Sandclan's Destiny Book 3: Blackout

Chapter 18: Turning the Tides

Featherstar had accepted the alliance. The two Clans were now bound in oath and in promises, an endless amount of both exchanged between the two. And to tie themselves together further, a few cats from each Clan would transfer, temporarily, to each camp for better communication and better understanding of one another.

Firesong was one of those who volunteered to go to BirdClan camp, to Rockshade's dismay. Stormtail went with her which made Rockshade skeptical. Juniperpaw went as well, and both Swiftfoot and Sandstripe joined them. Swiftfoot led the group. He was a senior warrior, and thus most trustworthy and deserving of the task. Rockshade trusted BirdClan to take care of his littermate.

As for the BirdClanners that came into SandClan, they were: Runningheart, Iceface, Meadowflower, Fireclaw, and  Smokepaw.

Rockshade was sharing tongues with Midnightpaw when the SandClan warriors officially departed. From hunting she had gotten burrs stuck in her pelt, and he was trying desperately to rid them from her thick black fur, for when the visitors came. He lifted his head as the sounds of gasping and rustling pawsteps could be heard at the entrance of camp. Midnightpaw wrenched away from him, releasing the final burr and ran off to meet the others, looking tidy like the rest of SandClan.

Rockshade did not get why they all had to look prim for the BirdClanners. He approached meekly, not really caring as much as the others seemed to, and observed the BirdClan cats from afar.

Rockshade recognized most of them from the Dreaded Leaf-bare, but their names he could not place. He came up eventually, like the rest of the cats of his clan, to greet them. Bigstar and Cougarfang were stood at the front, right next to the BirdClan cats, greeting them warmly and promising a tour and some prey. That explains all the hunting patrols earlier! Rockshade still ached from it.

"Welcome to our camp. Some cats will arrange spaces for you to sleep. Take care to search the fresh-kill pile for something tasty. Get acquainted. Make some friends!" Bigstar raked the group with her eyes, "Who here is the leader of you all?"

Meadowflower stepped up, dipping her grey head to the tall leader in front of her, "I am."

Bigstar seemed to note that and nodded, "Fine." The group moved aside and watched the cats wander into the rest of the camp.

Autumnkit suddenly bounded up with Dustkit trailing after her shyly, "Wow! Enemy clanners in our camp, but as friends!" She giggled, "Wanna play fight with me, Dustkit, and Icekit? We never had real enemies to play with."

"We were never enemies with them, kits." Berryclaw corrected them coarsely. "In fact, BirdClan is a very peaceful clan that, since Morningstar's leadership, we have been quite friendly with. In fact, a warrior of theirs named Violetflower saved Juniperpaw and Cloudpaw's lives..."

Blackeye, from the nursery, winked open her remaining dark eye and mewed to Bigstar's kits, "Yes! So treat these cats like family, because Violetflower is responsible for the lives of two members of your own." She collected her own kits with her forelegs. The three were small yet and could barely speak, but they were strong enough to want to wander around freely.

Rockshade overheard the entire conversation and sighed. He wondered if Violetflower was considered a hero up in StarClan. He would have to wait a long, long time to find out.
He approached the nursery, wanting to speak more with Blackeye, Berryclaw, and the kits. He liked kits, he found. He wondered if Firesong would ever have kits, and if she did, Rockshade knew that he'd help watch them.

"Oh hello, Rockshade." Blackeye greeted him, her blue eye staring at him. "Why didn't you go with Firesong to BirdClan?"

Rockshade flicked his tail and blinked. Berryclaw seemed interested in the answer, too. She purred, "Yeah, I just thought... nevermind."