Jayflight could feel it, with every ounce of her being. Sleekstep was finally going to ask her to be his mate.
Combined with all the joy, there was another feeling, a queasiness that could not be ignored.
Bayoustar was going to find out one day. It felt almost inevitable.
Jayflight and Sleekstep were heading to Fourtrees in the dead of night. Jayflight pressed up against his side. His pelt was so glossy and warm. It reminded her of Hawkfeather's embrace. With that thought, she remembered her mother and her friends.
"I must be crazy to assume my friends would be okay with this…" she thought. "But it's fine! Nobody will ever find out, ever. We'll hold our secret close, and with StarClan watching over us, nothing will go wrong!"
Sleekstep was purring softly, refocusing Jayflight on what lie ahead. She fully accepted his embrace and purred along. They walked silently, simply enjoying the other's presence. When they reached Fourtrees, the silence was broken.
"I know how to climb that tree, all the way to the top," Sleekstep said, pointing with his paw to one of the four Great Oaks.
"Really!?" Jayflight exclaimed.
"Yeah, really! Want me to teach you?" He said.
"Yes!" She cried. They dashed to the tree, laughing, then Sleekstep hooked his claws on the rugged bark.
"Here is where the bark is the roughest, so you can climb this part pretty easily," he said, beginning to scale the trunk. Jayflight followed behind, a bit slower.
"Now, follow my lead," Sleekstep said, pausing to let her catch up. He placed his front paw on a low branch, then hoisted his back leg onto another, lower branch. He positioned his other front paw on the same branch his front was on and did the same with his back paw. He pushed his back legs in a leap, then his front paws latched onto another branch ahead, a bit higher up. His back legs grabbed the branch his front paws were just on. He continued doing this with more, higher branches, until he stopped to let Jayflight catch up.
Jayflight struggled to copy Sleekstep as closely as she could, almost slipping and falling twice, but eventually making it to where Sleekstep was.
Sleekstep and Jayflight continued to scale the oak, talking and laughing. The leaves became more and more frequent, and the climb was harder the further up they went. At long last, Sleekstep reached the open air and helped Jayflight up.
"Here it is," he said, panting from the harsh climb.
"What?" Jayflight asked, a bit confused.
"Just look," he replied.
The near-full moon shone brightly, and the sky was covered with StarClan warriors. The ground seemed so far away, and Highstones seemed so close. Their jagged peaks were bathed in moonlight. Jayflight felt like a hawk who could see everything down to the smallest detail.
"Wow…" she breathed after a long time of taking the view in.
"It's perfect, isn't it?" He said, almost a whisper.
"Perfect," she replied at the same volume. Jayflight suddenly filled with excitement. Was this the moment? Was Sleekstep finally going to ask her? He drew closer to Jayflight's muzzle, the words right on his tongue.
However, Sleekstep remained silent. He turned away, seeming to regret something.
"We… we should go. The sun will probably come up soon," he said quickly. Jayflight was saddened but did not object. The climb down the tree was a blur, and before she knew it, she was on the ground again. The pair exited Fourtrees, walking back to ShadowClan.
Jayflight turned to Sleekstep, hesitating for a moment. She barely knew how to say the words, but finally, they came.
"Sleekstep... what if we're found out?"
...
Finally, Bayoustar had proof. Finally, everything made sense. It was only dawn when Minnowsplash had entered his den and told him about what he had seen last night. Bayoustar repeated the satisfactory words in his head.
'I'm afraid it's true. Sleekstep and Jayflight were meeting each other in secret. I saw them.'
He waited silently in his den, piecing together words and actions. He could see it all playing out. The scene he imagined felt as sure as the rising sun.
Little did he know that scene in his head was nothing like what would occur at sunhigh.
...
"Let all cats old enough to slink through the shadows join here around the Darkstone for a clan meeting!" Bayoustar called. His voice echoed around the walls of camp and through the pine trees beyond.
Jayflight padded out of the warrior's den, yawning. She had been resting after a meal. She took her place next to Sleekstep, who seemed quite nervous. Once every cat had been situated, Bayoustar cleared his throat.
"It has come to my attention that a clanmate has broken the first rule of the warrior code," he announced. He was bristling with… what? Anger? Anticipation?
Sleekstep held back a gasp, and his eyes widened. Jayflight was confused at first, but it didn't take her long to realize.
"Oh no. Please, StarClan, no…" she thought desperately.
"Sleekstep has fallen in love with Jayflight of RiverClan," he continued. Jayflight's heart sank. She knew it had been coming, but she didn't expect it to hit so hard. Gasps rang out through the clan. Some cats were confused, some were angry, some were saddened. How could such a loyal warrior betray the code so absolutely?
"If any cat needs proof, I am ready to provide it," he said. No cat demanded evidence. Everyone trusted Bayoustar.
"Arrrrrgh, they're right to trust him! Bayoustar is a trustworthy cat, and we're just liars!" Jayflight thought in despair. "I never should've gone out with Sleekstep…"
"I will let my clan decide Sleekstep's fate. Jayflight's is not mine to decide," he spoke solemnly. Exclamations such as 'Exile him!' or 'Separate them!' rung out. Suddenly, Weaselfur, the deputy, stepped onto the rock.
"Clanmates, I know this decision is hard. But I think it's for the best of every cat… if we kill him," he said. Everyone was surprised. To Jayflight's absolute horror, some murmured in agreement. Sleekstep looked like he was about to faint.
"Weaselfur, Sleekstep is a valuable warrior," Bayoustar said directly. "That would be unethical."
"It is what is necessary, though it is painful to hear. Think about what would happen if we let this slide! More cats from enemy clans would think it's okay to fall in love. Chaos would ensue! The code would lose strength. I see it as the only option," he announced. More cats had been swayed.
"This can't be happening," Jayflight thought. "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"
"I think it's only fair if we call a vote," Bayoustar said, a bit worried. Surely, less than majority would vote yes! Jayflight didn't want to think about what happened if the clan voted on Weaselfur's side.
"All for executing Sleekstep, raise your paw," Bayoustar spoke, now a lot more worried.
Jayflight's heart stopped. The votes were above majority.
Sleekstep was going to die.