Indigo Twilight

Chapter Nine

Decisions

Wavepool woke before dawn, stretching her limbs. She glanced around the warriors cave; Sleepytail and Swiftriver were curled up together, and Drizzlefoot was brushing pelts with Cedarbranch.

Does every cat in the Clan have mates? Wavepool wondered.

She shook her fur and padded out of the den. She halted when she saw Fogstar limping towards Feathersong's den. She hurried over to him, mewing, "Fogstar! What's wrong?"

He turned his head to look at her with tired eyes. His pelt was ruffled and looked like it hadn't been washed in moons. "I'm sick again," he rasped. Wavepool winced; his voice sounded like stone scraping on stone.

Eachostream padded out of the medicine cave at the sound of Fogstar's mew. She placed a small bundle of herbs at his paws and began sorting through them, meowing curtly, "Symptoms?"

"I have an aching throat, and a cough, and my bones are creaking," Fogstar mumbled. "And the pain in my bones is not from just old age, young Echostream."

She nodded. "Alright. I can give you honey for the throat, daisy and ragwort for the bones and joints and…" She pawed through a few more herbs before continuing, "Yes, and coltsfoot. That'll help you're cough."

"I don't care what it does," growled Fogstar after a bout of coughing. "As long as it works, I don't care if its hare dung."

"Shame there's no herb for grouchy cats," Echostream remarked good humouredly, pushing the herbs towards her leader. "Nothing a little sleep won't do, though," she added, wetting her pad and picking a few poppy seeds off a leaf. She held out her pad to Fogstar, who had just finished eating the other herbs. He licked them up slowly, then dipped his head and padded back into his den, his tail drooping.

Echostrean shook her head. "He's getting worse I think," she mewed worriedly. "I don't know how much longer he can hold out before losing another life."

Wavepool brushed up against her friend. "You've done all you can," she meowed softly. "His health is in the paws of StarClan now."

Echostream sighed. "You're right. Anyways, what are you doing up so early?"

Wavepool glanced around, to make sure no one was near. "I need to talk to you about the forest again."

The medicine cat rolled her eyes. "I think you're giving this too much thought."

"You're the one who prophesised it!" Wavepool snapped. "Now come on, we need to go somewhere private."

Wavepool led the way out of the cave, and padded around a corner, stopping at the mountain river. Echostream sat in front of her friend, wrapping her tail around her paws neatly, her ears pricked to listen. Wavepool began to tell about how Duskpelt had padded in her dreams, showing her which way to go, adding near the end of her tale, "She also told me about some cat called Jayfeather. I think he's a warrior, but Duskpelt said he could help me figure out my destiny. I have to go to him!"

Echostream had nodded throughout the story, but now she shook her head. "You can't. You have a duty, here, with your Clan."

"But how am I to protect them from the flame if I don't know what to look for?" Wavepool retorted. "Besides, I think Sunrock will be able to take over for a few days."

"Who's going to go with you? You can't just go out there alone!" Echostream mewed. Before Wavepool could respond, she mewed, "No. I'll come with you."

Wavepool opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it and nodded. "Alright. Maybe we should take another warrior…?"

Echostream purred. "I know just who to ask."

"You want me to do WHAT?" Fuzzypelt cried.

Wavepool and Echostream had gone to convince him to come on the journey. Wavepool looked at him now, her eyes pleading. "Please? It'll be fun!"

"We're not kits anymore," he growled. "We can't just leave! What about our Clan?"

Echostream rolled her blue eyes. "We were going to inform Fogstar, you stupid furball." She flicked his ear with her tail.

"But… where will this journey take us?" Fuzzypelt mewed, suddenly looking frightened.

"To a forest, beyond the mountains," Echostream replied.

Wavepool nodded. "So will you come with us?"Fuzzypelt glanced from Echostream to Wavepool and back again. Then he sighed. "Alright. I'll come."

Echostream purred, touching her nose to his muzzle. "Great! Now let's go tell Fogstar!"

Fogstar sat up, his eyes suddenly bright. "And StarClan sent you this message?"

"Yes, Fogstar," Wavepool mewed. "And I have decided to listen to their message."

His tail flicked. "So when will you be back?"

Wavepool shared a worried glance with Echostream. "Er… soon enough. No more than a moon."

"A moon!" he mewed, his eyes widening. Then he shook his head. "I always knew there were good things in store for you, Wavepool." With a twinkle in his eye, he added, "That's why I made you deputy."

Wavepool felt embarrassed. "Oh…"

"Well, I suppose nothing I say will change your mind. You're obviously quite intent on obeying the will of StarClan." He flicked his ears. "My, my! You must be very impressive for Breezestar to visit you; she wasn't impressed by anyone! But I must've done a good job; I am leader now, after all." He purred. "My wishes go will you three."

The three cats dipped their heads, then padded out of their leaders den.

Wavepool's eyes sparkled. "We leave first thing at dawn!"