Chapter 28 - Aftermath

It was very late by the time the large patrol made their way toward the ThunderClan camp. Pale milky white beams from the waning moon shone through layers of blooming leaves and in landed small pools on the forest floor. The moonbeams outlined the sharp thorns in the tangled branches of the brambles bushes that bordered the entry to the ThunderClan camp.

Snowstar and Specklestar halted in front of the barrier as two dark figures leaped to their feet and bounded out of the shadows. Cherrycloud and Nettlewhisker emerged into a pool of moonlight, their eyes alert and ears shoved forward. Nettlewhisker's amber eyes widened as he took a good look at the bedraggled group, but he didn't say anything. Cherrycloud and Nettlewhisker dipped their heads to the leaders and led the way quickly through the entrance. The shadows from the branches of the brambles waved as the mass of cats pushed through.

The ThunderClan and MountainClan cats emerged into the moonlit clearing and dispersed into small groups, heading to various places in the large hollow. At the sound and scent of the returning cats, the cats who had remained behind raced out of their dens where they had been waiting anxiously for the battle patrol to come back.

"What's going on? What happened?" A dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes asked, peering anxiously at the injured battle patrol, her two kits, a black tom with gray feet and a gray and white tom blinking tiredly from where they stood next to her in front of the nursery.

"Is everyone alright?" Spiderleap questioned, his yellow eyes wide awake as he bounded toward the crowd.

"Yes, for the most part," Specklestar replied, her voice catching her deputy's attention and drawing the black and white warrior toward her.

"What happened?" Spiderleap asked softly, looking alarmed.

"We'll talk about that later," Specklestar said briskly as Spiderleap bounded over to where the leaders and Maplebreeze had paused in the center of the camp. "For now many injured cats need to be tended to and then we all should get a good night of sleep. First thing tomorrow, we need to asses the severity of the injuries and send out hunting and border patrols with the less wounded cats. We cannot let our territory go unprotected and our clanmates will be needing food. Then we will meet to discuss what has happened. Can you see to all that, Spiderleap?"

"Of course, Specklestar." Spiderleap meowed solemnly, dipping his large head.

As the battle-scarred tom turned to go, Pebblefur shouldered his way through the crowd and stopped before the leaders and deputies, Birdpaw scampering to catch up. "Is everyone alright? Are there any serious injuries?" He immediately bluntly, quickly getting down to business.

"Yes, as far as I can see everyone is okay for the most part, but no one has escaped unscathed, and there are several cats with severe wounds," Snowstar reported.

"Thanks," Pebblefur said breathlessly, looking flustered as he turned to plunge back into the crowd. "Come on, Birdpaw! We need to find all of the cats with serious injuries so we can treat them as soon as possible!" The gray dappled tom called out impatiently as he vanished into the night. Dipping her head hurriedly to the leaders, Birdpaw dashed after the retreating form of the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"Goodnight, Snowstar, Specklestar," Maplebreeze said wearily, dipping her head to the pair of leaders before turning to go.

"Goodnight, Maplebreeze," Snowstar replied gently, her voice sympathetic. "Don't forget to get your injuries checked!"

"I won't." The golden brown tabby she-cat promised. Out of the corner of her eye, Maplebreeze saw Specklestar open her mouth to say something, but Snowstar shot the silver dappled she-cat a firm glanced, and Specklestar closed her mouth again. Ignoring their interaction, the MountainClan deputy turned and trotted to stand at the edge of the quickly growing crowd of cats waiting for their wounds to be treated.

Pebblefur and Birdpaw wove through the ragged band of cats, organizing them into groups with similar injuries so they could heal them as quickly as possible. Maplebreeze was sent to a small group for cats with a couple of minor wounds, but at least one potentially dangerous one. The cuts on her ear, muzzle, and tail, weren't severe but Pebblefur had looked worried when he saw the scratch on her shoulder were the sandy yellow rogue had clawed her.

The moon rose steadily higher as Maplebreeze waited outside of the medicine cat's den, seated near Finchfang and Paleflower who had been sorted into her group. Finchfang had a couple of shallow claw marks down both of his flanks and a cut on his neck that had stopped bleeding but looked grave. His golden brown and red pelt was matted with blood, but by the shallow cuts, Maplebreeze could tell most of it probably wasn't his. Paleflower had escaped mostly unscathed except for a small nick in her right ear that had already stabbed over, a bite at the base of her tail, and a long cut along the top of her back leg.

The soft murmurings in the dark clearing grew quieter as the medicine cats called the groups in one by one to treat them. Finally, Birdpaw emerged from behind the bramble screen. "Maplebreeze, Paleflower, Finchfang, come on in."

