"Here you are, Volefur." Hawkpaw dropped the mouse at the elder's paws, but the old tom ignored it.
"How are Fernleaf and the others fairing?" he rasped. Hawkpaw resisted the urge to cringe. His mother had been in the medicine den for three sunrises now. She was fighting a very hot fever and last Hawkpaw had checked on her, she was writhing in her nest uncomfortably.
Ravenfeather had been confined to the camp, not yet recovering from her shoulder wound, but she was allowed to sleep in the warriors den. Thistletooth was also steadily recovering, but he too spent his nights with Robinsong.
Volefur was grimly waiting for an answer that Hawkpaw didn't want to go into. He mewed something like, "no change," and hurried off to the fresh-kill pile before the elder could ask any more irritating questions. After dragging a rabbit away from the pile, he settled down to eat.
"Hey Hawkpaw!" Stonepaw mewed cheerfully from a few tail-lengths away. He was cleaning the burrs he'd acquired from chasing a hare through a thicket from his pelt, but he couldn't reach his spine and shoulders. He rolled onto his back, growling with playful frustration in his attempts to dislodge them. He rolled across Berryfoot's path, almost knocking the queen over. His mother, Spottedsky saw him and said, "Stop being such a bother! You're not a kit anymore."
Stonepaw's whiskers twitched sheepishly and he apologized to Berryfoot, who simply purred in understanding. With a sigh, Hawkpaw abandoned his meal and made his way over to the younger apprentice. "Here, let me do it."
"Thanks!" Stonepaw chirped. He continued to chatter away as Hawkpaw hooked his claws into the matted fur. He hated the sticky barbs as much as any cat, but he had a lot more experience dislodging them from his much thicker pelt. In his efforts he yanked some fur out along with the burrs, and Stonepaw squealed. Hawkpaw didn't bother apologizing. It would teach the young tom to watch where he was running. Once he was finished, Stonepaw shot off like a rabbit, chasing a butterfly. Hawkpaw stared after him with amusement and wondered if he was ever like that in his first moons as an apprentice. He didn't think so.
He returned to his fresh kill, and as he was lazily running his tongue over his paw to clean his bloodied muzzle the thorn tunnel rustled, revealing Flowerbelly, Frostpaw, Swiftshadow, and Lilypelt. They had just finished a lookout patrol to follow the bear's movements. Hawkpaw peeled his lips back at the word. Two sunrises ago, Robinsong had come back with news from the Moonpool. Apparently Shepherdheart had encountered the monster before, and told the medicine cats its true name. After sharing tongues with Starclan, Robinsong had exclaimed that all five medicine cats had received the same vision; that of the bear destroying the lives of every cat, one by one, from each Clan.
Thanks for stating the obvious, Starclan, Hawkpaw thought mutinously.
He watched as the Windclan deputy and her two warriors headed in the direction of Marshstar's den, while Frostpaw broke off and disappeared into the medicine clearing. Looking in on Fernleaf no doubt.Hawkpaw made his way over to Flowerbelly, who'd paused at Marshstar's den and called a greeting. They waited as their leader uncurled from his nest and pushed out into the sunshine. When he surfaced, Flowerbelly wasted no time with her report.
"No sightings, Marshstar. But its scent is now across the border."
The dark tom's eyes narrowed and Hawkpaw shifted his paws uneasily. The beast was hunting further and further into Windclan territory. More cats gathered upon hearing the exchange, their eyes burning into their leader, desperate for a solution. Stonepaw settled beside Hawkpaw, his silvery gray fur bristled with tension. On his other side, Berryfoot whimpered and lapped at her swollen belly-fur.
Marshstar's eyes glowed with an eerie amber light as he gazed at his Clan. Finally, he growled, "Then we will have to expand our territory."
Around him, cats muttered amongst themselves. Stonepaw jumped up with excitement while Swiftshadow growled his appreciation. Hawkpaw tensed as his Clan mates grew more accustomed to the idea. They all knew exactly what Marshstar meant. To expand, they needed to take a part of either Riverclan or Thunderclan territory, since Shadowclan was too far to protect frequently. In desperate times such as the one Windclan were facing, they were willing to blindly take any risk necessary to ensure their survival.
