MoonClan's Return

Chapter 7

            "Wait, you two know each other?" Cliff asked.

            "Is this the she-cat?" Hazelstar asked.

            Cliff nodded. "Yes! She attacked me for no reason."

            "Sorry, I didn't know that you were a part of MoonClan," Screechshade said, licking her paw.

            "It's great to see you, Screechshade. It's Hazelstar now, by the way. Moonstar has appointed me leader and Fire as deputy. What have you been up to?"

            "Congratulations," Screechshade said, leaping down from the rock. "What an honor. I would never have thought that scrawny ginger tom would become deputy, but no matter. I have been wandering around these woods for moons."

            "You're here to join MoonClan, I presume?"

            "I am here to return to MoonClan," Screechshade purred. "Tell me, is my sister here?"

            "Bloodfur has already arrived," Hazelstar explained. "She and Bone have had four daughters."

            "So she's become mates with that coward. Can't blame her. My sister isn't as vicious. I seemed to do the dirty work for Moonstar anyway."

            "You did dirty work for Moonstar?"

            "Oh yeah," Screechshade said. "There were several cats she instructed me to kill, including Bone's formal mate, Snowfeather."

            The name sounded familiar in the back of Hazelstar's head, but she wasn't sure why. She barely remembered the she-cat. What had she looked like again? Suddenly, Hazelstar froze as it all came back to her. It was Snowfeather who watched over her and her siblings in the nursery, it was Snowfeather who helped her escape with Blackpaw to FoxClan. She had not known why the she-cat had been murdered.

            "Why was the she-cat killed exactly?" Hazelstar asked weakly.

            "After she helped Blackpaw, Chesnutkit, and you, of all cats, escape. I'm surprised Moonstar made you leader. You didn't believe in MoonClan's power as a kit."

            "I've changed now," Hazelstar growled. "You need to speak to your leader with reverence." She couldn't help but think about Snowfeather's act of kindness that had cost her life. Was she betraying that now?

            "Let's be honest, Hazelstar. You're nowhere near as vicious as Moonstar. I suppose you haven't even killed a cat yet," she purred.

            "Don't question my powers!" Hazelstar spat.

            "It's true, isn't it?" Screechshade laughed. "You haven't killed a cat. My, I don't understand why you were chosen. Too cowardly to kill a cat? Why not kill this one?" she asked, pointing to Cliff.

            "Cliff is a clan member. I cannot go around killing members!" Hazelstar hissed.

            "We have plenty already. It won't hurt," Screechshade said.

            Cliff froze in fear. Hazelstar could do it. She could kill the tom to prove Screechshade wrong. She took a step forward, then stopped.

            "Not Cliff," she spat. "I'll kill any rogue you want."

            "But that doesn't take commitment, now does it? A true leader can kill even their family. I'm sure you know who that is."