Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 2. (A Path Beyond Stars)

~A Path Beyond Stars: Chapter 8~

They made it to the twoleg nest and saw no sign of Crookedfire or Russetpaw coming in this direction.
"Where can we hide?" Horizon whispered, glancing around.
Reedtail spotted a small dip in the ground large enough for the three of them. That wasn't there before, she thought suspiciously. She sniffed it cautiously, but there was no scent of badgers or foxes, just... dirt.
She pawed at the dirt to check if there was anything underneath, but she only succeeded in making her paws dirty. "We can hide over here," she whispered to Ashpelt and Horizon.
They heard voices approaching and quickly dove into the hole, burrowing further so they wouldn't be seen.
"Do you think he'll do it?" asked one voice that sounded an awful lot like Mantis.
"'Course not," snorted another voice, one unknown to Reedtail. "He'd never side with us after what we did."
The second voice let out a great laugh of scorn and Mantis replied.
"Indeed. I doubt he could off a vole without thinking twice. If only he would do the same to the members of his Clan, then he may actually be of some use to Halfstar."
A short silence followed.
"I know we hate the Clans," said the second voice, "but if so, why must he take on the name of a Clan leader? Are we not meant to be working against the Clans?"
Their pawsteps stopped and Mantis' voice was slightly angrier when he spoke again.
"I do not enjoy upholding ridiculous traditions that are not our own," he grumbled, "but when it comes to living or dying, I will take the choice that involves me living each time. You would do well to remember that the next time you disagree with our own customs, Frog."
One pair of pawsteps stormed back the way they had come, and Reedtail assumed they belonged to Mantis. Frog let out a frustrated sigh. "Jackson!" he called. A rustle came from somewhere behind Reedtail, Ashpelt and Horizon's hiding spot.
Horizon flinched at the name, her eyes widening in shock.
"You know him?" Ashpelt whispered as quietly as possible. Horizon curled her tail around her paws as she crouched. "He's my brother," she whispered back.
Reedtail gave them a warning look and they fell silent, their ears pricked.
"Yes, Frog?" asked Horizon's brother.
"Fetch the other cat," Frog ordered.
"Snow?" Jackson asked. Frog let out a sort of hum and Jackson said, "I don't know where she is. She disappeared not long ago."
"What?"
"She's not with me and Horizon anymore."
Frog sighed. "Then find someone else if you can. Preferably someone who knows a deal of ThunderClan's information."
"Yes, Frog," said Jackson innocently. Reedtail thought she saw a flash of brown and white dart away.
He's the cat from my dream! Reedtail realised with a jolt.
Finally, Frog's pawsteps slowly retreated and followed in the direction of Mantis'.
Once they knew he was out of earshot, they darted back to the ThunderClan border. "I need to get back," Horizon said. "My housefolk will be displeased with my disappearance. I will meet you again tomorrow?" she asked Ashpelt hopefully. Ashpelt smiled, but shook his head ruefully.
As Horizon turned to leave, Reedtail stopped her while she signaled for Ashpelt to return to camp.
"What do you need?" Horizon asked.
"Watch your brother," Reedtail warned. Horizon's ears flattened and she looked down at her paws hesitantly.
"Jackson won't hurt me, don't worry," Horizon said. "He's not really working with those strange cats, surely not." She looked up and put on a false smile. "I'll be fine, don't worry."
Reedtail gave her a look of uncertainty and Horizon charged off in the direction of her twoleg nest.
You better not die, for Ashpelt's sake.
Reedtail ran back to the camp. Everyone was asleep, save for Ashpelt and herself. She assumed she would be questioned by Fernfeather tomorrow.
She sat on her nest and thought for a moment. She knew she wouldn't fall for a kittypet, let alone Horizon's brother.
After the dream, are you really able to think that? said a quiet part of her brain. She shook her head. With a yawn, Reedtail lay on the nest and waited for dawn to arrive.