CHAPTER 11

Fernstar was just finishing the meeting and Featherwind started towards the den when Silverleaf called her back.

"Yes, Silverleaf?" The medicine cat beckoned Featherwind with her fluffy tail and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

Oh, great StarClan! Did I do something wrong? Panic flared in her pelt as she thought she may have used the wrong herbs for something.

"Featherwind, I was told you fought well in the fight. Yet, I can see you have no wounds. Can you tell me why that is?" Silverleaf tilted her head with interest. Featherwind shrugged.

"I don't know, Silverleaf. Skullclaw asked me the same thing after the MoonClan raid in camp." Silverleaf nodded then flicked her tail dismissively.

Featherwind lay in the warriors' den. The fight had worn her out. She slept till the sun started to slip down into the earth. She opened her eyes and yawned. Standing up she stretched and started to the medicine cat den. She peeked in, Skullclaw's brown fur rose and fell slowly as he slept. She pulled out and slipped out of camp. Featherwind picked up the pace till her paws where just skimming the grass as she tore through it. She neared the stepping stones at the stream she gave a small kick at the very edge of the stream and launched off with her hind legs. She easily cleared it and continued on. She stopped abruptly when a sharp scent hit the top of her mouth.

Rouge!

She perked her ears and slid into the bracken. A beautiful silver tortoiseshell she-cat with black paw and ears stepped out of the bushes a ways up. She flicked her tail and Featherwind noticed her fluffy tail had white splashed that flashed brightly when her tail twitched. Featherwind sniffed.

She's the same age as an apprentice!

The she-cat flicked her ears. Her icy blue eyes darted from side to side and she scented the air. Featherwind could see the young cat's fur fluff up. The young could smell her. Featherwind stepped out of the bushes and walked over to the cat. The small cat crouched submissively with her black ears flattened against her head.

"Please don't hurt me!" Her meow quivered. Featherwind narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" She ignored the cat's plea. She would defend her Clan's territory if she needed to, and she would do it in an instant!

"I'm looking for a place to live, and I'm hungry. This place was the best so I crossed this strange scent-line and now I'm here. . . But I'm lost. . ."

"What's your name?" Featherwind could see that the she-cat was very thin and looked tired.

"Dove." The cat answered. Featherwind took a few steps back.

"Stand up, and come with me." Dove cautiously stood up and followed as Featherwind turned back to the stream. Looking back she could see Dove hurrying after her with no faults. Featherwind started to run a bit faster. Dove followed without a problem. Featherwind narrowed her eyes and ran as fast as she could. This time Dove stumbled a couple times and Featherwind slowed down.

"Where are you taking me?" Dove asked as Featherwind started to jump across the stepping stones.

"To my camp." Featherwind answered and waited on the next rock. Dove crouched; bunching her muscles, and leaped, her fore paw stretched out. Featherwind flicked her tail and jumped forward as Dove started to slip off the rock. Her hind paws slipped and her claws scraped the rock. She screeched in terror as the water began to drag her away. Landing on the rock beside Dove, Featherwind clamped on her scruff tried to pull her up. The rock was soaked from Dove's scramble and she fell in the water, still holding tight to the silver tortoiseshell's scruff. Water roared in her ears and Featherwind banged into the bottom of the stream. She pressed her paws on the bottom and pushed up dragging Dove with her. She broke the surface and churned her paws, swimming. Featherwind could feel that Dove had gone limp and she aimed towards the shore, swimming as hard as she could. Her legs burned. Featherwind could feel stones scrap her paws and she splashed her way up to the shore and fell on her side panting. Dove lay beside her not moving and Featherwind scrambled to her paws. She sniffed her and darted into the bush. She ripped a few leaves off a yarrow plant. Featherwind shot back to Dove and push the yarrow in her mouth. Instantly Dove vomited water all over the pebbles. She coughed and lay still panting.

"Why did you save me?" She rasped. Featherwind watched her for a few moments then opened her mouth to reply.

"Because that's what I do." Images of Waterkit's death flashed through her mind. "I help cats." She left out the 'save' part of that answer. It's not true anyway. She thought. Dove lay still for a few more moments before hauling herself to her feet. Featherwind could see her legs tremble with effort. Dove took a few steps and stumbled. Featherwind gave her shoulder for the silver cat to lean on.

