**OLD** Valley Cats: Of Sky and Stone 1- Daughters and Darkness

Chapter Thirty-Four

 "What?! It was one time, moons ago! I didn't mean to, I swear! And Squirrelstrike-" Mousefall wailed.

 Parsleyshade shook her head sadly from her perch on the leader's tree. "Sorry, Mousefall. But any time a cat willingly visits the Frozen Forest, they must go to the Moonpond to take a vow." she was gentle, but firm. "Thank you, Twistertail, for informing us of this."

 The black-and-white she-cat let out a breath she was holding anxiously. Parsleyshade had just announced a trip to the Moonpond to officially make her a leader, so obviously she took the chance to fulfill her commitment to Onyx-eye.

 "Don't worry, brother. I'll go with you." Squirrelstrike gave him a flick with her tail. Mousefall and Twistertail were yet again sitting next to each other, but the young warrior couldn't read the expression on his face. Was he hurt? Sad? Angry? She couldn't tell. But the important thing was that the two were soon going to meet their mother and father.

 Twistertail shifted her paws, careful not to disturb the grass. It was almost moonhigh, and she had waited patiently for Sandystar and Sagepool to fall asleep with their paws in the icy water. Mousefall and Squirrelstrike were awake as planned, watching over the leader and healer. But what she didn't expect was the new deputy Basilfang, assigned to guard the four cats.

 Finally, after what seemed like forever, Basilfang shifted closer to his brother and sister, hunching over and closing his eyes. After a few comically short moments, he began to snore. Twistertail counted to the highest number imaginable before creeping forwards to her targets.

 "Mousefall! Squirrelstrike! I need to talk to you!" she hissed.

 Mousefall whipped his head around in surprise, but then glared venomously at her. "I don't want to hear your apology, Twistertail. You ratted me out for something that was't even my fault, and for no reason! Why would you do such a thing, especially after all these moons we've been friends?" he whispered furiously. Apparently he was still mad at her.

 "It wasn't for no reason. I needed to bring you two here because you're going to meet your parents." Twistertail explained.

 Squirrelstrike glanced back at the three sleeping cats across the small pond. "You mean... Twistedbramble and Ratchaser? But they were exiled within our first moon of apprenticeship." she recounted.

 A high-pitched voice suddenly scrambled Twistertail's train of thought. "Yes, they were exiled. But they're still eager to meet you. It's only a short walk away to where they are." Onyx-eye purred, stepping forwards from under the waterfall. For a moment, only the white patch on her chest was visible, but then she stepped into the moonlight.

 Squirrelstrike seemed to return to her old ways as she leaped to her paws, teeth bared and fur bristling. "Who are you, and what do you want?" she snarled.

 "Relax, you guys. I'm Onyx-eye, here to help Twistertail reunite you with your parents." the scrawny black cat announced as she wove her way towards the three ForestClan warriors.

 Mousefall looked hopeful, stepping towards the strange CliffClan she-cat. "Really? You're going to take us to meet our parents?"

 Onyx-eye let out an unnecessarily evil, high-pitched laugh that echoed around the clearing, causing Basilfang to stir in his sleep. "Oh, not just parents. You're meeting your entire family."

 "Finally!" Twistedbramble sprang forwards, her tail held high. "There they are!" she practically screeched.

 Onyx-eye and Twistertail hung back, watching the two siblings as they were pulled into an embrace by their mother. Ratchaser soon followed, nuzzling his kits gratefully. Twistedbramble raised her head after a long moment of smothering her children in fluff. "Thank you so much. This... This means a lot to me. We've been coming here every night for moons..."