Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Nightshrike hated being alone, especially when she had nowhere to go and night had fallen. Her claws tore at the grass as she padded towards the border with DawnClan. She seethed in rage and glared up at the night sky, where the stars gleamed coldly with unasked questions.

"I didn't deserve this!" She shouted at the stars, growling in frustration as she lashed out with a paw and ripped her claws against the grass. With her paws stained green, Nightshrike headed for the border. In order to reach the border however, she had to pass by the Mossy Grove and the Sand Hollow, two of the most popular places to train and collect moss in OakClan.

Her tail slashed at the night air, making the fur on her neck rise as she remembered every second of her Clanmates' reactions to her exile. Voletuft was mortified for some reason that Nightshrike could not grasp. Toadpad didn't seem fazed but so many other cats seemed heartbroken and angry. Iceleaf had shielded her kits from the horrors of an exile and Voletuft had retreated back into the nursery after Toadpad had begun to speak to Nightshrike. Weak, pathetic excuses of warriors. She thought eyes narrowed. Real warriors do not blind themselves with their families or kits. A real warrior wishes to be at the front of the fight, taking every blow.

"Hey!" Nightshrike looked up, not realizing her meddling had landed her right across the river from DawnClan's border. "Stay where you are and don't cross the border!" The cat calling to her was Larkflight, a cat Nightshrike had only heard about from Thorntail's Clanmates. With the black tom was Halfsnow, Thorntail's mate, and Poppybee.

"That's an OakClan warrior," whispered Poppybee, though Nightshrike heard her. "What's she doing here away from her Clan?"

Halfsnow flicked her tail over Poppybee's mouth and regarded Nightshrike warily. "What brings you to the border, Nightshrike? It's almost moonhigh, you should be sleeping in your camp." She tilted her head and Nightshrike glared at her.

"I go where I please," she spat. "OakClan and I didn't get along so I left before Spiderstar could exile me." Nightshrike lied, the words slipping out of her mouth like honey. "Those mouse-hearts couldn't live without their precious rules so I left after the Gathering last night."

Larkflight stared at her in shock and slight awe. "Want to spend the night at our camp until morning?" He offered, slightly surprising his patrol and Nightshrike.

She faked being wistful. "No, no, no. I-I don't want to be a burden to such a powerful Clan." Nightshrike shook her head and saw the desperation flash in Larkflight's sun-like eyes. "You're already having to feed your Clanmates. I would only be another mouth to feed."

"Nonsense," that was Halfsnow, gazing at her sympathetically. "From what I've heard from Thorntail, you're a strong and independent warrior." Nightshrike heard a twinge of jealousy in the she-cats mew. "I'm sure Clearstar wouldn't mind you staying with us."

Poppybee spoke up. "Why don't we take her to Clearstar and ask if she could spend the night and in the morning, he could decide what to do with her." She suggested and Larkflight nodded.

"Follow us, Nightshrike." The tom purred and gestured with his tail to cross the oak tree that allowed access to the different territories.

Nightshrike nearly purred out loud as she crossed the border, a smug smile on her face as the three warriors escorted her to the camp. Surprisingly, many cats were awake inside the camp. Some were chatting, sharing tongues, and many were sharing prey. By what looked like the nursery, two kits were playing with a pebble, trying to get it past the other to get a point.

"Who's that?" Asked a rather rude voice and Nightshrike saw three warriors glaring at her. One of which was Thorntail's daughter, Thornbite.

"That's an OakClan cat!" Whispered a light gray tabby tom Nightshrike recognized as Lichenstorm. "What's she doing here?"

"Larkflight!" Cried a white she-cat with bright amber eyes. She hurled herself at the tom and sniffed him all over, making his ears flatten in embarrassment. "Are you okay? Did she hurt you?"

"Of course not, Whiteblaze," purred the tom as he licked her head. Nightshrike assumed they were mates, just how Whiteblaze fussed over him made it clear they weren't mother and son, brother and sister, or father and daughter.

"Larkflight," meowed another voice and the tom looked up at the voice of Clearstar, who stood on a fallen tree. "What have you brought here tonight?" He asked, eyes flicking to Nightshrike quizzically.

Larkflight shook off Whiteblaze and padded to Nightshrike's side, his eyes gleaming like stars. "Clearstar, this is Nightshrike. She left her Clan and has nowhere else to go. Can she stay with us tonight so she may eat and sleep before we decide what to do with her?" He sounded desperate and Nightshrike flicked her tail, holding Clearstar's gaze.

Nightshrike felt fur brush against her flank and sparks shot through her at who she saw. Thorntail was looking up at Clearstar with pleading blue eyes. A rush of affection filled her and she leaned against the tom ever so slightly.

"Clearstar," he meowed strongly. "Nightshrike is one of the kindest and strong cats I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. If she cannot stay here within the walls of our camp, then I shall leave with her."

Gasps of shock echoed in Nightshrike's ears, the loudest being from Halfsnow. "T-Thorntail," she choked out, staring at her mate in hurt. "I-I thought you loved me. Y-you said you and Nightshrike were just close f-friends."

Thorntail met her broken gaze steadily. "My feelings for you have dissolved when I met Nightshrike when she was an apprentice many moons ago." He meowed, tail flicking around Nightshrike and pulling her closer. "I'm grateful that Thornbite and Fennelfur started families of their own but I do not wish to be mates with a cat I do not share feelings with."

Halfsnow looked heartbroken but she nodded nonetheless and hurried off, leaving the Clan in an intense silence as they waited for Clearstar to speak.

"This," the ginger leader meowed, regaining his voice. "Is very peculiar indeed. Nightshrike, you may stay here and in the morning when we have settled down, I shall choose your fate."

Nightshrike dipped her head to the leader, though she didn't mean it. Thorntail purred and liked her head, making her purr for the first time since the Gathering. "Thank you, Clearstar." She breathed.

When the Clan dispersed, Thorntail faced her with excited blue eyes. "Come on, I'll show you my nest." He meowed eagerly and trotted happily towards what appeared to be the warrior's den. Nightshrike followed him more cautiously, looking over her shoulder every once and a while before slipping inside.

The den was bigger than she thought and she saw Thorntail picking his way by some already sleeping cats and stopped at the back corner of the den. No nests were around his and he sat down, tail flicking invitingly.

Nightshrike wasted no time in crossing the den in a few strides and curling up with Thorntail, who licked her head and eventually fell asleep with his body curled around hers.