Warriors: The Chosen Warrior: Final Darkness (Book 6)

Chapter 5

A great flood of emotions washed over Leafsong. Was she truly relieved that Swiftclaw had returned to the Clans after what she had done? Yes, the ThunderClan warrior realized, but now that she was back, they were face to face with one another once again. How would Swiftclaw react when she faced the cat that forced her to leave the Clans and told her to never come back? Leafsong hoped that Whitesnake and Shiningice had clearly explained everything to their mother sometime before they stepped back onto Clan territory.

Everyone was still. No one rushed up to greet the ThunderClan warriors after their long journey far away from home. The air rippled with the tense murmurs of quiet conversations. A movement caught Leafsong's eye, and she watched as Frostdrop slowly stepped to the front of the crowd to reveal herself to her littermates, and her mother. The whispers halted as every cat waited to watch how this reunion will come about.

Whitesnake disturbed the crackling silence first. "Frostdrop," he meowed simply, "this is our mother, Swiftclaw." He flicked his tail at the white she-cat and glanced her way. "Swiftclaw, this is our sister Frostdrop. Your daughter."

The two she-cats, mother and daughter, stared at one another for a long moment before Swiftclaw rushed forward and met her, rubbing her cheek against Frostdrop's, her purrs easily audible in the quiet hollow.

"Frostdrop!" Swiftclaw echoed her daughter's name. The sound of this she-cat's voice again sent shivers down Leafsong's spine. "Oh, it's a perfect name for you! Whitesnake and Shiningice told me all about you on our travel here. Tell me, why didn't you join them? We could have stayed away from these Clans forever, all of us together without any judgement or hostility."

With those words, Leafsong realized with a start that Whitesnake hadn't told his mother anything. Not about his involvement with the Dark Forest, about his attempt to kill Leafsong, why his own sister hated him because of bullying a loner-turned-Clanmate. If these things weren't talked about, what was?

Swiftclaw pulled back to look at her kit's face, expecting a response, but Frostdrop remained quiet. In fact, Leafsong now recalled, Frostdrop hadn't moved a muscle since she first took her steps forward. Even when her mother was pampering her like a proper mother would to her long lost kit, Frostdrop had stood deadly still. Swiftclaw must have noticed this, as well, because her face grew worried and confused.

Another sudden movement caught Leafsong's attention then, and her eyes went to where Whitesnake and Shiningice still stood at the thorn tunnel.

Her heart stopped, and each trace of breath left her chest. She blinked her eyes multiple times and shook her head to see if she was only hallucinating, but the cat would not disappear.

Behind the two littermates sat a dark gray tom, his hind leg moving rapidly as he scratched behind his ear. When satisfied, he stood back up and ran his calculating amber gaze over the gathered cats. A scar glinted in the dappled sunlight across one of his eyes.

"Leafsong," Darkflight whispered beside her, concerned, "are you all right? You're shaking."

And she was, but for good reason.

Her reply was breathed out, but the word held much more weight than a simple breath.

"Stone."

~*~*~*~*~*~

First: HOLY FISHSTICKS STONE IS BACK WHTAT TH E FERAEKEFINGAWHATT2TTT3

Second: I know, I know, this chapter was really short! Little more than 500 words, but I just thought ending it at that point was good, you know, for dramatic effect >:3 Good news is that you can go straight to the next chapter!!

Quick reminder to, you know, do the things! (What's your reaction to Stone's reappearance since Way of the Stars???)