Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Forty-Nine

Nightstar grinned widely as she left her den and saw the OakClan cats being snapped at by the DawnClan warriors. A few days passed since she took over OakClan and she made it clear any disobedience would result in punishment or death. Sure, leafbare was in full swing and there was fresh snow on the ground, but her Clan was thriving! Instead of two medicine cats, they now had three and the herb store had doubled. Both deputies, Frostgaze and Lichenstorm, worked well together despite being wary of each other. They sent out twice as many hunting and border patrols and there was always prey in the pine forest or the oak forest. This is how Clans should live, Nightstar. Whispered the voice of Badgershade, making her paws tingle. But, we have much to discuss.

With Honeyheart dead and Wolfstripe being distant with his kits since her death, Lizardkit and Fallingkit have been living well in the nursery with the other kits. At around the same age, they were as energetic as the others. Nightstar noticed Wolfstripe often looking at Robinfire and hanging out with her more often than not.

Nightstar watched as her large Clan went on with their day, as though the addition of OakClan never occurred. However, she noticed that some of the warriors, OakClan and DawnClan alike, were speaking to each other in the corner by the camp entrance. With so many cats, most of the warriors had to expand the camp to fit all the new Clan. Hearing squeaking by the nursery, Nightstar turned her head and saw the kits playing with a pebble, heading for a group of OakClan cats.

Redstripe was the first to notice the kits and pricked his ears, his eyes soft and gentle like a feather. Nightstar watched closely, wondering if the other warriors would attack the kits that shared the same blood as those around them. Instead, he crouched down and swatted the pebble towards the nursery, where the kits squealed in delight and charged after it.

As he watched them go, Redstripe caught Nightstar's watching eye and met her gaze. Nightstar cocked her head and saw the tom hold her gaze until Blueheart nudged him. As he looked away, Nightstar felt something burn in her chest. The way the warrior held her gaze reminded her of his father. Apple could hold the gaze of a mother fox and not flinch. Nightstar rose to her paws and parted her jaws.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Jagged Stone for a Clan meeting!" She announced, seeing many warriors turn their heads and start to flock to her call. Watching her warriors, she felt a swell of power course through her body as they looked up at her with curiosity and wonder of what she would say. Frostgaze and Lichenstorm turned their heads and bounded to their positions and watched each cat closely.

"What's this about, Nightstar?" Called Dewpath from the medicine den, his wounds patched with green herbs and cobwebs. Most of the warriors who fought in the battle were like that. "The kits aren't three moons old yet, are they?"

Vixenpool gasped, staring at him in shock. "You train kits at three moons old?" At Dewpath's nod, she looked up at Nightstar. "That's against the Warrior Code!"

Redstripe looked at his mother, flicking his tail across her shoulders to relax her. "Mother," he meowed. "The Warrior Code was changed seasons ago. Kits get too big when they reach six moons and they are weaned from their mother's milk at around two-and-a-half moons old."

Vixenpool looked stunned as she gazed at her son. "But then kits are being sent into battle when they are supposed to be suckling at the curve of their mother's belly!" She shrieked and Redstripe looked around.

"Vixenpool," it was Swiftsoul who spoke this time, his voice gentle. "Why don't we get you to a nest and some poppy seeds? You need to sleep." He suggested and padded to his former leader, who let out a hiss and swiped a paw at him.

Nightstar lashed her tail. "Redstripe and Dawnflame," she meowed sharply. "Deal with her and remove her from this meeting. She is wasting time blabbering about nonsense."