Ashfeather was weary and tired. Every muscle ached, and she felt so guilty. So terrible. Her little "rebellion" plan had been absolutely pathetic. Gathering a small group of cats, most of whom were apprentices, and one who was a pregnant queen, and trying to find a way to get Twilightstar back and drive out ShadowClan? Yeah, right. She was pathetic, just like Rosebriar and Wolffang had said she was. She was so glad to have Twilightstar back; however, she could see that the leader was bloody, and had one eye closed. She was also thinner than normal. Worry pulsed through her, and regret, too.
There's nothing you could've done, she told herself, gently shaking her head. Her crooked jaw shifted slightly.
After all, you're just a queen. And less capable than any normal cat. A pang ran through her as she thought of herself as a queen. Her two kits had run away, and one had died. But both had run away because of Dawnstar. Would she ever see them again?
The former queen sat down, her tail twitching uneasily. She had seen so many cats curl their tail over their paws, but she physically couldn't. Her tail went over her paws, and she could barely move it, anyway. Ashfeather lowered her head in shame, studying her round black paws. During the battle, Rosebriar had called her out. And maybe Wolffang, although that had been aimed toward Morningpaw. Also, their attempt to go to ShadowClan and search for their leader had hardly even happened. Why did she even try?
Because I'm loyal to WindClan, she told herself. But wouldn't true loyalty mean doing something that would accomplish something? Really, Ashfeather should just hang back and let the normal warriors do things. Because she had failed, a lot. It was so relieving to have Twilightstar back... but Ashfeather just felt like a total failure.
***
@
Moonraven
Rosebriar was so relieved. Twilightstar was home! She bounded over to the Breezerock and skidded to a halt, sitting down and curling her elegantly bushy tail over her paws. Looking upward, she tensed upon noticing the WindClan leader's state. One eye was sewn shut by claw marks, and she was awfully thin. Not the good kind of thin, like Rosebriar, but a bad kind of thin, as though she hadn't eaten enough. She was all bloody, too. Her excitement was replaced with disgust, and her cute pink nose wrinkled. What had happened? Should she know, or had she been too focused fighting with Smokewisp? Ah yes, that handsome tom. He'd been in her mind ever since the fight. Maybe she should spend a little more time with him...
Rosebriar pushed that aside and focused on Twilightstar.
"Thank StarClan you're home!" she exclaimed up at the lilac-colored leader, her leaf-green eyes twinkling. There was more that she wanted to say, but she couldn't say it. Finally, things would be back in order! A smile made its way back onto her face. WindClan had survived ShadowClan! They could survive anything! She knew that Twilightstar would come home safely! Oh, yes, there was recovery work to do, but finally! WindClan could be WindClan again! No more mingling with those smelly, stupid, ugly ShadowClan cats and polluting the cats within.
***
Wolffang's ears perked as he heard his leader make the meeting call. He still felt a flash of pride from getting a chance to fight Finchwhisker, the ShadowClan deputy. Morningpaw had fought him, too. He had to admit that his ugly apprentice did have some good fighting skills. He really didn't know how to feel. He was proud that his great mentoring had shaped her up into a decent fighter, despite those clumsy paws and that patchy fur of hers. Yet he still wished that he could've fought Finchwhisker on his own and taken all the glory of fighting ShadowClan's deputy for himself.
She's good, but needs to know when to not ruin things, he thought somewhat bitterly.
Wolffang trotted over to the Breezerock and sat down by his sister, who acknowledged him with a slight nod of her head. He nodded back, and turned his broad face up toward Twilightstar. The leader appeared injured, and he smelled blood - both hers and another cat's - but she was here and alive.
"It's great to have you back, Twilightstar," the gray tom meowed, dipping his head respectfully.
"You are much more of a leader than Dawnstar ever will be." That much was true. Even if he didn't always agree with her, any cat would be better than fox-hearted Dawnstar.
Then his gaze drifted over to Ashfeather, who was staring at her paws sadly. Anger coursed through him. Was she not feeling glad about their leader's return? Of course, she hadn't done anything to help. She'd tried to rope his apprentice into one of her plans. He glared at her with a baleful, bright yellow gaze. She had tried to do something involving ShadowClan territory. Was she a traitor? Was she polluting Morningpaw's mind? Whatever it was, he knew that the half-blooded, deformed she-cat did not belong in WindClan. She only made things worse. Rosebriar followed his gaze and gave a nod. They both shared the same thought.
"Such a pathetic creature," Rosebriar hissed.
"Trying to escape the battle with some of our cats."
Wolffang nodded.
"I know. She tried getting my apprentice involved. I wish the others saw the way we did."
Rosebriar made a quiet scoff, but otherwise, did not say anything. Wolffang knew that they should be paying attention to what Twilightstar had to say. Forcefully, he wrenched his gaze away from that pitiful traitor and looked up at Twilightstar once more with a steady gaze. He was loyal to his leader, and to his Clan. Not Twistedface. He would never, ever show any form of acceptance or loyalty to her. Especially not after the fight.
Re: WindClan Breezerock
