CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"You really don't need to look so frightened," said the bright ginger cat, grinning at Dawncloud. He was handsome, and despite his young age - she put him at thirty to forty moons - he already carried several battle scars that criss-crossed the stripes on his back.

She looked from him to his companion, the grey-and-white cat, who also offered her a smile. "We did just save you," he pointed out. "Most cats around here are smart enough to know not to wander through ol' Crankyclaw's territory."

The words themselves wouldn't have been enough to reassure it - it was, after all, easier to extort travellers if they weren't killed at the claws of a badger. But the way they spoke, and the friendly expression on the ginger tom's face, was enough to make Dawncloud trust them. It was a gut feeling that she couldn't explain, so she hesitantly relaxed her guard.

"Who are you?" she mewed.

"Tribe cats!" said the ginger tom, still grinning at her, his bright green eyes sparkling. "I'm Blaze and this is Squall. Who are you?"

There was still no reason to disbelieve them, though it seemed convenient that they had shown up when they did. "I'm Dawncloud," she introduced herself. "I'm from ThunderClan. We came to find the Tribe."

"Well then that worked out perfectly," said Squall, though his tone was disdainful as he looked around at the battle site. Perfectly likely was not the best descriptor, but Dawncloud had to admit, things could have gone a lot worse.

"Dawncloud!" Alderthorn arrived at that moment, running toward her from wherever the badger had tossed him. He was panting as he came to a stop toward her. "Are you alright? Who are these - Oh." His eyes flashed with recognition as he took in the Tribe cats. Right, thought Dawncloud, remembering that Alderthorn and the others had stopped at the Tribe when they had first journeyed toward the Clans.

Blaze looked between Dawncloud and Alderthorn and then focused his attention back on the ginger she-cat. "You brought him? That's a dangerous game to play."

"I know about his past," Dawncloud asserted. She found it harder to speak when Blaze was watching her. "Baron is dead and Alderthorn has joined ThunderClan."

Both the Tribe cats looked surprised, and then subsequently impressed at the news, though Squall added: "That isn't the only reason he might not find himself unanimously welcomed in the Tribe."

"Chantelle?" asked Alderthorn in a near-whisper. He looked crestfallen when Squall nodded.

Dawncloud wasn't aware of what had passed between Alderthorn and the other loner that she had never met. She had always assumed Alderthorn had been unhappy Chantelle had left with Elmheart, but hadn't realized the division might originate from the other side as well.

Then she turned back to the Tribe cats - looking at Squall, because she could feel Blaze watching her - and asked perhaps the most pressing question. "How did you know to save us? That we were here and in trouble?"

"Stoneteller saw you in a dream," said Blaze, which forced Dawncloud to turn and look at him. Her heart pounded. He gestured with his tail and she followed it until she was gazing at the peaks in the distance. "We came down from there to meet you, and luckily we came at the right time."

"Wait," said Dawncloud. "You said your name is Blaze - are you..." The Blazestripe that Thickfur had mentioned leaving the Clan?

He hesitated and Dawncloud realized perhaps it had not been the best question. Before she could press him on it, it occurred to her that Thickfur hadn't made his way over to join the group. She had assumed he would have limped over by now to try and aggressively deal with the newcomers; instead, there was no sign of him. Was he still hiding in the hedgerow? But cowardice didn't seem one of his qualities.

"We have to find Thickfur," she told them, urgency growing in her chest. "Our other companion."

She started off toward the hedge, only to let out a cry as her ankle folded under her weight. Gritting her teeth, Dawncloud pulled herself up again. Alderthorn moved to help her, but Blaze was quicker, pressing his side against hers. "Lean on me," he mewed, now friendlier that she had dropped the subject, and she did.

Squall led the way over to the hedgerow. Alderthorn was at his side, scenting the air to try and pinpoint Thickfur's location. Dawncloud's heart was hammering, nervous that something had happened to him. He had looked shaky after the badger had come down on him, but he had been able to limp away and avoid further harm.

"What's Thickfur like?" asked Blaze, with a strange note of curiosity in his voice. He must have known Thickfur, back in ThunderClan. Dawncloud bit her tongue to prevent herself from asking more questions.

Not that long ago, Dawncloud would have answered that he was grumpy on good days and cruel on bad ones. Now she gave herself a moment to think of a better answer. He was her Clanmate, and she couldn't say anything harsh about him to the Tribe. "He can be hard to talk to, and he holds everyone to high standards, but only because he demands that much of himself."

The words slipped so easily out of her mouth because she now knew it to be true, that Thickfur being a harsh mentor in the past was not because he was unforgiving of her, but because he was cruel to and unforgiving of himself. She blinked, and flushed, embarrassed to have said so much and to have spoken so insightfully to a stranger.

"Hm," said Blaze. He fell silent for a moment, digesting the information.

Pain lanced through her as she accidentally placed weight on her ankle. Dawncloud gritted her teeth, but couldn't stop a slight hiss of pain from escaping.

