Veil of Shadows/Chapter 9

==Chapter description==
:Bristlefrost and Rosepetal finish their guard duty from the previous night. The older warrior mentions that Bramblestar has ordered for doubled guards to keep the camp safe, but she feels they were safe beforehand. Bristlefrost agrees and states that she is eager to grab prey and have a nap, to which Rosepetal agrees and adds nervously that there must be a good reason for Bramblestar's decision to add more guards. Bristlefrost sighs, wishing that her Clanmates didn't think she would report them all to their leader. As they talk, Bramblestar enters camp with slow, tired paw steps, and Bristlefrost notes that he has put on weight. She attributes it to his rule of taking the first pick from the fresh-kill pile. Rosepetal greets their leader, but is ignored as he crosses the clearing and disappears in the darkness. The pair wait a few moments before heading further into camp themselves, where Bristlefrost spots Bramblestar abandon a half-eaten squirrel before shambling off to the medicine cat den. Thinking something is off with him, Bristlefrost takes her share of prey and quickly gulps it down before heading to the warriors' den.
:She wakes up sometime later to the rain and cats sloshing around outside of the den. Leaving the den, Bristlefrost spots her brother, Flipclaw, with other young ThunderClan warriors, speaking about his strange dream from the previous night. As she listens to the outlandish story he is telling, Bristlefrost spots Bramblestar also listening intently before heading back to the medicine cats' den. She questions his time spent in the den, wondering if the leader is sick. Before the leader can return to the den, Berrynose intercepts him with news from a patrol and is cut off by Bramblestar's snappy retort. Bristlefrost feels uneasy at his erratic behavior. Bramblestar disappears into the den as Bristlefrost listens in carefully. She hears him raise his voice at Alderheart and order the tom to heal his pain. The medicine cat apologizes, but insists that he can't give his leader more poppy seeds to help, as it's dangerous. With a growl, Bramblestar leaves the den and storms to the center of the clearing to call a Clan meeting.
:Bristlefrost watches as her Clanmates gather uneasily around their leader in the rain. Bramblestar begins speaking about ThunderClan's luck, and that since Jayfeather has been exiled, they have been gifted another medicine cat. Bristlefrost sees her confusion mirrored in the eyes of her Clanmates and wonders why Alderheart has said nothing about it. Bramblestar continues and names Flipclaw as the new medicine cat apprentice. Ivypool calls out in disbelief, as does Flipclaw. The ThunderClan leader holds his gaze steady with Flipclaw as he questions the young tom's doubt in himself despite the prophetic dream he had just been speaking about. The warrior follows along with Bramblestar's decision out of fear after the leader claims the dream is a vision from StarClan. Alderheart tries to call him out on the idea, but Bramblestar remains persistent. Flipclaw says he hasn't had a pull to be a medicine cat and that StarClan is silent, to which Bramblestar responds that he, as ThunderClan's approved leader, wants him to be a medicine cat.
:Alderheart has had enough and, full of bitterness, calls out Bramblestar and his recent actions. Bramblestar looms over the smaller tom, and with a snarl, states that as Clan leader, he makes the decisions. The dark tabby tom leaves and calls for Bristlefrost as he does. She follows him into his den and he reveals that he has been searching for Squirrelflight, to no avail. Surprised, Bristlefrost reminds Bramblestar that he banished Squirrelflight, and asks if he wants to punish her more. Bramblestar mournfully reveals that he actually expected Squirrelflight to return, believing she still loves him. He then orders to Bristlefrost to find and bring the former deputy back, no matter what. The young she-cat questions his decision as it would make him go back on his word about punishing the codebreakers. Bramblestar hushes her and tells her that when she's older she will learn more about forgiveness from StarClan. Bristlefrost nervously agrees and leaves camp, heading to the exile camp to speak with Squirrelflight.
:When she arrives, she and Squirrelflight discuss Bramblestar and what has happened. Bristlefrost catches the former deputy up on the news in ThunderClan and wishes the she-cat could return. Squirrelflight tells her that she wishes she could as well, but she has to protect the exiled ThunderClan cats. The dark ginger she-cat comes up with the solution to tell the impostor that she is dead. Bristlefrost states that he wouldn't believe it without some sort of proof. Squirrelflight asks Jayfeather to wound her, but the blind medicine cat refuses angrily. Instead, Mothwing agrees to injure the deputy after being convinced by Squirrelflight's sincerity and the stakes of the situation. Later, Bristlefrost leads Bramblestar to the spot where they had injured Squirrelflight to fake her death. The stench of blood stains the area, and Bristlefrost prays that Bramblestar believes her as he studies the scene. With true grief, Bramblestar bows his head and takes a moment to speak, believing it to be his fault Squirrelflight is dead.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Trivia==
*This chapter aligns with chapter eight of Spotfur's Rebellion.
==Notes and references==
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Veil of Shadows
Category:The Broken Code arc