Blazepaw was sharpening his claws on the log that made his den when Leafpelt hurried into camp. He knew something was wrong instantly, seeing her bristling fur and flattened ears. For a brief moment, fear rushed through him that something had happened to Carppaw, whose's late mother, Bloomcloud, had raised him, but then the older tom pulled himself into camp and headed down after his mentor, looking much more subdued.

Blazepaw knew the depression in the tom's eyes was the fresh grief for the loss of his mother and felt a similar pang in his heart. Bloomcloud had been more like a mother than any cat he had known, and her death hit harder than Aspenheart's ever would. His brother had been banished after her death for just over a quarter moon now, but the pain of losing him as well was a fresh injury that would never heal.

Only a few warriors were in camp. Juniperfur, Blazepaw's mentor, was resting after their unsuccessful hunt in the new territory SageClan had given them, and she raised her head to watch Leafpelt. "Is everything alright?" she called, her voice slightly hoarse. She had been coughing all morning, but Sandflight had no herbs to give after spending the entire night trying to keep Duskfang from falling too deep into the whitecough that had gripped him the last few days.

"Is Dawnstar in camp?" Leafpelt asked Juniperfur, ignoring her question.

"In her den, resting--she's been hunting since before sunrise," the tortoiseshell responded, fighting back the cough that tried to spill from her throat.

"Dawnstar!" Leafpelt called instantly, looking to the den at the back of the camp. Dawnstar appeared from the shadows barely a moment later, her dirty tan fur messy from sleep. "We have... a problem." Leafpelt's tail flicked in uncertainty as she gazed at her leader.

Hickoryclaw rose from the entrance of the nursery and padded over, ears perked.

"What's wrong?" Anxiety glowed in Dawnstar's eyes.

"It's..." Leafpelt hesitated for a moment, then managed to say, "Snowfern, she's shown up at the border with three kits, barely aged to be apprentices. They're... Well, they..."

"Spit it out, Leafpelt," Dawnstar ordered, looking worried and confused. 

"They... One of them looks exactly like... Rockfire..."

For a moment, Dawnstar was frozen. Her eyes flooded with memories like a rushing river, slowly getting wider and wider as her ears flattened. "Are you... Are you sure?" she whispered, suddenly looking very small.

Leafpelt gave a quick nod. "Yes, I'm sure! Every stripe is just how I remember it, and his sister... For a moment I thought I was seeing Robinstrike again." The black she-cat dropped her head slightly. "They're waiting at the border for you and Sandflight..."

In an instant, Dawnstar was going for the entrance of the camp. "Sandflight!" she called for the medicine cat, and the she-cat arrived instantly, looking worried.

"What's wrong?" she called, looking around the camp, obviously expecting to see a dying Clanmate.

"Come! I'll explain on the way." Leafpelt and Carppaw hurried after Dawnstar, and Sandflight was just behind them. Blazepaw stood in the clearing, dumbfounded. Finally, he padded over to Juniperfur, who was being joined already by Hickoryclaw.

"May I ask who Rockfire and Robinstrike are?" Hickoryclaw questioned as he settled next to the pretty tortoiseshell.

Blazepaw was grateful for the question, since he had just been about to ask the same thing. The name Rockfire was faintly familiar to his ears, he couldn't remember the story. 

"Many moons ago, Dawnstar sent a patrol out of the territory." The moment the words were said, Blazepaw remembered the story from Lakeshine. "It was led by her mate, Stoneshadow, and her son, Rockfire. Another member of the patrol was Robinstrike, Rockfire's mate and the daughter of the last leader, Hawkstar. They never returned, and we never knew why. Dawnstar didn't send any cat after them because we couldn't afford to lose any more warriors."

"And now it seems the kits of Dawnstar's son has come back to the Clans," Hickoryclaw finished, looking quite thoughtful. "Interesting..."

"Quite," Juniperfur agreed hoarsely, running her tongue over her jaws. Then the cats sat in silence to wait.

By the time Dawnstar returned, a patrol of Hazelfur, Brownear, and Frondpaw had already come back to camp and were informed of what was happening. They all looked over as Dawnstar pulled herself into the clearing, and many cats clambered to their paws.