It took a lot longer than it should have originally to get back to camp. It was already a pitch black night. No stars filled the sky and the Moon was barely visible behind the clouds. Featherwind found it difficult to steer the small rouge around bumps and dips in the ground. Dove was limping and exhausted. She was starting to fall behind, and Featherwind had to stop and wait for her.

"Come on. We're almost there." She encouraged. "Can you here that roaring?" Dove perked her black ears at this.

"Yes. What is it?"

"The waterfall. The camp is behind it." Dove murmured with interest.

Featherwind led the way up the cliff. Dove had plastered herself to the side of the cliff, her claws unsheathed with fear and her eyes dilated in panic. Featherwind looked back at her.

Great StarClan! And I thought I was scared! Slipping through the hole in the rock face. Featherwind entered camp with Dove. Oakfur was on camp watch. He looked at Featherwind.

"Why were you out of camp so late-" He cut off when he saw Dove, and stood up fur on end. "You have brought a rouge in camp!" He screeched.

Cats around camp started to come out of their dens to see what was going on. "You have endangered the entire Clan with that thing in here!" By now the Clan was around them. Muttering to themselves. Dove was huddled behind Featherwind shivering from the cold water still clinging to her fur and she had fear scent pulsing off her. Dove's icy blue eyes were wide.

The Clan parted as Fernstar stepped through.

"Featherwind. What is this?" Fernstar was obviously upset with her. Her voice was fierce and firm. Featherwind raised her chin. She was not going to let the fear and panic escape from her. She could feel eyes burning from all around her. Only one did not scold. Skullclaw's. He was sitting off to the side with his one eye shining. It gave her strength.

"I found her across the stream by the stepping stones. Not too far from the Thunderpath. She says she's looking for somewhere to stay. I was bringing her back, and she fell off the stepping stones. I had to pull her out." Fernstar had a blank expression cross her face. The Clan was silent.

"Why didn't you let the stream take her away!" Hawksight hissed. The Clan gasped.

"What?" Streamspark hissed, jumping to her paws. "That would be like murder!"

"Not if it was the stream alone! Then it would be the stupid rouge's fault for not knowing how to swim!" He shot back, tail fur fluffed out. Fernstar lashed her tail

"Quit!" Streamspark sat down again and Hawksight turned his head away from her.

Fernstar looked at Dove.

"What's your name?" Dove came further out from behind Featherwind. "Dove." She meowed.

"How old are you, Dove?"

"Eight moons." She replied. Fernstar blinked and looked at her Clan. "Imagine, an apprentice being a threat to an entirely well trained Clan. She's no threat" Dove raised her tail.

"I've been looking for the Clans. My mother was in a Clan. . . But she was sent away. . . She would never tell me why. She told me to go find a new home in the Clans. She said I would learn the ways of the Warrior Code and train." Dove sat down still shivering. Silverleaf brought her lavender and nettle smeared in honey.

"Eat that it will warm you up and prevent any sickness." Dove nodded a thank-you and quickly ate them.

"So you have Clan blood?" The black and white deputy stood beside his leader.

"Right down to the last drop." Dove replied, licking her lips. Fernstar had stayed very quiet. Featherwind guessed she was thinking of what to do. After a few moments she opened her mouth to speak.

"Dove shall stay here and learn the ways of the Clans as an apprentice." Before any cat could protest Fernstar leaped on the High Rock and began the ceremony. "Warriors of StarClan, this young cat is now in her eighth moon and is well ready to be and apprentice. Featherwind, you have already proven yourself a very fine and skilled warrior. Especially in your fighting skills. I hope for you to pass down all you know to Dovepaw." Featherwind had to force her jaw from dropped. She was amazed to be given such a great honor. Experienced warriors got apprentices, not juniors. She padded up to Dovepaw and touched noses with her. Dovepaw smiled. Featherwind smiled back. Oakfur and Hawksight both had their ears laid back with disapproval, but it was not only directed at Featherwind. They also where glaring at Fernstar.

Skullclaw padded up to her, his eyes looked better, but it was nowhere near being completely healed.

"What do you think about having an apprentice?" Featherwind looked at Dovepaw. She was ripping into a small mouse. Featherwind had sent her to eat and have a rest while she dried her fur.

"I think I can handle her. She's polite and seems confident. I believe she will do well, but I'm surprised Fernstar chose me to mentor her. I'm only just a moon from being an apprentice!" Skullclaw nodded.

"Still, what Fernstar said about you was true. I think you will be a great mentor. What are you going to show her first?" He tilted his head.

