Chapter 20

Buzzardpaw stared across the WindClan border, a small breeze ruffling his pelt. He had slept outside in the forest that night, not wanting to return to camp and face his parents. He was relieved to have peaceful sleep that night, knowing that he couldn't deal with Darkendstreak and her rigorous training while he was upset. Now it's a bit past dawn, the warm orange light making the forest come to life. A mouse skittered past him and he lunged for it, barely missing it as it plunged deeper into the undergrowth. Buzzardpaw grunted, and his belly growled in response. He was hungry, but that would have to wait.

What am I to do now? He still wasn't ready to return to camp, but knew his mentor would want him back for training. He had contemplated going to the barn, internally conflicted. I know I shouldn't, but I don't want to stay here, Not now, at least. He thought for a second, his tail swaying in the grass he sat on. Dad- Goldenstar will definitely be sending a patrol out to look for me soon, so it's- As if they were reading his thoughts, Buzzardpaw heard voices behind him, recognizing his mentor as one of them.

"... an' you say that he jus ran off? Without sayin' anythin'?" Russetprowl was saying.

"He.. definitely said something, that's for sure." Goldenstar! His ears flattened to his head as he recognized his father's voice. Goldenstar sighed, his voice getting closer. "I've never seen him so upset, Russetprowl. What should I do?"

Russetprowl chuckled, the sound louder than Buzzardpaw would like. He dived into a bunch of bushes, immediately regretting it as spiny thorns began to tug at his pelt. "I say that you give the boy sum space, Goldn'star. Me an' ole Tinycloud use to get to fightin' all the time." Russetprowl paused, his voice lower now. "StarClan, I miss that spunky gal."

Buzzardpaw's breath caught in his throat as the two toms stopped in the clearing, their bodies relaxed as they spoke with one another. "She was a sweet cat. I'm sorry that I couldn't save her from the badgers. It was just-" Goldenstar paused mid sentence, his nose to the forest floor. "Can you smell that?"

Giving the ground a sniff, Russetprowl nodded, his whiskers twitching. "Why, ain't that Buzzardpaw?"

Goldenstar gave a small grunt, following his son's scent trail. He paused right in front of the bush he was hiding in, making Buzzardpaw hold his breath. Right before he could move the fronds obstructing his view, Goldenstar paused as a cat called his name. He moved away from the bush, and Buzzardpaw recognized the voices of Cherrystrike and Aloefang.

"Goldenstar! We looked near The Great Crack and couldn't find Buzzardpaw." Cherrystrike was saying, panting as if he had run to get there.

"Jackdawtalon's patrol didn't see him near the Sky Oak neither, but they did detect his scent." Great StarClan! He sent out entire patrols to look for me?

Goldenstar nodded, his ears twitching. "I thank you for the effort regardless. Head back to camp and have a meal. I'm sure you're hungry from all your searching." The two warriors headed off and Goldenstar looked at the branch BUzzardpaw was hiding in. He expected his father to walk to the bush and expose him to his mentor, but was surprised when he turned his back. "We head back as well, Russetprowl. Obviously Buzzardpaw was recently, but he isn't anymore." Buzzardpaw furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He knows I'm here, so why is he letting me off?

Russetprowl seemed skeptical as well, sniffing loudly. "You sure, Goldn'star? His scent is pretty strong, I'd reckon he's pretty close by."

Goldenstar dipped his head, his tail swishing behind him. "I'm sure of it. Buzzardpaw will return home when he's ready, obviously he isn't yet. Now come on, I'm starving!"

The two toms began to walk deeper into the forest, their voices trailing behind them as they got further and further away. "Alright, I trust you, but soon as I see that lil whippersnapper, he'll be pickin' ticks from the elders for the rest of his days!" He heard Russetprowl say, his mew quieter. Once he was sure they were gone, Buzzardpaw slid from underneath the bush, his fur getting caught on the prickly thorns. Ripping himself away, he bolted across the stream that marked the WIndClan border, running across the moor. Pausing to look back, Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop as golden eyes stared back at him, their owner standing near the bush he was hiding in. Buzzardpaw held Goldenstar's gaze for a few heartbeats longer then whipped his head around, heading deeper into WindClan territory.

