Diverging Paths (Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 30

"Scatterstar!" Highwings called out desperately as she sprinted across the camp out of the warrior's den. She had been waiting to talk to the leader, unable to sleep the entire night. And now, the moment others began rousing in the morning, she bolted out of the den, calling out for her leader like a kit. She has to know. This can't go on.

She barged into the leader's den, making the still-sleeping Scatterstar roll over and heave herself up, fast yet drowsy. The leader's sleepiness instantly channeled itself into rage when she saw a warrior was interrupting her sleep for what she thought was a meek, unimportant concern. She bared her teeth at Highwings. "What?!"

"Ma'am, I need to speak with you at once," Highwings told her, immediately drawing herself up in an extremely formal posture and changing her tone to match. "It is a matter of utmost importance."

"It does not concern me. You must sort it out on your own," she dismissed Highwings, beginning to lay down again.

"You need to know!" Highwings begged, running forward and leaning down to Scatterstar, who was trying to ignore her by curling back up. "This is a big discovery!"

"You can figure out your feelings for Bounceback on your own," Scatterstar snapped; Highwings faltered. "I am not going to be involved in the life of a warrior who is so childish that she attacks a Clanmate and rushes out of camp when he confesses his love to her."

Highwings went rigid, her fur bristling. She felt so heavily compelled to correct Scatterstar, to say that it was not love, to say that it was in her right to feel that way about Bounceback, but she gritted her teeth and told herself to remain on topic. "That's not at all what I want to talk to you about."

"Then what is it?! It ought to be good for you to be waking me up," the leader hissed.

"It's about the other Clans." This seemed to somewhat catch Scatterstar's attention, as she unfurled her body a bit and partially lifted up her head to glance at the younger warrior. "An anonymous WindClan cat has told me that Battlestar has been having secret meetings with Kestrelstar, to bribe her into supporting him in the war."

Scatterstar laid still on the ground, staring with gleaming yellow eyes, appearing to have to process this information. "That...Highwings, where did you hear that?"

"I told you," she reminded her. "An anonymous WindClan informant."

"Anonymous informant, huh?" Scatterstar sat up, glaring at her. "Where did you meet them?"

Highwings realized she had the perfect alibi - or lack thereof - and thanked Bounceback for making her run out of camp that day. "While I was out of camp wandering by myself, I stumbled across a starving WindClan cat. They told me everything, but also told me not to say their name. Because if Battlestar is punished and he hears who snitched on him, it would not end well for them."

Scatterstar seemed to almost bare her teeth, before settling herself. "And how can I verify this information is true?"

"If you want, you can follow Battlestar out of WindClan camp tonight," Highwings told her. "The WindClan cat said you can see it for yourself. He goes to the ThunderClan border and meets Kestrelstar and a few other cats there." She paused briefly before adding, "Apparently Sparrowscream is not among those who know of the embezzlement, but I may be mistaken."

Scatterstar nodded slowly, frowning in thought. "I see," she mused. "Very well. I don't feel like investing my time into something that does not affect me or my Clan, though. I will let Coldstar know, but she will have to be the one to see it."

"Of course." Highwings paused, standing there, and Scatterstar stared back at her, as the she-cat had expected her to leave the den after she was finished. The leader lashed her tail a tad bit in what looked like irritation, before the warrior spoke, "Ehrm, Scatterstar?"