°|° Woodland °|° ✓

| Chapter 7 |

(Cat above is Stonestar)

The wind rippled Berrypaw's fur as she narrowed her eyes. The scent of Thrushfeather slipped around her, though the breeze was blowing away.

He's close!

Berrypaw gave a yowl of fury and whirled around, lashing out with a sheathed paw. Thrushfeather lost his balance and tumbled, sending a cascade of snow on Berrypaw. She paused briefly until he sprang back up, then cleared him with a flying leap, flicked a claw to part his fur, and kicked out her back legs as she landed, sending him in the snow again. 

"Berrypaw!" Scolded Antfur, padding out of the bushes with Tigerpelt and Patchedpaw. "Attacking a patrol like that!"

"I'm sorry, Antfur," Berrypaw apologized. "It was the only place I could practice my battle moves."

"It's fine. Where's Birchfang and Fangpaw?" Thrushfeather brushed snow from his long fur. "I hope they're doing well." Birchfang had offered to train Fangpaw while Thrushfeather worked on Berrypaw.

"They're fine," Berrypaw mewed. "Birchfang was teaching his new apprentice a battle move."

"Okay," Berrypaw felt pain flooding suddenly from Thrushfeather as she spoke of Fangpaw. Noone else seemed shocked by the waves of feeling. Am I the only one..?

Berrypaw blinked at her new mentor. She moved closer and led her nose to brush his ear. "What's wrong?..."

He jerked away. "Nothing." Fresh agony pulsed from his pelt. It was also mixed with grief. "I..I'm fine, Berrypaw." His voice trembled ever so slightly at the lie.

Berrypaw flicked him away from the others, who were counting their prey and making up a report to tell Stonestar. "I feel everything you can, Thrushfeather."

He gazed into her eyes. "So do I. But it's wrong. I'm from WoodClan. You're from ThunderClan. There's no future for us."

"But.." Berrypaw took a deep breath, her mew trembling. Everything faded but Thrushfeather's gaze locked with hers. "But I love you."

"I love you too." Thrushfeather twined his tail with hers, their noses touching. Then he stepped back. Grief almost made Berrypaw stumble. "But I also love Fangpaw!"

"That's the warmth towards your apprentice," Berrypaw pointed out gently. "It's normal. That's not love."

"Thrushfeather? Berrypaw?"

Antfur was gazing at them, a puzzled look on her dark-furred face. "Are you waiting for Greenleaf or something?"

"Stonestar mentioned he wanted to see Berrypaw and her sister in his den," Tigerpelt added.

"Okay. Shoo, Berrypaw, we need to finish up this patrol while you need to find Cherrypaw." Antfur flicked her tail. "Off you pop! Thrushfeather, come on."

Berrypaw hurried away with Thrushfeather's green gaze burning into her pelt.

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After locating Cherrypaw, Berrypaw paused outside Stonestar's den. "Hello?"

"Come in." Berrypaw shared a glance with her sister, then they slipped underground. Brambles dug into their flanks and dirt scraped their parents until they stepped into a small, crowded space. Stonestar's neat lay in the very center with a half-eaten thrush. Soaked moss was spread out on a slab of stone. Vines crept up the walls, patching up cracks in the soil walls. Another slab of stone had been cut into the wall and secured with vines where the soil was thicker and muddier. On it perched three clumps of fur - long, greyish black, shorter blue-grey with white spots, and some of Stonestar's own pelt: solid grey and long.

"Greetings," Cherrypaw meowed, jerking Berrypaw to the present.  They both dipped their heads in unison, and Berrypaw felt a wave of homesickness. She thought of Daffodilpaw, Peonypaw, Tawnystar, and Sootpelt. Coffeenose too. She wondered how Hazelwing and Eelspark were doing. Are they well? I hope so. It would be our fault if they got hurt. Well, kind of. Maybe, maybe not...

Cherrypaw was nudging her. "Listen, sis." She quietly added, "for once."

Berrypaw flicked her tail lightly and nodded.

"I've discussed it with Antfur and we're going to return to the Clans," Stonestar meowed. "It wasn't rogues who chased us off. It was them. They were just guilty and lied for generations."

 "We know. Swiftstar told us in a dream." Berrypaw mewed.

"Good old Swiftstar," added Cherrypaw. Berrypaw shot her a glare. 

"So. We set off tonight, I recommend eating. I hope we'll be there by sunhigh tomorrow."