He saw me! StarClan, I'll be in even bigger trouble now…

Buzzardpaw paused, his chest heaving as he skidded to a halt. Along the way, he experienced another coughing fit that altered a WindClan patrol which he luckily escaped by scaring a rabbit towards them to distract them.

Now he stood in front of the fence that led to the barn, the sound of many cats on the other side making his ears perk. Buzzardpaw hesitated before leaping over, his heart racing in his chest. StarClan, why did I come back here? I'll just make things worse! He thought for a second, his sentiments slowly changing. WindClan and ShadowClan are having problems with rogues, right? Maybe I can investigate! I have to find Orion!

He leapt over the fence, a few cats ceasing their activities to stare at him. Feeling sheepish under their somewhat confused and hostile gazes, Buzzardpaw hurriedly raced across the clearing to the fence on the other side. Leaping over that one, he dove into some nearby bushes as he heard voices.

"...and you say they chased you out?" A tom was saying, his voice deep and gruff.

"Yes sir. Barely escaped with my life, those brutes are ruthless. Though I must say, one of them did not escape at all." A second tom mewed, a hint of cociness in his voice. Buzzardpaw edged deeper into the bush, not wanting to be discovered. He could see the cat's paws from where he was, one set gray and the other pitch black.

"Thank you for reporting, Pitch." The first voice said. "I want you to increase patrols around their borders. They're becoming wary of us, and we musnt back down."

"Yes sir." Pitch repiled, his raspy voice low. "We've also been keeping the she-cat's body safe from the crows sir, but the smell is becoming unbearable and she's showing signs of decay. I don't mean any disrespect, but I do believe that it's time that we bury her."

Buzzardpaw saw the gray cat's claws unsheathed from his paws, making him scoot closer to the fence on the other side. The voices were farther away now, but the coldness of the tom's voice still made his pelt stand on end. "You do what I say, Pitch. And what did I say?"

Pitch's voice was quiet and reluctant. "'Keep the body safe, for that is your queen.'"

"Exactly." The voice mewed, calmer now. "If maggots are the problem, pick them out. I want the body as fresh and pristine as I brought it to you, not a single hair must be out of place. You've been given an order, and…" The voice trailed off, making Buzzardpaw freeze. "Can you smell that?"

Pitch sniffed the air audibly, humming. "Mhm. That's the smell of-"

"ThunderClan." Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop, and he rushed to the fence that was a few fox lengths away. He scrabbled under the opening at the bottom, but quickly realized that he was too big and was ultimately stuck. Buzzardpaw flailed his paws as he heard the toms behind him get closer and closer. Feeling something grab his scruff, Buzzardpaw sighed in relief as the cat pulled him to safety. Looking behind him, Buzzardpaw came face to face with the tom named Pitch, his dark yellow eyes slitted and narrowed. The gray tom was strangely nowhere to be seen, making Buzzardpaw shudder. After staring at him for a few seconds, Pitch slowly turned around and stalked away, his tail lashing irritably. He let me go?

Buzzardpaw was interrupted from his thoughts as the cat that saved him spoke. "That was a close one, eh? You're lucky I was heading this way." Buzzardpaw whipped around and came face to face with a muscular, long legged she-cat with a single, piercing blue eye. Her battle-scarred, russet colored pelt shone in the bright sunlight, and her gruff raspy voice caught Buzzardpaw off guard. "Though, I've always seen you with the others. Came to pick on the misfits, hm?"

Buzzardpaw stared at her, confused. I'm never with the other cats! What is she talking about? Finally able to speak, Buzzardpaw blinked rapidly. "Um… I came to see Orion. Is he here, by chance?"

