"No Scorchfang, don't go!" The leader pleaded, watching his brother pace in front of him. "We need you."

"No, not we, you." Scorchfang hissed, glaring back at his brother, "You cause arguments at the Gatherings, let our warriors cross the borders. We cannot handle a war!" the tom growled fiercely low.

"As medicine cat, you are more than set to heal warriors as needed!" His brother reasoned out quickly, hoping to change his brother's mind.

"You aren't hearing me." The medicine cat snarled, before shaking his head, "You should have stayed a warrior, you insufferable mouse brain!"

"Watch your tone!" The leader snapped, his tail lashing. "You should've stayed a warrior yourself, you hid away in the medicine den like a coward!" his words cutting sharp, each word struck out with its venom.

Scorchfang lashed out, his paw connecting with his brother's nose. "For that, I'm leaving!" The medicine cat pivoted on his paws, marching out with a lashing tail. He heard yowling behind him, but he didn't stop, no he couldn't stop, his heart lurched. He left with the clan at his back and his head held high.

    ⚂⚁⚀

"Wren, dear.." The voice made the gray tom look over. The she-cat's face was dressed with look of wonder yet scheming, and he blinked in curiosity. "I think we'll be having a new friend soon."

Wren blinked, before a small smile broke out across his face, "Will we? Can you tell if it'll be a tom or a she-cat?"

"I think you'll get a chance to break a heart this time dear." The she-cat responded, her deep green gaze sweeping over the clearing of sleeping cats. They crouched at the top of the hill, before the she-cat arose. He looked up at her, and she turned. "I'm curious about the commotion he will cause."

"Trouble is our thing, isn't it?" He sat up as well, his tail tip flicking. It was cold, and he saw the slightest shiver ripple from his she-cat companion.

"It certainly can be, and usually is." She laughed softly, her voice lifting with the winds, "but I think our new friend will cause more than even we can bargain for."

"We'll make up for it." He chuckled slyly, his eyes darkening to thin slivers that seemed to soak up the transcending moonlight. He stood and joined his friend's side, both of them looking off into the distance, where Shadowclan's marshes sat. "We won't run from here like we did there."

"No cat will ever break you I can promise that." The toms low voice echoed softly as his molten eyes glowed like a small beacon on the moors. The two cats stood, tall and lanky before turning and padding back to Windclan's clearing.

    ⚂⚁⚀

Scorchfang slowly crossed the threshold, the border between the two lands of the marshes to the moors. Four trees stood tall welcoming the medicine cat into their gnarled roots, the moors singing songs of protection. Scorchfang slipped closer to the heather, his heart drumming a war song in his ears, his paws carrying him forward.

"Halt!" A high pitched screech echoed out, from behind the bush emerged a dark brown she with dark green eyes.

Scorchfang stilled, caught like a mouse in a tabby's claws, Amber eyes wide as his pelt fluffed up, he should have expected a patrol yet he walked on the territory blindly!

He crouched, his paws steady on the icy ground underneath him, he tried to make himself look big but all he felt were pairs of eyes peering at him as he Watched a dark she cat and a more lanky grey cat emerge from the bush. The patrol smelled like vole mixed with the distinct scent of heather.

"Oh my, my, my, A Shadowclan cat, why it's the medicine cat nonetheless~" The grey cat grinned wolfish as he stalked forward inspecting Scorchfang.

Scorchfang shrunk back, this tom was exactly the same height as himself, and those piercing honey amber eyes, the pupils of the grey cat were thin slivers.