Chapter 5

"What is it Firestar?" a voice asked. Flowershadow peeked out of the bushes. Firestar, Graystripe, Ravenpaw, the former prisoners, and three other Thunderclan warriors stood in the forest. Firestar's ears were pricked. He sniffed the air, his shoulders tensing.

"Shadowclan," he replied, "I smell them nearby…" Flowershadow froze. Clawface and Rowanberry ducked futher into the bushes, rustling the leaves. Flowershadow's eyes widened as Firestar met her gaze. "Flowershadow? Is that you?"

"Y-yes," Flowershadow stood up, allowing the leaves of the bushes to rustle. Clawface and Rowanberry stood beside her. Firestar's eyes widened.

"C-Clawface?" he stammered.

Clawface dipped his head. His tail scraped the leafy ground as he spoke, "Hello Firestar… long time no see…" Flowershadow's gaze shifted between the two toms, an eyebrow raised.

"Firestar, who is this?" the light brown tabby asked, pointing at Flowershadow with her tail.

"Tigerstar's daughter, Flowershadow," Firestar answered.

"From Goldenflower's litter?" the pale ginger cat asked. She took a step closer. Her green eyes gleamed with interest as she observed Flowershadow. "You're the kit that Tigerstar kidnapped!" Flowershadow nodded. She stepped out of the bushes, shaking her pelt a shake to remove the leaves and twigs. Clawface and Rowanberry followed her lead.

"Can we trust her?' the white tom asked, his tail rattling.

"She helped us save Mistyfoot and my kits," Graystripe replied, taking a step closer to Flowershadow. "I think we can trust her."

"What about the others?" the light brown tabby asked, gesturing to Clawface and Rowanberry.

"They helped me hold off the Shadowclan cats," Flowershadow replied, resting her tail on Clawface's shoulder. "Yes, they can be trusted. We were banished… will you offer us shelter in Thunderclan."

"Of course," Firestar replied, gesturing to them to follow. "All of you can stay until you are safe to return."

"Which may be never," Clawface muttered.

"At least we're together this time," Rowanberry insisted, pressing her cheek against Clawface's. The tom glanced at her with wide eyes. However, neither of them said a word as they followed the Thunderclan patrol through the forest. Flowershadow gazed at the gorse tunnel as they padded through. Thunderclan camp was never a place she ever thought she would see again and yet here she was, moons later. She would finally see her mother again! And Bramblekit and Tawnykit! By now they had surely earned their apprentice names, perhaps even their warrior names like she had.

"Thank Starclan you're back, Firestar!" Brackenfur's voice snapped Flowershadow out of her thoughts. "It's Tawnypaw-she's disappeared!" Flowershadow's eyes widened.

"Disappeared?!" Firestar repeated, his ears pricking. "What happened?!"

"We're not sure," Whitestorm replied, much calmer than the younger warrior. "It was

Bramblepaw who first said he couldn't find her. I thought he was making a fuss about nothing, but we searched the camp. She isn't here, and no cat saw her leave."

"It's my fault," Brackenfur broke in, his voice shrill. "I'm her mentor."

Whitestorm glanced at him. "It's not your fault. "I sent you on hunting patrol. No cat expects you to be in two places at once." Bracken shook his head, letting out a sigh of despair.

"Fetch Bramblepaw," Firestar ordered, flicking his tail at the light brown tabby. He instantly took off. Firestar glanced at the others. "Mistyfoot, Flowershadow, Featherpaw, Stormpaw, Clawface, and uh…" Firstar froze when he glanced at Rowanberry. "You… all of you go to Cinderpelt's den so she can treat your injuries."

"My name is Rowanberry," Rowanberry replied, rolling her eyes.

"I can go and explain to her why they're here," Graystripe offered. Firestar nodded to him. The six cats padded toward a tunnel of ferns where the scent of herbs was strongest. "Cinderpelt," Graystripe called. A gray head poked out of the tunnel. Her eyes went wide as her gaze focused on the Riverclan and Shadowclan cats.

