Warriors: Loyalty Dwindles (COMPLETE)

Chapter 18

 Dusk came upon the snowy moor as quickly as the day had passed for Adderstorm. Streaks of orange and purple danced across the clouds. The sun, now hardly visible over the horizon, was making its way for a chilly Leafbare night. Adderstorm strode across the snow, patches of it had melted away in the unusually warm sunlight that day. He had made the excuse of going on a late hunting trip to stretch his legs and keep an eye on the RiverClan border, but his heart thrummed with excitement at the fact he was going to meet up with Thistlejaw.

Another part of him felt fretful of any cat finding out about it, but as Thistlejaw had said, they weren't technically breaking any rules in the Code as long as they stuck to their own territories. And Adderstorm would still try to find prey for his clanmates on the way back to camp, as well as check along the RiverClan border for any trouble. 

His legs started to tremble when he reached the towering oak tree. Across the ShadowClan border was the darkness of the pine forest. His imagination was starting to run wild as the fur on the back of his neck stood on end. 

I feel like some invisible cat is watching me! How could any cat be comfortable living in such a place where you can hardly see around you?

The brown tabby tom sat underneath the oak tree and began to clean his fur while waiting for Thistlejaw's arrival. Doubt prickled in his mind, what if he wasn't going to show up? He'd be sitting near the ShadowClan border looking like a mouse-brain. 

His ears perked up when the bushes on ShadowClan's territory rustled, and the sound of a snapping twig underneath paws caught his attention. Thistlejaw's thick, dark blue-gray fur blended in with the evening shadows, but his brilliant yellow eyes contrasted from it. As soon as the ShadowClan warrior spotted Adderstorm, he came bounding over. When he was close enough, Adderstorm could practically feel the purrs coming from the tom's throat. 

He had the sudden urge to bury his muzzle into Thistlejaw's shoulder but swiftly realized that if he came back to camp with the scent of a ShadowClan warrior all over his pelt, cats would figure it out eventually. 

"You actually came.." Thistlejaw tentatively stepped up to the oak tree, but still kept to his side of the border. A hint of shock clouded over the blue-gray warrior's yellow eyes.

"Of course I did, I keep my word." Adderstorm nodded, relaxing as he curled his tail over his paws, "In any case, it's the least I could do after you saved me." The chill of a cold, Leafbare breeze nipped at his nose and ears, causing a shudder to ripple through his brown pelt. 

"Like I said at the Gathering, most of my clanmates aren't the kindest cats toward me. It's a little strange that a WindClan cat is showing me more understanding than those who I was raised with." Thistlejaw glanced down at the snow-covered ground meekly. Though, meek wasn't the word Adderstorm would use to normally describe the ShadowClan tom. 

"RiverClan is just paranoid. I do hope your clan doesn't get driven out, or worse." Thistlejaw added. 

Adderstorm thought back on what happened at the Gathering, how enraged Tanglestar was. And persistent on the subject of destroying the clan he cared about. His claws flexed into the dampened ground near the base of the oak tree, "If they do try to attack, I'm going to fight as hard as I can to protect my clanmates." 

Even if it means summoning that darkness I found in myself when attacking Sunsong.

The other tom's yellow eyes shined with admiration, "That's all well and good. But it's surprising, you usually act like a nervous mouse when we talk." 

"I am most of the time, but it doesn't mean I'm going to let my fears get in the way of doing what's right." Adderstorm tilted his chin up, looking at the starry sky above them. Each of the dots of light glimmered, and witnessing the sheer amount of them made his heart feel heavier than usual.