"Nope." The she-cat mewed, still staring through him. "He just left. You'll have to come some other time." She began ushering him back towards the fence, stopping when a familiar sounding she-cat called out to her.

"Flurry!" The she-cat called, running closer. Buzzardpaw got a good look at her, his eyes widening once he realized who it was. "Flurry! There you are, I was just-" She paused as she saw Buzzardpaw, her eyes wide.

"Aspenpaw?"

"Buzzardpaw?" The WindClan apprentice mewed, her voice quiet.

"You know this tom?" Flurry asked, her eye flashing to Aspenpaw.

"Um, yeah I know him." Aspenpaw dipped her head awkwardly to him, which he returned. "W-What are you doing here, Buzzardpaw?"

"I was looking for my friend Orion, but I guess he isn't here. What are you doing here?" His voice was more accusing than he wanted, and Flurry stepped closer to Aspenpaw, her claws unsheathed.

"Oh, Orion?" Aspenpaw mewed, her tail flicking towards the direction of the barn. "He's in the barn." Buzzardpaw realized that she avoided his second question, but he didn't press further.

I thought Flurry said that he wasn't here! Why would she try to keep me from seeing him? He began to walk in the direction of the barn, but Flurry stepped in front of him. "How do I know that I can trust you?" The she-cat mewed, her eye narrowing.

"I um…"

"Flurry! Oh Flurryyyyyyyy!" Buzzardpaw relaxed at the sound of Orion's voice. The mottled tom was heading their way, his pace quickening when he noticed Buzzardpaw. "There you are, and you brought me a tom? How lovely! Best big sister ever." Orion's eyes twinkled as he blinked at Buzzardpaw.

"You know this tom?" Flurry repeated, this time to her brother.

"Yeah, that's Buzzardpaw. Isn't he cute?" Buzzardpaw felt his pelt flush with heat at the question. "He's a cool cat! I hope you weren't mean to him."

Flurry grunted her ears twitching. "Whatever. If you know him, I guess I'll back off." She stalked away towards the other side of the fence, Aspenpaw walking next to her.

Buzzardpaw blinked at Orion, who was smiling at him. "What brings you here? Normally I'm the one that goes to see you, not the other way around." He paused for a second, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Has our relationship reached the next level?"

Buzzardpaw ignored the last question, his whiskers twitching. "I came to um… ask you some questions."

"Ask me questions? What kind of questions?"

"Um…" Buzzardpaw paused, not sure what to say next. Before he could answer, two cats approached him, he recognized the faces of Snowball and Icy.

"Is that… Buzzardpaw?" Icy mewed as she got closer. Her eyes flashed as she met his, and Buzzardpaw felt the same uncomfortable feeling he had before under her intense stare. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't either." Buzzardpaw hummed, glancing at Snowball. The tom had stopped to sit next to Orion, and he stared at the ThunderClan apprentice uneasily.

"What did you come here for?" The white tom mewed, his quiet voice barely audible. Snowball was looking at his paws as he said this, and Buzzardpaw could tell that he was the shy, non-confronting type.

"He came to ask me a question, so shoo!" Orion answered for him, waving the two away with his tail. Icy hissed at him, her eyes narrowing to slits. Before she could speak, Buzzardpaw interrupted.

"Actually, I can ask all of you." The three cats stared at him interestedly, their ears perked. "There's-" He was interrupted by a loud grumble from his belly, reminding him how hungry he was. Icy blinked at him amusedly, a small purr rumbling in her throat.

"Does your belly want to ask a question too?" She mewed, swatting at his head. Buzzardpaw ducked away, blinking. "Come on, we can talk over a nice meal."

"I could eat too." Orion hummed, standing to his paws and heading towards the barn.

Icy glared at him, her voice annoyed. "No one invited you, Orion."