"Is it true?" Juniperfur asked anxiously, trying to stand but falling back down with a slight cough. Brownear took a small step away from her.

Dawnstar paused for a moment on the rocks. Sandflight, Leafpelt and Carppaw slipped past and joined the small crowd, staying quiet because it was obviously Dawnstar's announcement. "The kits brought to the border by Snowfern," Dawnstar began in a strong but sad tone, "are undoubtedly Rockfire and Ronbinstrike's."

Murmurs rushed through the Clan, cats speaking softly and quietly to each other. Dawnstar stood silently, awaiting their silence with grief in her eyes. Eventually, they quieted, but uncertainty wavered through the air like the cold of leaf-bare did.

"They told me the truth I avoided for many moons," she continued, "that my son and mate are... dead. Snowfern offered them a choice of which Clan to join, but I decided to deny entry to BatClan." her mew broke as she spoke, her tail flat against the rocks.

Shocked meows came from a few cats, while Brownear gave a satisfied nod. "But they're your kin!" Hazelfur called.

Dawnstar gave a sad nod. "And I would give anything to protect them," she answered honestly. "BatClan is still weak, and with whitecough gripping our warriors, I... I cannot risk the kits of my son, the kin of my best friend..."

"So you would give our enemies future warriors to use against us?" Brackenfoot growled, lashing his tail.

"We are not fighting with EchoClan," Dawnstar answered immediately. "The Clans know of our weakness, of our struggle. I have faith in StarClan that they will leave us in peace to grow strong."

"And we could've used new warriors," Leafpelt spoke up softly, her eyes on her paws, but then she forced her gaze up to her leader. "Robinstrike was the cat I was closer to than anyone. She was brave and strong and survived everything thrown at her--I know her kits will do the same. They could've become the best warriors BatClan had seen in a while, but you gave them up so you wouldn't have to watch them struggle like you did for your own kits. You cared for their safety more than all of ours, and we will suffer even worse for it."

Sandflight stared at the she-cat for many moments, then lowered her gaze. Dawnstar, too, was silent. She looked at her warrior for a long time, her eyes a storm of emotion. Then, finally, she meowed, "perhaps you're right, Leafpelt. Perhaps I was selfish in hoping for a better future for my kin. In the moment I only saw them suffering from starvation and sickness without even thinking that you all are doing the same. I promise I will make it up to you, but what's done is done. They will grow into fine EchoClan cats, and perhaps one day that will reveal itself to be for the better."

Without another word, Dawnstar leaped down into camp, passed by her Clanmates, and went to her den. Sandflight started to follow, but when Juniperfur let out a stream of harsh coughs, the tan medicine cat hurried over. Blazepaw suddenly realized how much she looked like Dawnstar--he always seemed to forget that the aging medicine cat was Dawnstar's daughter, Rockfire's littermate.

"Come on, Juniperfur, let's get you to the medicine cat's den," Sandflight murmured. The tortoiseshell slowly got to her paws and headed after the she-cat.

Blazepaw looked at the camp entrance as Clovertail appeared. She was followed by Hawktail and Birchsplash, with the latter holding a vole in his jaws. Leafpelt hurried to the cats to explain what had recently happened, while Blazepaw crouched against the camp's stone ground. He watched Juniperfur head away and flicked his tail, not knowing what he was supposed to do now.

After Leafpelt finished explaining what had went on, Clovertail stepped forward and meowed, "we should send out another hunt, anyone able to go out?"

"I can," Hazelfur meowed.

"Me too," Leafpelt added, while Hickoryclaw offered his services as well.

Clovertail nodded. "Good. Hazelfur, you lead. Hunt in CrowCla--" she cut herself off and corrected herself, "Hunt in the forest on CrowClan's border. And of course, don't cross the river."

"Of course," Hazelfur meowed with a nod. She led the patrol toward, and Blazepaw hurried after them.

"Can I come?" he asked.

