Omen of the Sun Book Three: Dusk

Chapter Five

Lightningfeather

If I ever get any award, Lightningfeather thought dryly, it should be an award for the most conflicting loyalties. Ever.

Lightningfeather was seated at the base of the Rock Pile, half-listening to his sister talk, but in reality was kind of gazing into the night sky, thinking.

A Clan divided cannot stand, one leader of CloudClan had said long ago before Lightningfeather had been born. Well, if that's true, then we must be close to falling, Lightningfeather thought, casting a wary eye around the camp.

Every cat had become tense and edgy after Brambleflower had made her announcement earlier, and it was showing. Applestar's kits were being given a wide berth by pretty much every cat, as was Applestar. CloudClan didn't seem tobe sure about how they felt about the accusation of Applestar not being Goldleaf's mate, but they hadn't pushed her away as a leader, either. On the other paw, they were completely shunning Cloverfur, and Peonystorm had gone so far as to shove her aside and attempt to heal Sorrelkit by herself. Cloverfur was hiding in her den at the moment, Lightningfeather thought.

He was completely conflicted about where he stood in the Clan. On one paw, I'm Applestar's brother, he thought. Blood calls to blood. But I don't want to be her ally.

He didn't trust his sister, but he felt like he was already deep in her clutches and he wouldn't be able to escape.

But Applestar was the only thing he had left to remind him of his parents. Mom and dad are gone, and she's my only family member left who I can see our parents in. His father had died when he was a kit in a battle with HollyClan, and Silverstar had obviously just died.

He could, however, see a small bit of his parents in Applestar's kits- he saw Silverstar in Rainkit, and his father in Fernkit and Briarkit. Emberkit seemed to be a mix of the two. He loved his nieces, but he couldn't help but think that they were Applestar's kits. They might be as evil as she is.

But then again, they could have Goldleaf's personalit- oh, wait, no, Goldleaf wasn't their father.

Lightningfeather was quite confused about this. If Goldleaf isn't their father then who is? Applestar had never shown any sort of interest in any toms in the Clan except for Goldleaf, and he didn't think she'd be meeting anyone. He slept close to her, wouldn't he hear her disappear, or smell the tom and the night and nature on her when she returned?

Then there was the other side- where Sunpool was.

Where Goldleaf had been.

When Cinderstorm was.

Lightningfeather watched Sunpool and Cinderstorm now, his gaze moving across the camp to where they were, sitting and sharing a mouse. There was so much he missed about his friends and Cinderstorm, who was... well, she was so much more than a friend to him.

The truth was, if Sunpool, Goldleaf and Cinderstorm were dying, Lightningfeather would do anything in his power to save Cinderstorm- and save her first. He would go to the ends of the earth, and he would burn down the world for her if he could dig her out of the ashes. He would do anything for her and do anything he could and more to make her happy. He loved her, like the sky was imploding upon them, and it hurt to see her not wanting to be near him and staying away from him. I'm not your enemy. But he was, if he stayed with Applestar.

And then there was Sunpool. No, he didn't love her, but Goldleaf had, and Lightningfeather had known that. He had known that Goldleaf was falling in love with her when he brought her back and slowly started to drift away from Lightningfeather for her. He wasn't like this with Moonpaw, Lightningfeather had realized.