Following a Scent

[Willowtail]

Willowtail waited for the owner of the well-known scent to reveal himself. She flicked her tail impatiently and twitched her ears to catch a sound of him.

[Hollow]

Hollowheart approached silently from the left."Willowtail, making a habit to come at the border I see." Hollowheart said revealing himself from the side. His voice was slightly teasing, showing he ment no dissrespect. "What is it that is bothering you?" He asked his friend.

[Willowtail]

"Nothing much, just that I will probably lose my position as Medicine Cat, ShadowClan will hate me, I might be forced to leave and I am doomed to be punished by StarClan for the rest of my life!" Her voice was bitter and sarcastic as she turned to face her friend.

[Hollow]

"Sounds like a nice time." Hollowheart said flicking his tail back and forth. "Forgive me for not joining in." He looked her in the eye."You know Willowtail, I'm surprised to hear you admit that."

[Willowtail]

Willowtail playfully batted Hollow on his nose, her claws sheathed. "Hollow, I'm. . .I'm c-carrying Kits," Willowtail turned round even more and showed him her slightly swollen belly as proof. "I don't know what to do, Hollow! Every option ends with misery. I shall never escape my punishment. I will lose Medicine Cat position unless I give them up and I could never bare the sadness of watching them grow up without knowing, ShadowClan will hate me and if I leave I could not take Silentclaw with me!" She whispered. "What shall I do?"

[Hollow]

"There's not much you can do.' Hollowheart said truthfully."Except find another option." He gave her a grim look. "The only advice I have for you is to see how it turns out. Or as I like to say, roll with it. If the going gets tough, try harder. You'll have the kits no matter what, but after that..." He trailed off. He brightened slightly. "You could always join the rouges, you know."

[flamingwing]

Swiftpaw crouched in the shadows,"What?Her wihspered,"He hasn't attacked?"Her was preparing to jump out of the bushes, when..

(Find me)

[Willowtail]

((Swiftpaw, this is between me and Hollowheart. . .Please don't interfere.))

"ShadowClan are planning on going to War with the Rouges," Willowtail mewed. "Then Darkfur's Kit dropped out of a tree and was told everything! Now Darkfur probably knows what's going to happen and. . .and I can't hurt my Clan Mates, even if I had left them. I might have to fight you if WindClan get dragged into this and what about Silentclaw?" She could here the distress in her own voice. She pressed herself against Hollowheart for comfort. An idea had come to her.
"I shall leave," She whispered. "I shall leave my Clan, maybe even the forest. I will be the cat that walked alone. I will never join Darkfur. But I won't fight anyone and I still know how to heal. My Apprentice will take over as ShadowClan Medicine Cat. When I do leave, can we still be friends and meet up at Fourtrees? I will try to keep in contact with my Apprentice as well but not Silentclaw, he would only want to come with me and I can't have him ruin his life just to be with me," She looked steadily into Hollow's eyes. "Hollow, please do not tell Silentclaw what I have told you?"

[Hollow]

"I can't promise you not to tell Silentclaw or who ever he is now. It wouldn't be fair to him never to see his kits or know what happened to his mate." Hollow said looking at her. "I saw him before I went to see you. He was with the rouges and helping one. Willowtail I think he's up to something, so you better check on him. He still needs you, and it would be best if you told him. Trust me, he's more understanding then he acts." He looked at her for a moment then said seriously."If you do decide to leave, let those who care for you most now where you are, and of course I'll meet you at Fourtrees as long as I'm here."

[Willowtail]

"Thank you, Hollow," Willowtail smiled, ignoring what he said about telling Silentclaw, but remembering about the Rouges. "I won't forget you, and. . .when my Kits our born you will be known as Uncle Hollow by them!" She remembered when they first met, how she had mistaken him for her brother. "Goodbye, Hollow. If I ever want to meet you at Fourtrees I'll send a message somehow."

[Hollow]

"I'm everybody's Uncle,'Hollow muttered to himself standing up."I look foreward to seeing you next.Now please go tell Silentclaw if he joins the rouges, I'll be sure to give him my opinion." He left to go train his apprentice on the finer points of negotiation.

[Willowtail]

"I'll let him know," Willowtail mewed. "Goodbye!" Willowtail spun round and raced towards ShadowClan territory.