Hazelfur hesitated, a look crossing over her gaze, and he knew what it meant instantly--she was thinking of Rowanpaw. But then she shook it away with a flick of her ear and gave a consenting nod. He fell in step with Hickoryclaw, trying to ignore the prickling in his pelt. As they went up the rocks, he couldn't help but look back into the clearing, finding Birchsplash's gaze. The tom stared at him for a few moments, eyes unreadable, then he looked away.

With a small sigh, Blazepaw followed the patrol. He knew many of the Clan looked at him differently--mainly Hawktail and Birchsplash--because of what happened with Rowanpaw, and even though what he had done was wrong, he knew his brother well enough that he had a reason. Though, Blazepaw wasn't sure if he would've had the strength to do the same thing.

He followed the warriors down the drop from camp and into the snowy pine forest. It was snowing lightly, sprinkling flakes that softly rested upon his skin. He hoped Rowanpaw had a den away from the cold--he must be freezing with no cats around him to create warmth.

"Blazepaw, you've hunted in the new forest, right?" Hazelfur asked as the cats went along.

"Yeah, Juniperfur has been focusing on me hunting there," he answered quickly. He didn't like CrowClan's forest as much as the pines--the trees were thick and short, constricting his access to the sappy air he knew. There was more undergrowth, too, and roots and vines that were hidden under the snow that he continued to trip over. "I've only caught a vole so far."

"It'll take time to get used to," Leafpelt said kindly. "With unfamiliar territory, we're all learning now."

Blazepaw gave a small nod, continuing after the cats on silent paws. The snow muffled the sounds and smells of the forest, alienating the apprentice from his surroundings. The patrol journeyed in silence, so the apprentice let his mind wander. 

Disappointment still sat heavy in his belly from the day that Rowanpaw left. Waking up to find out his brother had left in the night had been devasting for him, and to have to explain to his sisters... Blazepaw could still see the pain of being left behind in their eyes. Meadowkit and Fernkit seemed especially upset that Aspenheart had died--no matter how she treated them, she was still their mother--but Primkit had either done very well at hiding her grief or didn't feel much of it at all. Instead, she had been furious that Rowanpaw was exiled for what he did. The boisterous little she-kit thought he should've been rewarded.

But he's safe, Blazepaw reminded himself. Willowpaw had told him so at the Gathering almost a quarter moon ago. He didn't know how, but the young apprentice had managed to gain Rowanpaw's trust, at least a small bit. Perhaps more trust than Blazepaw had been able to get.

"Pay attention, Blazepaw," Leafpelt called back. He tuned his ears forward, surprised to see they were already at the Old Thunderpath, covered with snow but still obviously there. They passed over into the other forest, the open wind uncomfortable on Blazepaw's fur. 

Hickoryclaw kept his nose to the ground, tail flicking softly. Blazepaw was still a little hesitant around the black tom for a reason he didn't quite understand yet. The tom had such a calm yet powerful demeanor, his eyes quiet yet radiating a strong force of knowledge. Blazepaw wasn't scared of him, per se, but instead wary. Hickoryclaw didn't seem to be a cat to mess with.

The smells of the new territory were still slightly strange to Blazepaw's nose, but he was slowly gathering his senses around the new trees and undergrowth. The air here seemed sweeter and thinner, the swirling winds of the moorland seeping through the trees. Hickoryclaw seemed at home, relaxing into the undergrowth with quiet paws, his coat a shadow in the snow. Hazelfur and Leafpelt seemed slightly out of place, the latter even more so. Leafpelt looked slightly worried, her thick tail flicking and her mud-stained legs hesitant on the ground. With a thick layer of snow, it was impossible to see any secret roots or holes that might trip them.

Hickoryclaw suddenly flicked his tail as a warning to fall silent. His whiskers were twitching and his eyes were locked on a fern bush not far away. Blazepaw tasted the air, and through the thick cloud of cold, he smelled the faintest scent of a sparrow.

A moment later, the small bird emerged, giving a small tweet as it searched for food. Its feathered were ruffled from the cold, its wings fluttering about as it hopped from place to place. Hazelfur twitched her tail from side to side, and Leafpelt and Hickoryclaw spread out on either side, keeping a wide berth from the sparrow.

