Book 2: City of Ice and Fire (a warriors cats and shadowhunters crossover)

Chapter 11: The Mortal Stick is Taken

*****Nightrose's POV*****

It is later in the evening when Frondleap sneaks back into HunterClan camp. The tom acts as though nothing was out of the ordinary, murmuring a few greetings to Petalfall, Ashwhisker, and Badgerstripe as he passes them on his way to the fresh-kill pile.

He hasn't even been hunting today! Nightrose tears at the grass from her spot beside Dawnpaw. She'd been ranting to the pale apprentice about Frondleap's lack of responsibility ever since she'd returned to camp with Stripepaw and Smokepaw. The two apprentices were now sharing a sparrow outside the Apprentice's Den, across the clearing they were like two gray smudges against the green of camp.

If any cat in HunterClan would understand just how aggravating Frondleap could be it would be Dawnpaw. The healer apprentice had once planned to be his mate until she found out he was cheating on her, which then led her to go down her rightful path in life as a Medicine Cat. The two she-cats were currently hunkered down outside the Medicine Den, both eating the remains of their prey. Nightrose had a vole lying at her paws, while Dawnpaw was eating a squirrel.

"I just don't understand how he can think shirking his responsibilities is okay. My mother would have my ear for that if I did, and I'd feel so ashamed too." Nightrose growled. She aggressively claws another piece of meat from her vole; the meat is stringy compared to usual, likely a result of her aggressive tugging at the fresh-kill.

"Well, we can't say he has the same parents as yours." Dawnpaw mutters, her light blue eyes focused on her squirrel.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nightrose asks her friend.

"I'm just saying, Frondleap's parents died when he was just a kit against the rogue army. It's understandable that he didn't have much parental guidance in his life, unlike you and Arrowheart who've had both your parents your entire lives." Dawnpaw tells her.

"So your saying he acts this way because he doesn't have parents?" She inquires.

Dawnpaw looks up to meet her gaze steadily. "No. That doesn't excuse what's he done. We all have choices to make that are only ours to make. The only difference for Frondleap is that he had no parental figure to steer him away from making those bad choices, so he never learned better early on. And here we are now." The healer mews.

Nightrose rises to her paws, her appetite momentarily forgotten. "You're right about one thing: we have to make our own choices. He chose wrong, and if parental cats can't make him understand then I will." She heads over to where Frondleap is sitting alone a few tail lengths from the fresh-kill pile. If Dawnpaw offers up any protests, Nightrose ignores them.

*******Goldenclaw's POV*******

Goldenclaw surges over another tussock of grass doing his best to keep up with Brother Zachariah. The Silent Brother moves like a snake in the undergrowth, his lightning quick movements coming from speed and familiarity of the place he calls home. Stalks and reeds whip at the golden tabby's face as he runs, at one point a hanging branch almost thwacks him in the face.

The Silent Forest is filled to the brim with chaotic sounds of battle. Goldenclaw and Jemsong run past a few fighting cats as they go. The warrior would've liked to join the brothers who are fighting, but he reminds himself that it's Frostfang their after. The only way this will end is if we force the Circle to retreat. And the only way that'll happen is if we attack Frostfang head on.

The trees shake violently with the breeze, several leaves cascading to the forest floor in an almost vicious tangent. Goldenclaw can't count just how many different types of trees he sees here, the tops of them too hard to see with how quick they were going.