3 moons later...

Silverfrost was busy sending out the day's patrols. Things had more or less gone back to normal. Thistleleaf had moved to the elders den, Briarheart moved to the nursery, and Flurrypaw and her littermates had received their warrior names, Flurrystorm, Littlepelt, and Duskfur.

"Right," Silverfrost was saying. "Flurrystorm, you can lead a hunting patrol with Duskfur, Ivyflower, and Dappledfern. Amberlight, you can take Darkshadow and Littlepelt on a border patrol of the WinterClan border. Robinleap, you take Snowflake and Bramblebracken on another hunting patrol."

The cats she had named nodded and rushed off.

Silverfrost turned to Sweetpelt. "You can lead another hunting patrol, and take Mistyfur and Doeleap."

"Sure." Sweetpelt whisked her tail and led Mistyfur and Doeleap out of the camp.

"Willowfeather, you can take Emeraldshine and Petalfrost on a border patrol near the BraveClan border." Silverfrost decided for the final patrol.

Silverfrost could've sworn she saw a glimmer of resent in Emeraldshine's eyes as she spun around and followed Willowfeather.

Silverfrost didn't have much time to ponder it because she heard a yowl from the nursery.

Briarheart was yowling in pain.

"Briarheart!" Silverfrost called. "I'll get Heartcloud!" She dashed to the medicine den.

She poked her head into the medicine den. "Heartcloud!"

The medicine cat dropped the herbs she was sorting. "What's wrong?" She mewed.

"Briarheart is kitting!"

Heartcloud dashed into the nursery, Silverfrost at her heels.

The she-cat hurriedly sat down and got into position. She glanced at Silverfrost. "Could you get Firefern?"

Silverfrost nodded. "Okay." She dashed into the forest.

She spotted the former BraveClan warrior near the Three Oaks. "Briarheart is kitting!" She exclaimed.

Firefern's eyes widened.

"Come on!" Silverfrost flicked her tail, and dashed back to camp, Firefern hot on her heels.

Firefern rushed into the nursery just as a thin, pitiful wail cut through the air.

"Almost there!" Silverfrost heard Heartcloud mew encouragingly to her former mentor.

Silverfrost strained her ears to listen to any other mewling kits, but was interrupted when a voice sounded behind her.

"Silverfrost?" Cloudfrost mewed, catching the she-cat by surprise. "Do you want to come hunting? Worrying won't help Briarheart."

Silverfrost pondered her mate's words. "You have a point." She admitted. "I'll come with you."

Cloudfrost purred in delight.

They hunted near the BraveClan border, which had a bountiful supply of prey. Silverfrost had already caught a squirrel and two mice, and Cloudfrost was somewhere farther down the border.

The scent of rabbit flooded her nostrils, and she dropped into a hunters' crouch. Moments later, a rabbit flashed into view. Silverfrost tasted the air. She was downwind. She crept closer, and was a mouse-length away when something crashed into her and sent her flying several fox-lengths away. The rabbit pricked its ears, and hared away into the undergrowth.

Silverfrost jumped to her paws. She spun around in the direction she'd been before, and saw a light brown tabby she-cat. Silverfrost tasted the air around the she-cat. BraveClan scent! The cat in front of her was Brightblossom.

Silverfrost slid out her claws, and bunched her muscles, ready to spring, when three other cats emerged from the undergrowth. There was another light brown tabby, Nimbleleap, Brightblossom's daughter, she mused, recognizing the she-cat from Gatherings.

The other two cats were Swallowleaf, a cream-colored tom, and Scarmist, a dark gray tabby she-cat. The four BraveClan warriors all had their claws out, and their eyes glinting angrily in the sunlight.

Silverfrost hissed in defiance, despite being seriously outnumbered. "What are you doing on DawnClan territory?" She snarled.

Brightblossom snarled in reply. "This is BraveClan territory now."

Silverfrost narrowed her eyes at the she-cat. "Not if I have anything to say about it." She sprang, claws unsheathed, and dug her claws into Nimbleleap's pelt. The she-cat hissed in surprise and clawed at Silverfrost's ear.

Pain exploded in the silver tabby's ear, and she staggered backwards. Silverfrost let out a yowl of defiance as she charged the four bristling cats, who stood side-by-side, snarling and spitting. Silverfrost scored her claws down Swallowleaf's side, and Swallowleaf shrieked in pain. The tom swiped a paw at the silver tabby, but she dodged, only for Scarmist to bite her tail a heartbeat later.

Silverfrost whipped around to face Scarmist, but Brightblossom jumped onto her back, and Silverfrost staggered under the weight and collapsed on the forest floor.