"And how do you propose we take more land, Marshstar?" Ravenfeather demanded. The dark she-cat had padded up with Frostpaw and Robinsong from the medicine den. She made a show of taking in her battered Clan. "Three of our warriors are badly injured and unable to claim territory from the other Clans when it comes to a fight. Not only that, but Berryfoot looks like she'll give birth at any heartbeat, which means we need to preserve what little herbs we have for when that happens."
Briefly Hawkpaw wondered if Ravenfeather constantly argued with her father just to be difficult. Not that he didn't agree with her…
"So you suggest we wait around for the bear to kill and eat us, do you?" Spottedsky snapped.
"Don't forget, Thunderclan needs to pay for what they did to Redfern," Lilypelt put in.
"We can't fight the bear, but we can fight something," Frostpaw agreed. Her eyes were hollow with weariness, but she stood strong. Hawkpaw understand how helpless his sister felt and had been longing for a way to fight back, maybe not against the bear, but something. But he had to admit, Ravenfeather's point was a good one. At the moment, Windclan consisted of only six able-bodied warriors. Too few to invade the territory of any rival Clan.
"We have enough fighters to defend a small patch of new territory," Marshstar growled, as if he had read Hawkpaw's mind.
"Enough to risk harm to the remaining warriors?" Ravenfeather's mew was too low for her father to hear, though Swiftshadow growled irritably and shot an angry glare at his sister. Oblivious to his kits' tension, Marshstar turned his attention to Robinsong.
"How long before you can prepare your healing herbs?" he demanded.
Excitement glittered in the medicine cat's eyes as she answered. "Not long, if I have someone to help me mix the poultices."
Marshstar twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. Hawkpaw crouched low amid the throng of cats, avoiding his leader's searching gaze. He needed to be in this battle, to protect his unstable sister at least, not preparing herbs in the medicine den to the sound of his mother's laboured breathing.
"It looks like Ravenfeather isn't fit to fight, so she will assist you, Robinsong."
Hawkpaw snorted. You're willing to throw your clan into a fight to the death, but not at the risk of your precious daughter.
If Marshstar were concerned, it would be a blood-soaked battle. No Clan in such dangerous times would throw away prey-giving territory, so the Windclan leader would push his Clan as hard as he thought was necessary to achieve his goal. This was more than a fight for land; this was personal, if Thunderclan were the victim.
"We will leave for Thunderclan at sunset tomorrow," Marshstar declared, as Hawkpaw suspected. Riverclan wasn't given a heartbeat's thought for invasion, only the Clan deserving of misguided revenge, which for some reason, Hawkpaw was now certain of.
Marshstar continued. "The patrol will consist of myself, Flowerbelly, Swiftshadow, Spottedsky, Harepelt, Stonepaw, Hawkpaw, and Frostpaw. Lilypelt will remain in charge of the camp."
"All three apprentices?" Volefur exclaimed.
The Windclan leader nodded grimly. "We need all the fighters we can get."
"But Stonepaw is too inexperienced for such a battle," Flowerbelly protested.
Marshstar growled in response. "Then as his mentor, you will oversee his safety, Flowerbelly."
Stonepaw bounced to his paws. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!" he meowed cheerfully. The quiet deputy just looked at him anxiously.
Marshstar grunted his approval. "Right, back to your nests. Prepare yourselves for next sunset."
With that, the Clan broke away. Some went to their nests while others grouped to discuss the upcoming battle. Uneasy, Hawkpaw couldn't bring himself to do either of those things. His paws took him to Robinsong's den. Fernleaf's labored breathing could be heard from the entrance. With a shuddering sigh he pushed past the grass obscuring the mouth of the den. With a grunt of surprise he stumbled over the black-and-white pelt of Flowerbelly, who was curled up next to his mother.
"What are you doing here?" his mew was sharper than he intended, but his heart was still beating double time.
The Windclan deputy heaved a great sigh. "Robinsong went out with Frostpaw to fetch some marigold. They asked me to watch over her." She flicked her tail over Fernleaf, who's sleep had gone blessedly quiet.
"Well, you can go about your duties then, I'll take over from here," Hawkpaw grumbled, settling across from Flowerbelly, Fernleaf between them.
"Why should I preform duties that will take the lives of my Clan mates?" Flowerbelly murmured, so quietly that Hawkpaw had to lean closer to hear.
