Here's this long-awaited chapter! Sorry for the wait; had homework! ^^;

Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter

Cats belongs to me.

Enjoy!


The sun was slowly beginning to climb downward by the time Spiritwalker and Pepperfeet arrived on the other side of the river. Spiritwalker was annoyingly aware of the sounds of rustling bushes and a flash of brown fur that followed then until they reached the river; Mintstar must've sent a scout to make sure they actually left her precious territory.

The cats around here are all too wary of each other, Spiritwalker thought.

"Do you think we should keep going while there's still daylight?" Pepperfeet asked as she paused besides the river.

Spiritwalker glanced first at the slowly setting sun and then at Pepperfeet. "No…it'll be dark by the time we get to MapleClan."

"Guess we're saving the best for last," Pepperfeet sarcastically muttered under her breath. "So what should we do now?" she meowed louder.

"Let's head back to your camp to report to Jetstream and Lightningstrike," Spiritwalker ordered. "We can spend the night there and then make our way towards MapleClan in the morning."

Pepperfeet nodded. "Sounds like a plan," she agreed.

The two resumed their walking as they entered the evergreen forest. "What's it like?" she suddenly asked.

"What's what like?" Spiritwalker asked.

She avoided his gaze. "Being alive again."

Spiritwalker let out an mrrow of amusement. "Wait, you're saying that you believe me?"

"No!" Pepperfeet snapped as Spiritwalker laughed. "I've just…been thinking about it lately. Besides…I'm saying hypothetically."

The cream-colored tabby tom let out a snort. "'Hypothetically'? Hah…well…" He gazed up at the pine trees above them. "It feels…strange. In StarClan, there is no illness, or hunger; now I have to worry about those things all the time."

"So…you 'hypothetically' didn't have to hunt for…seasons?" Pepperfeet asked.

"Yeah," Spiritwalker purred. "That's why I didn't know you were hunting when we first met!"

Pepperfeet purred and gently shoulder Spiritwalker. "You frost-brain," she gently teased.

"Hey! That insult has been around since my day!" Spiritwalker joked.

"I didn't know you were that old!" Pepperfeet shot back.

The two gently purred in amusement. Their moment was ruined by the sounds of howls and screeches.

Pepperfeet's ears perked up at a particular yowl. "That sounds like Bumblebee!" She took off running in the direction of the camp.

"Pepperfeet, wait!" Spiritwalker called after her and immediately dashed after his friend. Spiritwalker leapt over boulders and skirted around trees to keep the running black and white pelt in sight. Soon, Pepperfeet disappeared through the ferns and Spiritwalker barged in after her. Spiritwalker landed with an oomph as he smacked into another cat.

"S-Sorry!" Spiritwalker squawked, until he realized that he didn't recognize the brown tom who was scrambling to his paws.

"Watch it, rogue!" the tom hissed before dashing away.

It suddenly came to Spiritwalker that there were a bunch of cats he didn't recognize in the camp, and there was blood on the ground…

Jetstream and Lightningblaze were dueling with another dark brown tom and a fuzzy ginger tom. Jetstream ducked and nipped the ginger tom's legs while his brother swiped at the brown tom.

Junior was locked claw-to-claw in a battle with a black tom. The black tom raked his hind legs on Junior's exposed belly and his claws drew away with clots of white fur and blood. Junior yowled and quickly tackled the other rogue and they landed in a skirmish on the bloody ground.

Petaldrop quickly ducked as a cream and brown she-cat launched herself at the loner. The rogue quickly rolled on the ground and launched herself once more at Petaldrop. The gray she-cat dodged once again and raked her claws alongside the rogue.

Piper and Peaches were tag-teaming against a mottled brown and white she-cat and a black and white tom. Piper expertly ducked as the black and white tom lashed out his claws over his head. Piper then dug his claws into the rogue's uncovered belly fur as Peaches, yowling, leapt on the rogue's back. The mottled she-cat grabbed Peaches's scruff and yanked back hard, dragging the young tom from her comrade's scarred back.

Bumblebee heard his denmate's yowl and hurried to help when a brown and white she-cat intercepted him and the two tussled on the dusty ground.

