The Loyalty

Prologue
The smoky colored tom pulled himself up from the shore, shaking off his snowy paws of the water. His gaze crept around the clearing. His sister was sitting at the base of the wet rock, her amber gaze burning into his. She had clearly been waiting for his return, his sister wasn’t like other Riverclan cats. Mostly because of her build.

 

While other Riverclan cats are muscled-up and sleek. She was thin, and ragged-pelted. It took many enemies off guard with her quick attacks and snake-like reactions. She was a prized warrior of Riverclan, and would be given as many apprentices to train as possible with him around.

 

The smoky-snowy tom padded across the marshy ground. Stopping at the thin, dappled she-cat. “Hello, Sundapple.” The tom dipped his head to her. She nodded in return. “Stonestar, you have to appoint your deputy.” His littermate reminded, with a nod. Stonestar leapt up onto Wet Rock.

 

“All cats old enough to swim, gather below Wet Rock to hear my words!” His yowl traveled across the clearing, dragging cats over with it. As the cats came across the marsh, over to the rock. One certain cat caught his eye…

 

Rosebreeze… The queen was with his daughters. Both of them having picked up her ginger tabby fur. One showing trait of his shamrock eyes and snowy paws. But, there was one thing that was wrong with his family: Rosebreeze. That she-cat left him not long after their kits were born. Then took on a new mate, to make matters worse? She let that tom father his kits!

 

If that fox-dung excuse of a she-cat thinks she can go unpunished for messing with me… Cats in front of the rock backed away from him. The leader looked down, realizing he had unsheathed his claws. With a growl, he forced his fur to lie flat, and for his claws to relax.

 

“The death of Honeystar leaves us all in grieving,” He began, “but, Riverclan lives on. We were named after our ability to adapt. Just like how a river adapts to new grounds, or how it lives through the storm and the drought. We flow one way, and we continue to live on beneath the paws of Starclan.” The leader paused, his gaze flying across the splash of pelts below.

 

“With a new generation, comes new leaders. Meaning, I must appoint a deputy.” Stonestar brought his gaze down to Sundapple. His sister… “I say these words before the spirit of Honeystar. That her spirit may hear and approve my choice among our ancestors within silverpelt. Sundapple will be the deputy of Riverclan.”

 

“Sundapple hasn’t mentored an apprentice!” Stonestar turned his head as the yowls of protest rang across the marshy clearing. With a growl, the Riverclan leader raised his voice to the sky.

 

“She will mentor an apprentice fairly soon. She will be mentoring Amberkit when the time comes.” Amberkit, one of his daughters. She was only slightly older than Flamekit. Meaning that she would be leader first. Stonestar knew that his daughters would be taught well. But, he couldn’t do anything with them as long as Rosebreeze was in the way…

 

“As the new leader of Riverclan, I would like to make one last desicion. I, Stonestar, hereby exile Rosebreeze from Riverclan.” Rosebreeze let out a shocked yowl of protest, staring up at her former mate. Her eyes were wide in disbelief, their two kits mewed. They felt panick coming off their mother, their eyes were open. Sure. But, they still didn’t know what was going on.

 

With a sigh, Rosebreeze swept her kits up with her tail. She clearly knew and felt Stonestars vengance, his grudge against her, his fury, and wrath to her. The leader narrowed his eyes, “Flamekit and Amberkit stay. Rosebreeze, leave.”

 

“W...What?” Rosebreeze looked completely hurt, shattered. She was being cut off from her kits! Backing away, she ran out of the camp in fear of him. No cat tried to stop her, Rosebreeze wasn’t one of them anymore. Meaning that Flamekit and Amberkit would no longer have to tolerate her.

 

Leaping down, Stonestar called the meeting to an end. The Riverclan leader padded over to his daughters. “You’ll get to stay with your father now, kits. Come along.”