Silverfrost tried to spin around, but Swallowleaf and Nimbleleap pinned her down.

Scarmist raised her claws to strike a blow, when a flash of silver tumbled into the gray tabby. Scarmist let out a yowl of surprise, and Silverfrost recognized the scent lingering in the air. Willowfeather! Suddenly, a pale gray she-cat bowled into Nimbleleap. With the weight released, the DawnClan deputy was able to pushed Swallowleaf off of her.

Silverfrost raked her claws down Swallowleaf's cheek, and she saw her mother, Petalfrost, fighting Nimbleleap. Claws dug into Silverfrost's back and she hissed and spun around to score her claws down the warrior who had grabbed her. Brightblossom.

Silverfrost yowled in defiance and slipped nimbly under the she-cat's belly and raked her claws down. Brightblossom yowled in pain and picked Silverfrost up by the scruff and tossed her into Swallowleaf, who raised his unsheathed claws, ready to strike.

Silverfrost tried to escape, but Brightblossom pinned her down. Silverfrost struggled, but to no avail. Claws scored down her muzzle. Blood poured into her eyes as the silver tabby spotted Emeraldshine in the corner of her vision, standing there, ignorant of the fight raging around her.

"Emeraldshine!" Silverfrost called desperately. "Help me!"

Emeraldshine swung her gaze over to the deputy, as if just noticing her. Silverfrost sighed in relief. She was saved! Silverfrost tensed her muscles, and gathered her remaining strength, ready to spring once Emeraldshine had rushed to her aid.

But Emeraldshine stood there, watching with intrigue. Her ear twitched, and she licked her paw.

Silverfrost realized, Emeraldshine wouldn't be there to help her.

Silverfrost managed to wrench free of Brightblossom's grip, and Swallowleaf's next blow hit his Clanmate, instead of the silver tabby.

Silverfrost bit Swallowleaf's tail, and the tom shrieked in pain.

Brightblossom lunged, ready to attack, but then she paused, and looked around her. Nimbleleap had scratches all over her pelt, and Scarmist was limping. A moment's hesitation, before the she-cat opened her jaws. "Retreat!"

Immediately, all the BraveClan cats broke off their skirmishes and hared away for their own territory.

Silverfrost purred. She turned to her clanmates. "Good job. I don't think they'll be coming back anytime soon."

Her gaze swung over to Emeraldshine, who wouldn't meet the deputy's gaze.

Silverfrost narrowed her eyes. "Why did you stand there, and let us fight the BraveClan warriors on our own?" She asked, her voice cold.

Willowfeather hissed in disbelief, and Petalfrost dug her claws into the ground, kneading at the dirt.

Emeraldshine was silent.

"Well?" Silverfrost hissed.

Just then, Cloudfrost burst out from the undergrowth, panting hard. He had a squirrel in his jaws. He dropped it on the ground next to him. "What happened?" He demanded. "I heard fighting- Are you all alright?" His face clouded in confusion. "Why are you all glaring at Emeraldshine?"

Willowfeather hissed. "Emeraldshine didn't bother lifting a claw to help us." She narrowed her eyes at her sister.

Cloudfrost had a look of disbelief. "What? Surely, you must be mistaken."

"Oh, I'm not." Silverfrost hissed. "Brightblossom and Swallowleaf had me pinned down, and I asked Emeraldshine for help, but she just stood there and watched me." She narrowed her eyes at Emeraldshine.

"We'll bring her back to camp." Cloudfrost mewed, "She may not speak to us, but she'll speak to Sunnystar."

Silverfrost nodded. She flicked her tail at Willowfeather and Petalfrost. "You go on ahead with Emeraldshine, Cloudfrost and I will retrieve our prey."

"Alright." Petalfrost mewed. She followed Emeraldshine and Willowfeather to the direction of camp.

Cloudfrost picked up his squirrel, and Silverfrost dug up her squirrel and mice.

When they entered the camp, it was in complete chaos.

Every cat in the clan was out in the clearing, arguing and hissing at Emeraldshine.

Ivyflower, Hawklight, Sweetpelt, and Dawnripple were arguing, but it was too far away to hear their words.

Doeleap was staring at his mate in horror, his fur spiked and bristling, and Fernshade was beside him, narrowing her eyes at her sister. Flurrystorm, Littlepelt, and Duskfur were beside him, staring in horror at their mother.

Frostpelt, Dovewish, Junipercloud, Dawnripple, Hollybriar, Snowflake, Bramblebracken, Robinleap, Dappledfern, Lionpelt, Amberlight, and Darkshadow were clustered together near the fresh-kill pile, muttering to one another and shooting hostile glances at Emeraldshine.

