"I understand - you've been through a lot and you're not thinking straight. I-"

Greyshard cut Owlstar off with an impatient lash of her tail. "No!" she insisted, "I'm fine! I'm- feeling fine- really. Just- please do it. Please."

"Greyshard..." Owlstar sighed and tucked her tail around her paws. In the semi-darkness, the she-cat's eyes reflected green. "I don't know how to put it politely, but I'll just say it. Greyshard..."

"Yes...?" The tortoiseshell pricked her ears and straightened her back.

"Stop begging. Just stop. Out of complete honesty, it's getting incredibly aggravating. You have broken the Warrior Code multiple times in the last few moons. You have betrayed me and the Clan's trust. And now you expect me to welcome in a bunch of rogue kits just because you found them out in the wild."

Greyshard's ears drooped, and she squinted through the darkness at her leader. The fawn she-cat was sitting in her nest, with her tail over her white paws and yellow eyes blank.

"Fine. I'm sure if I can break the Warrior Code, then so can you." Greyshard muttered, feeling something wriggle in her stomach.

"Excuse me?" Owlstar tilted her head, twitching her ears.

"Doesn't the Warrior Code say that we must take in all kits no matter where they're from?" Greyshard demanded, satisfaction dribbling down her back, mixing with the wave of frustration.

"It says we help them. And I have. They'll stay here until they're better, then we'll discuss their future." Owlstar meowed smoothly. She added, "And yours."

Greyshard stared at Owlstar disbelievingly. She opened her mouth to hiss a rebuke then Owlstar continued.

"I expect that we'll take them to the farm, or the Twolegplace. I'm sure that they'll be plenty of kittypets willing to take them in. Crystalwing has already said that Sky would definitely be on that list."

"S-Sky...?"

Owlstar rolled her eyes and sighed, "Your mother-"

"I know who my mother is!" Greyshard snarled, bursting up to stand on her paws. Before Owlstar could reply, Greyshard challenged scathingly, lowering her voice, "So, you're telling me, that there are no cats in this Clan who would take care of two kits?! What am I for starters? A ghost?"

"Greyshard." Owlstar rose to her feet suddenly and glared at her. Greyshard fell silent and took a step backwards, fear and worry slithering through her fur like an adder. "This is my final decision. I said no and I mean it. No. I can't keep making exceptions for you, just because- You know what, I don't even know why I do make exceptions for you! Now listen up, I will not anymore. Stop arguing with me and accept my word. That's what the Warrior Code says. If I hear a single word from you about this, I will seriously consider exiling you. Now get out of my sight."

Greyshard stood there, dumbstruck, for a moment more, staring blankly at Owlstar. She couldn't believe her ears. How could Owlstar be so insensitive about this? The kits had just lost their brother and she was already talking about exiling them. And about exiling her...

"Out...!" Owlstar repeated, glaring down at Greyshard with half-bared teeth.

Greyshard whipped around and padded out of the dark den, without looking back at Owlstar. She felt her chest burning and her paws itching to run. The cave was dark and empty and quiet. Most of the cats had already gone to sleep. As soon as she and Owlstar were separated by the curtain of ivy, Greyshard bounded over to the nursery.

She slipped in carefully and tiptoed to the back of the den. On the way, Greyshard saw Morningheart snoozing, with all four kits laying across her back. Behind her, Silverwhisker's glossy fur glittered in the moonlight, that sparkled through the gaps in the roof. At the base of the far bramble wall, laying in a nest of fresh moss, Taffy and Coco were asleep, tail and paws thrown out. Greyshard laid herself in the remaining moss, curling herself into a tight ball and covering her nose with her tail.

Not long after, she felt herself drifting slowly off to sleep. Her eyelids flickered and her body fell limp. As Greyshard closed her eyes, she jerked back up. Coco had stretched her back upwards, poking Greyshard in the back with unsheathed paws.

I'll never fall asleep with these two on my mind. Greyshard told herself silently. She rose to her paws sighing.

With a quick stretch, she left the den and made her way to the dirt-place-tunnel. She took a quick drink from the stream and raced silently down the tunnel. She sniffed around at the walls of thick undergrowth that surrounded the dirtplace, and found a patch of loose brambles, only just big enough for her, in the corner. Greyshard crouched down on the floor and pushed through the spiny, loopy branches.

A nice, calm walk in the forest ought to do me good. Greyshard insisted to herself.

