Book 10 - Chapter 25

Rivera was watching Birchtail and stalking towards the center of the clearing to begin her story for the day. "I have a story to tell, it is very similar to Mossfur's story. Although I have not always had a warrior code to guide me. I have had my own code of sorts, the house cats have always had a code to live by. I don't believe that loyalty is the most important, no matter who you are or where you live that matters, what matters the most is who you are loyal to. As a house cat some clan cats may not believe in a thing I say or they might not take us seriously, but I do know that it is the truth, it won't matter if you aren't loyal or are loyal. If you are loyal to someone or a group or side that isn't good or a side that is good doesn't matter. As long as you are giving your best to a group is what matters, as long as you want what is best for the group that you live with proves you are loyal. Loyalty to a group is what matters the most, without loyalty there would be no group to care for. If no cats are loyal and they only care for themselves, then there is no true group and no reason to live in a group. So I feel that if you betray a cat, human, animal even yourself, you don't deserve to be called loyal. So that is why I guard my loyalty to myself, the clan even my old human owner so fiercely." When Rivera finished speaking Appledawn, Sagewind and Birchtail were all bristling and glaring, "So you're saying that Birchtail isn't worthy of being called a loyal warrior just because he betrayed your human," snarled Appledawn. Rivera stared at the warrior in the clearing below before speaking, "I never said anything of the sort," she told the younger warrior. "You were thinking it though, and you wanted to say it," snapped Sagewind. Rivera calmly sat down and looked at the queen glaring at her,"I would never say something bad about any of my clan mates, a good habit that I learned. Also, how would you know what I am thinking? You are not me." Birchtail was the one who stood up and spoke "I don't know for a fact that you are thinking that I shouldn't be allowed the title of a loyal warrior but I can almost 100% safely say that you are thinking that." "How would you know that is true, and how are you almost 100% certain that I am thinking that?" said Rivera sheathing and unsheathing her claws. "I know you, you would never say something like that out loud but you would say it in your head, and I know that, that is what you think of me," growled Birchtail in return. Finally the leaders pushed their way in-between the two cats and spoke to the whole clan. "We thank Rivera for sharing, and I think that she is right it is not loyalty that matters the most it is whether or not you are loyal," said Berrystar. The clan nodded and went back to sharing stories quietly with each other before heading off to bed.