"What are all these cats doing here?" Cinderpelt asked. She limped out of the tunnel, revealing her ruptured leg.

"They're refugees from Tigerclan," Graystripe replied, pressing against Featherpaw.

"Great Starclan!" Cinderpelt's eyes widened as she observed the scratches and bite marks on the Shadowclan cats.

"Will my kits be okay?" Graystripe asked, wrapping his tail around Stormpaw. The two cats were dripping wet. Mistyfoot and Featherpaw were similarly drenched, their grey pelts weighed down by the water.

"They just need food," Cinderpelt answered, "And perhaps some feverfew for chills. As for these three." The medicine cat turned to Rowanberry, Clawface, and Flowershadow. "Their wounds look deep. What happened to you?"

"We fought off a Shadowclan patrol while the others escaped,�� Flowershadow answered, licking her bloody shoulder. "I'll be alright… no need to waste your herbs on me."

"It's not a waste!" Cinderpelt exclaimed, pressing her muzzle against Flowershadow's shoulder. "Your wounds are just as deep as your clanmates' wounds. Please, let me treat you."

Flowershadow let out a sigh. "...okay." She followed Cinderpelt and the others into her den, which quickly became crowded with cats. Cinderpelt passed some daisy-like flowers to the Riverclan cats. Flowershadow laid down in one of the nests. The medicine cat limped from cat to cat, pressing cobwebs and some green poultice onto their wounds. It stung like nettles but Flowershadow didn't protest. Her thoughts lingered on her family the whole time, worrying over Tawnypaw, and longing to see Bramblepaw and Goldenflower again.

"That should be good," Cinderpelt muttered, pressing poultice onto the scar on Rowanberry's face. "All of you should take it easy for a few days though, so you don���t reopen your wounds or overexert yourselves."

"Flowerkit!" a voice cried. Flowershadow's raised an eyebrow at being addressed by her kit name until she locked gazes with the cat outside. She jerked to her paws.

"Mother!" Flowershadow cried. Goldenflower rushed toward her, pressing her cheek against her daughter's cheek. A purr rose in Flowershadow's chest.

"Oh my daughter, I thought I would never see you again," Goldenflower cried, pressing harder against her.

"I thought so as well," Flowershadow replied, resting her chin on her mother's shoulder. "But I'm here now… Oh mother, I wish I'd never left." Goldenflower backed away. She met Flowershadow's gaze, her eyes wide.

"That wasn't your fault, honey," she insisted. "You were only a kit, and you were taken by force!" The two padded out of Cinderpelt's den, stopping to talk more in the clearing.

"I know, I know," Flowershadow replied, sitting down. "But I'm here now…"

"I wish you could've showed up at a better time, my daughter," Goldenflower sighed, wrapping her tail around her paws as she sat in front of her.

"Oh yeah… Tawnypaw," Flowershadow's smile faded. "I just… hope she isn't with Tigerstar… if she is then she's not safe."

"She wouldn't have gone willingly," Goldenflower insisted.

"Oh no, I'm not implying anything like that," Flowershadow mewed quickly. "But…" she paused to sigh. It was entirely possible that Tigerstar had sent some of his warriors to slip into Thunderclan camp to retrieve the rest of his kits. Though why they wouldn't fight back...

"Firestar and the others will tell us what happened when they get back," Goldenflower replied. She turned away with a sigh, padding into the warriors' den.

"Flowerkit?" a new voice gasped. "Is that you?!" Flowershadow turned to see a tom, with a dark tabby pelt identical to her's.

"Bramblepaw?" Flowershadow's voice was hardly more than a whisper as she padded toward the tom.

"Oh, sorry…" Bramblepaw's paws shifted awkwardly. "You're probably an apprentice by now. Right, Flowerpaw?"

"Actually, I'm a warrior… Flowershadow," she replied.

