Coming clean

Batsong dreaded what the next hour might bring... even the next couple minutes for that matter. She was about to tell Shrikestar everything. Scorchtalon and a shadowclan cat were together... Batsong had known for quite awhile. She had promised Scorchtalon to keep it a secret. And she wanted to do that, keep it a secret.

But that was no longer possible, her message from starclan... her prophecy was too dangerous to not tell Shrikestar now. She had no choice anymore and as her duty of med cat to protect this clan... she had to break the promise she had made to her lifelong friend. She had to tell Shrikestar.

She fought back tears over what might happen once she told him... Maplespring had a similar situation and she had to leave for riverclan because of it. Was that what would happen to her friend now too?


Composing herself she exited her den and saw her old mentor nearby. She called for him "S-s...shrikestar? w-would you pl-please come in? T-there is s-...something you need to know" the words were stuttered even worse than usual her nerves not helping her speech at all today.


She waited until he arrived and no one else was in earshot.


She gave a small smile to her old mentor... he had taught her everything as an apprentice and she had been a great warrior with his guidance. She looked up to him alot and knew that she had to serve him and their clan the best she could as med cat. And right now that meant being honest with him.

Once he was settled in she took a deep breath and started out,
Shrikestar? Starclan recently sent me a phropecy.

“The sun scorched marshes of yesterday make way for fresh greenleaf tears, flooding the foundation upon which they were created.”
And a vision of the sun shines harshly, scorching everything below it. There are pawsteps stamped into the dry and cracking marsh. Water seems to rise from these prints

she recited the prophecy so he could hear it too. She had it memorized so well that for once there was no stutter when she recited it word for word as it was given to her.

She looked ashamed down at her paws.

and... I know partially what it m-means.

she hesitated but only for a second before continuing.

"Scorchtalon... and a shadowclan cat are... t-..t... together she whispered not able to look her leader in they eye she looked nervously at her paws.

and... I have known for a long time... I p-p...promised to keep h-his secret b-but cant anymore n-not with this w-warning from starclan she looked at him anxiously guessing that he would be pretty upset and angry with this news.


"b-but I beg you... d-dont ... dont kick scorchtalon out. As your med cat... as your old apprentice.... give him a second chance" she said looking at him. She knew that this was not likely but she felt she had to try... Scorchtalon was one of her closest friends so it was very personal to her... maybe even too personal in the sense that she had kept it hidden for so long. She shifted nervously on her paws wondering what his response to all this information suddenly dropped on him would bring

Shrikestar was delegating patrols that day when he heard the voice of Batsong. She needed to see him, so he allowed his deputy to finish delegating while he followed his former apprentice - and current medicine cat - to a quiet spot in the camp. He felt a strange feeling running down his spine, as if he could already tell whatever Batsong had to tell him wasn't good.

He listened intently to the prophecy, letting the words swirl around in his mind. Luckily it seemed that Batsong knew what at least part of it meant. Unfortunately, the reason for that was not a good one. He should've been shocked that another one of his clan members was having a forbidden romance with a cat from another clan, but he wasn't. Sometimes it felt as if the forest was trying to break every rule of the Warrior Code in one go. He shook his head and sighed.

"I understand why you didn't come to me initially with this information. I'm disappointed, but I know you were only protecting your friend." He thought about it: a second chance, huh? Well... He looked around the clan, noting how lacking it was in fresh-faced warriors. If he had to kick out another one... Frustration seeped into his heart, but he bit back any harsh words he might have. Now was not the time for that.

"I'm willing to give Scorchtalon a second chance, but only one one condition. He must swear to never see that ShadowClan cat again. WindClan already has a reputation, and I don't wish to exacerbate it."