IVYFLOWER

LeafClan was full of poorly kept secrets. Sometimes, with the strange looks lingering on her, she wondered if she was the only one out of the loop.

She barely picked at her fresh-kill in the past day, and kept up a brave disposition just long enough to see Rosestar out the bramble tunnel. As soon as he was gone, she crumpled, watching the sun set over the treeline.

Ivyflower welcomed solitude, but an unwelcome voice called over her shoulder instead.

"Sweet thing," Briarstalk purred, with Larkfeather not far behind. "You promised Rosestar you wouldn't be so miserable."

She struggled to keep her hackles flat. "To please Rosestar, I did. To please myself, I can't do it."

"You can speak to me, Ivyflower," Briarstalk mewed. "Worried about his health in the battle? So am I…"

"So are we all." There was something in Briarstalk and Larkfeather's eyes that made her uneasy, as unfair as that might be. It was enough that they seemed to spend more time with her mate than she did these days. "But he'll be fine, I hope. StarClan did give him nine lives to risk."

"Then what troubles you?" she pressed, Larkfeather taking the other flank.

"You've seemed so dull and cheerless lately," Larkfeather added.

Ivyflower shifted her eyes from one to the other, feeling like prey caught between two hunters.

What is it to you? Are we supposed to be friends now? They mimicked the role, and she had really thought so, once. More and more, she felt like she was on the outside looking in, alone with Mousespots and the other queens while Rosestar ran with his real with a heavy sigh, she just rolled her shoulders and laid down.

"So many things," Ivyflower answered at last. Between Rosestar, between Lionpelt, between all the whispers from warriors who thought she wasn't keen-eared enough to hear. It was as if they thought she was stupid, flea-brained. "Everything. The weight of the world."

"Come, share with us. It'll be just between us three."

They shared tongues for a time, as sundown shifted to moonrise, and it was almost nice for a time.

They might have passed the night easily that way.

Greeneyes came to ruin it, barreling through the bramble tunnel.

"Has Rosestar crossed into MireClan territory already, do you think?" Greeneyes cried breathlessly, running to the three of them.

"Most likely," Larkfeather said. "Why?"

"Are you mole-eyed? Half the camp has left!" Greeneyes hissed. "Look in the dens! Nightbird, Hawkwing, Owlswoop, Boulderstep, Longscar, Stonetooth! All the apprentices too!"

They all stood up, but the deputy was already bounding toward them in furious strides.

"What is the meaning of this?" Elderheart roared out. "Who leaves without my say so?!"

He crossed from the Hollow Ash to the bramble tunnel, where Sparrowflight sprawled lazily in the entrance, only giving the deputy a wry twitch of her whiskers.

"Did you let these warriors pass? Where are they going, Sparrowflight?" Elderhearet demanded. "Our camp is almost defenseless!"

"They've gone for a moonrise stroll," Sparrowflight mewed. "Gone to see Rowanthorn. He was scented at Tumblestone."

"Rowanthorn has returned?" Briarstalk gasped. "He must be challenged and driven out! Rosestar will be furious!"

"On the contrary, I think I might join them," Sparrowflight mewed with a casual stretch.

"I think I might shred your pelt to line my nest," Elderheart growled.

Sparrowflight rolled to her paws with a mrrow of amusement, bounding out of the tunnel and into the woods. "I'm sure you'll get your chance, if you'd like to try."

"Traitor!" Greeneyes shouted after her, but she was gone in an instant, leaving only the rustling leaves behind her.

Rowanthorn? Could it be that he'd come back while still exiled? But why? He would only get himself hurt, poor thing.

And while Rosestar was away fighting their enemies? Stars above, treacherous! What did they plan to do, fight?

"Don't despair, Ivyflower," Briarstalk said with a gentle brush of her tail tip.

"Oh, shut up," Ivyflower sobbed, turning to the only voice she knew could bring her some comfort in the moment. "Elderheart, tell us, what will we do?"

Their deputy, that warrior who had won so many battles, who had fought alongside Stormstar and Blackfang and Lionpelt, by the stars, he looked old now. Old and tired, more than ever, shoulders slouching and white whiskers drooping. How did she never notice how gray his muzzle was, the thin patches around his ears?

"I don't know," he answered gravely. "My leader, or my clanmates?"

"What do you mean, Elderheart?"

The deputy shook his head. "I'll round up a patrol and challenge the trespasser, with whoever is left here. Ivyflower, I trust you to watch over camp. You speak with a deputy's voice while I am gone."

She swallowed back her next sob with a solemn nod.

"Perhaps our leader is right," Elderheart said. "Maybe I am too old for warrior duties. Too old to support myself, so how could I support a Clan?"

He turned with his tail whipping behind him, calling out names, stirring warriors from their nests until he had Beethorn, Goosebelly, and Shrewnose behind him. "LeafClan warriors! To me!" Elderheart called.

The stars seemed to spin above her, her mouth gone dry as she stood there. Not far off, Briarstalk, Larkfeather, and Greeneyes stuck their heads close together, whispering in conspiratorial tones.

"With Rosestar and his warriors gone, we're outnumbered by our own clanmates," Briarstalk hissed.

"And Rowanthorn always hated us worst," Greeneyes spat. "What do you think the fox-heart plans to do with Rosestar being away? The coward!"

"The rest of them too," Larkfeather mewed. "They were always envious of him. If they mean harm to him, they'll come for us first."

"We'll leave now," Greeneyes mewed.

"Will you come with us?" Briarstalk added.

"No. I'll go to Rosestar and alert him to this," Larkfeather said.

Ivyflower jerked herself back to reality now, head whipping in their direction. "None of you are leaving now. You will stay here at camp!"

They each glared at her in turn, eyes as cold as foxes, and ignored her, as if they were foxes who couldn't comprehend her meows. Instead, all three turned and started toward the bramble tunnel, first at a walk, and then at a trot, and then a sprint when Elderheart also began to shout.

"Stop!"

"Where are you going?" Ivyflower demanded, skidding to a stop at the camp entrance as they scattered into the black forest. "Stop!"

But they were already gone, grave silence flooding over the LeafClan camp in their absence.