"All cats old enough to swim, gather under the highrock to hear my words!"

Groggily, Bluefur got to her paws. Why would Sunstar say swim? She thought, confused. Then she remembered she was in RiverClan's camp, waiting for Hailstar to decide her destiny. Would she leave or stay at RiverClan? She checked the kits were still asleep, then padded out of the den.

"This morning, two ThunderClan warriors and three kits came into our camp, saying they wanted to join our Clan. I have thought it over with my senior warriors, and we have agreed on what to do."

Suddenly all eyes were on Bluefur, Thrushpelt and Oakheart. Bluefur squirmed, feeling like her name had been called out at the full moon gathering.

"Now, of course, you will be punished for breaking the code and leaving your Clan, but since you have kits we will let you stay until leaf-bare is over," Hailstar meowed.

"But what about after?" Bluefur exclaimed.

Hailstar's tail twitched. Bluefur hung her head, ashamed for speaking out in front of a Clan leader.

"Once it is newleaf, we will discuss this again," the Leader rumbled.

Bluefur nodded. "Thank you so much, Hailstar. We are all very grateful," she purred, nudging Thrushpelt, who nodded vigorously.

Oakheart also smiled warmly at Hailstar, who nodded and turned away. "That marks the end of this meeting. Crookedjaw, you organise the patrols for today," Hailstar meowed.

Crookedjaw looked more than annoyed that Hailstar let Bluefur into RiverClan, but didn't say anything, just reluctantly announcing who would go on a hunting patrol. Satisfied, for now, Bluefur padded back into the nursery to check on her kits. At the entrance, her name was called out.

"Bluefur, you're going on the border patrol with me, Thrushpelt and Beetlenose," Crookedjaw called, eyes narrow.

Bluefur turned, dread crawling in her stomach. "Which border?" She asked slowly.

Crookedjaw started to pad out of camp, with Thrushpelt and Beetlenose following quickly. As he left, he turned back to look at her and notion with his head for her to follow.

"The ThunderClan border."

---

A dark tabby padded out of the bushes into a dip in the forest. He sat down, amber eyes gleaming. He waited for moments which seemed like moons, and finally, a fluffy grey tom walked over. "Tigerclaw, what did you want? It's the middle of the night. I almost stood on White-eye's tail!" The grey tom exclaimed. Then he stopped. Tigerclaw's eyes were excited, victorious even. "What is it?" The grey tom asked, intrigued.

"Well, Thistleclaw, I saw Bluefur and Thrushpelt at the RiverClan border- their kits were there too. Except, they're not Thrushpelt's," Tigerclaw hissed, a grin on his face. "They're Oakheart's!"

Thistleclaw's ear twitched. "Anything I don't already know?" he asked dryly. "I learned that a few days ago."

Tigerclaw's eyes narrowed. "And you didn't tell anyone? Now Bluefur's with precious Oakheart in RiverClan, that traitor!"

Now Thistleclaw actually looked surprised. "She's in RiverClan?!" He yowled. "Of course! Why didn't I realise?"

The grey tom's voice dropped to a snarl and he began to pace. "Now she's going to become Deputy of RiverClan, and she's going to get what she wants! That sly fox, thinking she could just leave!"

Tigerclaw took a step back, looking concerned for his friend. "Thistleclaw, it's okay, no-one will trust her there-"

"For now!" Thistleclaw spat. "What a fox heart, I'll rip her throat out, I'll-"

Tigerclaw snorted. "Like she'd let you do that," the dark tabby muttered, sinking his long hooked claws into the grass. "Let's sleep for now, and tomorrow we'll go patrol the RiverClan border. We can ask what happened. Okay?"

Thistleclaw relaxed. "I'm not a kit," he grumbled, unable to hide his look of relief. Tigerclaw dipped his head and walked off, with Thistleclaw following close behind.

--

"Ah, Tigerclaw, Thistleclaw and Whitestorm. How are you three?"

Crookedjaw's meow sounded from up ahead as Bluefur caught up with the border patrol. Her eyes widened as she heard the names. Thistleclaw and his closest follower. Whitestorm was there too, and she couldn't bear to see his nephew's expression when he saw her. Had he seen Thrushpelt already? What did he think?

Thistleclaw dipped his head. "Crookedjaw, Beetlenose, and Thrushpelt," He meowed, spitting out the last name. "We're doing fine, thank you. How are you?"

"We're good-" Thrushpelt began, but Thistleclaw cut him off.

"Didn't want to hear from a traitor, sorry," he snarled. Bluefur got to see Whitestorm's expression, and visibly flinched as she trotted over. He looked furious.

Bluefur's ears flattened as neither Crookedjaw or Beetlenose defended the new RiverClan warrior. Thrushpelt just hung his head. Quietly, Bluefur slowed her pace and walked over. Hoping no one would notice her, she sat down behind the patrol.

"What are you doing on the other side of the border, Thrushpelt?" Tigerclaw sneered. "Upset that Bluefur didn't become Deputy? I like how the way you chose to deal with it is to join the fish eaters." The dark tabby's eyes shone innocently.

Whitestorm gasped suddenly. "Bluefur?!" He exclaimed, voice tight with fury. "What are you doing over there?"

Thistleclaw shrugged. "I told you she didn't truly care about you, Whitestorm. Only I do."

Bluefur snarled as Thistleclaw wrapped his tail around Whitestorm's body. "Whitestorm, do you not see what Thistleclaw would do as Leader? He'd mark the borders with blood, and StarClan knows what he'd do with my kits! It's love that's guiding me to do this, and Thistleclaw has none of that."

Thistleclaw looked genuinely wounded, but Bluefur could tell it wasn't true. She spat at him, her eyes narrowed in fury. She felt Thrushpelt's tail rested on her back and relaxed. "Let's just mark the border and leave," she muttered. Crookedjaw nodded in agreement and Beetlenose hissed a quick goodbye.

Bluefur followed the other three cats, her tail lashing and eyes narrowed. She turned her head back and glared at the ThunderClan cats with fiery eyes. I will not let you take over RiverClan, she thought furiously. Thistleclaw caught her eye and grinned. I will show Hailstar I am a great asset to my Clan, become Leader and then I will make sure your ambition is never fulfilled. Good luck, Thistleclaw.

As she walked on, she became more and more confident with every step. I will stop you if it kills me.