It was nearly moonhigh by the time Maplebreeze staggered tiredly from the medicine cat's den, waving her tail in goodbye to the equally exhausted medicine cats. The golden brown tabby she-cat made her way across the camp to the MountainClan warriors' den. Brackenstep was already there, tightly curled up in his mossy nest next to her's.

"Hi, Maplebreeze," Brackenstep said, raising his head and yawning.

"Goodnight, Brackenstep," The MountainClan deputy murmured, flopping down in her nest and curling up, pressing herself against her mate. Brackenstep touched his nose to her ear before turning to lay down again.

. . .

The golden rays of the dawn light woke Maplebreeze early. The golden brown tabby she-cat rose and stretched, careful not to wake Brackenstep who was still enviously slumbering, the wounds crisscrossing his ginger and brown tabby pelt patched up with a thick tangled mass of cobwebs. Maplebreeze padded out into the clearing, letting the sun warm her muscles that ached from the difficult battle. The amount of sleep she had gotten had replenished some of her strength, but the growing desperation in the bottom of her stomach and the pocket at the back of her mind where she had stowed her overwhelming grief and helplessness remained.

The MountainClan deputy flicked her ear, feeling the cobweb that Birdpaw had wrapped around the small cut on her ear loosen. Twisting her head, she saw the cobwebs on her shoulder had come loose as well. I'd better get these replaced if Pebblefur still has enough cobwebs left, she decided, heading across the brightening camp to the cave in the stone cliffside.

"Birdpaw, Pebblefur, are you awake?" Maplebreeze called softly into the cavern, cautious in case the medicine cats were sleeping.

"Yeah, come right in, Maplebreeze!" Pebblefur called, his voice sounding tired. Her observation proved to be true as when the MountainClan deputy entered the den she saw Pebblefur busily sorting a pile of withered herbs, his face haggard as he muttered to himself.

The cave seemed pretty bare to Maplebreeze as she padded into the dim cavern. She knew the medicine cats were running low on their stock of herbs, but it was even more apparent with the pitiful stacks of leaves, roots, and berries that were very unlike the usual bountiful piles of fresh herbs that lined the cracked walls of the medicine cats' den.

Maplebreeze sat down and flicked her tail in greeting to Bouldertail who was lying silently in curled position in a nest woven with moss and ferns against the cave wall near the back of the den.

"Pebblefur, we're out of goldenrod and almost out of dock and tansy." Birdpaw meowed, sighing tiredly as she moved out of the shadowy crack in the back of the den where the ThunderClan medicine cats had stored their stocks of herbs for many seasons. "Oh, hey, Maplebreeze," Birdpaw said when she noticed the golden brown tabby she-cat waiting in the entrance.

"What do you need?" Pebblefur asked, turning to face the golden brown tabby she-cat.

"Oh, I was wondering if you could fix the cobwebs over my wounds. They have come a little loose. Of course, only if you have enough." Maplebreeze meowed with an uncertain twitch of her whiskers.

"Sure," Pebblefur meowed. "That is the one thing we do have enough of. Birdpaw, will you fetch some more cobwebs from the back crevice?"

"Okay," the slim brown and white apprentice's tail swished behind her as she vanished into the shadows once more, reappearing a moment later with a wad of cobwebs stuck to a twig in her mouth.

"Thanks," The ThunderClan medicine cat replied. "Good, your wounds are already healing nicely. There doesn't appear to be any infection." He commented as he gently removed the cobwebs from around her wounds and replace them with cobwebs from the stick Birdpaw had placed in front of him. "I'll just dribble on a police of marigold just in case."

"Thanks, Pebblefur!" Maplebreeze called after her as she exited the den once the ThunderClan medicine cat had finished redressing her wounds.

"Oh, Maplebreeze?" Pebblefur inquired as he trotted out the den after her. "Could you organize some a couple of patrols to gather herbs?"

"Of course. What do you want the patrols to look for?"

"Cobwebs, marigold, and horsetail. The warriors and apprentices should know what they look like. They can be found around the lakeshore and the abandoned twoleg nest. Oh, also goldenrod and dock if they can find some." Pebblefur told her.

"Yes, of course." Maplebreeze smiled, and with a nod, she turned to go.

"Thanks!" Pebblefur called after her.

Maplebreeze loped gracefully across the camp, heading for the Highledge where Specklestar was sitting next to Snowstar, the light of early morning outlining the edges of their silver and white speckled fur and gray and white patched fur with a brilliant silver. The golden brown tabby she-cat leaped effortlessly up the fallen rocks with a couple of bounds and landed lightly on the rocky shelf.

"Good morning, Maplebreeze. Are you feeling better?" Snowstar asked kindly, turning to greet her deputy.

"Yes, thank you," Maplebreeze replied curtly, her mask of coldness caging her overwhelming emotions, but her amber eyes betrayed her.

"Good." Snowstar nodded slightly to show she understood.

