Cinder

Chapter 21

A moon after the battle, Shellpaw and Bluepaw had become warriors: Shellspot and Bluefang. The apprentices den was now empty, so the newer warriors were on elder duty. Cindercloud now worked beside Mosswhisker, who was grumbling to herself.
"Shellspot and Bluefang are the youngest, they should have to do this." Cindercloud stifled a laugh. She didn't mind the duty's. She liked listening to Spikefur and Fuzzyclaw talk about old times. She took out their soiled moss and replaced it.
"Thanks young'un." Spikefur purred. Cindercloud dipped her head and padded out of the den. She saw Graystep and Heatherfall outside of the nursery. The Queen was due any day with her kits. Tigertail and Nightsong were sitting with Woodclaw, enjoying the sunshine, while Falconstar sat with Hawktalon and Leafstrike. Cindercloud wanted to join someone, but didn't feel like she really wanted to. Loneliness pricked her heart. She had intentionally stayed away from Ravenclaw since the battle, not wanting to provoke anyone, but she missed him dearly. She envied her clanmates; the cats they loved lived in the same clan. Her two best friends did not.
     She decided to sit beside herself, watching her clanmates share tongues together. She noticed Splashtail sitting with Hawktalon, sharif pray together. Hawktalon looked relaxed and comfortable, smiling at the She cat as they talked. Cindercloud felt an unexpected prick of jealousy. Hawktalon has never liked her. He had never been at ease around her. She caught his eye and he narrowed them at her before turning back to Splashtail. She scowled. She stood and decided to take a walk on her own, away from the stares of her clanmates.
     She led herself to the RiverClan border by instinct and decided to sit beside the river and listen to the soothing sound of the water. She also hoped to cross paths with Snakefang.
    "Why am I not surprise to find you here?" She turned her head to see the young RiverClan deputy trotting over to her.
    "I needed time alone." She admitted. "Away from my clan. I always feel lost in my own clan, and I get jealous easy: like... my cousin Splashtail was hanging with Hawktalon, who had always hated me, and I was jealous." She admitted, not knowing why she was spilling her heart to the deputy of a rival clan.
    "Do you like him?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.
   "Wh- no!" She exclaimed with a shudder. "I hate every hair on his pelt!"
    "Then why are you jealous?" Snakefang asked.
    "I don't know." Cindercloud shuffled her paws. "Perhaps I wish Hawktalon weren't so hostile with me. And... Splashtail was in love with his brother before he died."
    "That doesn't mean they can't be friends." Snakefang pointed out.
    "I just wish I could have connections in my clan like I do with..." She trailer off.
    "The two warriors from enemy clans?" Snakefang finished. Cindercloud nodded.
"And you." She admitted. Snakefang let out a laugh.
"You are one of my closest friends as well Cindercloud. You and Mistpool." He meowed. Cindercloud chuckled.
"If you say so." She murmured.
"Mudstar been bothering you?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Ashcloud was ambushed for no reason, so Falconstar took a patrol and recruited ShadowClan and we attacked a ThunderClan patrol. We have not heard from them since, but I'm sure that won't stop Mudstar." She told him.
"That's not good." Snakefang observed.
"None of this will stop until Mudstar is dead..."