"Well. . . I was going to show her around the territory first and make sure she understands the border marks. She's already crossed ours carelessly. What would have happened if she was done that in MoonClan territory? They would have shredded her, no questions asked!"

"Yea, you're right. Good plan. Make sure she understands borders are a perfect place to start." He meowed flicking his ear.

"You should come along!" Featherwind burst out.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be in the way." Featherwind purred with amusement.

"You won't be in the way! You can help me if I forget to mention something."

"Okay, if you insist." He followed her over to where Dovepaw lay licking the last few pieces of her fur back into place. To Featherwind, she was the most beautiful cat she had ever seen. Dovepaw looked up. Her icy eyes were bright.

"We are going to show you the territory and borders." Featherwind flicked her tail.

"Okay." Dovepaw sprang to her black paws and followed Featherwind and Skullclaw out of camp. Dovepaw, again plastered herself to the side of the cliff as she slipped along. Skullclaw twitched his whiskers in amusement.

"Reminds me of someone I know!" He taunted Featherwind. She playfully butted him in the shoulder with her head. He laughed and they continued on. Dovepaw stayed very quiet as they walked around the small lake, but Featherwind could see the young apprentice looking around very carefully, as if trying to memorize ever leaf on the trees.

When they reached the end of the lake, where the stream broke off Featherwind stopped and Skullclaw sat down. Pointing with her tail Featherwind looked at Dovepaw.

"This." She waved her tail at the lake. "Is the lake. Over here," She swung her tail around and pointed it down the stream. "It's the stream. It runs down to our left the curves and heads for what we call the Fishpond near MoonClan territory, passed the camp's Mountain and Mountain Curve. It goes into MoonClan territory then and back into FireClan territory. After that, it makes a huge circle far up ahead of us, out of our territory and goes through Twoleg Place." She waved her tail at the trees beyond on the other side of the lake. "Farther up the stream is the Stepping Stones. The rocks you fell off earlier."

Dovepaw's ears angled back sadly.

"Sorry. . ."

"Nothing to be sorry about!" Featherwind flicked her tail fiercely. "Sometimes things happen you can't change. I'm sure countless cats have fallen into the stream" Dovepaw perked are ears again and her eyes flickered with relief and she nodded.

"What else is over there?" Dovepaw's gaze followed the long winding stream till it disappeared into the trees before it curved back around and flowed past them again.

"Well. . . Falcon Tree is up there." Featherwind pointed down the stream and in the corner of the territory. "The Thunderpath is over here." She waved her tail at Twoleg Place across the lake. And the Fishpond is way up there, by the MoonClan border. First, we will go to the Thunderpath."

Featherwind lead the way up to the stepping stones. She didn't think Dovepaw was able to jump the stream. Skullclaw might have been able to if his eye was a bit better but she wasn't taking any chances. She stopped in front of them and crouched.

"Like this." She told Dovepaw. "If you crouched like this, and lift of with you forepaws first, using you hind paws to spring, you can get a further distance. Watch." She crouched, lifted her fore paws up first and sprang using only her hind paws. She landed on the first stone no problem. Then jumped to the second one, using the same jump. She looked back at Dovepaw. She was looking at the water with dismay. Skullclaw nudged her encouragingly with his nose.

"Come on, you can do it. Featherwind is in the front and I'm right behind you. If you fall, we are both here to catch you." Dovepaw nodded and Featherwind smiled and dipped her head in thanks to him. Dovepaw crouched and lifted up with her fore paws. She was looking at the water and she fall over dizzy. "I can't!" She wailed. Featherwind jumped back to the first rock. "Yes, you can. Focus on this rock, right here." She stood on the end. "If you watch something solid, you can get better balance." Featherwind jumped back to the second stone to give her some space to jump. Again Dovepaw crouched. This time she looked right at the end of the rock and lifting up her fore paws. She sprang.

Featherwind jumped forward to stabilize her apprentice as she landed on the rock and teetered toward the edge of the slick stone. Featherwind nudged her towards the next rock and Dovepaw jumped again making it for the second time. Skullclaw landed on the rock behind her as she jumped from rock to rock. When she had made it on the shore, she found Dovepaw crouched with relief.

"Great work!" Featherwind purred "You did wonderful!" Skullclaw nodded as he landed beside her.

"Yes."

"It didn't feel wonderful!" Dovepaw groaned.

It didn't take the cats long to reach Falcon Tree. Featherwind stood with Skullclaw while Dovepaw looked up at the tree.