"Would you like me to organize patrols of the least injured cats to check the borders and hunt for prey?" Maplebreeze asked.

"Yes. Spiderleap will help you as well." Specklestar answered.

"Specklestar and I plan to address the Clan around sunhigh when the patrols should be back," Snowstar added.

"Alright," Maplebreeze bowed her head briefly to the pair of leaders and then got to her paws, bounding quickly down the tumble of rocks. She landed on the soft earth at the base of the Highledge and padded out into the center of the clearing.

A couple of cats had already woken up and were waiting outside their respective dens. Cherrycloud and Molefoot were sharing tongues near the entryway to the ThunderClan warriors' den built under the branches of an ancient beech tree then had fallen many seasons before. Finchfang was playing with the cobwebs covering the scratches on his flanks while he sat next to Dewlight and Larkflight who were deep in conversation. Over by the MountainClan warriors' den, Nettlewhisker and Morningfrost lounged in a pool of sunlight and a couple of apprentices sparred in front of their large cave.

Maplebreeze padded to the base of the Highledge and took a seat, waiting expectantly for the healthiest warriors and apprentices to gather around her. The cats outside the various dens noticed her waiting and moved to gather in a wide ring around her. A few more cats poked their heads out of their dens and hurried to join the crowd. Spiderleap slipped through the crowd and joined her at the front of the group.

The golden brown tabby she-cat glanced fleetly at her ThunderClan counterpart and then without a word to the battle-scarred warrior she began to organize patrols, picking the least injured cats for the most strenuous activities. Spiderleap helped as well, and the pair finished quickly without incident.

The dawn patrol, consisting of Thrushfang, Gorsestep, Birchshade, and Cinderpaw, left the camp as soon as they finished. Spiderleap took a patrol to the WindClan border about halfway to sunhigh, and Maplebreeze led one of the hunting patrols soon after the dawn patrol left.

Maplebreeze's hunting patrol emerged through the thick camp entrance just before sunhigh, weighed down with plump Greenleaf prey. Morningfrost who had only sustained minor injuries in the fierce battle - a couple of scratches, a nicked ear, a small bite - had caught the most prey along with Nettlewhisker due to the fact was completely healthy because he had stayed behind to guard the camp. They each carried a mouse, while Morningfrost had placed a blackbird over her back and clutched the tail of a shrew in her mouth, and Nettlewhisker had a squirrel draped over his shoulders.

Larkflight and Lightningpaw, who had also come along on the patrol only because few cats were totally fit for duty, returned with very little prey due to their more severe injuries. Larkflight had a fat robin, and Lightningpaw carried a shrew and a mouse.

Maplebreeze dropped her squirrel in the fresh-kill pile after the others had deposited their prey and headed to a warm patch of sunlight outside the MountainClan warriors' den to rest her weary muscles.

"Hi, Maplebreeze," A soft voice said, and the MountainClan deputy looked up to see a small misty gray she-cat standing in front of her.

"Hello, Lakepaw," Maplebreeze said, raising her head and giving her daughter a small smile. Lakepaw returned her smile, though it was more sad and anxious than happy. The little apprentice turned and settled on the dusty earth beside her mother, tucking her paws underneath her and wrapping her tail around her misty gray belly.

"I can't believe she is…" Lakepaw began in a soft voice but trailed off.

"I know." Maplebreeze pressed her nose to her daughter's ear. "I can't either. But we have to be strong. We have to be strong for Sorrelpaw."

"Sorrel-" Lakepaw's voice broke at her sister's name, and the small she-cat began to tremble violently as she buried her head in her soft gray tail. Maplebreeze scooted closer and draped her plumy tail over Lakepaw's shaking shoulders and pressed herself comfortingly against her littlest kit, even though it was a struggle to keep her own emotions in check, but she had to, for Lakepaw.

They remained that way for a long time as the steadily rising sun shone down, warming their backs.

. . .

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Specklestar's commanding call echoed across the camp.

"Okay, I need to join Spiderleap at the base of the Highledge. I will come see you later." Maplebreeze promised, shaking the dust from her fur as she rose. Lakepaw got to her paws as well, and Maplebreeze licked her daughter over her head before she turned to leave.

"Bye," Lakepaw called quietly after her as Maplebreeze plunged into the quickly assembling mass of cats. The golden brown tabby she-cat shouldered her way through the crowd, emerging between Swiftleap and Feathernose near the bottom of the Highledge and she joined Spiderleap who was sitting with his back almost touching the cold stone of the camp wall under the Highledge.

"Hello, Maplebreeze," Spiderleap meowed coolly.

"Hi," Maplebreeze replied, glancing swiftly at the black and white deputy.

"I'm sorry about your daughter."

"What?" Maplebreeze asked, confused at the ThunderClan deputy's statement. "Oh, thank you."

