Shadowstar's Life/Chapter 3

Chapter description

 * Shadowstar walks over to Pebble Heart's den, knowing he'll want to look over her paw again. She finds him pulling a thorn out of Shade Pelt's leg, and sends the dappled brown tom out once he treats it with comfrey. Shadowstar momentarily worries about trusting her medicine cat due to reflecting about the amber eyes, but decides she should trust him since she's known him for a long time. Pebble Heart sees Shadowstar, and says she's fit to hunt after examining it. The leader confesses to him that she's worried her Clanmates have been fighting to take Sun Shadow's place and ShadowClan is destroying itself.


 * Pebble Heart tells Shadowstar to breathe for a few moments, and then tells her she should probably name the new deputy. Shadowstar hesitates to tell him the truth, but she chooses to tell him and states she's on her final life. Pebble Heart is confused and counts every life she has lost, but the black she-cat admits she died twice and forgot to tell him, quickly saying no one could have saved her and she had StarClan by her side. Shadowstar wonders who she can trust to take Sun Shadow's position, making Pebble Heart ask what she means. The leader replies that a pair of amber eyes watched her as she died, wondering who would do such a thing. She adds Gray Wing told her that if ShadowClan fell, all the Clans would as well.


 * Pebble Heart says he believes after her death, they will be safe. Shadowstar feels more relaxed with his words, but as she exits, she questions if her Clan can cope without her. Later, Shadowstar leads her Clan to Fourtrees, joining Thunderstar and Skystar at the Great Rock as her Clanmates mingle with the cats below. Skystar asks if she's still going to back him up about SkyClan's situation, and she reassures him she will. Thunderstar notices Shadowstar hasn't picked a new deputy, and tells her he was in a similar situation after Lightning Tail's death, but he was happy choosing Owl Eyes to be his successor. Windstar and Riverstar join them, the former also pointing out Shadowstar's lack of a deputy.


 * The Gathering starts, and Skystar states he must talk about the Twolegs in SkyClan's territory. Windstar groans, but the light gray tom says they've brought monsters and may take over his land. Thunderstar says he is right, but Windstar cuts in this is his problem and not theirs. At once, protests erupt from the cats below, and Moth Flight is heard stating the five Clans must protect each other. Thunderstar mews they can discuss shifting their borders for SkyClan, but only if the others agree. Gorse Fur yowls WindClan will fight to protect their territory, and Windstar agrees whilst stating there will be less prey for the Clans if it happened.


 * Shadowstar thinks about the attributes to each Clan as the leaders continue to argue over Thunderstar's idea. Skystar says his Clan can easily adapt, but Windstar thinks changing the borders will mean more conflict. This makes the SkyClan leader further enraged and he asks for Shadowstar to back him up, but she says that while she wants SkyClan to be safe, she doesn't plan to move her borders. She is shocked by his sharp tone of voice as Skystar replies, and remembers the amber eyes watching her as she wonders if he could have sent one of his warriors to stare at her as she died. Her thoughts are broken by Riverstar agreeing with Windstar not to move the borders, much to Skystar's ire. Shadowstar notices Thunderstar's amber eyes, knowing that whatever threat there is to ShadowClan, she is under a threat as well.


 * Thunderstar states they can vote over the borders, but Windstar disagrees. Shadowstar wonders if moving them will be the right thing to do, remembering the opinions brought up by the other leaders. After thinking about SkyClan's potential role in her death, she says she will make her decision soon. Shadowstar informs Skystar she will take a look at his problem if she decides it is serious enough, and he gives her three days to make it. The leader calms his Clanmates down, but warns Shadowstar he may not agree with what she could suggest. As he leaves, Shadowstar gazes down at the cats below, noting many of them have amber eyes.