Warriors: Shadows in the Light - Tainted Honey [Book Three]

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

ROSELIGHT | THUNDERCLAN FOREST

Roselight continued following Honeystar and Mistysong, and the only louder than their talking was her heart, drumming so loudly she was certain they could hear it.

They don't know I'm here... that's what she told herself and believed.

Honeystar suddenly stopped, ears twitching. "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" Mistysong asked dubiously, watching her brother.

"The mouse." Honeystar was looking to the right of him. "I'm going to catch it. You can go on ahead or wait for me."

"I'll wait right here." Mistysong sat down, tail curling around her paws. Honeystar nodded and left, silently disappearing through the undergrowth.

It's scary how silently he just disappeared. Roselight shivered. Keeping her eyes trained on Mistysong, she waited for Honeystar to return. Suddenly, something jumped onto her. Roselight shrieked, writhing and squirming.

"I got," Mistysong looked over the shoulder, "the mouse." Honeystar had her pinned. Roselight struggled, but he was overwhelmingly strong.

Mistysong's eyes widened. "Oh, I thought you had been serious about the mouse."

Honeystar ignored her statement and lowered his muzzle so it was next to Roselight's ear. "Tell me, why were you following us?"

Roselight opened her jaws, but he stopped her.

"Wait, I have a different question to start with. Why are you on ThunderClan territory in the first place?" He must've realized who she was since she had mud smearing the majority of her dark ginger pelt, hiding her identity for the most part.

Roselight shakily answered, chastising herself internally for being openly frightened. "I was g-going to the Moonpool."

"For what?" Mistysong snorted. "You missed the half-moon meeting, that was yesterday night."

"You weren't there-" Roselight began to snarl, but she let out a cry of pain when Honeystar unsheathed his claws.

"Next question. Why were you following us?"

"Because I know you two are awful, two-faced, lying pieces of crow-food and have an awful plan." Roselight spat, bracing herself for a blow or scratch. Honeystar didn't do anything, surprising her.

"Hmm, I guess you could call us that." Honeystar agreed. "But we're two clever beings, as well."

Roselight growled, thrashing some more, but she was only rewarded with more pain.

"What are you waiting for? Kill the mouse-brained-" Mistysong caught herself, staring right at Roselight. "Wait, what the - how are you alive?" It must've clicked in her brain just then.

Honeystar sniffed with disdain. "Don't tell me I have to kill every cat you fail to kill. You're just like the others. Hollymoon seems to know how to follow my orders very well, however."

Mistysong froze, clearly hurt.

I've had it wrong. When I thought Mistysong was the leader behind the murderers, it was Honeystar. And I wish it still was Mistysong. Roselight gritted her teeth, screwing her eyes shut and awaiting certain death.

"I have other plans for her." Honeystar meowed finally. "I'm sure you heard what I said earlier?" He didn't have to clarify which sentence he was talking about. Roselight nodded fearfully. "I'm sure you want nothing bad to happen to you."

"Or... any other cat." Roselight added timidly.

Honeystar continued. "But we can't let you run back to your Clan and spew all this information out, now can we?"

Roselight realized what he was hinting at. He was going to keep her prisoner.

"I won't say a word, I swear!-" Honeystar cut her off before she said anything else.

"That's what they all say." Honeystar purred venomously. The weight disappeared. "No funny business or you will die." Honeystar warned, trotting past her. Mistysong waited for Roselight to pass her, then she began walking. She felt Mistysong's glare burning into the back of her head.

As they approached camp, Roselight noticed Honeystar's demeanor change. His lashing tail eased to a gentle swish and his flattened ears pricked up. He no longer gave Roselight the sense he was upset; instead, he looked quite calm.

But Roselight was deathly scared. How did he pull that off so easily? This was the deputy - now leader - he fooled everyone into believing he was.

It's because he's done it so many times. But no cat should act so well. Roselight closed her eyes, but opened them quickly, scared she'd run into a tree and humiliate herself.

Honeystar entered ThunderClan camp, not checking to see if she'd follow. Roselight hesitated, but Mistysong shoved her from behind, forcing her to go into the hole.

Roselight felt trapped all of a sudden when she walked into ThunderClan's camp. She had to get out of here! Everything crashed down on her as she broke free of her shock. She had to get back to WindClan - and-

Honeystar was greeting a few cats. Roselight halted behind him, realizing she looked like a psycho. She had mud all over her and she looked like she lived in the bushes, with tufts of fur sticking up and thin lines of blood streaking her mud-brown side.

"What'd you do, Honeystar? Go to WindClan and steal this apprentice?" a black she-cat Roselight recognized as Hollymoon looked at Roselight mockingly.

I'm not an apprentice. Roselight unsheathed her claws, but she didn't correct the warrior or do anything for that matter.

"No," Honeystar wasn't amused by Hollymoon's jeer, "this apprentice thought she could get away with spying."

Hollymoon snorted, thoroughly amused.

The other two cats there were both uncertain, shooting Roselight curious looks. One was a light silver she-cat while the other was a gray tabby she-cat.

"The WindClan medicine cat apprentice?" the light silver she-cat asked quizzically. "What harm can she do?"

Roselight expected Honeystar to snap at the warrior, but he simply gave her a smile. "Don't be fooled because of her age. You can see she was spying. Who would streak mud throughout their pelt?" he sidestepped, revealing her a little more. "We'll keep her as prisoner and interrogate her later."

Hollymoon's eyes danced with malice and glee. "Terrific. I can lead her to the prison."

"The one Littlewish had?" the gray tabby asked. Roselight finally recognized both of them as her mind thought about it. Echopaw and Cloverheart.

Honeystar nodded and Roselight was whisked away by Hollymoon.

Oh StarClan, this is not good. WindClan doesn't know where I went. They'll all assume I died - again. And I'll be imprisoned in a Clan with bad intentions.

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-artemis