Ebonywind stood behind Luckystar as both ThunderClan and ShadowClan met together at the Gathering Hollow.

Rowanstar faced Luckystar, his teeth bared. "Well, well, well."

Luckystar sighed. "What do you want, Rowanstar?"

"To talk." He said abruptly. "Now, Luckystar. You know I'm not a young leader, so if we could make this quick, that would be great."

Ebonywind snorted before maintaining a straight face.

"What do you want with Ebonywind?" Luckystar asked without preamble.

"To take her back into her birth Clan." Rowanstar sneered.

"She belongs with us! She was bullied in your Clan!" Luckystar argued.

"Surely she has more friends in our Clan. I know for one, Silverspots is desperate for her friend to come back." Rowanstar purred.

In the crowd, Silverspots met Ebonywind's eyes. I'm sorry. She mouthed.

"She has friends in ThunderClan too!" Luckystar flared.

"She could start a family in ShadowClan!" Rowanstar interrupted. "Do you hear this, my friends? Luckystar is a tyrannical leader! She doesn't want her kit to have a family!"

"That's not what I said, you mouse-brain! I'm sure she can have a family in my Clan too!" Luckystar growled.

"How about you ask her what she wants, then?" Ebonywind spoke up. "Stop arguing like kits! You're leaders, for StarClan's sake!"

"What do you want then, little Ebonywind?" Rowanstar mewed smoothly.

Ebonywind looked to her birth Clan. She looked to ThunderClan and to her mother.

Ebonywind sighed, knowing she would regret this choice. "I'm sorry, mother."

Rowanstar barked a laugh, disbelief in his eyes. It was clear he hadn't expected this. "You're joining ShadowClan?"

"That's right." Ebonywind tried to force her face to stay calm. "Not because I like it there. Because I don't like this war. If ShadowClan takes me, then you won't have to fight."

Luckystar glared at Ebonywind and stalked away and across the bridge. "ThunderClan, let's go!"

"ShadowClan, Ebonywind, let's go." Rowanstar purred.

Ebonywind sighed before following the tom. She padded back to ShadowClan's camp, the path familiar and strange at the same time. The pine trees welcomed her back with muffled rustling. The land that had once seemed comforting now was unfamiliar and the dark pines seemed to close her in.

Choking inwardly, the ShadowClan cats marched her into the camp. She eyed her Clanmates, wishing for ThunderClan's friendly cats.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Silverspots slid up to her, purring. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too-" Ebonywind stopped herself. Was it true?

I barely thought about her...

"I'm sorry!" she blurted before running off into the warriors' den.

Silverspots followed slowly, confused. "For what?"

"I didn't think about you at all! I don't think I missed you!" Ebonywind mewed quietly.

Silverspots flinched as though she had been clawed in the face. "Fine."

"Silverspots, wait!" Ebonywind scrambled up from the floor as the golden she-cat left the den.

"No! I'm done with you!" Silverspots spat. "I've been waiting patiently for you to return, only to find out you betrayed me! You'd rather be with the cowardly ThunderClan fox-hearts instead of me, your best friend?"

"I didn't say it like that!" Ebonywind tried. "I had to join ThunderClan!"

"Oh, you had to? I would've stuck up for you if Rowanstar made you a medicine cat!" Silverspots hissed.

"Really?" Ebonywind growled, losing her temper, her voice laced with sarcasm. "I didn't see much of that sticking up for me at the Gathering!"

By now, many other cats had gathered to watch. Cloudstalk stood at the den entrance, sadness in her eyes as she listened to them bicker.

"By StarClan!" Silverspots snarled in exasperation. "You don't understand! Well, guess what? I'm not your friend anymore! Goodbye!"

Ebonywind started after her friend, catching up to her at the fresh-kill pile. "Silverspots! I had to go!"

"Yeah?" she whipped around, hissing angrily. "And why's that?"

"Because family matters!" Ebonywind spat before realizing her mistake.

Oh. Oops.

"Family?" Rowanstar melted out of the background, a sneer on his face.

Oh, well. Too late now.

"Yes! Family! Luckystar's my mother and Ravenflight and Amberclaw are my sisters!" Ebonywind flashed.

"I don't believe you," Rowanstar purred, malice gleaming in his eyes.

"I know you don't. And I don't care. I couldn't care less. I'm not ShadowClan anyway. I only stayed because this was my birth Clan."

Rowanstar was about to speak when a few cats dashed into the camp. Ebonywind recognized them immediately, as they were ThunderClan cats.

A/N Sorry for the short chapter! I spent much longer on this chapter trying to think about how to write it and this is what I ended up with :/