"Are you okay?" Blaze asked. He wrapped his tail over her flank and pulled her closer to him in order to steady her.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. Dawncloud was all too aware of being even closer to him. His side was warm and she could feel the beat of his heart and rise and fall of his chest. It made her own heart thud faster and left her hyper-sensitive to each of his movements, as well as a little frustrated to have these feelings at all.

It's called a crush, mouse-brain, Sootclaw informed her. Did he sound smug?

She huffed at him. How can I have a crush? I don't like him; I barely know him - we literally just met.

So? asked Sootclaw, and she could feel him shrug. You don't have to know him to be attracted to him.

Go away, she told him, and Sootclaw respectfully withdrew further comments.

"Over here!" yelled out Alderthorn and the other three rushed - as fast as they could with Dawncloud's injured paw - toward him. She hobbled toward the hedge, brushing past cedar leaves to get a view inside.

Alderthorn was standing over a bundle of striped grey fur that Dawncloud immediately recognized as Thickfur. Oh no, StarClan, please. Terror swept through her, stronger than she had ever known, buckling her knees and causing her throat to clench as she fought the urge to retch. The fear was a strong wind and she was a frail leaf and she was helpless before it. She could hardly breathe. The world started to spin. Oh no, no, no.

"He's alive," Alderthorn told her. Relief crashed on her like a wave. The tom pressed against her gently and the touch made the world stop spinning. It was a little forced, likely as he was bad at any sort of physical affection, but she appreciated the attempt at comfort.

Dawncloud... Sootclaw had returned upon feeling her fear. He gave her a wave of warmth that rippled through her body, grounding her. She took in a deep breath. Thickfur was alive.

She sank to the ground in front of Thickfur. Indeed, his chest was moving, and she could hear the rough exhalation of breath. His front leg, where the badger had struck him, looked dislocated at the shoulder, and there were huge claw marks scored down his side. Blood matted his fur.

"We need to get him to Stoneteller as quickly as possible," Squall mewed. "Blaze and I will carry him. Alderthorn, you help Dawncloud."

She leaned against Alderthorn and watched, heart in her throat, as Squall and Blaze slung Thickfur's stocky form across their backs. But they managed to bear his weight, and soon the group of them were once again on the move, walking through the night and toward the mountains.

Once again, Dawncloud got no sleep.

.

They went about as fast as could be expected considering Dawncloud was injured and the two Tribe cats were carrying Thickfur. But they all pushed themselves, barely stopping, barely even speaking as they passed through the fields and then began to make their way up the treacherous mountain slopes. The slow-going was agonizing for Dawncloud, who kept shooting nervous glances at Thickfur. Every time she did, she would end up meeting Blaze's eyes, and she would feel her heart skip a beat as she looked away. Don't be a mouse-brain, she told herself. It was stupid. Distracting. Jarring when juxtaposed with her absolute fear for Thickfur. She didn't even know Blaze, or want to view him in that way.

At any other point in time, Dawncloud would have enjoyed their trek through the mountains. The rise and fall of peaks in front of her was nothing short of stunning, and as they ascended the rocky ridges, the sun began to rise to their right, washing the mountain ridge in soft blues and purples.

"It's beautiful," she murmured, happy to feel the morning light on her face. It gave her a little spur of energy, just enough to keep her putting one paw after the other. Alderthorn, at her side, never complained once though Dawncloud knew he must be exhausted from supporting her. But whenever she looked at him, he would just give her an encouraging smile. Once again, the expression did not come easily to him, but she could tell he was attempting.

"Makes forest life look dull," agreed Blaze. Dawncloud didn't quite agree, for she loved the woods of ThunderClan and all the life that teemed within, but she could understand how a cat might prefer the empty, endless vista of crags and cliffs. There was a sense of enormity and awe that she had never felt in her own territory. Had that drawn Blaze away from the Clan?

They made a quick pit stop in a small nook that Blaze and Squall pointed out. Inside was a small pile of prey and a few moss nests. It must have been a store for those out on patrols and climbing the mountain. They ate quickly, with Dawncloud gulping down as much as she could before they set out once more. She cast one last longing glance at the moss nests as they were forced to resume their march. But as much as she wanted to rest, she knew they needed to get Thickfur to a medicine cat or healer of some sort.

As night started to lighten into dawn, they were met by another group of cats. These cats greeted Blaze and Squall, and then introduced themselves as Tribe cats: Heron, a blue-grey she-cat, and Cliff, a stocky brown tom. Blaze and Squall thankfully passed on the burden of carrying Thickfur to fresh paws and shoulders, and they continued their march. Dawncloud did not have the energy to ask these new Tribe cats any questions, but she was grateful for their presence. Alderthorn was tired too, but he continued to support her without complaint. She gave him as much of a purr as she could manage between her exhaustion and anxiety for Thickfur.

