It's been so long since I've visited the world of MountainClan and Dapplestar. I'm ready to go into Brambletail. And don't worry she's...
"Not dead" meowed a tom. Brambletail smiled. "Creekpelt, are you okay?" asked Ivylight. Creekpelt rolled over. "Yeah" she purred, closing her eyes and breathing heavily. "Am I in StarClan?" she asked quietly. "No, you're in the medicine cat den. Brambletail and Dovefeather saved your life" meowed Swifttail.
Creekpelt awoke, and she noticed the figures standing around her. "Thank StarClan" she meowed. Brambletail nodded. "Just stay in here for a quarter-moon and you'll be okay. The foxes have been driven out, if you were wondering" he meowed, padding out of the den.
The day was bright and sunny, and he loved it. The fresh winds, the shadows walking into the cave, the sudden feeling of coldness and the cave turning dark...what! The cave was black, except for a small part of sunlight in a crack through the roof. In the spotlight were four cats.
Wolfclaw unsheathed his claws and padded to them stubbonly. "Who are you?" he growled. The four cats looked at him and crouched down. Suddenly, a dark wave crashed over the four cats. They leapt at invisible attackers. Suddenly, one of the two toms turn into a large owl.
Then, a beautiful sunset erupted, and all the cats outside shivered, as though someone was brushing pelts. Then, a star approached, dappled with silver light. Dapplestar watched as it changed from a bird to a star, nearly every five seconds. Then, the oldest she-cat made the cave a light slate, and they were heart-shaped.
Suddenly, it stopped...and everything went quiet. Wolfclaw bounded up to Brambletail. 'What was that?" he asked. Brambletail shrugged. "You're the deputy" he meowed, turning to Creekpelt. "Okay" asked Dovefeather. Creekpelt leapt up. "Yeah" she purred. Ivylight smiled. "I'd better go" she meowed.
Brambletail shrugged. "If you want to" he meowed. Ivylight smiled and was guided by Swifttail to the nursery. He turned to Dovefeather, who was talking to Creekpelt. "Dovefeather, can you take care of things for a few minutes while I get some fresh air?" he asked the light grey she-cat. Dovefeather smiled.
"Yes. Anything specific you want done, Brambletail?" she asked. He nodded and flicked his tail to the low pile of cobwebs. "Collect some from Dapplestar's den. The tunnels that lead to random places always have them" he meowed. "Can Creekpelt stay on her own?" asked Dovefeather. "Yes, she's a grown warrior, she'll be fine" he meowed.
Creekpelt nodded. Dovefeather and Brambletail padded out of the den and they bid farewell as they headed their opposite ways. "Mornin' Brambletail" meowed Oakstripe, his eyes narrowing. "Where are you off too?" he asked again. "I could ask you the same question. Goodbye" he meowed.
Once outside, Brambletail breathed in heavily and found a strong scent of some nice herbs around the waterfall. Climbing down the damp cliff and standing next to the river, he noticed some water reeds. He waded into the shallow water and snagged a few in his teeth. The river was calm today, so he decided to lay back and let the river take him.
The surface he was floating on was warm from the large sunlight rays. He had already collected lots of nettle leaves and poppy seeds when he realised the sun was setting. He yawned and and padded in the shallow waters back to the shoreline. He stopped. He turned around and stared into the river.
Oh StarClan, it's drying up. Just when our Clan needs it most he thought. He looked at the waterfall with hope, but it too was running dry, and only dirty, muddy water was running down. He ran inside, dropped the herbs at the entrance of his den and ran to Dapplestar's den.
Dapplestar was awake, and smiled warmly at Brambletail. "Hello, Brambletail. What do you need on his warm evening?" she asked. "Nothing. The river's drying up. I was collecting herbs and I noticed when I swam in and out of the river, it was getting shallower and muddier everytime" he meowed.
Dapplestar nodded. "The waterfall will supply fresh water" she meowed. "No it won't. I saw the waterfall" he meowed. Dapplestar pricked her ears up. "I can see and hear it Brambletail" she meowed. "It has dirty, muddy, un-drinkable water. The only fresh water would be the one on top of this cave and that's not the freshwater we're looking for. It'd be at least a day's travel to get freshwater, and a day to get back" he meowed.
Dapplestar nodded. "I can smell the polluted water. We'll send some fit warriors to fetch lots of water in mossballs for our Clan' she meowed. "I also smelt the Tribe and Blazingteller close by the cave" he meowed. "I'll send two apprentices and two warriors, is what I was going to say. The rest can stay and protect our cave" she meowed.
The tom nodded. "They really want their cave back" he meowed. Dapplestar blinked and her eyes were full of weird sorrow. "Do you know what it's like, being kicked out of your old home? One that you have lived in for many years, only to have it taken from you by foreign Clanners who were un-experienced and scared" she meowed sadly.
Brambletail nodded. "I do" he meowed. 'Dismissed. Round up some cats to fetch some water tonight" she meowed. "Alright" called Brambletail. "Oh, and have you seen Dovefeather?" he asked. "Yes. She was looking for cobwebs. She hasn't come back though" she meowed. Brambletail nodded.
She's always getting herself lost. Even in herself sometimes he thought, letting out an amused purr. He went inside and saw the dim shadow of Creekpelt sleeping. "Goodnight" he whispered. He put the water weed, the nettle leaves and the poppy seeds in three neat piles and headed out again.
He padded into the apprentice den. Lionpaw and Rainpaw were the only two inside. "Can you give me a favour? Go up to the top of the cave and travel until you find freshwater. Then collect it in mossballs and head back straight away" he meowed. Rainpaw stared at him. "By ourselves" she meowed.
"No Rainpaw. With two warriors to keep an eye on you" he meowed. Lionpaw smiled. "It'll be an adventure Rainpaw. Come on" he meowed to his sister. "Yes, it will be sort of like an adventure. I suppose I can make it along. If Redpaw doesn't know" she meowed. Lionpaw laughed. "He won't" he purred.
Bearshadow and Swifttail padded up behind him. "We can go" meowed Bearshadow. Swifttail nodded. "We'll keep an eye on the troublemakers" he meowed. Rainpaw and Lionpaw sighed and leapt out excitedly. "Be careful and listen to the warriors. Lionpaw.." he called out to the leaving cats.
"And collect any herbs you can find" cried Brambletail. "Alright" came a muffled voice. Brambletail nodded triumphantly and headed back to his den. Creekpelt was still sleeping. He wondered where Dovefeather was. A brewing worry was in his stomach, butterflies that would pour out of his jaws any second now.
Relax, Dovefeather's a trained medicine cat. She can be a long time. It means more cobwebs he thought. He layed down and fell into an unsettled sleep.
When he awoke, stars surrounded him. He was dreaming again. It always happened when he was nervous about something. Suddenly, it grew strangely and the forest grew dark and misty. Then, a tom appeared. He was a long furred grey tom, and he smelt of herbs. "Welcome Brambletail. I'm your spirit guide, Featherwhisker" he meowed. "Featherwhisker. The medicine cat who worked to his death" he meowed. He shuddered, wondering what would happen if he worked to death.
Featherwhisker nodded sadly. "I was a great medicine cat. But the Clans forgot me, a long time ago. Anyway, I'll watch over you. Dovefeather is not in MountainClan. She was captured by...
Suspense, cliffhanger, trick to keep you reading on. I bet you can tell who captured her, and they'll go on another quest to find her. I'll post the chapter tommorrow hopefully.