Meanwhile, Strudel and Maple were up against a bush with their kits behind them; a dark gray she-cat and a dark brown tabby tom were closing in on them. The kits' mewls were louder than the queens' hisses and threats. Pepperfeet suddenly launched herself on the dark gray she-cat's back with a caterwaul.

"Spiritwalker, help!" Pepperfeet yowled as she writhed on the rogue's back.

Spiritwalker snapped out of his trance and immediately rushed over to the dark brown tabby rogue and shoved him away from the queens and the kits. The enemy quickly regained his footing and quickly lashed out at his attacker. Spiritwalker sidestepped to the right just as Hoot came barreling in with claws extended at the brown tabby. Trusting that the black tom could handle himself, Spiritwalker rushed over to the queens, who stood protectively over their kits.

"Are the kits alright?" Spiritwalker breathed.

"We're all alright," replied Strudel, her brown tabby fur still fluffed from shock. "The kits are just frightened."

Spiritwalker was about to reply when an angry yowl was heard in the clearing. He noticed that the fighting has stopped and every cat was staring at the three cats in the middle of the mass of cats. The StarClan cat recognized Jetstream and Lightningblaze, but he did not recognize the dark brown tabby tom.

Lightningblaze took a step closer towards the dark brown tabby. All three cats bore claw marks and blood was slowly gushing from their wounds. The black tom bore his teeth into a growl.

"What do you want, Talon?" the co-leader deeply growled.

"Just to give you a warning," the other tom replied, unfazed by the obvious threat. "It won't be long until we take over your territory; this fight was only but a taste."

"That will never happen, Talon," Jetstream snarled and he puffed his silver-black fur. "This territory is ours and we will stop you."

"That may be, rogue," Talon sneered. "But we shall see what happens on the day. As for now, we will be watching you…so you better keep both your ears and eyes peeled." He flicked his tail and he slowly led his cats into the shadows and the last thing they heard was the sound of cackling.

"Who was that?" Spiritwalker whispered to Pepperfeet.

"That's Talon, a nasty rogue that terrorizes the cats, along with MapleClan," Pepperfeet explained. "Surprisingly, they don't bother each other and rather annoy the other cats."

"Sounds like the rogues the Clans were talking about," Spiritwalker surmised.

Pepperfeet nodded. "Talon is their leader and is a ruthless killer and he and my father have a history."

"What kind of history?" Spiritwalker asked.

Pepperfeet shrugged nonchalantly, as if she didn't know. Spiritwalker knew something was up, but recounting how stubborn his friend was, didn't push.

"Some cat help!" a cry was heard from where the queens were. Strudel was yowling as she circled a black and white body. The cat lay unmoving and blood was pooling into the dirt.

Junior!

The cats quickly gathered around the pair and shock filled their eyes.

"Well don't just stand there!" Strudel snapped. "Some cat do something!"

"But what?" Bumblebee asked. "Do we look like medics or something?"

"Let me take a look," Spiritwalker offered and shoved his way through the crowd. He quickly scrutinized Junior's wounds; the black and white tom was on lying on his flank and his chest was rising and falling softly. Blood was pouring from the long wound on his white belly and staining Spiritwalker's paws.

"Peaches, Piper," Spiritwalker meowed to the cats who were the least injured. The two toms snapped into attention when the tom called their names. "I need you to find me some plants. Peaches," he turned towards the young ginger tabby tom, "find me a plant that is green and tall—"

"You mean…like every plant?" Peaches joked, but Spiritwalker roughly growled.

"I'm serious! This cat could die if you don't do as I say!" Spiritwalker hissed.

Peaches winced and quickly nodded.

"Bring me a plant that is tall, and has a bristly stem. It grows in tall stalks and its leaves are fine and bristly. It looks almost like a fox's tail," Spiritwalker explained, hoping the young tom would recognize the plant. "It's called horsetail, but I'm not sure what you call it."

"It sounds familiar," Peaches replied. "I think I know where I can find some near the river!"

