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

Chapter 25: Welcome Back to the Land of Confusion

****Arrowheart's POV****

Dawn had only just risen as the group finally made their way back into the forest. The birds chirping was subdued on this crisp morning, a slight mist fogging up the ground that was covered in permafrost. Arrowheart paid the freezing blades of grass no mind, his heart feeling much more numb.

No one had felt all that talkative after burying Rookstar's body, not that this was surprising news.

Clearbreeze had spoken of his father somberly right beforehand. A few other cats had also given a few words. Silverthorn had stared miserably at the dead tabby, Arrowheart suspects that she felt she was to blame.

But Arrowheart knew she was not.

He personally blames himself.

"I'll be glad to be back in HunterClan camp. Won't you guys?" Sparkpaw asked. The flame colored she-cat had been attempting conversation for the past hour now, with little to no success. Arrowheart couldn't blame her for wanting to lighten up the melancholy mood, he just wasn't sure if he was truly ready to leave it yet.

Luckily for her, Simon was a different story. The tabby vampire had stuck by her side all morning long. He had settled in well with their group of cats, and also, surprisingly the werecats as well. Arrowheart had never seen a vampire and werecat get along, so seeing Simon get along well with an entire clan of werecats was extremely strange and at the very least a little nonsensical. Perhaps that was just the tabby's nature though. Getting along with everyone seemed to be his thing. If he had to guess, it came from Simon's easygoing personality.

"Yea. It'll be nice to be somewhere more permanent. Uh, that is if I can stay. Right Arrowheart?" Simon mews.

Patchfur shoots him a questioning look, as does Sparkpaw and Simon. Arrowheart wishes he could say without a doubt that Simon would be allowed to stay in HunterClan, but that wasn't exactly his decision to make, now was it? Blossomstar would be the cat making this decision. Arrowheart could only hope that she would say yes. He couldn't really imagine Simon being forced to live with FangClan, or even worse: forced to live as a rogue. Arrowheart knew that Simon would have no idea how to fend for himself entirely, even if he had learned to hunt for himself.

"You guys know I can't make any promises. Blossomstar is a fair leader. We will have to trust her decision." He tells them.

Arrowheart keeps his voice low, as to not be heard by the other cats around them. They'd been pretty vague about Simon's roll in their group. Frankly, the Shadowhunter was unsure what the Clan's impression of the kittypet was.

"But what if he isn't allowed to stay? Simon can't be left on his own." Sparkpaw protests.

Patchfur blinks sympathetically at her. "We will cross that bridge when we get to HunterClan Biscuit. Arrowheart is right, it isn't up to us what happens to Sheldon. We will have to trust in StarClan's will."

"And the will of the Angel." Arrowheart adds in.

"That's okay I guess. But Patchfur, please stop calling me Sheldon. My name is Simon." Simon stresses his name to the bicolored warrior. Arrowheart holds back a chortling laugh at the eye roll Patchfur gives Simon.

"Whatever you say Salmon." And then Patchfur is strutting forward. As his tail is twined with Arrowheart's own, the Shadowhunter finds himself being tugged along with him. As they are out of range, they no longer hear Simon's protests.

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

It was right as the sun was beginning to set that Arrowheart, Patchfur and Sparkpaw had returned to HunterClan camp. Nightrose, who had just returned from a patrol with Smokepaw and Brackenfoot, had spotted her litter mate the second he padded out of the thorn tunnel. With excitement fizzling in her lithe frame, she let out a small yowl of excitement before rushing over to greet him.