"We will leave you here," Thugs said as the group of cats reached the edge of the plains. Hero couldn't believe how far they had come, or that they were returning home without Whiteshadow. He shook that thought away. They weren't abandoning Whiteshadow permanently, they were just pausing in their search to assist the East Faction cats.

"Thank you," Hero dipped his head to the two cats.

"It is we who should be thanking you," Tags said. "Please come as soon as you can."

"We will," Hero promised.

"Tell my brother that I love him, and that I'm sorry, but Faction life isn't for me," Roach said.

"Of course. We must return to the city now."

Hero dipped his head once more, and the two cats padded back towards the city. As the Clan cats turned to start their journey home, they couldn't help but pause.

"It feels so weird... Being so close to home," Snowpaw admitted.

"Well, I think it's great!" Swiftpaw exclaimed, bouncing ahead of the others. "Come on!"

As they padded across the territory, AshClan camp grew bigger and bigger on the horizon. All of the cats were moving quickly now, even Roach; their home was so close! They approached the camp, and as one, the cats stopped near the entrance. For a moment, no one said anything.

"So... I guess we go in?" Lilypool asked nervously.

"Right," Jayflight replied. But still, no cat moved. Finally, Hero took the lead and padded through the entrance, the others following him.

As they entered the camp, there was at first total silence; all of the cats were simply staring at the group in shock. All at once, they pressed forwards, asking questions and giving greetings.

"Where have you been?"

"Why did it take so long?"

"Where's Whiteshadow?"

"Who's the new cat?"

"How did you get injured?"

There wasn't time to answer any questions or focus on any one cat before Thistlestar's commanding new rang across the clearing.

"Hero, come to my den so that we can discuss your mission." Thistlestar's gaze was as cold as ice as it settled on Hero, and he knew why. He wound through the cats, finally making his way to Thistlestar's den.

"Where is my son?" Thistlestar wasted no time on cutting to the point.

"Well... We found him. But he refused to come back with us until he found his mystery cat."

Thistlestar seemed to swell to twice her size. "You think that's an excuse? Why didn't you stay and help him? Why didn't you drag him back?"

"We were going to," Hero could hear defensiveness creeping into his mew. "I was going to send the others back here to heal and rest, but we got captured by a group of East District cats. They took us to their leader, who wanted to request... Our help."

<——————>

After Hero had finished explaining the promise AshClan's original leader had made, he sat waiting for Thistlestar's response.

"You dare think that after these cats kept Whiteshadow from coming home, I would help them?"

"What? The Factions didn't cause Whiteshadow to do anything—"

"The Factions are the only reason that Whiteshadow hasn't returned! They are the foxhearts who have taken my son from me! How dare they request our help? How dare they!"

Before Hero could stop her, Thistlestar rushed out of her den.

"All cats old enough, gather!" Thistlestar yowled. Hero blinked in surprise. That wasn't how it went, was it? "Now!" she yowled again.

Hero padded out of the den to see Thistlestar perched on one of the branches of the Great Oak.

"These Faction cats have stolen Whiteshadow from us! We must take the initiative and attack!"

Lilypool stepped forwards. "What?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Swiftpaw hissed. "Hero, what did you tell her in there?"

"What are Factions? Are they like Clans?" asked Alderflower, but no cat paid attention to her.

"What exactly happened there?" Russetfire, the deputy, questioned Thistlestar directly. 

"They have taken him captive and plan to do the same to the rest of us!" Thistlestar revealed. 

"They didn't kidnap him, he just decided to stay there!" Hero butted in. The cats below grumbled in confusion. 

"Why would he want to stay there if he could come home to be with us?" Thistlestar argued. "No, they must have done something to him to force him. Besides, you told me the Factions are at war. If we attack while they are distracted, we can get the upper hand and get Whiteshadow back!"

"He just is upset because he hasn't finished his mission, he has nothing to do with the war they are having," Hero reasoned. He felt helpless, watching the Clan become divided from only a few, confusing words. He stared  at the cats around him, trying to somehow use his ability to divine into their minds to see what they were thinking even though he knew that wasn't how his powers worked.

Yet as he stared, he noticed Harestripe, the medicine cat, looking at Thistlestar shiftily. 

"Do you have anything to say?" Hero prodded the brown tom cat. Harestripe shuffled his white paws.

"He will never finish his mission," Harestripe said.

"How do you know that?" Hero asked. When it looked like the brown tom was going to clam up, Hero stomped his foot directly in front of the tom. "What do you know about this?"

Harestripe's eyes became large as he stared at Hero. His eyes moved between Thistlestar and Hero, and Hero watched as something in them changed.

"It was a fake prophecy."

Gasps filled the clearing quickly followed by murmurs of confusion. Hero kept Harestripe's attention away from them and focused only on him.

"If it was fake then why did you let him follow it. How did you even realize that it was fake?"

"I never wanted to be a medicine cat!" Harestripe suddenly bit out. "I never wanted this position, never wanted to be chosen for this. I don't know why StarClan decided to make me a medicine cat. But I never wanted this and you know that."

Hero waited.

"I was visited one night by the Dark Forest. I didn't realize it at first, but the cat, he... he played with me and my emotions until my heart was filled with greed and ambition. I... we, we wanted Whiteshadow out of the picture. We knew that he was a very good candidate to become the next leader. He needed to go so that the Dark Forest cat's heir could become leader instead."

Thistlestar's tail lashed violently, swinging back and forth in an almost hypnotizing fashion. 

"He wanted Foxspring to become leader after you," Harestripe finally revealed. One by one every eye landed on Foxspring. 

"I had no knowledge of this," the ginger tom swore. Hero could see the surprise etched in his normally grumpy face. There was something else there as well, a heavier, thicker emotion that lingered in his eyes. Anger? Guilt? Frustration? Perhaps a mixture of the three.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Thistlestar," Harestripe begged his leader. The black and white she-cat surveyed him with cool green eyes. 

"This is not something that can be easily forgiven. You have betrayed the Clan, and would have sold us all for power. You are hereby banished from this Clan. I expect you to be off of the territory by sundown. You know what we will do to you if we find you here again."

Hero blinked, almost surprised. She was a fierce she-cat, and though she let her emotions rule her, Thistlestar did also know what punishments to give and when they were acceptable. Hero could think of many rulers who would have immediately turned to murder, but here a cat who had committed a grievous offense was simply exiled. 

He watched as Harestripe sagged before nodding and turning. The cat was gone in seconds, followed discretely by two Warriors of the Clan. The camp was filled with the murmurs of cats gossiping, trying to figure out exactly what had happened and what was still happening.

Hero turned to Thistlestar.

"If that prophecy was fake, then I need to get to Whiteshadow immediately. He is going to get hurt looking for a cat that is not actually there." Thistlestar opened her mouth to speak but Hero wasn't going to mince his words now. "I am going after him wether you want me to or not. I only ask you not to declare war on the Factions, as clearly none of this is their fault."

The she-cat flicked her ears, observing Hero. His pelt was heaving, his resolve showing with his enthusiasm. Her green eyes flashed with amusement.

"I was only going to suggest a week of rest for you and your companions. You have come a long way. Besides, I have decided that I am coming with you. I'd like to speak with these Faction cats myself."

Annco wrote the beginning of this chapter, and Blaze finished it. Teamwork!