Bramblepaw let out a gasp. "A warrior already?!" he exclaimed. "Congrats!"

"Thanks," Flowershadow replied, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

Bramblepaw let out a sigh. "If only Tawnypaw were here to see you too. We've both really missed you…"

"And I've missed both of you, too," Flowershadow replied, resting her tail on Bramblepaw's shoulder.

"Well, what did you find?!" Goldenflower's meow erupted from the clearing. Flowershadow turned to see her with a brown she-cat and a light brown tabby tom. Bramblepaw and Flowershadow padded over to join them. Firestar and the search patrol were at the entrance to camp, their pelts dripping wet with rainwater.

"Nothing," Firestar murmured, gazing at his paws, "We don't know where she is.��

"Then why aren't you still looking?!" Goldenflower's voice was sharper than a thorn bush.

Firestar's head hung low as he shook his head. "There's nothing more we can do in the dark and the rain. She could be anywhere."

"You don't care do you?!" Goldenflower's high pitched meow spilt the air like a twig and Flowershadow found herself flattening her ears. You think she left deliberately! You never trusted her!" Goldenflower whipped around and disappeared into the branches of the warriors' den.

"Wait!" Firestar called. But nobody came.

The pale ginger she-cat rested her tail on Firestar's shoulder. "She doesn't know what she's saying," she insisted. Firestar turned to Bramblepaw.

"It's okay, Firestar," he sighed, his tail dragging in the grass. "I know you did all you could. Thank you." He turned away, his head hung low as he padded into the apprentice's den. Flowershadow turned away as well. She peeked inside Cinderpelt's den again, spotting Clawface and Rowanberry in their nests. Their wounds were bright. However, the bleeding had stopped and they laid peacefully in their nests.

"Clawface…" Flowershadow murmured. The brown tom's eyes fluttered open. He raised his head, meeting Flowershadow's gaze.

"Hey Flowershadow," Clawface yawned.

"How are your wounds healing?" Flowershadow asked, sitting down beside his nest.

"They're healing fine. Why?"

"Just making sure… I uh, didn't expect you and Rowanberry to turn against your own clanmates," Flowershadow admitted, wrapping her tail around her paws.

"We didn't expect you to either," Clawface replied, licking his paw and rubbing it against his forehead. "But you're right. The way Tigerstar treated Half-clan cats was terrible… there's no honour in killing opponents who can't fight back."

"What made you decide to turn around?" Flowershadow asked.

"You, of course," Clawface replied, "Though it always made me sick… watching how Tigerstar treated them… I'm just glad he never knew-" Clawface slapped his tail across his mouth.

"Knew what?" Flowershadow inquired.

"I… I'm half-clan."

Flowershadow's eyes widened. "Really?"

Clawface nodded. "My mother was a Shadowclan cat but my father was a rogue…" he paused to sigh. "Not that either of them were around…" Flowershadow felt a pang in her heart, worse than claws ripping her open.

"I… I'm sorry… you-you've lost a lot, haven't you?" Clawface nodded, resting his head on his paws again.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a clan meeting," a voice called. Flowershadow however remained seated in her spot.

"Aren't you gonna go out there for the clan meeting?" Clawface yawned.

"Nah, I already know what he's gonna say," Flowershadow replied, flicking her tail. She laid down in one of the nests, whipped her tail back and forth as she watched the clan meeting through the ferns. Firestar described Tigerclan in great detail. He included how Flowershadow had turned against them to help rescue the prisoners and how Clawface and Rowanberry fought by her side to keep the Shadowclan warriors from reaching them.

"I've called you here to welcome the three Riverclan cats and three Shadowclan cats we

rescued. You all know Mistyfoot, and Featherpaw and Stormpaw, Graystripe's kits. The three Shadowclan cats are Clawface." Firestar's tone was sharp as he said the brown warrior's name. "Rowanberry, and Flowershadow. I think we should offer them a place in ThunderClan until it's safe for them to go home.""