Ravenclaw sat in camp with his tail tucked neatly over his paws. He sat alone, quietly observing the camp, feeling weary and afraid. Mudstar had his eyes on the black warrior, as if he suspected his secret. He felt like a loner in his own camp.
He also knew that the battles were not over. Mudstar was furious about the ambush, and vowed to get revenge. Ravenclaw found it ironic, since they were always ambushing the other clans to prove their strength and dominance. Ravenclaw only wanted peace.
"Ravenclaw!" He turned to see Sagepaw, now a warrior Sageleaf, bounding over to him.
"I thought you might want some company!" She piped. Although the white she cat was now a warrior, she had become good friends with her former mentor. Her littermates were also warriors, Daisypetal and Firestorm. The clan was stronger than ever, and Lizardkit and Shadekit would be apprentices eventually. Ravenclaw shuddered. Shadekit was going to be a violent warrior just like his father.
He was surprised that Switcheye was not feeding into it. She had become more mild, wanting only to protect her kits. She was even much friendlier to Ravenclaw. He had grown to like the deputy.
Switcheye padded toward him with Lizardkit at her heels.
"Hello Ravenclaw." She purred, settling down beside him. He nodded respectfully while flicking his tail away from Lizardkit, who was stalking it like prey.
"Lizard! Leave him be!" Switcheye snapped, her eyes bright. "He has a great fondness for you Ravenclaw." She purred.
"Oh really?"
"I'm surprised he is so fond of such a grump!" Sageleaf interjected. Ravenclaw flicked his tail over her ear playfully.
"I hope father makes you my mentor!" Lizardkit piped, forgetting about Ravenclaw's tail.
"Perhaps. But my brother Darkstorm I without an apprentice still." Ravenclaw pointed out. Lizardkit frowned.
"But I want you! Not him!" He whined. Ravenclaw let out a mrrow of laughter.
"Well wait and see!" Lizardkit scampered away, going over to where Spottedflower was sitting with Sorrelblaze. The She cats welcomed the kit warmly.
    "I am sorry for the way I treated you in the past Ravenclaw." Switcheye said unexpectedly. "It's taken having Kits to see the error of my ways. If only Mudstar would agree with me." She mewed sadly, turning her gaze to her mate and leader.
   "The past is the past." Ravenclaw responded simply, feeling an air of foreboding inside of him. Nothing went well if you disagreed with Mudstar. Ravenclaw always had to look behind him. Mudstar has his eye on the warriors who weren't so battle hungry. Spottedflower and Whiteflower seemed to be like him, and to not want violence. Hazelstream and Blackpelt, his own parents, were not violent, nor was Squirreltail. Darkstorm, his brother, was in between. He didn't  like the violence, but he obeyed every command given to him. His own former apprentice hated the violence. He sighed.
     "Don't look so down Ravenclaw." Sageleaf said, butting his shoulder with her head.
     "You two are great warriors, and a fine assent to the clan. I can see you being a great leader Ravenclaw. If I ever become leader, you will be my deputy." Switcheye stood, dipped her head, and walked off. Ravenclaw stared at her, surprised.
    "You've earned the deputy's respect." Sageleaf said in awe. "That's almost impossible with Switcheye."
    "She's changed since having kits. For the better." He admitted. Mudstar looked over at him at that moment with narrowed eyes. Ravenclaw stiffened. He padded over to the warrior.
    "Would you like to patrol with me Ravenclaw?" The leader asked. Ravenclaw gulped, but knew that Mudstar had given an order, not a question. He rose to his paws and followed him out of camp.
     "Careful what you tell Sageleaf. She's.... impressionable." The leader started. "I heard what you said about my mate. Don't go telling Sageleaf that she changed for the better. No... shebchanged for the worst. She must know that, everyone must know that!" Mudstar's voice was intense, making Ravenclaw's fur prickle with fear. "We cannot afford cowards in this clan. The other clans are getting far more angry and hostile. All of our warriors must show them that we rule them! That they must fear us! I will make sure to remind Switcheye of this. She mustn't spoil our kits minds."
   "Of course." Ravenclaw croaked.
    "And you, my fine young warrior.... you show promise. You could be one of the most feared warriors in clan history, if only you would get your head out of the clouds. I see the way you act friendly with cats from other clans. That is fine, so long as you can rip their fur off the next time you come into contact with the. We mustn't show any weakness. Got it?" Mudstar fixed the black warrior with an intense amber stare. Ravenclaw gulped, not daring to disagree.
   "Got it..."