"It's huge!" She exclaimed.

"Perfect for climbing lessons." Featherwind commented and Skullclaw flicked his tail in agreement.

"You want me to climb that?" She lashed her tail and it blazed brightly with white.

"Not now, but you will learn to climb this." She meowed and Dovepaw's jaw dropped. Featherwind smiled.

"Don't worry, by the time you have learned to climb, it will be easy!" Skullclaw meowed. A screeching sounded above and Dovepaw fluffed out twice her size and recoiled like a snake, pressing herself close to the ground, hissing. Featherwind twitched her whiskers with amusement.

"I trust you now know why it's called 'Falcon Tree?" Dovepaw nodded. "We have to be careful around Falcon Tree. Kits and small apprentices can easily be carried off by a falcon." The apprentice's eyes were round.

The three cats had continued on along the stream and as it weaved further into the forest Featherwind could see Dovepaw sniffing under some leaves and branches.

"Do you smell something?" Featherwind turned to her.

"Yea, it smells kind of musky!" Featherwind nodded. "That's because we are near a beech tree. There are plenty of mice around here. They eat the nuts." A tail brushed her flank and Featherwind turned her head to see Skullclaw sitting perfectly still her ears angled to a trembling leaf. Featherwind leaned over to Dovepaw. "Watch this." She dropped into a crouch and glided forward not making a sound. A mouse darted from under the leaf and she froze. Featherwind bunched her muscles and sprang using the same jump they had practiced on the rocks. She landed on the mouse and finished it off quickly. Featherwind turned to see Dovepaw's jaw dropped and her eyes wide.

"That was so cool!" She exclaimed and bounced around.

"Shh!" Skullclaw's hiss stopped her in her tracks. "Don't scare the rest of the prey away."

"Sorry." She meowed sitting down and looking at her black paws.

"Right." Featherwind said burying the prey under the leaves for them to collect later. "We should move onto the FireClan border." Dovepaw stood up.

"Okay!" Featherwind led the way to the border. Dovepaw skipped her way to a big rock and sniffed it. "This smells weird!" Skullclaw nodded.

"That's because FireClan have just marked it. This is how you mark." Skullclaw rubbed his black head and shoulders all around the rock. Featherwind nodded as she rubbed against a bush. "Right."

"Can I try?" Dovepaw stepped up. Featherwind nodded and stepped to the side while Dovepaw marked the bush too. Skullclaw as sitting on the rock when he called Featherwind up. She hopped up to see a MoonClan patrol scooting their way up the hill into the heart of FireClan territory. Her fur stood on end.

"They just don't give up do they?" She hissed.

"Who was that?" Featherwind looked over to see Dovepaw scrambling beside them.

"That was a MoonClan raid patrol. They're on their way to attack FireClan. And I'm going to warn them. Dovepaw, I want you to stay here with Skullclaw, and I'll be right back, okay?" When her apprentice nodded Featherwind scooted her way across the border and into a bush before Skullclaw could protest. Featherwind weaved her way from bush to bush.

I have to get to the camp before MoonClan! Featherwind started to run and before she knew it the hard shot right into a FireClan hunting patrol. The patrol immediately surrounded her.

"What are you doing here?" A ginger tom with gray flecks snarled in her face. "Stealing our prey?"

"No! I came to warn you about MoonClan!" She protested desperately. "They are about to invade your camp!"

"MoonClan is not about to raid our cam-." Ashfleck was cut off as a snarling ball of bi-colour tabby fur knocked him off his feet. Hazelwing stood over him snarling and he slashed at her face. The she-cat dodged and bit his shoulder. All around the FireClan patrol scrambled to fight the MoonClan cats. There were three more MoonClan cats then there were FireClan. Featherwind gasped as many, many more cats slipped past them and towards the camp.

Rouges! With the MoonClan cats? She leaped over the fighting cats and ran as fast as she could towards the camp, dodging the trees at the last second. She burst into the camp yowling.

"Protects your kits! Prepare for attack! MoonClan and rouges! Get ready!"

"Featherwind? What are you doing here?" Hailstar hissed, running up to her. Featherwind panted. "MoonClan is coming to attack you camp and they have rouges!" Hailstar waved his tail at his Clan.

