Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. Erin Hunter does.
Heartseeker tilted her head as Bluestar asked to come with her, the leader's face was unreadable and she soon had to look away once she noticed the familiar haze clouding her eyes. With barely a huff, the tabby molly rose to her paws and soon was at the Clan leader's side, though Bluestar still said nothing.
They walked in the forest, quiet as can be and still Bluestar said nothing. Heartseeker didn't mind too much, she was still processing nearly the whole Clan listening to Firepaw's Song. Her fur prickled a bit when she remembered who at first they jeered but soon became just as absorbed in the telling as the demons of the Clans and even they were rocked at first by the tale.
The two mollies had nearly reached the ShadowClan border when Bluestar stopped and turned her head to her. "Is all of that really true? Has anyone ever truly seen Tanagloor or Grizaz? Is it all just a story?"
Stopping beside her and sitting down slowly, Heartseeker gazed out into the shadowed part of the other Clan's territory, idly wondering just how they managed to get around. All of the Folk could see in the dark of course, but it seemed like the darkness of ShadowClan's territory was deeper, stronger than anywhere else. Plus there was their way of seeming to have the shadows wrap around them and get them to where they need or want to be.
But she heard Bluestar's words and like before, heard no mocking undertone, she truly seemed to what to know. The younger molly took a deep breath and looked straight at Bluestar, who seemed prepared and held her gaze a lot longer than that she was able to before. Heartseeker, her tail curling in surprise, purred at this and smiled at the leader. Bluestar startled at the surprise affection before didn't turn away until she absolutely had to.
"Of course it's true. There are some of the Folk who has seen Lord Firefoot, walked with him, talked with him. He is real and his story and plight is real. It is mainly the Firstwalkers and their Thanes that deal with him the most and even for them, it is rare. But just because you can't see something, that doesn't mean it's not real. What about your StarClan? Does everyone in your Clan see them?"
Bluestar ducked her head slightly at the light scolding tone that had started to build in her voice before she surprisingly let it go. Bluestar's eyes grew a little at that, until she noticed that Heartseeker was slightly looking at her again, wanting her to answer.
"No. Most of my warriors and indeed the other warriors of the Clans have not actually seen their ancestors in StarClan but they accept them through myself and the other leaders. Mostly through seeing us lose a life and then come back."
"Lose a life?" the words were whispered, the tone halting and now Heartseeker turned fully to Bluestar, her gaze full of wonder and...was that...pity?
Bluestar let out a soft breath and nodded her head, her own gaze turning wistful. "Yes, in order to lead our Clans in the best way possible, StarClan grants us leaders nine lives."
"Nine lives..." Heartseeker echoed, looking awed before she shook herself, her gazed suddenly darkening. "You outlive a lot of your Clan, don't you?"
Bluestar flinched before nodding, her eyes lowering to the ground as she heaved a sigh. "Yes. With the exception of leaders, everyone else in the Clans only have one life to use. There are many faces that are no longer in the Clan that I can see."
Heartseeker said nothing, her tail slowly twitching back and forth as she took in this information. She then closed her eyes and with a quick movement, quicker than she was sure even Bluestar registered, she leaned against the older molly. Her tail briefly twined with the leader's.
"I'm sorry."
Bluestar was quiet for a long time, she didn't seem to notice Heartseeker pressing against her until she felt her tail curling against hers and her breath lightly tickling her whiskers. She then picked up her head and turned it to Heartseeker, noticing the other's serene yet mournful expression. Bluestar felt a odd pang in her chest and she allowed herself a small sob. "...Thank you."
They stayed pressed together for a few minutes more before Bluestar felt another presence close to them. One the other side of the border, the shadows seemed to waver before pulling away to show Nightpelt not too far away. Bluestar narrowed her eyes and slowly pulled away from Heartseeker, who opened her eyes when she caught on the ShadowClan cat's scent.
"Hello, Bluestar." Nightpelt smiled at the mollies, dipping his head to them before calmly sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. "I'm glad you've come this way, I wish to speak to you. If you have the time, that is."
"What do you want?" Bluestar asked, not moving any closer or further away from the tom. Nightpelt didn't seem to mind and only tilted his head.
"It's about WindClan, of course. Surely you remember?"
At Bluestar's nod, the demon male got back to his paws and raised his tail. "I would rather like to talk about such things in camp. You never know who could be listening. Please, right this way." Without a second glance, he turned to leave. And he didn't slow even as the mollies stayed where they were.
Finally when the tome was a good deal away, they had to follow. The journey to the ShadowClan camp was nothing short of odd. No warriors came to challenge them and Nightpelt remained completely calm and civil. When they reached the other cat's camp, they found Clawface standing there. His tail constantly twitched and he kept looking around, Bluestar picked up on his nervous energy but before anything could be said, Nightpelt turned to her and nodded his head.
"Let's go inside my den, we can talk freely there."
Going inside the ShadowClan camp, Heartseeker stuck close to Bluestar, she was sure that something like this didn't really happen in the Clans, if the looks she was getting from the ShadowClan cats were anything to go by. However, that didn't stop her from looking around, she noticed the demons of the Clan right away, their size and obvious strength made them easy to distinguish from their normal Clanmates.
What caught the striped molly attention the most was just how...relaxed everyone seemed to be. There was no tension, no squabbling. She watched one wizened demon elder be greeted warmly by a young normal kit and his mother. The kit even started playing with the demon's tail who only grinned and patiently allowed it. The mother was completely calm and started grooming the elder's fur.
"They seem more like a Clan than we are." the words came from Bluestar who watched the whole camp with a unreadable expression on her face. She then sighed and muttered for Nightpelt to lead on, who exchanged a glance with Clawface before doing so.
