Sandclan's Destiny Book 4: Shatters of the Moon

Chapter 1: A Dire Circumstance

Instead, the deputy observed the face of the same warrior who pinned down Sootleaf. When he wasn't defending his camp, he looked extremely hospitable and amicable, chatting to the hazel-eyed she-cat whom she guessed was his littermate.

Suddenly a skinny tom hissed, "I do not trust either of them! VenomClanners are sly cats. Maybe Sootleaf we can trust but StarClan forbid I listen to Frostbone. She's the deputy of that Clan!"
Frostbone sighed and looked to him. She noticed his scars- certainly they were not from battle. His ears were nicked and there were scratches on his hind-legs, fresh. Were they from this night? 
Does he train in the Darkforest? With Wolfstar? How?

Suddenly Frostbone felt a pair of eyes bore into hers, with mistrust and hatred. She turned to see Cougarfang and his golden eyes pierce the dark. He mewed with contempt, "I see you're back to amend your wrongs! Do you seriously think Sootleaf can dream about the future?" he shouldered his way past his own warriors, "He's a liar! And if not a liar, then a mouse-brain," he growled and soon most of the warriors around him were agreeing with his words. "Isn't StarClan gone?" he reminded everyone, "How can he dream of anything that isn't just the fantasies of an old cat?"

Cougarfang broke through the crowd and pushed his muzzle into Frostbone's, his muscles rippling beneath his silver pelt, "You just want to capture two of our warriors in your most sly, disgusting deed yet! Wolfstar is stooping low."

"That's not true!" Frostbone entreated, "The fate of all the Clans rests in Sootleaf's paws..." she stepped back, feeling Cougarfang's hot breath on her muzzle. 

Cougarfang reared, and the deputy of VenomClan saw his unsheathed claws, "Sootleaf is a liar! If a dream isn't from StarClan, it's nothing." he snarled, "Maybe he was dreaming with the Darkforest!"

"Untrue! And step away from her," a voice yowled. It was Sootleaf, emerging from the SandClan medicine den with Sunspots and Bigstar behind him. He looked small compared to them, and not the least bit intimidating. 
Nevertheless, his voice was sharp as a whip, "My dreams have not failed me yet. Are you warriors really going to stand in doubt while StarClan rots above us and below? We will all perish without them. Who wants to go with us? Who is willing to risk their life for StarClan, and your own Clan? It is a noble cause, you fox-hearts," Sootleaf suddenly seemed fierce, his white eyes searing, "Follow the moon and you shall find its kin! Follow the moon at  its apex and you will find your way. Who cares if a warrior dies? Compared to the deaths of each of the six Clans, it is nothing but a heroic cause. If it makes you feel any better, I've dreamt of no casualties." his eyes glinted, "Those who remember the Dreaded Leaf-bare, did we not risk death for freedom?" and the medicine cat glared at Bigstar, "and did we not use the tunnels, as myself and Frostbone did tonight, to escape captivity? Although it was a risk?"

"What do you mean 'we'?" Cougarfang interrupted in a growl, "You didn't help! You weren't apart of us! You were fed and taken care of while we starved and were abused! Sootleaf, you're a badger-heart. You don't dream of anything but what Wolfstar tells you to."

Sootleaf lashed his tail, snapped, "I helped Berryclaw escape! I'm partly responsible for the birth of these two cats who stood their vigil on this very night," and Sootleaf gestured a soft paw to the two, Juniperflower and Cloudfeather, and both of them glanced at Berryclaw questioningly.

The russet she-cat nodded to her two kits, "Both Sootleaf and Violetflower are responsible for your lives. Juniperflower, you were named for her, and what a fool I am to not name Cloudfeather 'Cloudleaf' instead," and the bashful she-cat dipped her head to Sootleaf, muttering a simple thanks.

Cougarfang huffed and stepped to the side when his leader nudged him with her muzzle and mewed, "You're only protective, Cougarfang. But this time you have to give Sootleaf your trust. Have faith in him. This journey may be all we have left."

