightclaw and Blossompaw hid behind a log and peaked to see Cloudberry greeting someone. Lightclaw tried to get a closer look at the other cat.
"Can you see the other cat, Blossompaw?" he asked.
"No, it's too dark." She whispered.
Blossompaw stood back a bit, to get a closer look, but she accidently stepped on a twig. It was so loud that even Cloudberry heard it. She and the other cat were alarmed.
"Who's there? Who's out here?" Cloudberry called out.
Blossompaw looked at Lightclaw, scared.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She whispered, panicking.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this." Lightclaw meowed, reassuring.
He jumped over the log and walked over to Cloudberry and the other cat. Once the moonlight revealed the white tom's pelt, Cloudberry and the other cat calm down.
"Oh Lightclaw, it's just you." Cloudberry meowed relieved.
"Aunt Cloudberry. And who's he?" he asked.
The other cat came into the moonlight and revealed himself. Lightclaw was surprised and Blossompaw gasped, the other cat was a dark brown tom with a white chest, black eartips, and green eyes.
"Hi, I'm Thorn." He meowed.
"Hello Thorn, I'm…" Lightclaw greeted.
"Yes, I know who you are. You're Cloudberry's nephew, you know your aunt talks a lot about you." Thorn meowed.
"Is that so?" Lightclaw meowed.
He looked at Cloudberry, she was blushing at the fact that Thorn was talking to her nephew. It was clear to Lightclaw that Cloudberry was in love with Thorn.
"I've been seeing Thorn for many moons, long before you were born, Lightclaw." Cloudberry begin.
"I'm going to guess that Thorn is the one the border patrols have been smelling?" Lightclaw asked, guessing.
"Yes, I'm sorry to trespass on your territory, but leafbare will be here soon, and prey will be scarce. I can't join your clan, because I know what they'll do to me." Thorn apologized.
"I wasn't going to say that. Aunt Cloudberry, if another cat, unlike me, finds out about you and Thorn, I'm worried that Thorn will be…" Lightclaw warned.
"Killed? Yes, I know, but I'm not afraid and neither is Thorn. You won't tell anyone, will you?" Cloudberry asked.
"No. I'll leave you two be." Lightclaw meowed.
He turned and headed back to the trees.
"Thank you, Lightclaw." Cloudberry meowed.
"It's nice to meet you, Lightclaw." Thorn meowed.
He didn't respond and disappeared past the trees. Lightclaw walked past the log and Blossompaw followed him, quietly.
"Wow. Cloudberry with a dark-pelt cat, who knew?" Blossompaw meowed, surprised.
"Are you surprised?" Lightclaw asked.
"I mean, mom admitted that it was kind of obvious that Ivypool was in love with Hawkfrost, and it's obvious that Stormeyes is in love with Duskstorm, but Cloudberry…" Blossompaw meowed.
"Yeah, I admit, I didn't see the signs." Lightclaw admitted.