Chapter 25

"Moonpool."

2/20/17 - 2/21/17 - 2/22/17 - 2/23/17

Littlefalcon spent the remaining evening pawing his vole, his stomach growlsin protest of the prey's treatment. He hasn't been able to focus since Whisperclaw's death two days ago. Her death was still fresh in everyone's minds.

Tigerflame is quietly organizing the patrols as cats were careful not to further anger the tom, who is still grieving inside for the loss of his mate.

"What?! No, not Whisperclaw - she can't-!"

Littlefalcon feels his muscles tense when he hears Lightstripe's shouting. His uncle regained consciousness last night and woke up to learn of his sister's fate this morning.

"Littlefalcon!"

The said tom looks at Tigerflame padding toward him. "Hailstone is going to Moonpool and needs you to escort him there. Take Thistlepaw with you."

Tigerflame suddenly bristles his fur. "And no it's not a request. I want you to get out and be a warrior and train Thistlepaw before Graystream's kits become apprentices."

I wasn't going to protest!

Littlefalcon quickly retreats from his father and pads to Thistlepaw near the nursery, surprisingly the dark brown tabby is mock fighting with Snowkit, the shy one of Rosefoot's litter.

Instead, Snowkit is focused and dodging Thistlepaw's swipes and took a chance to charge forward and hits her head on Thistlepaw face. Snowkit falls down and rubs her face.

"I can't do this!" She snaps.

"You can. You could actually bite on a cat's ears if you time it correctly."

Littlefalcon purrs with amusement as Finchblaze watches them with Maplepaw. The tortoiseshell apprentice smiles mischievously.

"Hey, Thistlepaw! Stop playing with your mate - we're suppose to go with Hailstone to Moonpool! Tigerflame said so!"

Thistlepaw slowly turns to look at Maplepaw with sheer horror before Snowkit blinks and runs into the nursery out of embarrassment.

"Snowkit - she didn't mean it!" He told her. Thistlepaw lashes his tail and stalks to Maplepaw.

"You better pray I don't beat you in the next mock fight."

Littlefalcon knew that Thistlepaw is merely joking, he wouldn't hurt his littermates. Hailstone and Duskpaw pad out of the medicine cat den and approach the waiting cats.

"Alright, let's move."

Littlefalcon and Finchblaze follow Hailstone on the dirt path going past the abandoned Twoleg nest. Littlefalcon looks down on Finchblaze's paws and notices small traces of blood.

"What happened to your claws?" He asks him quietly.

Finchblaze keeps looking ahead, ignoring Littlefalcon's question.

Okay, fine, be an immature kit. Littlefalcon lashes his tail with annoyance.

Hailstone and Duskpaw approach Moonpool with the two warriors and apprentices behind him.

"Sleep near the pool and wait for something to happen." Hailstone instructs Duskpaw. The pale brown tabby did as he was told, and a cool, peaceful sleep takes over his body.

Duskpaw opens his pale amber eyes and sees StarClan's territory. Trapped in infinite New Leaf, and star decorated cats grooming each other and hunting.

"Welcome back, Duskpaw."

Duskpaw looks around and sees a very light brown tabby she-cat.

"Palewhisker!"

Palewhisker smiles gently to Duskpaw. "I sense great distress from you. What's troubling you?"

Duskpaw turns around to face the former medicine cat.

"Everything. There's these rogues - and a cat - who want us dead. A cat named Ringo is threatening Littlefalcon's life, he's already killed his mother, Whisperclaw, and he almost killed Lightstripe!"

"Hailstone said I shouldn't worry about warrior business, but I feel like Littlefalcon is going to die if I don't do something!"

Palewhisker pats the ground with her tail, she and Duskpaw crouch down on the warm grass.

"Hailstone is right. We medicine cats always stay away from the rivalry and strife that being a warrior brings, but we must also think of our Clanmates as our kits. And like any parent we want to protect our kits from harm."

"What can I do, though?"

"... Tonight, there will be a solution to getting rid of Ringo. And you must be there before he find her."

Duskpaw's eyes grow wide. "Who?"