Dawn seemed to come quicker than normal, as if Greyshard had only been wandering through the tall, thin pines for under an hour. But soon enough, the sun started to turn from dark indigo to a light purple, smeared with pink and orange at the horizon. Silvery-red clouds stretched across the sky and the stars started to blink slowly out.

Greyshard's stomach rumbled, and she looked down at it.

No-one will mind if I eat a mouse or a bird for myself. I'll bring back a rabbit or something to make up for it. Greyshard nodded to herself.
Right on time, the branches of the pine to her right rustled. A thick, tall screen of brambles and bracken hid the creature from her. She pricked her ears and turned towards the shrubs. Opening, her mouth, Greyshard could smell... something. An animal definitely, but... what kind? It was nothing like what she had smelt before. It bellowed a deep, low, rumbling sound, a bit like a cow, and Greyshard was startled at how loud it was.

Either a huge, old bird, or a calf ran away from the farm. Greyshard thought and ducked through the bushes. On the other side, she saw four, two-toed, pointy black feet. Definitely a calf. I can do this. I'll jump onto its back and kill it from there. Easy enough.

Greyshard exploded from the bush and leaped into the air. She froze and tumbled to the ground, as she missed the creature. Looking up, she gasped.
It had the legs of a brown calf, but the body of a cat and the blazing eyes of Owlstar. It turned to her and rose onto its hind legs, bellowing in an ear-splitting, echoing roar, "Greyshard!"

She jerked up in her nest, warm pinkish-gold light spilling into the nursery. Greyshard looked around panickily, breathing faster than usual. She took a deep breath when she realised she was safe. Coco was snuggled into her flank, drool dripping from her wide-open jaws. Taffy was resting his head on Coco's back, ears folded unnaturally.

It was just a dream... She sighed in her head. A dumb dream.

Greyshard shook her head and rested her head on her paws. She felt as if she hadn't slept a wink, her muscles aching in her hind legs. As the dawn light glittered through the gaps in the roof, the floor was dappled with a soft yellow and the camp outside started to wake up. cats called to each other, getting ready for patrols.

I should be out there. Greyshard thought bitterly. She stood up and glanced down at Coco and Taffy. They'll be fine. Owlstar wouldn't do anything extreme.

She nodded forcefully and padded out of the den, looking nervously from the nursery to the HighMound. Greyshard joined the crowd of cats in the clearing and looked around for who was supposed to be with her on the hunting patrol.

Finally spotting Rockpaw edging towards the fresh-kill-pile, she slipped through the crowd of cats until she towered in front of him, only just blocking his path to the prey.

He looked up, alarm streaking through his pale orange eyes. His wide pupils contracted until they were thin slits of black, like the shadow of a bird on the dawn sky. "Morning," he meowed in a bored voice.

"Good morning." Greyshard replied in an even, yet cold voice, gazing down at him.

"Mhm..." he muttered and glanced around her. "I'll just get one piece of prey and I'll be ready for the patrol."

"Nope." Greyshard blocked him with one leg. "What does the Warrior Code say?"

She heard Rockpaw sigh, but he straightened his back, Greyshard noticing that he had grown taller in the last few moons, and recited, "Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders."

"Good. Thank you." Greyshard nodded, trying to soften her tone. "We'll go on a quick roundabout route around the mountain, then we'll come straight back, and you can eat. Sounds good?"

"Yep," Rockpaw mewed, looking as if he had something else to say.

"Alright. Come on then, you find Rosesong and Briarpaw, and I'll find Foxnose. We'll meet you outside." Greyshard explained, turning around to search for the ginger-furred tom.

"Ok. See you." Rockpaw called after her and padded away.

Greyshard looked back at her temporary apprentice and felt a rush of guilt stab her heart. As he walked away, his ears drooped, and tail fell limply against the rocky ground.

If I offended him, it's his fault! Greyshard told herself, before feeling another twinge of shame hit her. But everyone treats him like a rogue or an outcast. No wonder he feels and acts like one- Greyshard swallowed and promised herself to try to make amends, even if she embarrassed herself in the process.

Word Count: 1649

I know, I know. I'm very sorry for not updating in about a month. Eveb though it's the holidays, I've been incredibly busy, with Christmas, homework and what not.

Anyways, hope you like ot. The next two chapters will be coming out in a few minutes (from when I publish this).

Thanks and enjoy :)