Chapter 24: Tall Pine

The first sun rays began to brighten the sky as Tall Pine, and Blossom Dust trekked back to their hidden burrow. Tall Pine paused as they rounded the trunk of an oak, and blinked up at the pale sky. The events of the fading night felt like a dream. I can't believe that happened. The young tom shook his head vigorously. Somehow Blossom Dust led us to the Fallen Clans' long lost Moonpool. Our Spirit Guardians and ancient StarClan cats appeared to us in the real world to give us advice.

Frustration bubbled in Tall Pine. He let out a tense sigh through gritted teeth. Not that their advice is helpful at all. What in the stars did Bramble Foot mean? 'Search beyond the borders we imagine'? I wish they could have told us straight. Now we have to decipher the message before we can even start to look for Spotted Owl.

But…at least there is hope now. We might see Spotted Owl again. A faint flame of hope flickered in Tall Pine's chest. He brushed aside his frustration and worry and kindled it, as weak as it was. Hope was the only thing that mattered now. It would keep him going.

"Tall Pine!" Blossom Dust waved her tail in front of her brother's face.

"Wha-" Tall Pine jumped, snatched out of his thoughts.

"We need to keep moving. Our patrol-mates are leaving soon, and they'll be worried about us."

"Right." Tall Pine nodded. He started walking again with his sister close behind him.

The sun rose as the siblings traveled on. They gradually quickened their pace, spurred on by an ever-increasing urgency to get back to camp until they were practically racing through the trees. After a long period of dashing, they slowed to a halt by a lazy stream and leaned down to quench their thirst.

Tall Pine raised his head, licking his chops to catch the stray water droplets. The cold water felt refreshing in his parched throat. He stiffened as an odd feeling flooded over him. His black and white fur prickled. The forest around them was silent other than the bubbling of the stream. A sense of foreboding like a brewing storm hung in the air. It felt as though an unseen pair of eyes were watching him.

Blossom Dust turned her head to look questioningly at him as he poked her shoulder with his tail.

Tall Pine bent his head close to his sister's ear. "I think someone's watching us."

Blossom Dust's eyes widened. She nodded curtly and straightened to scan the trees around them as Tall Pine tasted the air. A scent that felt hauntingly familiar though he couldn't place it washed over his tongue. It was fresh.

Tall Pine raised his hackles and sunk into a crouch. "Whoever you are," he called in a low warning tone, "we know you're here. Show yourself."

The pair waited for a moment. A shadow moved in a clump of ferns across the stream. They swung toward the movement. They stared at it intently as it took the shape of a lean black and white cat. Blossom Dust gasped. Tall Pine growled.

It was their father.

Creek! Blood roared in Tall Pine's ears. A thunderstorm of rage bubbled inside him, about to unleash its fury. Everything faded around him so he could see nothing but his father. The Liar. The Betrayer. The Traitor. The one who was responsible for the Bands' capturing their patrol-mates. For their suffering. For imprisoning Spotted Owl.

How dare he show his face here!

Tall Pine sprang forward with a yowl of pure fury. His paws were outstretched to grasp Creek's throat. Then claws sunk into his pelt, yanking back roughly onto the ground. Blossom Dust's anxious face appeared above him.

"Tall Pine." She leaned toward him. "No. You can't attack him."

Why? The young tom's thoughts roared. "Why not?" He asked in a soft growl.

Blossom Dust's yellow eyes were sad but solemn. "Because he's our father."

That crow-food eating traitor is nothing to me but my father by blood, Tall Pine thought as Blossom Dust added, "and because we need him to tell us why he came here and where our patrol-mates are."

Tall Pine clambered to his paws and shook the dry leaves out of his fur. "Fine." He turned on Creek, his eyes icy stones. "Talk."

Creek had stood quietly, watching the siblings while they'd talked. He started forward toward the bank of the stream once Tall Pine turned to him.

"Don't come any closer." Tall Pine arched his back and hissed threateningly.