"Get the kits and elders in the nursery!" His Clan started to scurry around getting ready. Just then many, many, angry cats burst through the camp wall and leaped onto the FireClan cats. Two massive identical black toms slammed into Hailstar and clawed him. Featherwind jumped and landed squarely on one of the tom's shoulders. The tom did nothing. He only waited for his brother to bit her flank. She screeched and swung her white paw around and slashed him across the eyes. He screamed and was flung back. Without his partner, Featherwind flipped the other tom over and raked her claws over his spine. He arched his back towards her and twisted violently, crushing her paw, and clamped his jaws around her throat. She thrashed wildly as his bit down harder. She swung at his head but missed. She couldn't breathe. She felt tired suddenly and dizzy. She went limp the cat obviously thought she was dead because he dropped her and yowled in victory. Featherwind spun on her back and flicked out her hind paws, she caught him under the chin and he fell winded on his side.

Featherwind looked over to see two rouge cats fighting one FireClan cat. They were everywhere! Three rouges jumped on a warrior that was trying to protect the nursery and quickly killed her. Featherwind yowled with fury and slammed into one of the cats' side. She whirled around and slash open the other twos' noses with one swipe. She lunged forward and landed in front of one then swerved and rammed into his side and the cat landed on the other one beside him. The first one leaped on her back and sunk his claws into her fur and she screamed in fury she whipped around her head then fell limp as if in defeat. When he loosened his grip she sprang up sending him flying. Featherwind whipped around to see a white she-cat rouge run out of camp with a howling kit.

"No!" Featherwind screeched and charged the she-cat. When she saw Featherwind the cat took off into the forest, Featherwind hard on her paws. She leaped forward and nipped her back leg. The cat dropped the kit and Featherwind scooped it up head back to the border to hide it. A huge tabby tom rouge jumped in front of her and knocked her off her paws. The tabby grabbed the kit roughly and ran towards the stream. Featherwind leaped to her paws and took off after him. The rouge stumbled in front of the stream and the kit fell into the stream. Featherwind's eyes widen and she gasped. Then just as she was about to leap in when she noticed a brown cat with a black head swimming to the BreezeClan shore with a tiny kit in his mouth. Dovepaw stood over three more kits. "Dovepaw, Skullclaw! Watch them!" Skullclaw scrambled up the bank and shook out his fur nodding to her. Spinning around she took off again back to the FireClan camp. The brown tabby had vanished, but there were still many, many, cats fighting all over the territory. Featherwind halted when she saw four MoonClan cats leap on a blue-gray tom with silver paws.

She leaped forward and threw off two of the cats and the blue-gray tom clamped onto one's throat and flung him and then shredded the other one's ears. Then the cats fled from them the tom turned to her. "They are going to kill us!"

"No they won't, Bluefeather." Just as Featherwind spoke a tabby she-cat with white paws sliced open a golden she-cat's throat and she fell dead.

"Sunwing!" Bluefeather wailed and leaped on the tabby she-cat. "You killed my mate!" He clawed her throat and head so fiercely she fell to the ground bleeding to death and Bluefeather stood over his mate, howling with grief.

Featherwind watched, not knowing what to do. The bushes behind them shook violently and more fresh rouges crashed through. "No!" Bluefeather swiped at them while standing over Sunwing's body. Three cats rammed into Featherwind and she was thrown head first into a tree. The last thing she saw was Bluefeather wailing with grief as the rouges drove him away from his mate farther into the FireClan territory.

Featherwind thought she could hear the wind blowing, but it sounded like voices.

"eatherwid... eeathrwid..." Then they were clearer: "Featherwind! Featherwind!" She opened her eyes to see a patrol of cats running towards her, Skullclaw at the head.

"Featherwind!" He gasped. He ran up to her and licked her head. Featherwind groaned.

"They knocked me out..." She looked around and gasped. The entire territory was destroyed. Bodies of cats they here and there and the undergrowth trampled. Blood was stained everywhere and there was not a cat in sight. Featherwind stood up abruptly. "Where did they go?"

"Shh, that's not important right now, you need to rest." Skullclaw licked her shoulder.

"No, we must find them!" She took a few stepped and stumbled.

"Featherwind, you have to rest." Silverleaf padded up with Ambersong. She shook her head. "Not till you tell me where they are." Silverleaf shook her head. "I don't know where they are. The rouges drove them out before we could get here." Featherwind sat down roughly and her eyes clouded with grief.

"They drove them out..." She repeated in a whisper and looked at her blood stained paws.

"Come on, let's go home." Skullclaw nudged her to her feet. Featherwind took one last look at the clearing and Sunwing before turning away, head hanging and her tail tip dragging in the dust.