Thanks for the reviews everyone
Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter
At dawn they had left the barn saying their goodbyes and thank you to Scrap who had merely dipped his head and said anytime.
They made very good time. Duskfang was guiding them through his own shorter way. They had been running full speed all day taking a break every now and again. And now, as the sun headed for the center of the sky, they where nearly back into Nightclan territory.
Willowleaf ran on the side thinking about when she should tell Eagleflight about the kits. Not today when they where still traveling, and not when the clan was rustled up from the arrival of Duskfang. No maybe she would tell him tomorrow… She blinked and looked around and saw a familiar tree, they where back in Nightclan! She sighed in relief feeling like this entire thing had taken a moon when it had only taken a week.
But that relief was taken away when they ran into Nightclan territory and Duskfang sped ahead of them, his black paws a blur.
"Duskfang!" Dawnbird yelled.
But the rouge didn't seem to hear or care. He sped ahead heading straight for Nightclan's camp.
Duskfang jumped straight into the camp he heard startled gasps. He looked around at wide eyed cats but none of them where the ones he was looking for.
He rested his golden eyes on the medicine cat den and sprang toward it.
"Redfern!" he yelled.
Moonpaw was sorting through herbs in the medicine cat den when she heard startled sounds from outside. She picked up her head, and pricked her ears.
"Redfern! Redfern!" someone called, it startled Moonpaw when she couldn't recognize it. It was a rough and strong a tom's voice. She turned to the entrance and trotted to it.
"Redfern isn't…" suddenly a gray head popped into the den.
"…here." Moonpaw said shocked. In front of her were the two brightest golden eyes she had ever seen, although they did seem familiar. They stared back at her in with a similar shocked look as her own.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Moonpaw." She answered. "Now who are…"
"Moon 'paw'? You're Redfern's apprentice?" he asked.
Moonpaw nodded then tried to speak again but was interrupted by the tom again.
"Where's Redfern?"
"She's out collecting herbs, now answer my question already!" she snapped, lashing her tail. The two stood face to face staring at one another.
The tom opened his mouth to speak when behind of him a familiar she-cat's voice yelled out.
"Duskfang!" it belonged it to Willowleaf, the gray cat turned around.
Moonpaw's eyes widened even more and she backed up a few paw steps all the time starring at Duskfang, this was the exile?
Now out of the spell of his eyes she noticed that he was well muscled and his sleek dark gray fur was covered in jet black stripes. Just like the elders had described him, but in those golden eyes she hadn't seen cruelty, or evil like in the stories. They had been kind and warm; until he had seen her then they had been full of shock. But as she pulled herself out of the medicine cat den she saw that his golden eyes where emotionless as they starred at the three warriors who had brought him here.
"Dang it Duskfang…" Dawnbird took a few deep breaths "We told you to wait for us."
"And what do you know I didn't listen." Duskfang said sarcastically.
Moonpaw looked at the warriors who where all trying to catch their breaths. "Welcome back."
The three warriors looked down at her and nodded, still unable to speak.
Duskfang turned to her, she glanced up at him it was then that she noted that he was very handsome.
She heard a shocked and happy gasp. The two cats turned around to see Redfern her brown eyes wide and resting on the rogue.
"Dusk… Duskfang?" her voice was filled with disbelief. She blinked as if trying to make sure if it was real. Her mouth was in the shape of an 'O' and at her paws where some herbs that where now forgotten as she leaped toward him.
Duskfang's golden eyes glowed as her ran to her looking like a kit.
The two of them embraced. Redfern placed one paw on his shoulder and placed her muzzle on the back of his shoulder. Moonpaw had never seen her mentor so happy and felt slightly jealous that Duskfang could give her all of this joy but it passed. Moonpaw felt a smile tug at her mouth, she felt happy for them. When Redfern opened her brown eyes she looked at Duskfang like a proud mother, through her one eye Moonpaw could see the glimmer of tear's in her mentor's eyes. She waved her tail happily.
"It's good to see you again and to know you're okay."
Duskfang smiled beautifully "You too Redfern."
"Hello Duskfang." The tom blinked and turned to look at Thymestar, next to her stood Lionfang.
Duskfang turned to her not showing the least bit of respect to the leader.
"Well I guess Eagleflight, Willowleaf and Dawnbird told you about the prophecy." She lashed her tail "Although I don't know exactly how a rogue is supposed to save Nightclan."
Duskfang wasn't fazed "Don't worry 'bout that Thyme'star' I'm just here to see Redfern, not to complete any prophecy." He shook his fur uncaringly. "No rogue will be saving your tail."
Thymestar scowled at him but kept her temper. "Remember that you're here because of that prophecy." She walked past him "and Welcome back." She said not sounding very welcoming at all.
"Happy to be back." He snarled out. Thymestar didn't reply and headed to her den. Lionfang stopped for a second to briefly nod at his former apprentice. The rogue didn't do anything to show that he had noticed this.
Moonpaw could feel the tension split the air. Moonpaw looked around with her one eye all of the other clan cats had been starring at this exchange.