The deputies fell into silence, and Maplebreeze moved her attention back to the crowd in front of her. It appeared as if every cat in ThunderClan and every MountainClan cat that had journeyed to the four Clans were present and gathered in a tightly packed group in front of the Highledge. Even Pebblefur and Birdpaw had paused their work and were seated outside the cave.

"All of you, no matter whether you stayed or went to fight should have heard by now about the result of our attack on Dark Fangs yesterday." Specklestar began grimly, stepping forward as she spoke to stand at the very edge of the ledge. "Our attack was going well at first and everything was going according to plan, but Strike forced us to stop fighting by threatening the life of the MountainClan apprentice, Sorrelpaw."

Angry murmurings from the crowd interrupted Specklestar as the cats of ThunderClan and MountainClan turned to each other and began talking angrily.

The silver dappled leader let the cats talk for a couple of moments more, but then raised her tail for silence. "The Dark Fangs have delivered us another ultimatum," Specklestar continued. "We have two choices; leave within a quarter moon and disband, or to stay and be killed. The Dark Fangs are holding an apprentice from each Clan, including Dustpaw and Sorrelpaw, as leverage to make sure we chose to leave. If we do, they will be returned, but if we decide to stay, Strike implied that they would be killed."

A roar of outrage from the center of the crowd interrupted the ThunderClan leader, and the Clan cats started talking angrily to each other once again.

"I can't believe the nerve of those rogues."

"They are using our innocent apprentices as leverage! Those low, dirty fiends!"

"We have to get them back."

"But what can we do? If we stay and fight we'll be killed, and if we don't we'll be without a home."

Maplebreeze watched the crowd in front of her, catching scraps of conversation. She remained quiet, even though inside of her, furious rage at the rogues of the Dark Fangs churned in her belly.

Beside her, Spiderleap crouched on the ground, his black and white fur bristling and yellow eyes dark, but he didn't say anything either.

"Alright!" Snowstar yowled over the noise of the crowd. The gray and white patched she-cat was sitting on the Highledge next to Specklestar. "Before returning to camp after the battle, the other leaders, Snowstar, and I discussed our next step. We have decided that we will stay, but instead, we will assume another course of action."

"Good!" There was another loud interruption, this time from a familiar voice near the center of the throng. "We will let those crow-food-eating rogues feel the sharpness of our claws!" Whiteblaze snarled, padded out from among the packed crowd.

"Yeah! If our first stand didn't work, we have to try again! It's time those pathetic prey-stealing cats get put in their place!" Gorestep added, leaping to his paws was enthusiastically.

"Are you two mouse-brains blind?" Icefern called, standing as well. "You heard Specklestar! If we fight, the apprentices will be killed! This isn't worth the lives of our innocent apprentices!"

"But who knows if they will even be returned?" Larkflight argued. "Are you crazy enough to trust that ruthless fiend Strike? We have to fight and rescue them!"

"Are you crazy, Larkflight?" Feathernose sprang to her paws and glared furiously at her fellow ThunderClan warrior. "My brother is lying, injured severely, in a nest in the medicine cat's den! We can't risk more cats getting wounded!"

"We must fight, for our home and or our Clan!" Whiteblaze insisted, his yellow eyes blazing.

"No! There has been too much bloodshed! We should leave." Icefern shook her head gravely.

"Enough!" Specklestar shouted over the clamor in the clearing, her tail lashing angrily. Once the crowd had quieted down, the silver speckled leader continued. "Arguing is going to get us nowhere. The other leaders and I have agreed that we will stay, but-"

"Good!" Whiteblaze growled.

Specklestar shot the gray and white warrior a hard look before moving on. "We will be trying another way. Snowstar, Reedstar, Ashstar, and I will be meeting in two days to make a plan to rescue the apprentices. We hope to save them quickly and take away the leverage the Dark Fangs are holding over us."

The Clan cats cheered, interrupting their Clan leader for the fourth time.

"We must be wary, though," Snowstar warned once the noise had quieted down. "We do not know if this idea will work, so we have to take the utmost caution to keep this a secret. Please, do your best not to discuss our plan in case a rogue is spying on us. This is a long shot, but we have to do our best to make sure it works. We have to rescue our apprentices."

The Clan cats cheered again, stating a little hesitantly at first, but then the cheer grew louder as more cats joined in. After a moment, Maplebreeze raised her voice as well. This plan has to work. She thought with conviction as she yowled her determination and grief into the bright sky. We can't fail. We must bring our apprentices home.

Phew! That chapter took me forever! Well, it's finally done, so I hope you all enjoyed it! Please leave a review if you liked it!

Disclaimer: I, Maplebreeze of MountainClan do not own Warriors (though I wish I did because it's so AWESOME), but they belong to Erin Hunter.

- Maplebreeze of MountainClan