Creek halted abruptly. His eyes betrayed his hurt, but he didn't look surprised. "As you wish."

Blossom Dust took a pace forward. "What are you doing here?"

Creek's gaze switched to her. "I was searching for your patrol when I came upon your scents."

"And I suppose you were going to find us, and then come back with the Bands to capture the rest of us?" Tall Pine asked suspiciously.

Creek shook his head vigorously. "No. I left the Bands after—" He cut himself off. "I've left the Bands. I want to help. Please, will you take me to your patrol?"

"Oh, you mean like how you 'helped' us find the Bands' summit last time?" Tall Pine scoffed. "And then you betrayed us." He glared at Creek. "Why should we believe you? Why should we trust you?"

Creek's gaze fell to his paws. "I know you have no reason to trust me or believe me. I have no proof." He looked back up at them beseechingly. "I'm very sorry for what happened, but I do not expect your forgiveness. I have crucial information to share with your patrol, and I only want to help. I can only ask that you give me a chance. Please."

"'Sorry' won't bring Spotted Owl back!" Tall Pine spat.

Creek flinched.

Blossom Dust place her tail on Tall Pine's shoulder. "Why can't you tell us now whatever you want to tell our patrol?" She asked Creek.

Creek shifted his paws uncomfortably. "I will only tell you when we're with your entire patrol."

Tall Pine narrowed his eyes. "Then there is no chance we're taking you to them."

Blossom Dust bumped her brother with her shoulder to get his attention, and then gestured with her tail for them to step away. "We should bring him to our patrol-mates."

"What?" Tall Pine cried. "Absolutely not. We can't trust him. He'll betray us to the Bands again. I'd rather rip out his throat than take him to our camp."

"If we refuse, and he is lying, what's stopping him from following our scent trails back to our camp?" Blossom Dust pointed out. "But if we escort him there, we can keep an eye on him, and make sure he doesn't try to betray us again. Besides, I know you don't want to admit this, but there is a chance he is telling the truth and wants to help us. I think we should hear him out. We could find Spotted Owl and the others."

"Or we could be led straight into another trap," Tall Pine retorted. "And our ancestors already gave us advice. We don't need his help."

"Our Spirit Guardians told us that we would need aid," Blossom Dust said. "He could give us that."

"I don't think so." Tall Pine wrinkled his nose doubtfully. "But you're right. It's better to keep an eye on him."

The sun was nearing halfway to sunhigh when the burrow came into Tall Pine's sight between the trees. He detected the fresh scents of their patrol-mates wafting to his nose on a soft breeze before he heard the rumble of anxious conversation. A twinge of guilt twisted in his belly.

"Tall Pine! Blossom Dust! Thank the ancestors!" Quick Clouds sprang to his paws and raced to meet the siblings as they emerged from the treeline. He looked from Tall Pine to Blossom Dust. "Where have you two been?"

Sun Splash and Owl Eye who talked with Yellow Sky outside looked up at the commotion. Shadow Step and Small Foot poked their heads out of the burrow. Yellow Sky got to her paw and bounded over to the trainees.

Yellow Sky halted in front of the siblings, her brow wrinkled in concern as she looked them over before she turned on the other arrival. The tight muscles beneath her shoulders rippled as she let out a low growl. "What in the stars' name is he doing here?"

Creek, who had stopped off to one side, took a step forward. "I have been searching the forest for the last day for your patrol. I stumbled upon Tall Pine and Blossom Dust, and they agreed to take me to you."

Hostility seemed to waft off of Yellow Sky. "Give me one good reason we shouldn't tear out your throat for what you did right now!"

Creek winced. He bowed his head. "I am sorry for what happened. I can explain more if you allow me. But I will say this; I feel no loyalty or obligation for the Bands. I despise them as much as you do. So, I've come to offer my help, if you will allow it."

Quick Clouds looked at Tall Pine, his eyes concerned but sharp. "Is this true? Did you bring him here willingly?"

