River of Fire/Chapter 5

Chapter Summary
’’Violetshine’s PoV’’
 * Leafstar orders Sandynose to lead a border patrol, and tells him to check out the old []ShadowClan]] camp on the way. She selects Violetshine to accompany him, and the she-cat steps up to stand beside her Clanmate. Leafstar then turns to Tree, fixing him with a serious gaze. She meows that while he’s been training with Frecklewish for the last half moon, he doesn’t seem interested in becoming a medicine cat. Leafstar suggests that perhaps he should join the patrol to experience the life of a warrior. Tree sits at the edge of the group and doesn’t respond, and is instead watching the clouds.


 * Leafstar prompts him again, and the loner is startled, and asks her to repeat what she’s said. The leader whisks her y’all, stating that he should join the patrol. Tree protests that that sounds like a warrior duty, when he’s not a warrior. Violetshine is anxious about what Leafstar will say, knowing that the leader might lose her patience, due to Tree already having been here for a moon. However, Leafstar meows evenly that every cat must contribute to stay here, warrior or not. Violetshine feels anxious that Tree will just decide to leave, because she can’t imagine not seeing him anymore. The yellow tom questions if he’ll slow down the patrol, but Leafstar insists every cat starts somewhere, and that Violetshine will help.


 * The patrol heads out into the forest, and by the time they reach the border, the previous day’s scent markings have begun to fade. Violetshine recounts how Tree had already annoyed Sandynose, and worries it might cost him his place in the Clan. She shows him how to set the scent markers, all too aware of the older SkyClan tom watching them. Violetshine feels wary around Sandynose due to hm being Twigpaw’s former mentor, and Finpaw’s father. She tries not to think about losing kin, and presses closer to Tree, wondering if he’s supposed to leave her as well. Violetshine sends the yellow Tom to renew a scent marker, and goes to check out a nearby bank with prey scent.


 * However, Tree sits on a boulder and suns himself instead, and Sandynose tells him to stop. The yellow tom asks what the rush is, and Violetshine tries to explain that there are also other duties to be done. Sandynose says he’s done with this and tells Violetshine to set the marker and then they’ll go to ShadowClan’s camp. He stalks off, and the black and white she-cat hastily follows him, as does Tree. They catch up to find Sandynose sniffing the air, and he reports that there are definitely trespassing cats here. They decide to investigate, but Violetshine suggests that Tree stay back because they don’t know what they’ll be getting into. However, the tom insists on coming along and not leaving them to fend for themselves.


 * The patrol approaches the old ShadowClan camp, and Sandynose orders that there be absolute silence, and that Violetshine should run for help if there’s trouble. They walk down the slope, and the black and white she-cat sees Sleekwhisker disappear into what was once the nursery. She is shocked, and tells Sandynose that she was a ShadowClan cat, but one that was close to Darktail and helped kill Needletail. The tom replies that they’d better deal with her, so they enter the den. Violetshine is shocked to see a pregnant Yarrowleaf in a moss nest, with Sleekwhisker beside her. Sandynose prepares to attack, but seems reluctant to hurt a cat so close to kitting.