A Forest Divided/Chapter 25

==Chapter description==
:Clear Sky curls around Star Flower, thinking about after Quiet Rain's burial and his earlier encounter with Alder and Birch. He hears someone calling him, and he lifts his head to see Storm, and Clear Sky feels guilty, as he hadn't been the best mate to her. He apologizes and Storm questions this apology, and Clear Sky explains he wish he could have made her happier while she was still alive, meowing he let everyone down. Storm tells him to forgive himself, and Clear Sky meows he drove everyone away, but Storm meows not everyone, and Clear Sky realizes Star Flower can still relate to him. Storm informs Clear Sky he hasn't driven away other cats either and tells him his future belongs with his and Star Flower's kits, telling him to take care of them. Clear Sky opens his eyes and realizes it was a dream and reaches for Star Flower, but finds she is gone. 
:Clear Sky calls for Star Flower, wondering where she is. He hears a wail from the forest and plunges through the trees, listening for another sound. He hears a voice telling Star Flower is here and he asks who's there, seeing three toms surrounding Star Flower, and a brown tabby steps forwards. Clear Sky orders them to leave Star Flower alone, and meows to the queen to come to him. However, the golden tabby didn't move, looking weak between the brown tabby tom and the ginger tom. The brown cat meows he shares history with Star Flower, and he thought she would be his mate, but now, she is Clear Sky's. Clear Sky asks who is he, and the tom introduces himself as Slash, a friend of One Eye. The gray tom leaps at his mate but Slash grabs her, pinning her to the ground. 
:The gray tom stops, thinking he might hurt Star Flower, asking what do they want, and Slash meows he was One Eye's friend, and that they knew each other. Star Flower struggles to escape, meowing she never knew why One Eye was his friend. Slash questions this, asking why did she vow to be his mate and cuts her cheek, and the golden queen meows that was before. Clear Sky demands again what does he want, and Slash meows they have seen cats recruiting the strays into their groups, and there are scent marks everywhere, explaining they used to own the territory and the strays hunted for them, but now, they serve the groups, and the rogues will go hungry. Clear Sky meows they can hunt if they want, but Slash tells him there are much more rogues, which confuses Clear Sky. He asks why they've never seen the rogues before, and Slash meows the strays used to hunt for them, but now they hunt for the groups. 
:Slash meows it needs to return to its original state and the gray leader meows they aren't leaving, and Slash tells him he doesn't mean leave, he only wants the group leaders to meet up tomorrow night, and decide how to share the prey like before. Slash meows he'll kill Star Flower if the leaders don't listen to him, and he and his allies drag Star Flower away. He wants to free Star Flower, but she and the kits might die or get hurt, and he feels sick. Clear Sky sees Quick Water appear, asking if she was watching. Quick Water nods, and Clear Sky asks why did she not help fight. They argue about Star Flower's loyalty and Quick Water questions if the other leaders really are going to save Star Flower, as she is a traitor. Clear Sky wonders if Quick Water realizes the threat and trudges back through the bracken, believing the other leaders would help. He promises he would do whatever he can to protect his unborn kits. 
==Characters==
===Major===
*Clear Sky
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Errors==
*Slash is mistakenly described as gray.
==Notes and references==
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:A Forest Divided
Category:Dawn of the Clans arc