"Fetch me some," Spiritwalker briskly ordered and turned his attention towards Piper as Peaches dashed off. "Bring me a plant is tall with bright, small and yellow flowers. The flowers are centered near the top and grow in small clumps. They are called goldenrod and are found near the fields."

"I know where those are!" Piper yipped and ran off.

"Hoot," Spiritwalker meowed to the anxious tom. The tom snapped out of his trance at his dying brother and gazed at Spiritwalker. "Find me cobwebs. Lots and lots of cobwebs. Quickly."

Hoot nodded determinately and took off in another direction.

"Bumblebee," Spiritwalker meowed. "Bring me some marigold. They are a small, low-growing flower with a small center. They are yellow and grow in small patches. Don't confuse them with dandelion."

"Right away," Bumblebee meowed and quickly sped away.

"What about me, Spiritwalker?" Pepperfeet asked.

Spiritwalker glanced at Strudel, who was clearly freaking out. "Fetch me some thyme, if you will. They are small plants that grow in sunny locations. The leaves are small and smooth and often thick and stick. It smells tangy and would most likely grow in the open."

"I know where those are! Be back in a sec!" Pepperfeet smirked and dashed off.

By now, Peaches had returned with a few stalks of bushy plants in his jaws. He placed them down by Spiritwalker. "Uhh…is this is?"

Spiritwalker sniffed the stalks. "Yup and thanks!" He gently took a stalk in his jaws and chewed if up.

"Eww, he's chewing plants!" Toast shrieked.

Spiritwalker ignored the murmurs around him and gently spat out the poultice on Junior's wound.

Piper had returned with his goldenrod. "Here you go, Spiritwalker!"

"Thanks, Piper," he meowed and took the goldenrod in his jaws and chewed it up as well. Once it was fine and mushy, he spat it out next to the horsetail and gently rubbed it over the wound.

Bumblebee's marigold was in the pile when Spiritwalker went to fetch more goldenrod. Once again, he grabbed some marigold petals and placed it on the wound.

Hoot had returned, covered in cobwebs all over his black fur. "Is this enough, Spiritwalker?"

"That's plenty, Hoot, thanks!" Spiritwalker graciously thanked and expertly took a cobweb off the tom's flank and placed it on the wound. He repeated the process until the bleeding has stopped. "He should be fine, but we can't risk moving him until the wound is sealed. He'll have to sleep here tonight."

"Will do, Spiritwalker," Jetstream replied. "That was some fancy work with the herbs. How did you know they would work?"

"Back in FrostClan, every apprentice had to know the basic herbs in case something bad happened," Spiritwalker explained. "I'm grateful that I still remember them!"

"That was amazing, Spiritwalker!" Pepperfeet purred, the thyme resting at her paws.

"Thanks," Spiritwalker purred. "And you found thyme! That's great!"

Pepperfeet gave her chest a few licks. "It wasn't too hard to fine the plant you were asking for."

Spiritwalker flicked his ear and grabbed a few of the leaves and placed them in front of Strudel. "Eat these, Strudel. They'll calm your shock."

Strudel gave him a wary look, but she ate the herbs anyway.

"Eww, Mother, you ate plants!" Toast complained.

"Does that mean she'll become a plant?" Crumbs asked.

"Not at all," Spiritwalker explained. "They'll help her. On another note, why don't you find the softest feathers and moss for your father to sleep on? I bet he'll appreciate that!"

"Yeah! I'll find the softest feathers in the forest!" Toast squealed and dashed off.

"No, I will!" Crumbs growled and chased after her brother.

Spiritwalker let out an mrrow of amusement. "Only StarClan will know if they actually do find any feathers."

Pepperfeet purred.

"We're lucky to have Spiritwalker with us," Lightningblaze meowed for all to hear. "We thank you."

"It's no problem," Spiritwalker meowed. "I couldn't let him die."

"Say, Spiritwalker," Bumblebee began. "Can you fix the wound on my shoulder, please?" He turned to show the fresh wound on his right shoulder.

"What about my scratches?" Petaldrop asked.

"And mine?" Hoot asked.