"I don't need to be invited, I live here!" Orion mewed, sticking his tongue out at her. "Besides, he wanted to ask me the question first, you guys just interrupted." He beckoned Buzzardpaw to follow him with his tail. Buzzardpaw stood, and Icy immediately rushed to his side, pressing her pelt firmly to his. Uncomfortable, he tried to step away to put some distance between them, but Icy threw herself at him again, knocking him over.

"Oh jeez, I'm so sorry!" She mewed, helping him up. "You just smell so nice, I couldn't help it."

Buzzardpaw chuckles uncomfortably. "It's alright." This she-cat is weird! The group finally reached the barn and sat around the smile pile of mice, each picking one for themselves. Buzzardpaw picked a plump mouse from the pile, biting into its soft flesh. Savoring the taste, he looked up to see Icy staring at him intently. She noticed that he caught her staring and looked away quickly.

After a moment of silence, the she-cat began to speak. "So um, Buzzardpaw." She scratched at her ear, seeming uncertain. "Do you… have a mate?"

Buzzardpaw choked on his mouthful of mouse, his eyes wide. Orion began to laugh loudly, falling onto his back. "Jeez Icy, way to be forward!"

"I was just wondering." She mewed, looking at her paws.

"Well that's a dumb question." A cat mewed from behind a haystack, revealing themselves to be Tom. The she-cat padded towards the group, her whiskers twitching. "Buzzardpaw obviously likes toms."

"What? There's no way. He's too buff to like toms." Icy mewed, her eyes wide.

"What does his physique have to do with him liking toms?" Argus mewed, padding from behind Tom. "Sexuality is a spectrum, and no cat lies on one end or the other. I believe that he likes both, like everycat."

"I don't like both." Snowball mewed quietly, looking sheepishly at Orion.

"Yeah, me neither!" Orion laughed. "Toms all the way!"

"No one cares about what you like, Orion! We're talking about Buzzardpaw here!" Icy hissed at him. "He obviously likes she-cats, not every tom is like you."

Buzzardpaw blinked as he listened to the cats arguing about his preference. Are they just going to talk about me like I'm not here? Tom blinked at him, her eyes twinkling. "Well, the only way we can find out is if we ask him. What do you like, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw felt his pelt grow hot as everycat turned their attention towards him. Oh StarClan! How did I get to be in this position? "I um… I like-" He was cut off by a fit of coughing, bringing him down to the ground. Everycat looked at him in concern, and Argus rushed towards him.

"Woah, are you sick?" Orion mewed, his eyes wide.

"Obviously, mouse brain!" Icy hissed at him, her eyes slitted.

Argus shook his head, pressing his ear to Buzzardpaw's chest. "No, that's not a regular sickness. Listen to how dry his cough is." Buzzardpaw blinked, another sharp cough escaping his throat. "You guys remember how Pixie coughed all the time? She had asthma, and I believe he does as well. Tom, go fetch me some tansy."

Buzzardpaw shuddered, finally able to breathe. "You're a medicine cat?"

"No, my Twolegs are Cutters. They work with cats and medicine all the time, and I decided to teach myself, with herbs of course." He took the tansy from Tom, placing the yellow flowers in front of the apprentice. "Here, eat this. It'll help with your coughing." Buzzardpaw ate the herbs. "When did this start, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw blinked unsure about telling them about the Dark Forest. "Um, I fell into a really deep, dirty pool of water. It got in my nose in mouth, and ever since I have had these coughing attacks."

Argus hummed, rubbing Buzzardpaw's chest. "You've probably got the water in your lungs then. Have you ever had an experience with smoke?"

He thought for a second, then remembered. "When my mother was pregnant with me, my camp caught on fire. She was one of the last cats out, so yes, if that counts."

"There's no doubt about it then." Argus mewed. "It's a shuck you're just now experiencing the symptoms, normally cats realize they have asthma during kittenhood. You getting water in your lungs must have been the last straw."

"So this herb will cure me?"

The brown tom shook his head. "From what I understand, asthma is incurable." Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop. "The herbs will help with the coughing, but there's no complete way of stopping it."

"Oh. Thank you, Argus."