Hazelfur flicked her tail again, telling Blazepaw to stay where he was, and started forward. Her paws were slow and silent, expertly placed over the ground as she went forward. Her time in the marsh had done well for her, teaching her to step lightly, so she barely even broke the snow. When she was as close as she could get, the young warrior lowered her body into a crouch, tail curled against her side and fur falling perfectly still.

Then she pushed off from the ground, throwing snow in her wake as she soared through the air. The sparrow cried out and took off, only to be swiped from the sky by a lithe black shape. Hickoryclaw landed smoothly, the sparrow dead in his jaws.

Blazepaw stared at the warriors in awe. He had been so distracted on Hazelfur, he hadn't even noticed Hickoryclaw sliding into position to catch the bird after it fluttered up into an open position.

"Nice one," Hazelfur congratulated. Blazepaw muttered agreement, his stomach clenching in hunger as the sparrow's sweet blood filled his scent glands. It felt as if claws were scraping against his stomach, threatening to tear him open.

Hickoryclaw buried the sparrow under a fern bush, packing the snow around it firmly with a paw. After that, they continued on, paws quiet over the snow as they went on with their hunt.

"We'll stop by the river," Hazelfur decided in a soft voice. "We might find something trying to drink," she added after a moment.

Blazepaw followed behind the young warrior with his mouth open for scents. The cold chilled his throat and smothered the scent of pretty much everything--it smelled like cold, though he didn't exactly know how that worked.

"Use your ears," Leafpelt reminded him. "It's almost impossible to scent anything in this weather."

Blazepaw nodded, gratefully closing his mouth and perking his ears as high as he could, turning them outward to let the icy air touch the bare skin inside his ears. For a while, he could only hear their pawsteps, then, in the distance, a small squeak. Hickoryclaw turned his head a moment after Blazepaw did, both toms looking left into the woods. 

Hazelfur noticed, and flicked her tail to Blazepaw, then into the woods. He tried to push down the fear that instantly grew in his chest--he knew he needed to practice his hunting, but to be directed to take charge of the hunt scared him. He wasn't used to actually catching prey, most of the time he just watched. After all, missing prey means some cat will probably starve that day. To be responsible for that... He wanted everything to just disappear so he didn't have to think of it anymore.

He felt a soft tail on his side and realized Hickoryclaw was silently encouraging him onward. Despite his hesitation with the tom, Blazepaw was calmed by his touch. There was this glow of confidence in his eyes that surprised Blazepaw, and he gave a quiet blink of thanks before focusing on the mouse he had noticed.

He heard Hickoryclaw slinking off to surround the mouse from the other side but keeping a good distance, since Blazepaw was already downwind. He slipped underneath some snowy ferns, his belly fur barely touching the snow under paw. His tail brushed against the fronds, sending down a light fall of snow, and he froze. He strained his ears to listen, but the mouse was still in the same spot.

He couldn't see it, but he could hear its heartbeat by now and he knew it was right on the other side of the bush. He had slipped in from the wrong place and he realized his failure. He spied through the ferns as well as he could, spotting a shadow slipping past some bracken. Hickoryclaw was in place. Crouching low, Blazepaw took a small step forward, detecting exactly where the mouse was. He didn't know what direction it was facing, so when he bunched his legs and leaped, he aimed just the slightest bit before the little creature.

The mouse squealed and raced directly away from him, straight into the awaiting paws of Hickoryclaw, who swiped it from the snow, threw it up into the air, and skillfully caught it in his jaws. Blazepaw stared in awe. Hickoryclaw was one of the best hunters he had ever seen! The fact that he was so calm about it made Blazepaw wish he could be like the tom when he was older.

"Brilliant hunt," Leafpelt commented, slipping through the ferns behind Blazepaw.

"That was very smart, Blazepaw," Hazelfur commented. "Instead of trying to catch it yourself when you knew you could miss, you sent it running to a more experienced cat." She gave a soft purr. "A good instinct to have." She flicked her tail and turned away. "Come on, let's see if you can do it again!"

Blazepaw's stomach growled, and he had a small hope that he might be able to eat that night.

Question: What is your opinion on the first chapter of Loyalties Divided? (I hope it was mildly interesting, I know a lot didn't happen)