Tall Pine nodded.

Yellow Sky turned back to the two young cats. She shook her head wearily. "We've been worried sick since Small Foot reported that you two left in the middle of the night and never returned. You knew we had to leave at dawn, but we wasted the entire morning searching for you. And now you show up with Creek of all cats. You both need to start explaining yourselves. Now."

I knew we shouldn't have left like that. Tall Pine opened his mouth to speak, but Blossom Dust beat him to it.

"An urgent feeling woke me up in the middle of the night," the small she-cat said.

Quick Clouds cocked his head and stared at her. "A feeling?"

Blossom Dust nodded, ignoring the older cats' confusion. "Yes, a feeling like the one that led Spotted Owl and me to rescue Tall Pine. Only this time, we found our way to the Fallen Clans' Moonpool, and we spoke with our ancestors. They shared advice with us about how to rescue our patrol-mates. We can't leave the lake. We need to accept Creek's help because I believe he is apart of our Spirit Guardians' message."

"What is the message?" Quick Clouds asked, looking as though he was almost afraid to be hopeful.

"We'll share it when everyone has gathered to hear Creek and us," Blossom Dust said.

Yellow Sky sighed. "Very well." She switched her gaze to Creek, her eyes as a hard as stone. "We'll hear him out."

It did not take long to collect everyone as most cats had seen the commotion at the siblings' return, and had assembled around the burrow entrance to watch with interest. Tall Pine took a seat with Blossom Dust and Quick Clouds on either side of him, and the rest of the Clan cats sitting in a circle. Creek sat off to one side, flanked by Vole Leap and Curled Bracken.

Blossom Dust glanced at Tall Pine, her expression unsure.

"Go on." Tall Pine nodded encouragingly. She had led them to the Moonpool, so she should share the message they'd received from their ancestors.

Blossom Dust stood. She hesitated for a moment before she stepped out into the ring, but her voice was steady as she began to speak. "Last night, Tall Pine and I found the Moonpool, where the Fallen Clans used to go to share dreams with their ancestors. We saw the remaining spirits of their StarClan, and we spoke with our Spirit Guardians. They told us a story about StarClan, gave us a warning, and a message; advice on how to rescue our Clanmates from the Bands."

"We haven't heard anything from our ancestors since we left the Valley, not even when our Clanmates were captured." Owl Eye stood, his one-eyed gaze fixed on Blossom Dust. "Why would they appear now, to two trainees of all cats?"

Blossom Dust frowned, but she didn't seem to know how to answer.

"I was afraid that our ancestors weren't watching over us as well," Tall Pine spoke up. "I don't know why they came to my sister and me, but what is important is that they are watching over us and that they gave us a message."

"Then what is the message?" Curled Bracken called out.

Blossom Dust scrunched up her face as she tried to recall. "They told us that we must not leave the lake until all of our patrol-mates can come home. We'll need to search beyond the borders we imagine to rescue them. Aid can come from the least likely of places, and some things will be hard to accept, but we must. The final part was that 'a great force of those who have been wronged must push back the darkness so all the stars can return to the Valley.'"

A tumult of conversation ensued once the small she-cat finished speaking. The Clans cats murmured to one another in alarm, confusion, and speculation as to what the message meant.

Yellow Sky leaped to her paws, waving her tail for silence. "Enough. This message will require discussion, but it can be done later. There is more to be said."

Blossom Dust nodded gratefully to Yellow Sky. She turned back to the crowd. "Our Spirit Guardians also shared with us a grave warning that the war between our Clans and the Bands has come to a pivotal moment. They said for us to win, we must rescue our Clanmates. If not, it will be our defeat and destruction. We cannot leave the lake now. We must stay and rescue our Clanmates."

"But how?" Sun Splash asked.

"We can follow the instructions in the message," Blossom Dust mewed as if it were simple. "It says that help will come from the least likely of places. I believe Creek can help us."