"Wait… Flowershadow?" a voice repeated. It had come from a white tom, who Flowershadow recognized as Whitestorm. "You mean Flowerkit? The kit Tigerstar kidnapped all those moons ago? Flowershadow stood up. She padded out of Cinderpelt's den, immediately being faced by every Thunderclan cat's shocked gaze.

"Oh my Starclan!" Mousefur exclaimed. "It really is you! Flowerkit!"

"She's returned to us," Frostfur gasped. "Goldenflower! Did you know about this?!" The pale ginger she-cat nodded.

"She is more than welcome to say," Longtail replied, pointing his tail at Flowershadow. "She was once a member of Thunderclan… but the others… I'm sorry for what they've been through, all of them, but if they stay here, what are they going to eat? It's the middle of leaf-bare. We've got our work cut out feeding ourselves."

"I can help hunt," Flowershadow offered, raising her tail. "My wounds aren't that bad. I can even hunt for Clawface and Rowanberry."

"And I can hunt for Mistyfoot and my kits!" Graystripe added, springing up to face the clan. "I can feed all three of them, and more of the clan as well."

"We're not helpless you know," Mistyfoot added, rolling her eyes. "Give us a day or two to get stronger, and we'll hunt for ourselves and you as well."

Mousefur sprang up, staring right at Firestar. "It's not a question of who's going to hunt. This is a harder leaf-bare than usual, after the fire. We're all hungry, and we'll need all the strength we can get if we're going to have to fight this Tigerclan. I say they should go home."

"We can't go home!" Flowershadow protested, her eyes narrowed at the brown she-cat. "We'll all be imprisoned or murdered if we do!" How can you be so cruel?!

Mousefur glanced at her. "Oh no, I didn't mean you, sweetie, You were born here, this is where you belong… but the others…"

"So you care about me just because I was born here?!" Flowershadow demanded, taking a step toward Mousefur. "I'm not any more of a cat than Mistyfoot or Clawface or any of them. My friends and I helped a patrol of your clan escape unscathed with prisoners at the cost of our lives and you're trying to send all of them to their deaths! Is that what you want your clan to be known for?!" Flowershadow's eyes were narrowed and her tail rattled as she spoke. Mousefur's eyes were wide.

"She's not wrong," a cat murmured. More murmurs of agreement spread through the cays and Firestar nodded.

"It is settled," he meowed, "All of the refugees will stay in Thunderclan for the time being."

"Thank you Firestar," Mistyfoot replied, dipping her head to the ginger tom. "We won't forget this."

"It was the right thing to do," Firestar replied simply. "I just hope you'll feel completely better soon."

"They'll be fine, Firestar," Cinderpelt meowed, limping toward Highrock. "All they need is good food and a warm place to sleep."

"Yes, there was no bedding in that horrible hole," Featherpaw fretted. The little she-cat's eyes were wide with fear.

"You don't need to think about that anymore," Mistyfoot replied, licking her apprentice's cheek. "Just concentrate on getting strong again. As soon as you're fit, we'll have to get on with your training." Graystripe took a step toward Highrock, needing to crane his neck in order to meet Firestar's gaze.

"Stonefur was Stormpaw's mentor, so he'll need another one now. Is it okay if I mentor him myself?" he asked.

"Good idea," Firestar replied, leaping off Highrock. "We'll hold the ceremony right away." He beckoned to Strompaw with his tail. The apprentice stepped forward obediently, shaking on his paws. "Stormpaw, you have already begun your apprenticeship. Stonefur was a noble mentor, and ThunderClan grieves for him. Now you must continue to learn the skills of a warrior under a new mentor." Firestar turned to Graystripe. "Graystripe, you will continue Stormpaw's training. You have borne suffering with a warrior's spirit, and I expect you to pass on what you have learned to this apprentice." Graystripe nodded, padding toward Stormpaw to press his nose against his. With that the meeting was over. Flowershadow padded after Bramblepaw, finding him with a couple of apprentices by their den.