Ravenclaw had caught a mouse, while Mudstar caught two black birds. Ravenclaw veered away from the leader and decided to sit beside Darkstorm and Hazelstream, who were enjoying the warm weather and peaceful atmosphere.
"I see Mudstar had taken an interest in you." Darkstorm commented.
"I guess..."
"I don't get it. I never hesitate for a fight, yet he favors you?" Darkstorm shook his head. "I haven't even had an apprentice yet!"
"For one, you have no idea why Mudstar has taken an interest in me, so don't be jealous! And two, his kits will be apprentices in no time!" Ravenclaw snapped. He was angry at his brother because the attention he was getting from Mudstar was not good. He was terrified of his leader!
"You always think you are better than everyone else!" Darkstorm snapped.
"No one thinks anyone is better than the other." Hazelstream soothed.
"Tell that to him! Switcheye has even taken a liking to him!" Darkstorm retorted.
"You two need to get along. You aren't even that close for littermates." Hazelstream mewed. My sister and I were practically inseparable!"
"Yeah well..." Darkstorm grunted.
"Look, I'm not trying to be better than you. I only want to be a good warrior." Ravenclaw murmured. Darkstorm narrowed his eyes but didn't reply. Hazelstream sighed.
"I love you both very much, and you are an asset to the clan."
"Well, I'm gonna go see if Firestorm wants to go hunting." He stood and walked away.
"Take no notice of him. He will get over it." Hazelstream soothed. Ravenclaw nodded but replied no further.

"I don't want him to be jealous of me when I don't even want Mudstar's attention!" Ravenclaw blurted.
"He's your brother, he's bound to be upset that you get more attention." Cindercloud reasoned. She pressed up against him, and he purred. He felt happiest around her. Maplefrost was not meeting up nearly as much. He knew that she was starting to doubt their decision to meet, and he had not heard from her since the battle. He sighed.
"What if non of this works out? Our clans are so.... well, at war with each other. If Mudstar caught me he'd kill me for sure. But I love you. I don't want to give you up." Ravenclaw's voice choked.
"I love you too. But maybe.... we should only meet at gatherings? At least... until the tension let's up?" She suggested. Ravenclaw blinked at him, feeling a numbing sadness in his chest.
"That would be smart. But I'm not ready to give you up. I love you too much, you make me too happy." He licked her cheek and they sat there, enjoying each other's warmth. His heart ached when he thought about only seeing her once a moon or in battle. The bushes rustled and Ravenclaw sprang away from his forbidden mate. His mouth dropped open as Darkstorm emerged, furious.
"So this is how you stay loyal to the clan. By meeting up with enemy cats? Yet Mudstar pays you all of the attention!" Ravenclaw bristled.
    "So what if I don't want to be completely loyal to a murderous tyrant!" Ravenclaw snapped, furious.
   "What? I thought you two were best friends?" Darkstorm sneered.
    "Cindercloud is the best thing I have in my life right now. I don't have to talk to you about my loyalty!"
    "What loyalty? It's obvious you have none!" Darkstorm retorted.
    "I'll be loyal to my clan when I don't have to fight pointless battles all the time!" Ravenclaw hissed.
    "You're a fool! Even if you don't agree with Mudstar, his word is still law!" Darkstorm countered.
    "That code is a load of thistledown! We should be allowed to contradict a leader, especially if that leader is putting the clan at such a risk!" Ravenclaw snapped. "Why would Mudstar have a deptuy to help run the clan if that deputy is not allowed to have their own opinions?"
    "This has nothing to do with you breaking the code to see this.... enemy!" Darkstorm countered.
     "I don't care what you think." Ravenclaw snarled. Darkstorm sighed deeply.
    "If you weren't my brother, I would tell Mudstar, but... I don't want to see you hurt. But that doesn't mean I'm not angry, or that I don't see you as being a fox heart who only cares about himself!" Darkstorm snapped. Ravenclaw sighed and turned to Cindercloud, who had watched the exchange with wide eyes.
   "I'd better go." He mewed. Cindercloud dipped her head.
    "See you at the next gathering." She whispered. Ravenclaw nodded and followed his brother back to camp. They hunted on the way back to explain their absence. Darkstorm did not speak the entire way back, or as they entered camp and dropped their prey onto the pile. He sighed, sad that he and his brother had been driven so far apart, before he went to his nest and lay down to catch up on sleep.