"A cat named Birdie. She will come from the Horseplace to leave the group and find shelter, but Ringo will also be there when she tries to leave. He will kill her before she could reach the moors."

"Can she be trusted?" Duskpaw asks Palewhisker.

"Yes, she can."

Duskpaw smiles, briefly, until he feels water hit his fur and a metallic smell fills his nose. Duskpaw bobs his head above the water, scarlet red water.

This is blood!

Duskpaw fights the current and grasps his claws on rock, and sees cars swirling in the sea of blood. Darkstar, Tigerflame, Daisyleaf, his littermates - Littlefalcon.

No! Please don't let this happen to us!

Duskpaw gasps and sits up with his fur bristling.

"Duskpaw, what's wrong?" Littlefalcon asks him.

Duskpaw shook his head and shook his fur out. Hailstone soon stirs, and wakes up. Littlefalcon turns his attention to the medicine cat.

"... Come on, let's return to camp."

"Did StarClan speak with you?" Finchblaze asks Hailstone.

"Only for me to talk to Darkstar about." He replies, stiffly. The six cats walk on the dirt path, and Duskpaw nudging Hailstone's shoulder.

"Did they speak with you?"

"... No. It was nothing but silence and darkness. But don't tell anyone that, the last thing we need is panic."

Lightstripe was excused to the warriors den when they returned from Moonpool.

Later tonight, Duskpaw is ready. He looks over his shoulder to see Hailstone sleeping. He gets up and quietly pads out the thorn barrier and goes through the forest and moors, his heart beats against his chest as he approaches the Horseplace.

Duskpaw hears the loud meowing inside the Horseplace and prays to StarClan that they don't come out. He suddenly sees a white cat padding through the open and passes the Horseplace, the same time a grey, black ring tailed tom comes out and sees her.

No! Palewhisker said this would happen!

Ringo snarls and charges at the white she cat and knocks her on the ground. The white she cat hisses and claws his shoulder as he aims to bite her neck. Duskpaw rushes into the fight and scores his claws on Ringo's left eye,

Ringo shrieks with pain and gets off of the she cat. Duskpaw nudges the she cat on her paws. "Follow me, hurry!"

Duskpaw and the white she cat race away into the moors, Ringo places his paw over his scarred eye and growls at his humiliation. He keeps a mental note on that light brown tabby.

Duskpaw leads the white she cat to the middle of the forest where the thorn barrier is nearby. He looks at the she-cat before him. A white furred she-cat with black ear tips, blue eyes and a scar on her right shoulder.

"Thank you." She says.

"There's no need to thank me, Birdie."

Birdie narrows her eyes and bristles her fur. "How do you…?"

"It's complicated to explain, but I was told by a StarClan cat that you would leave Ringo's group."

Birdie blinks slowly. "Wait… You're one of the forest cats Moon always talks about."

"You know Moon?"

Birdie nods. "We were friends, best friends. Well, we're still friends, we just stayed away from each other when Ringo threatened me to stay away from her. I didn't know she left the city until some cats told me. I came to the Horseplace two days ago and found out from other cats that she was gone."

"She's in ThunderClan with her brother, Raccoon."

"Her brother?" Birdie asks. "Moon is an only cat in her litter…"

Then, the white she cat curls her lip. "Oh, crud. I bet it's Target who's Raccoon's mother. Target's always sneaking around with Ringo behind Fiona's back."

Duskpaw stands up. "... If you're willing, would you come to ThunderClan? We can protect you."

"I can protect myself, thank you very much!" Birdie huffs. "But I accept your offer. It'll be nice to see Moon again."

Duskpaw purrs and leads Birdie inside the thorn barrier. Unknown to him, Ringo watches with furious eyes and slowly stalks back to the Horseplace.

Another OC suggested by guest Dapplecloud, Birdie!

Ringo is putting Duskpaw on his hit list. Who knows how long until he puts the pieces together and figures out Littlefalcon's connection with Duskpaw, Thistlepaw, Hawkpaw and Maplepaw?

Thank you for reading this and I hope you have a great morning. ~ Kyubi