"Hey, Bramblepaw," Flowershadow greeted. Bramblepaw glanced at her, his amber eyes glowing in the night. The other apprentices turned too.

"Is it true Bramblepaw?" the flecked gray tom asked. "Is that really your sister?"

"Was she really kidnapped by Tigerstar?" the gray she-cat, most likely the tom's sister, chimed in.

"Did you really live in Shadowclan?"

"Yes to all of those questions," Flowershadow replied. The apprentices gazed at her in awe, some of them even gasping.

"How do you already have your warrior name?" the she-cat asked.

"Yeah, you're the same age as Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw," the tom added. "How come you have your warrior name and they don't?"

Flowershadow shrugged, "Different leaders decide at different times when they should make cats warriors," she replied.

"What did you do to impress Tigerstar?!" the tom gasped.

Flowershadow's smile faded. "Not good things…" The apprentices fell silent, their paws shifting as they exchanged silent glances among themselves.

"Why did you follow his orders?" the she-cat asked. "I mean, he's evil! Why didn't you just come back here."

"I was only a kit when I was taken away. I didn't know any better and by the time I did…" Flowershadow shivered as she remembered Stonefur going limp in her jaws like a piece of prey. "Well, I'm here now…"

"Do you regret it?" a new voice asked. Flowershadow turned around, her eyes instantly becoming as wide as lakes. Stormpaw was stomping toward her. The frail tom's eyes were narrowed into slits. "Killing Stonefur," he added in her silence. "Do you regret killing him?"

"You killed Stonefur?" Bramblepaw gasped, staring wide-eyed at his sister. The other apprentices stared with the same look.

"I…" Flowershadow glanced at the ground. "Yes, I did."

"Why would you do that?!" Bramblepaw demanded, stomping his paw. "And don't you dare try and tell me you didn't know any better! You're a warrior, you should have some understanding of the warrior code!"

"No… I knew exactly what I was doing," Flowershadow sighed, glancing up to meet her brother's eye. "But it was Tigerstar's orders… and if I refused, he would've killed me and had someone else kill Stonefur. Even if I fought, it's not a battle we could've won… not against a whole clan… Stonefur was going to die either way. All I could do was follow Tigerstar's orders… and make Stonefur's death as painless as I could." Flowershadow turned to Stormpaw, his amber gaze unreadable. "I'm sorry about your mentor, Stonefur. I didn't want to kill him, I swear…" Stormpaw blinked. Flowershadow turned around, letting out a sigh. "I know there's no excuse for what I did." Stormpaw's ear flicked. Without a word, he turned and marched away. The other apprentices stayed in place, staring at Flowershadow like the murderer she was.

"At least you turned things around?" Bramblepaw replied, forcing a smile.

"Saving the others and holding off a patrol is hardly turning things around," Flowershadow grunted. "I have a lot to do before I can make up for what I did… if I can at all."

"I think you can," Bramblepaw insisted.

"Ashpaw!" a voice called. The gray apprentice's ears pricked. Flowershadow turned to see a brown cat she recognized as Dustpelt rushing toward Ashpaw.

"Yes, Dustpelt?" Ashpaw asked, bounding toward him.

"Tigerclan is attacking Windclan," he informed, skidding to a halt. "Firestar wants us on a patrol to help them." Ashpaw nodded. The two toms took off in a sprint

"Windclan?" Bramblepaw echoed. "What do they want with Windclan?"

"Territory," Flowershadow spat. She paused for a moment, all of the little pieces coming together in her mind. "...I can't believe I didn't see it before… why else would he want to unite the clans and become 'joint' leaders? He had full control over Riverclan… Leopardstar wasn't even willing to stand up for her own deputy. He wants power over every cat and every inch of territory… and he's determined to have it…"

"I… I just hope we can stop him," the she-cat's voice shook as she spoke. Flowershadow and Bramblepaw nodded. But can we?