Warriors: Sounds of the Forest

Chapter Thirty-One: Blackheart

"Are you sure your fine?" Nettleblossom asked as she stretched, shaking the balls of moss from her fur then looking at me.

'I'm sure.' I replied as I also stretched. Ever since the argument on the Shadowclan border I had been jumpy around Leafstorm.  

Now it wasn't just that he didn't trust me, he was going against the clan and allying himself with a Shadowclan warrior. And not just any Shadowclan cat, but Bloodstripe; who was well known for his strength in battle.

"Well Echostream has us on dawn patrol with Leafstorm and Midnightpaw so it's best we head out now. 

My pelt quivered as I tried to push my mistrust towards the Tom out of my mind, perhaps he had just met the other Tom at the gathering and... They had spoken about me.. That wasn't good but it was better then having him be disloyal towards the entire clan.

---

"Still no fresh scent!" Leafstorm hissed as we reached the Riverclan border.

'are you sure?' I asked as I caught his eye, 'I thought I caught a fresh scent of them, but the same cat as the last time I patrolled.'

"I smelt it as well." Nettleblossom added "I think it's that Tom Thorntail again, the one who helped Riversong save me from drowning in the river."

Sniffing the breeze again Leafstorm nodded "Your right, its best we make sure he hasn't crossed the border. Riverclan cats never seem to know how borders work anymore."

Glanceing at Nettleblossom I caught a blaze of anger in her amber and blue colored eyes. Was it at Leafstorms accusations toward Riverclan?

---

Once we reached Fourtrees there was still no sign of Riverclan having crossed the border.

Leafstorm still did not trust that we had covered the border accurately as he glared at the two of us, Midnightpaw sitting at his side, her eyes not catching her mentor's mistrust towards Nettleblossom and I.

"Though I don't trust that we've covered the borders well enough I suppose we should return to camp..." he grunted though the anger still slightly shown in his amber gaze. "You two can report back to camp, I'm going to take Midnightpaw here out for some training.

Nettleblossom nodded and turned around towards the camp so I did the same, though my fur pricked at the thought of leaving my kit with the only cat in my clan whom I did not trust.

'I don't trust him.' I twitched slightly with my tail once we were out of his sight.

"Well he did try to kill you." Nettleblossom murmured "So I have to agree with you on that one, you should have seen how he looked at Riversong while she was here. I had only just become a warrior when she came back and still I knew something was up with him."

'At least I'm not the only one who sees it. The other day at the Shadowclan border when we met their patrol he swapped a glance with Bloodstripe. And it wasn't a warning one at that; in fact they looked more like they were planning something."

"It's not surprising that he has something against the two of us, I was a Kittypet and you left the clan..." she sighed "I hope he doesn't do anything to Midnightpaw while we aren't there."

'If he does I'll shred him!' I twitched as my claws sank into the earth.

"All we can do now is hope he's changed I guess..."

'Right, may as well return to camp.' And with that the two of us returned to camp and began to head to Amberstars den.

"So there was nothing?" Amberstar said as she sat up-right in front of us.

"That's right, only scent we found was Thorntails, and it was on the Riverclan side of the border."

'And Leafstorm took Midnightpaw for some training in the hollow.' I added.

"Good." Amberstar replied "It seams that our clan has finally got itself moving on the right path again, you may both leave now."

As Nettleblossom nodded and left I stayed. 

'Actually there something about yesterdays run-in with Shadowclan that I should tell you about.' I said when she saw I hadn't gotten up to leave. 'Im fairly sure Leafstorm left it out in his report.'

"Very well," She replied thoughtfully. "Go head."

'Shadowclan doesn't seam to follow the warrior code anymore. One of their warriors said something about the border meaning nothing anymore, and at the end when we had sought it out, Leafstorm swapped a look with the warrior Bloodstripe, and it looked more like the two warriors agreed with each other then where enemies in an argument between our clans.'

Amberstar closed her eyes for a moment an sighed "I have doubted Leafstorm loyalties, so I cannot ignore your warning Blackheart. Though I also cannot do anything without seeing that he is a threat myself, so far he has done nothing to harm his clan but I will be watching him closely. As for Shadowclan, I can see that things have gotten worse since the battle at fourtrees, but it seams that so far without Whitestar Windclan has not sided with them." then looking up she added "Thank you for telling me this you are now dismissed."

As I padded out of Amberstars den Nettleblossom approached me. 

"So what did you say that wasn't for a friends ears?" she asked with a joking purr.

I was about to reply but quickly stopped my tail as Darkflame joined us. "How was patrol?" he asked as he sat at Nettleblosssoms side."

"Good," Nettleblossom replied. "Not much to be found on the Riverclan border today."

"That's good, we've got enough to worry about with Shadowclan and Windclan on our tails, we don't need all the clans planning our deaths!" Darkflame purred as he then stood "Well I was just on my way to see Amberstar, she sent for me just before you arrived." And with that Darkflame disappeared into Amberstars den.

"Now tell me what you where going to say?"

'I was just telling her my worries about Leafstorm.'

"Did she believe you?"

'She said that she couldn't risk not listening to me.'

"And? What will she do?"

'Nothing until she sure that he's planning against us.'

"That's good," Nettleblossom purred, "At least he'll have her watching him as well, and one slip up and Leafstorm will face the consequences!"

Looking down I replied 'I hope it doesn't come to that though, if it involves anyone being harmed.'

"Right, best we get some prey before he returns?"

'Just what I was thinking!' I replied as we began to walk towards the fresh-kill pile.

---

The waning moon was now visible in the sky as lifted my muzzle, breathing in the cool air. 

Nettleblossom and I had been hunting for most of the day and we now sat on Sunning rocks as we watched the moon rise.  

We had rested here when we had caught enough prey to soak in the last of the Sun's warmth.

"I guess we should head back before they start to worry?" Nettleblossom said as she stood.

I nodded, stretched, and stood; waiting to head into the forest to gather our prey, but suddenly Nettleblossom's ears pricked and she replied in a rushed voice.

"I think I'll stay for a moment and check for any voles hidden in the rocks, can you gather the other prey?"

My mind burned with curiosity at what had made my friend change her mind, but I asked no questions as I replied using my tail. 'Sure; just watch out for Riverclan, they still seem a bit touchy about this bit of territory.'

"I may have been a Kittypet," she replied with a friendly glare, "But I didn't earn my warrior name by eating twoleg slop!"

I gave a small smile and turned to leave. 

But as I leapt from the smooth rock my pelt prickled as a murmur caught in my ear...