Inside the den, Nightpelt motioned with his tail for all of them to sit, before he opened his mouth to explain. "I have decided that my brother Clawface would be the one going to help bring WindClan home. He was one of the warriors that helped the tyrant drive them out so I thought it would only be right for him to help bring WindClan home."
"I...wanted to...I have to atone. I have to...I want to...show WindClan that ShadowClan is different. That we are willing to do what is right and fix our wrongs, if we can." Clawfacee spoke this time, his tone soft and even gentle but there was fierce conviction in his voice. He looked straight at Bluestar for as lon as he could before having to lower his eyes.
Bluestar, for her part, nodded but was still somewhat surprised in Nightpelt's choice. Perhaps, she thought, that Nightpelt chose Clawface not only for atoning but also to show that his brother could truly be trusted.
"I have selected warriors as well. Soon enough they will be ready."
Nightpelt's whiskers twitched at that and he raised a paw, licking it to clean his face. "Would it be possible to start tonight? The longer we wait, the longer WindClan is out there. And besides, there's no telling what kind of state they are in."
"WindClan has disbanded." Heartseeker cut in bluntly. That caused all three cats to look at her, Bluestar especially with a slight grimace. "A WindClan molly managed to find us, half dead as she was. She told us of how Tallstar disbanded the Clan after the demons succumbed to their hunger and began killing and eating the normal Clan cats."
Nightpelt's eyes widened at that and he looked over at Bluestar, his tail beginning to twitch. "I was not aware of that. News like that should have been shared, if we are to work together."
"There...wasn't a good time to let you know. It wasn't on purpose...my Clan...is going through a lot. I didn't mean to keep that information from you, Nightpelt."
The lean tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his tail now stilled. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, his eyes giving nothing away.
"It's fine, I can...understand how upheaval can make you focus on other things. But we should be more accommodating if we have to in the future. But this news complicates things. If WindClan is scattered, it will make finding them even harder. I was going to say this anyway, but now it is even more important. We must leave for tonight"
Bluestar nodded once, looking at Heartseeker before turning back to Nightpelt. "Yes, you are right. We can't lost any more time. Heartseeker is one of my warriors that I will be sending to bring WindClan back."
Blinking, Heartseeker looked over at Bluestar for a quick moment before settling her eyes forward toward the ShadowClan, briefly bowing her head to him. "I'll do everything I can to help bring WindClan back."
Nightpelt raised his head, sensing the truth in her words and smiled lightly at her. "Yes, I know you will."
"Tonight, we will meet at Fourtrees to begin the journey. There is still a few things to prepare for though." Bluestar stated, getting to her paws, Nightpelt and Clawface stood too.
"Of course, let us escort you to the border." Nightpelt was smiling now, looking cheerful even. He seemed to looking forward to seeing WindClan brought home.
As Nightpelt moved to lead the duo back to their side of the border, Bluestar looked around his camp once more, seeing the ease and comfort every cat, whether demon or not, showed before turning to the black furred tom. She rushed in quickly, slightly blocking his path.
"Wait! Tell me, tell me how is that your Clan is at peace? Your normal cats and your demons, they are not fighting. I can't sense any hate. You are all living together with no problems. I...My Clan...we are struggling, ever since I learned that that there are more demons then I thought, there has been nothing but strife. I...don't even trust them...there is a divide in my Clan."
There was quiet for a moment or two, those cats closest to the group moved in and Nightpelt seeing this, grwoled lightly turning to the forming crowd. "There is hunting to be done, prey to catch, apprentices to train. See to it, won't you?" With that and the small growl, the cats drifted off, though their heads were bent together, whispering at what they did hear.
"Bluestar...I understand your worries, but I don't want to hear this from you. You've helped us drive the tyrant out and I don't want to use your currant strife against you. Please. All I will say is this; before your Clan learned that there were demons living amoug you, everything was peaceful. You can find that peace again. There is something that will always bring us together, figure out what it is and you will have your answer."
After that, Nightpelt walked around Bluestar with Heartseeker staying close as she did before but she kept a close eye on the older molly, who had her head down and the striped molly was unable to really see her face.
"Right, here we are!" Nightpelt announced, turning back on them. Bluestar didn't react much and it was Heartseeker who spoke for her.
"We'll see you at Fourtrees. And...thank you for your advice." she finished, a little awkward but true nonetheless. Nightpelt smiled and nodded his head.
"I understand. Get to your camp safely, young warrior. Bluestar."
The ThunderClan leader did not react, her head still down, lost in thought and Heartseeker had to guide her to camp.
The pair was as silent as they were walking from ShadowClan's camp but as they reached the top of the ravine, Bluestar halted. She was looking down at the thorn barrier and heaved a great sigh, Heartseeker tilted her head then waited for the leader to speak.
"I wasn't trying to seem weak. I just...when Firepaw was telling her story, it was the first time that the whole Clan was together without wanting to tear out each other's throats. And I...haven't been helping things. I only made things worse, just like...with Oakheart."
"She...nevermind..."
Heartseeker watched Blusestar curl in on herself and like before went to comfort her. And like before, Heartseeker leaned against her though this time, Bluestar noticed and she was the one to bring herself closer to Heartseeker and curl her tail around the younger molly. Heartseeker purred at this and it seemed to bring the leader out her sadness for a moment.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, let go prepare for tonight." Heartseeker stated, giving Bluestar a final smile before heading down the ravine. Bluestar watched her go for a moment before following soon after.
A/N: Hey guys, here's the chapter that I was supposed to give you last week. Sorry about that. Well, here it is, the last chapter before the group goes to find WindClan. Will they be successful? Find out in the coming chapters. Until then, as always enjoy.