But soon their eyes turned to Duskfang she could see mistrust and hatred in them. She glanced at the nursery where the kits where starring at Duskfang with wide eyed curiosity. But the queens where nudging them into the nursery wanting them to be away from the dangerous murder. All except for Molekit who just sat there. Deadlight was scowling at Duskfang not even looking at her kit.
A black and white warrior trotted over to Dawnbird and gave her a playful shove behind him was Sundapple who looked happily at his mother but cast a weary eye at Duskfang. "Missed ya." He said.
Dawnbird smiled at her mate Swiftclaw and touched his muzzle.
"Ya, me too." She said. She looked at Sundapple and gave him a lick on his forehead where some fur had been sticking up "Can't even wash yourself properly can you?"
Eagleflight and Willowleaf where greeted by others and Duskfang seemed surprised by something.
"Where's Sunstrike?" he muttered.
Eagleflight looked at him coldly but when he spoke it held sadness "She died last leafbare when green cough came, it was after your exile."
Duskfang flinched and looked down at the ground. Moonpaw remembered that Sunstrike had been his caretaker when he was a kit. But he kept his eyes guarded and closed.
Redfern walked in front of Duskfang "You've done a great job, I think you three deserve first pick from the fresh kill pile." She pointed with her tail to the fresh kill pile that had been recently restocked.
Willowleaf licked her lips hungrily and Dawnbird's stomach growled. Even Eagleflight looked at the prey hungrily. Although Moonpaw was pretty sure they recognized that she was telling them to leave.
They walked off the other clan cats following the three warriors, casting nasty glances at Duskfang.
Redfern cast a quick glance at Willowleaf as if she realized something but then turned back to the exile.
"Would you like something to eat?" she asked.
Duskfang shook his head seeming more relaxed without everyone else around but still cast wary glance to Moonpaw. She blinked at him.
"Come on Moonpaw and I made a small nest for you."
Duskfang blinked surprised then followed Redfern, he looked back at Moonpaw who was following but keeping a small distance between them.
She had no hostility only a slight wariness, her silver eye was starring ahead.
He looked curiously at the leaf, but didn't say anything about it.
The den wasn't large but it was the right size for one cat. "Thank you Redfern it looks great."
The she-cat smiled, and then she flicked her ears at a growling sound coming from Duskfang's stomach.
She laughed and even Moonpaw let out a chuckle.
"I'll go get you something." Redfern said obviously knowing that Duskfang wouldn't be comfortable getting his own prey. She trotted off leaving the two cats alone.
Moonpaw looked up at him noting that he was a handsome tom.
She didn't know why but she said this "You still didn't answer my question."
Duskfang narrowed his eyes "You got your answer didn't you?"
"Well I answered all of your questions why can't you answer mine?" she replied smartly.
He scowled but she saw a hint of a smile "Alright, my name's Duskfang. Now can we get through with this stupid conversation?"
She smirked at him.
Moonpaw looked at the herbs that Redfern had abandoned and then trotted after them just as Redfern came back holding a squirrel.
Duskfang glanced at Moonpaw his face emotionless but inwardly he smirked thinking smart ass.
XOX
Duskfang helped Redfern set the herbs into piles. Moonpaw had gone out to clear the elders of their ticks.
Duskfang felt curiosity itch inside of him and he wanted to talk to Redfern after so long of not hearing her voice.
"I don't remember there being a Moonkit when I was here."
Redfern looked at him startled but then continued with her work. "She was born a few days after you… left. She's Silversong and Watereyes' kit."
Duskfang remembered Silversong pretty well; her beauty had made a lot of toms want her it had been a shock when she'd chosen quiet Watereyes as a mate. When he had been exiled Silversong had been in the nursery. He could see the similarities between the two, but Moonpaw had her father's blue silver eye color, and the white dash on her nose was from her father too.
"What happened to her eye?" Duskfang asked although he knew he was probing.
"She can't see through it, she was born with that eye." Redfern said
"Why does she wear a…"
"Oak leaf? Because that eye gets easily infected and the leaf protects it, although…" she stopped for a second. "I don't think that's the only reason."
Duskfang perked his ears "Why else?" he asked.
"I don't know. I don't know why she became my apprentice either."
"What?"
"Don't misunderstand me she'll become a great medicine cat someday. She has memorized all of the herbs and can mend any broken bone or cure any sickness, but it doesn't feel like she has her heart into it. Like she doesn't really want it,"
Duskfang was about to speak when Moonpaw walked in. He immediately went into his emotionless state. The she-cat walked to a pile and dropped the appropriate herbs in it.
"Thymestar is going to announce your arrival to the clan, tonight." She flicked her tail.
Duskfang grumbled inside, great more publicity for him.
Welcome back to Nightclan, now let the difficulties get worse. Sorry for making you wait hope it was worth it.
Don't misunderstand Duskfang, right now he isn't sure what to make of Moonpaw so he is going to be a bit cold towards her too. Who knows if that's going to last? Wait I do.
Anyway Please Review!
