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I almost feel insulted that you have forgotten me.
Coldness crept through Larkwing's fur. She could literally feel the cats around her getting more nervous. The scent of fear was unmistakable in the air.
Larkwing dug her claws into the ground. What would they do now? After what the strange tom had said, they couldn't possibly let him go without an explanation.
"Do you really have no idea who I am? Is everyone's memory really that bad?" he purred cynically.
An angry hiss sounded from somewhere.
With his ears flattened, the ginger and white tom trotted to the edge of the island. "Then you must have forgotten Cloverdapple too — and Splashpaw."
No... impossible. Stunned, Larkwing pushed herself forwards. Her gaze fell on the two new cats who were pushed in front of the willow. No doubt, one of them was Splashpaw. Relief rose in Larkwing. About three moons ago, Splashpaw had set out to look for the last cats of his Clan who hadn't fallen to the Shadowless. And now he had returned, with those very cats.
The brown and white spotted tom beside him had to be Cloverdapple, the medicine cat of LaurelClan. Then that means...
"Redleaf!" Nightblossom jumped to her paws and left her spot near the roots of the willow. Tail twitching, she stepped closer to the red and white tabby tom, her nose twitching suspiciously as if she didn't want to believe it.
Now Larkwing remembered too. This is the LaurelClan deputy! Unbelievable to see him here.
"Cloverdapple and you had fled, hadn't you?" Specklestar pointed out. "Why did you come back now of all times?"
Redleaf looked up at the orange and white she-cat, who stood swaying on a curved branch. "Fled? Who told you that?" Unconcealed resentment poisoned his voice. "Do you think we would be so cowardly as to leave our Clan alone under such circumstances? The truth is, Eveningstar banished us."
A murmur ran through the assembled cats. "I doubt he's telling the truth," Rabbitcrawl hissed.
Fangs bared, Larkwing whirled round to face her. "Of course it's the truth!" she growled indignantly. "You're not going to question Redleaf's words, are you?"
A warning glance from Gooseleap silenced her abruptly. With her flews pressed together, Larkwing trotted off.
"But Eveningstar is dead," Specklestar objected.
"Does that mean you've been away for much longer than we thought?" Honeyclaw now wanted to know.
Redleaf's fur bristled almost imperceptibly. "Obviously yes," he replied. "Back then, we had no choice but to follow Eveningstar's orders. She threatened to have us killed if we continued to oppose her views. And then one day it almost happened." His tail lashed indignantly. "What choice would we have had? We were outnumbered."