Another ruckus broke out amongst the group of Clan cats. The patrol leaders did their best to quiet the cats as Creek padded into the center of the ring.

Blossom Dust retreated Tall Pine's side. "I hope I did okay," she whispered. "I hate what Creek did to us as much as the rest of them, but I believe he deserves a second chance. We need his help."

Tall Pine nodded sympathetically, though he still resented the idea of accepting Creek's help. I agree that we need his help, even though we don't like it. He pretended to want to be our father and make us from abandoning us. We trusted him. He betrayed us and took Spotted Owl from us. I will never forgive him.

Creek raised his head as the clamor died down. He swallowed and began to speak. "I left the Bands a day ago. I've been searching for you ever since. I found Tall Pine and Blossom Dust in the forest, and I begged them to bring me here. I am truly sorry for betraying you, and for playing a part in the capture of your Clanmates."

"Apologizing won't bring our Clanmates back!" Owl Eye snapped.

Creek bowed his head. "I know. I can say that I never had any loyalty to the Bands. I hate them and everything they stand for as much as you do. That is not why I helped them."

"Then why did you help them?" Quick Clouds asked.

"I...I had to." Creek's voice trembled though he tried to mask it. "They had something on me to make me help them with other crimes, and then to betray you once they found out I was helping you."

"What do they have on you?" Sun Splash's brow was furrowed.

"I-I can't say." Creek ducked his head. "They made me a promise if I agreed to betray you. But they didn't deliver. So I left."

"You can't say?" Small Foot said incredulously. "Then how are we supposed to trust you!"

"We can't trust him!" Curled Bracken declared, his tail lashing the ground.

An uproar of outrage erupted for the third time as the Clan cats shouted furiously and argued among themselves, though most seemed to agree.

"He's a liar! He betrayed us once; he'll do it again!"

"We cannot trust him!"

"There is no way we'll accept his help!"

"Wait!" Creek cried. He stood tall, his eyes flashing. "I am telling the truth. I can take you to where the Bands are keeping your Clanmates."

Shocked silence met his words.

"All right!" Yellow Sky stood, taking advantage of the quiet. "The other patrol leaders and I will discuss these dilemmas now. We've heard all of your opinions; it is time for us to make a final decision."

Soft muttering rippled through the crowd as the three remaining patrol-leaders sat a tree-length away and began their debate. Tall Pine scanned the crowd as he waited. His gaze alighted on Creek who fidgeted as he sat between Curled Bracken and Vole Leap in the center of the ring. Their gazes met for a heartbeat before Tall Pine snatched his away. His anger had melted, leaving an ocean of depthless sorrow inside him. I wanted him to be our father.

After debating for a while, the patrol leaders seemed to come to a consensus as they broke up their meeting. Yellow Sky padded back to the group to deliver the decision. "Owl Eye, Sun Splash, and I have decided that we will follow our ancestors' advice. We will stay beside the lake and work to rescue our Clanmates. We will also accept Creek's help."

Hi, everyone. I hope you liked this chapter! So, Creek is back. Tall Pine is understandably furious with him, but Blossom Dust, being Blossom Dust is a little more understanding. She definitely hasn't forgive him, but she empathizes and she's convinced that their ancestors want him to help them. The Clan cats have decided to accept his help, but Creek still hasn't told them the entire truth. He's hiding at least two secrets...to be revealed soon!

Reviews:

Somerandomperson (Guest) - Welcome back! Yes, I do remember you and your reviews. I've missed them! Thank you very much! It is my goal to produce good writing with hidden plot points and meaningful characters to keep my reader interested. Good ideas. In my opinion, she doesn't really have that kind of connection with her ancestors because she's not a healer. (Though at one point I did debate on making her one or not). I think she has a very strong intuition that was maybe given to her by her ancestors. And no, the Clan of the Bright Stars actually did not lead her to the Moonpool. (See Blossom Dust's conversation with Setting Sun.)

QOTD: What do you think is up with Creek?

- A Warrior At Heart