It wasn't long until every cat was asking for Spiritwalker to heal their wounds.

"Of course," Spiritwalker hesitatingly replied. "Let's get started…"


The sun had set when Spiritwalker finished placing cobwebs on Jetstream's flank. "Now, don't move around too much or the wound will open," he instructed.

"Of course," Jetstream replied. "Spiritwalker…thank you for being here. Junior would've died if you hadn't healed him."

"Like I said, no problem," Spiritwalker insisted and glanced at the black and white tom not far. His kits actually found some soft feathers and moss and they were placed around him. He assumed that Junior would make a full recovery by tomorrow. Strudel was resting next to her mate with her two kits next to her. The queen had calmed down after she ate the herbs and was now resting peacefully.

"Is learning about herbs something in a Clan?" Jetstream asked.

"Yes, every Clan has something called a medicine cat, who is responsible for learning medicine and treats every cat when they get injured," Spiritwalker explained. "They also interpret omens for the Clan from StarClan and often talk to the Clan leader. If you become a Clan, then one of your would become a medicine cat."

Jetstream nodded thoughtfully. "Well, thanks again for the treatment, Spiritwalker. Rest peacefully."

"Anytime, Jetstream," Spiritwalker responded as the silver-black leader disappeared into his den among the ferns.

"Hey, nice job out there," Pepperfeet meowed from behind Spiritwalker.

The StarClan cat nearly jumped and twirled around. "Pepperfeet! You nearly scared me out of my fur!"

"Nearly? More like so!" Pepperfeet smirked.

"Sure…" Spiritwalker insisted and smoothed down his chest fur.

"So, what's the plan for us tomorrow?" Pepperfeet asked.

"Us?" Spiritwalker repeated.

"What's wrong with that? I thought I was your guide," Pepperfeet purred, amused.

"No, no, no, no, no, it's now that," Spiritwalker quickly regained himself. "I just thought you saw how dangerous this could be and didn't want come along."

Pepperfeet sniffed. "Spiritwalker, you and I started this journey together and we'll end it together."

"If you say so," Spiritwalker meowed. "Anyways, tomorrow let's try MapleClan since tensions between us and Talon are still pretty high after today."

"Pft. They're always high," Pepperfeet remarked. "But, sounds like a plan. We better get some rest if we plan on starting tomorrow morning." She glanced at the night sky and then back at her friend. "Good-night, Spiritwalker."

"Good-night, Pepperfeet," Spiritwalker replied and he watched the speckled black and white she-cat gracefully disappear into her den. Spiritwalker gazed up at Silverpelt above, wondering if his ancestors were watching him right now. The moon was nearly full and it would be only a few more sunrises before it was completely full. His time was running out.

"I hope I can convince the Clan leaders to meet in the next few sunrises, StarClan, or I will fail every cat up there and those who haven't made the journey upward," Spiritwalker murmured. He scanned the sky, hoping for an answer.

But there was none.


"Did I mention I hate the river?" Spiritwalker grumbled as they padded past the Large Claws and next to the river. The two companions left earlier that sunrise and were making their way to the notorious MapleClan. Pepperfeet insisted that the fasted way was by following the river past the Large Claws.

"Only a few hundred times," Pepperfeet grumbled from up ahead. Spiritwalker noticed that Pepperfeet was acting different once they past the Large Claws; she was more silent and her green eyes darted everywhere, as if she was expecting an attack at any second.

The open marsh soon faded into the dark oak forest. Shadows arched left and right and Spiritwalker couldn't help but feel like they were being watched.

He was about to mention that fact to Pepperfeet when he was bowled over near the river's edge. A mottled ginger and white tom bore his teeth into a snarl as he pressed his claws into Spiritwalker's throat. The former FrostClan tom opened his mouth to yowl for Pepperfeet, but only a gargling noise erupted from his jaws. The other tom sneered and raised his other paw to attack when Pepperfeet launched herself at the attacker. Spiritwalker gasped repeatedly, gracious to feel his lungs being filled again. Before he could fully recover and help Pepperfeet, another cat tackled into him and Spiritwalker felt the ground beneath him disappear.