Froststar's Destiny

Chapter Thirty-four

Dawnfire was quiet for a while, but then she spoke up again. "Frostwind, I... I have a confession to make. I fell in love with a WinterClan cat."

"You did?" Frostwind asked. Forbidden love? Again? Like always? More problems?!!

"Yeah, I did," Dawnfire meowed quietly, in such a mournful voice that Frostwind felt bad her immediate thoughts were how problematic forbidden love would be.

Frostwind already had a feeling this mysterious love had died, but she didn't say anything. "Who did you fall in love with?"

Dawnfire lowered her eyes to the ground. "You killed Moonwisp today, remember?"

"Yeah... Moonwisp." Frostwind barely remembered the beautiful silvery she-cat who'd been bloodied at her claws. Moonwisp. She'd had a beautiful name that matched her looks.

"She was named in honor of her mother and her brother," Dawnfire meowed. "Her mother was Moongleam, and her brother was Wispflame. I fell in love with Wispflame. He was broken after the death of Moongleam, and we started talking, a little." Dawnfire looked at Frostwind, her eyes full of desperation. "Frostwind, right before the battle, Wispflame said he wanted to join SeasonClan. Well, SummerClan, but it's SeasonClan now. He said that even at the cost of his mother and father, and now they're dead."

Frostwind's thoughts drifted back to Blizzardleap and Moonwisp, both slain by her claws. She hadn't wanted to kill them. These days, she didn't want to kill anybody. But life was tough, and she had to be the toughest of them all to survive and thrive.

"Wispflame, huh?" Frostwind murmured. "Tell you what. The battle between four Clans is coming soon, and when it happens, Wispflame chooses a side. He either fights his own Clanmates or he joins SeasonClan in the assault. I know it's not ideal, but it has to be this way."

Dawnfire's expression was mournful, but she nodded.

"Right."

They returned to camp and Frostwind went to her den. Someone had changed the moss. She didn't think her Clan had any more apprentices, but she saw Hickorysnarl nodding at her and resolved to thank her former apprentice later.

The Clan was organized and moving smoothly along even with the new additions of the SpringClan cats. In fact, they already seemed to be forming friendships, which made Frostwind smile as she witnessed it. The more they bonded, the more united the Clan would be. This was the endgame they were all working towards, and she could see it working.

She realized now that there was no use waiting until the SpringClan cats recovered. That could be moons, and what if WinterClan attacked first, further weakening them?

"SeasonClan!" she called, jumping onto the High Rock. "I want a vote."

Everyone gathered beneath the High Rock, eagerly awaiting instruction, their ears twitching in anticipation.

"Who wants to attack WinterClan now, raise your tails," Frostwind meowed. She looked around for Windecho raising his tail only to feel a pang of sadness. They were divided again. Several cats, possibly the majority, raised their tails. "Those who think we should wait till the injured recover, go to the left there."

It looked around half half, but Hawkfeather stepped forward. "Leaf-bare is approaching. If we want to attack, we should do it now, in autumn. I have herbs now. I won't have herbs later."

"Point taken," Frostwind meowed. "We attack now! Every able bodied warrior, I want you gathered to my right."

There were quite a lot of them, all grinning like hooligans awaiting the battle of their lives. Frostwind herself jumped down to join them.