"Anytime. And don't call me Argus, that's not my name. I don't have a name." Before Buzzardpaw could question him further, the odd tom padded away, his tail swaying behind him.

"Well, that's doctor Argus for you." Tom mewed, amusement twinkling in her gaze. "Sorry about your asthma, Buzzardpaw." She followed the tom out of the barn, calling after him.

Buzzardpaw turned back to the other three, who were staring at him. Orion had a sympathetic look, and Icy was gazing at him intensely. After a long, awkward silence, Orion finally spoke. "So… you wanted to ask us something, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw's whiskers twitched, he had completely forgotten. Blinking at his friends, he shook his head. There's no way these guys could be involved with the rogue attacks, they're too nice. It's definitely something to do with that cat Pitch... and the gray one. Something about the gray tom's voice seemed familiar, but Buzzardpaw couldn't pinpoint it. Finally, he shook his head once more. "Nevermind, it's not important." The group chatted some more, eating more prey and enjoying each other's company. Buzzardpaw lost track of time, surprised to see the dark sky. Orion noticed too, giving him a small nod.

"The moon is rising, so you should probably get going."

"I'll escort him back home!" Icy shouted, hopping to her paws. "To make sure he stays safe, you know."

Buzzardpaw blinked, his heart filling with dread. Am I ready to go back home? I really don't want to face Goldenstar, especially since he saw me run away. "Actually…" He mewed, his voice quiet. "I was wondering if I could stay here."

"Stay here? Like, forever?" Icy mewed, her eyes wide.

Buzzardpaw remained quiet, and Orion shook his head. "No Buzzardpaw, you need to go home. You belong with your clan, not here with us. Last time, you were so adamant on leaving. What changed?"

After hesitating for a moment, Buzzardpaw told his friends about what happened at the Gathering, and how his parents lied to him. He was sure they wouldn't understand everything, but venting to other cats made him feel better, and he relaxed slightly. "... so I came here, because I don't want to stay there anymore. I don't think I can trust them anymore."

Orion blinked at him, his gaze warm. "Oh Buzzardpaw, I'm sorry about your parents. They can be sucky sometimes, believe me, I know." He paused, as if thinking about something. "But think about the positive things! You have a brother now, and a cool mentor. You should go back home, where your family is."

"Well I say, If he doesn't want to," Icy pitched in, "He shouldn't have to go back home! Here Buzzardpaw, I'll make your nest right next to mine." She dashed deeper into the barn, disappearing behind the tall stacks of hay.

Buzzardpaw felt a presence behind him, and a voice soon came after. "I have to say, I agree with Orion." Flurry mewed, standing behind the group. Buzzardpaw turned around to see Aspenpaw standing next to her. "Your clan needs you, Buzzardpaw, we have nothing to offer you here."

"Besides," Orion said, "You could just visit us anytime! You don't have to stay here. Whenever you feel sad, you can just vent to us." He paused, closing his eyes and placing his paw on his head dramatically. "As much as I'd like waking up to your cute face every morning, I have to let you go, because it's the right thing to do."

Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. "Fine, you convinced me. I'll go home then."

Orion grinned, his eyes glittering. "Good! Just make sure you come visit us again!"

Nodding, Buzzardpaw turned, coming face to face with Aspenpaw. "You can come with me, Buzzardapw. I can show you a faster way so you can get home quicker, and so you don't have to pass through WindClan territory." Nodding, Buzzardpaw followed the she-cat, reaching ThunderClan territory just before moonhigh. Giving the she-cat a quick thanks, Buzzardpaw raced to camp, sneaking in through the dirt palace. As he expected, the camp was empty, and he was able to slip into his den unnoticed. Closing his eyes, Buzzardpaw fell into a deep sleep.


Author's note:

Another chapter with Orion! It may seem like these chapters are just filler and long, but trust me, every single detail is important to the plot. You'll see soon!

Thanks for reading!

~MeltingPopsicles