Irritation pricked at his pelt. "Marshstar's dead set on this," he growled. "The least you can do is to make sure Windclan has a fighting chance."
Flowerbelly dropped her head onto her paws and said nothing. Hawkpaw snorted disdainfully. "Fine, have it your way then." He knew he was treating his deputy with disrespect, but it bothered him to see the usually strong and admirable she-cat so defeated. Flowerbelly looked up at him, her eyes unusually bright.
"Do you remember my mate, Rowanstripe?" she asked.
Hawkpaw blinked. This was unexpected. "Yes. I was told he was a smart fighter, but not much else."
Flowerbelly nodded sadly. "What about Sedgekit? Do you remember him?"
Hawkpaw winced. He recalled a vague memory of a happier Flowerbelly gently running her tongue over the light brown body of her son. Then one morning, Sedgekit was gone, his father soon to follow.
"Rowanstripe was wounded in a border dispute with Riverclan, when Marshstar demanded more territory. It became infected." She ducked her head, soHawkpaw couldn't see her expression. "There weren't enough herbs to save him."
A pause.
"As for Sedgekit, I failed to provide enough milk for him, and he wasn't strong enough to fight off a simple fever. He never lived to see his fourth moon."
Hawkpaw stared at the grieving Windclan deputy, feeling completely helpless. He tore his gaze away from the sight. "Why are you telling me this?" he rasped.
"I failed them. And now I'm failing my Clan," she hissed.
"You can't be serious," Hawkpaw meowed incredulously. This was not the way a deputy should act. If she had doubts she did not share them with her Clan mates, especially not an inexperienced apprentice. She must have the determination and strength to lead her warriors through good or bad, never faltering, or the Clan would be lost. "You only fail us by doing nothing, much like what you are doing now."
Flowerbelly acknowledged him for a few heartbeats before nodding slowly. "You shame me, Hawkpaw," she purred self-mockingly. Then the fire ignited in her eyes, replacing defeat with passion. "What really angers me is that Robinsong knows Windclan can't afford this."
Hawkpaw blinked, mind scrambling to catch up with the change of subject. "Then why—?"
"Oh, she'd love to see another Clan suffer!" she spat, her words becoming more and more heated. "It doesn't matter which one. To her, every other Clan is responsible for her brother's death." Her tail lashed jerkily.
"What in Starclan's name are you talking about?" Hawkpaw sputtered. He wasn't used to deputies raining their deepest doubts upon his head.
Flowerbelly curled her lip. She was beyond angry now. "Robinsong once trained to be an apprentice warrior, but Seedpaw—her brother—was killed by a Shadowclan warrior over a rabbit."
Hawkpaw narrowed his eyes and glanced at his wounded mother. So much death, he thought wearily. Was this what the life a warrior really about?
"Afterward, Robinsong decided to become a medicine cat, but she's been living her revenge through the warriors she treats." Flowerbelly concluded, through with her rant. "She knows that this invasion is doomed to fail, but she's happy so long as we drag Thunderclan down with us."
They sat in silence for many heartbeats, lost in their own thoughts. Hawkpaw felt like an elder gossiping about the goings on in the Clan, though the content of their gossip was certainly more serious.
The faint shree of a hawk could be heard in the distance, shortly echoed by an eerie cawing. The crows are circling, Hawkpaw thought. This will end in blood, one way or another.
A weak idea came to him. "We could…" he hesitated a moment, before trying again. "We could warn Thunderclan, maybe convince Stormstar to avoid a fight."
But Flowerbelly was already shaking her head. "She would think we're trying to convince her to give up territory peacefully. Besides, Marshstar is still convinced that Thunderclan cats killed Redfern. He wants this."
Their eyes met and Hawkpaw stared at her with a wild intensity. "Flowerbelly," he meowed slowly. "…How do you think Redfern died? You were with the patrol that found her, and I know you were looking for solid clues that night." He didn't need to tell her which night, they both still remembered Fernleaf's first anguished cry under the sharp bear claws.
The Windclan deputy sighed wearily. "I know about as much as you do, Hawkpaw." She uncurled and stood. "But I swear as your deputy that I will find out."
With that, she padded out of the den, leaving Hawkpaw alone with nothing but his sick mother and his thoughts.