Cougarfang glanced at his paws and chewed on his leader's words. Sootleaf quickly squeezed himself among the SandClan warriors that jumped away from him, "So." he mewed, "Two cats. Who will it be, Bigstar? "

"When are they departing?" she asked quietly, her gaze settling on her warriors with a sentimental glow.

"Tonight," Sootleaf mewed, "or by morning."

"How do we know he's not going to kill our cats?" Juniperflower mewed sourly. "Who even is he, anyway? An old friend? I doubt it. Why should we trust a stranger?"

Bigstar lay a tail on the new warrior's shoulder, "Juniperflower, you and Cloudfeather must return to BirdClan. Do not worry about this 'stranger,' for he is a good friend of our dear medicine cat. I trust Sunspots' judgement. Do not worry about who I send, and when these two VenomClanners arrive in BirdClan, do not speak up. I should not allow my warriors to be so disrespectful to guests who risk their lives to come here! I should think Featherstar is the same."

Frostbone narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. Alliances.

Bigstar's eyes suddenly met with Frostbone's and the deputy knew the mistake the leader had made. Bigstar's face suddenly became threatening, and her eyes grew dark. Frostbone remembered during the Great Battle when this fearsome leader would rip her apart across the battlefield with massive fangs and claws.
Bigstar's face said: Don't you dare tell Wolfstar.

Bigstar went on, "I will send Slashingclaw. He's an adventurer by heart. And I will send Rockshade. Good luck, my little kit," and she looked to Rockshade with affection and both him and Slashingclaw were ushered by Sootleaf and Sunspots to the edge of camp, towards the entrance. Both tom's amber eyes were glancing wildly around, as if they didn't understand the pact their leader had made for them.

Sootleaf looked at the two, "Are you both ready?"

Slashingclaw's eyes, naturally narrowed and a brilliant golden, made him look like a determined warrior. He held his head high, probably excited to leave the territories and thus escape the hold the Darkforest has on him, while Rockshade beside him cowered in fear. His mind whirled with what his littermate would think, him leaving the territories to who-knows-where, and dying far away from the Clans.

"Wait! Slashingclaw, wait!" Brackenshade suddenly yowled, rushing forward and embracing her littermate by digging her face into his shoulder. "I cannot let you leave. What if you died?" her face lifted towards Sootleaf's, "Let me go, too!"

Sootleaf blinked, "Only two is-"

"Fine!" Bigstar lashed her tail, almost in hysterics. "Brackenshade and Slashingclaw can go. Rockshade can stay," and she let the black and white tom join his clanmates, looking bemused and bewildered.

Frostbone narrowed her eyes and watched the two brunette littermates embrace one another and whisper excitedly about the journey. 
Does Bigstar have a vendetta against these two? So quick to let them leave on this dangerous journey?

The circle surrounding Frostbone broke. Cats began to gather in groups, glare at the VenomClan deputy, and gossip bitterly.
The deputy padded away from them, her pelt feeling hot. She knew Cougarfang was staring at her and saying things to the other warriors that would make them hate her. A one-eyed she-cat was staring from the Clan's nursery like Frostbone had just murdered her kit's father!

"So," Frostbone mewed as she approached Sootleaf. "Is OakClan next?"
"Yes," Sootleaf mewed. "And OakClan will be hard. I wonder how late Birchstar stays awake?" and he chuckled, but the answer was not late at all, considering he trained in the Darkforest. 
Sootleaf became more serious. "Frostbone, what you're doing here... well, you're being very mature. Taking responsibility for your faults, even if you can't attend the journey yourself."

"I only fear how Wolfstar will react with two warriors missing from his Clan, and his allies' Clans. All because of me," she hung her head, dreading his punishment. 
"He will be fine," Sootleaf mewed. "You're his deputy. Whatever happens, you'll rise again."
Frostbone's ears flicked, "How do you know that?"
"I've dreamt it."