Eagleswoop pressed his pelt against his mate's, and Fawnlight pressed into his, and glared at Emeraldshine.

Mistyfur, and Firefern growled at Emeraldshine, in a corner of the camp, as they guarded her.

Briarheart poked her head out of the nursery, kits suckling at her belly. Heartcloud was watching with horror from the entrance to the medicine den.

Petalfrost and Willowfeather were conversing in hushed tones with Sunnystar underneath the leaders' ledge, and in the elders' den, Birchleap, Robinpounce, and Thistleleaf sat in the entrance, straining their ears to hear their conversation.

Cloudfrost glanced at his mate questioningly, but Silverfrost shook her head, and flicked her tail over at the fresh-kill pile. She dropped her squirrel and mice on the ground. "Go bring our prey over to the pile." She whispered.

Cloudfrost nodded, and set off.

Silverfrost padded over to Sunnystar.

Sunnystar looked up in recognition, and dipped her head as Silverfrost approached. "Willowfeather, Petalfrost, you may go."

Petalfrost and Willowfeather nodded, and stalked off.

"Please, tell me what happened." Sunnystar mewed.

Silverfrost told her everything, her and Cloudfrost hunting, the fight with BraveClan, and Emeraldshine's betrayal.

Sunnystar heaved a breath, and exhaled. "Thank you. I know what I must do now."

Sunnystar leaped onto the leader's ledge and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the leader's ledge!"

Most of the cats had already been beneath the ledge, and within seconds, every cat was under the leader's ledge.

Silverfrost moved from the base of the ledge to sit closer to her kin.

Sunnystar glanced at Firefern and Mistyfur. "Bring Emeraldshine here." She ordered.

Firefern and Mistyfur hissed at their clanmate as they escorted her to the base of the ledge, before sliding back into the swarm of angry cats.

Sunnystar glared down at Emeraldshine, who stood at the bottom of the ledge, her face defiant.

"Why did you betray your clanmates, Emeraldshine?" Sunnystar hissed. "We're supposed to be your clanmates!"

Emeraldshine gazed at her leader, struggling to find the words to speak. She stood there, silent.

"Well then? Speak!" Sunnystar hissed.

After a moment's unease, Emeraldshine's face hardened into pure anger and hatred.

"You want to know why?" Emeraldshine hissed. She flicked her tail contemptuously at Silverfrost, and spun around to face the deputy. "You took everything from me!" She yowled angrily. "You took Cloudfrost from me! I was going to be Cloudfrost's mate! And you killed Snifflenose!" She screeched. Her gaze swept over her clanmates. "And you all forgive her for killing a clanmate?!"

"It was an accident." Sunnystar mewed coldly.

Emeraldshine stared at her mate, who wouldn't meet her gaze. "Look!" She hissed. "I'm stuck with a mate who won't even look at me. We're supposed to be a team!" She glared at her children. "And my kits... I raised them, and they don't even acknowledge me!" She glared at Silverfrost. "Meanwhile, her mate was exiled for her actions, but he stuck with her! And her kits risked everything to bring their mother back to the clan!" Her voice turned to a gravely whisper. "She has everything I ever wanted, and all I have is a disloyal mate, disloyal littermates, and ungrateful children." She spat.

Willowfeather glared at her sister. "You're wrong." She spat. "You're the disloyal one!"

Fernshade hissed at her sister. "You turned your back on your clanmates!"

Emeraldshine glared coldly at her littermates. "You're wrong. DawnClan is full of traitors. Ungrateful scum!" She hissed.

"That's enough!" Sunnystar hissed. "Emeraldshine, you are banished from DawnClan. You are now a rogue, and you will be until your dying breath. If you aren't off our territory by sunset... you will be killed. Let StarClan turn their backs on you in death as we have in the living world. Willowfeather, Fernshade, get that scum off our territory." She hissed.

The two she-cats hissed at their littermate as they pushed her out of camp, and they walked out into the undergrowth as they led Emeraldshine out of clan territory.

Silverfrost wasn't sure if anyone else had noticed, but she could have sworn she saw Emeraldshine shoot a look of pure hatred at Sunnystar. But, based on the other cats neutral looks, she didn't think so.

She glanced at the DawnClan leader, who was retiring to her den, and swung her head back to the camp entrance, where Emeraldshine had just disappeared. She shuddered. She knew Emeraldshine was banished, but she couldn't help but feel DawnClan hadn't seen the last of the hateful she-cat.

Hope you liked it!

Sorry for not updating in sooooooo long.

Also, if the last two paragraphs didn't hint this, Emeraldshine will be back!

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Love from, Tiaqua Neptune