The pale light of dawn turned into morning which turned into a bright but cool afternoon. Dawncloud had to look at the ground to shield her eyes from the sun, but the newleaf air was refreshing. Had it been greenleaf, they would have been beaten down by a hot sun with no shade to protect them. The Tribe cats didn't seem to mind the sunlight; in fact, the brighter it got and the closer they got to the top of the mountain, the more their spirits improved, even despite the weariness. Cliff and Heron must have run all the way to find them, and yet they persevered. Perhaps being in the Tribe made one accustomed to a tough life.

They reached the top of the mountain as the sun was just beginning to set. The path ended at a large mouth in the side of the rock wall. She could scent many cats, and even hear voices, but Blaze and Squall didn't bring them there. To Dawncloud's disappointment, they stopped a bit earlier, at a small hole in the wall. "It's a quiet place for injured cats," explained Blaze. "Sort of like one of your medicine cat dens."

This small hole in the wall opened up into a small passageway which brought them to a cave stocked with moss, prey, and all kinds of herbs. Water trickled from a hole in the wall and into a small pool at the back. While only a bit of sunlight reached in through the tunnel, numerous stones embedded in the roof and walls provided them with a glimmering light.

"Dawncloud, you and Thickfur need to rest, and be tended to by our healers," Squall explained. "It'll do you no good to be introduced to the Tribe at the shape you're in right now."

Dawncloud wanted to argue that they didn't have time to rest, but exhaustion was pulling at her. Heron and Cliff placed Thickfur in one of the moss nests, looking relieved now that they didn't have that weight on their back, and Dawncloud settled into the one next to him. She was going to ask about Alderthorn, but the question slipped her mind as darkness entered, and despite the throbbing of her ankle, she quickly fell asleep.

x

So many things happened that day. Elmheart had noticed that some of the prey-catchers were missing, but in his worry for Chantelle, he had not concerned himself with the details. Now he learned that Squall and Blaze had left to escort a ThunderClan patrol, and that Stoneteller had dreamed of a badger attack and so sent Heron and Cliff to go find them as well. The news caused Chantelle anxiety, and even as Elmheart did his best to comfort her, he was anxious too. He distracted himself by grooming the kits. They were still so small and frail. He was terrified that they would just stop breathing or something else would happen; a common, but irrational, worry of parents, Stoneteller told him.

Elmheart did not want to deal with the ThunderClan patrol. He distinctly wanted to avoid any sort of contact with ThunderClan. He felt bitterness when he thought of his former Clan, and he knew it was a coping mechanism to try and reduce his guilt. He had abandoned them in a moment of extreme emotion, when Chantelle had been pregnant and Nettleclaw had died and he just hadn't wanted to exist there anymore. He had lashed out at Slatestar who had just… let him go. Slatestar's cold voice, stripping him of his rank, still echoed in his head.

This is my home now. He could not change the past. He would just have to be strong. But… why were they here? More specifically, who had come?

When the patrol returned, he was eating food in the main den, swapping a mouse back and forth with Beetle. Chantelle was resting so Elmheart had gone for a hunt and then tried to regale the to-be with ancient Clan stories – another foolish tie to his past – but his heart wasn't into it. Heron, Blaze, and Cliff entered the cavern. Beetle leapt to her paws, excited to see her mentor. Elmheart nodded his head to the three of them. He didn't know Heron or Blaze that well. Heron had always been kind to him, but Blaze was aloof. The ginger tom was exceedingly friendly to every other member of the Tribe, but for some reason had not taken to Elmheart. Something else that bothered him.

"Where are the ThunderClan cats?" Elmheart asked, too quickly. He got to his paws just as a new cat entered the den. It was Alder.

Alder stared at him and then dipped his head in acknowledgement. He looked hesitant to enter further now that he had Elmheart's attention.

"Alderthorn is here," mewed Heron, which took Elmheart aback. Alderthorn? Had he and Beck become warriors? "The others are in the isolation den, recovering from their wounds."

"Wounds? What wounds?" Elmheart felt himself getting agitated but was unable to help it.

"Relax, Elmheart," said Heron, not unkindly. She offered him a sympathetic glance. The blue she-cat had never begrudged him his Clan heritage. "They are all fine. They just had a run-in with Crankyclaw on their way over, but Squall and Blaze drove him off."

Speaking of Blaze, the ginger tabby had just done a quick check of the den and the tunnel behind it, which led to Stoneteller's den. "He's not here," Blaze remarked.

"He went for a walk," Beetle supplied helpfully.

Blaze and Heron left to go find Stoneteller, while Cliff and Beetle began to chat with each other. She was desperate to hear about his adventure, while Cliff insisted it was nothing and wanted to get back to the subject of her training.

That left Alderthorn.

Elmheart approached him warily. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about the other tom. Alderthorn had never treated him unkindly, but the former loner was also responsible for bringing danger to ThunderClan. Yet Alderthorn had also brought Chantelle, for which Elmheart was grateful. His stomach churned thinking about the two of them. What if Chantelle still had feelings for Alderthorn? No, Elmheart told himself. She left with me. She chose me, and I chose her. The stress of the situation was getting to him, but he couldn't let it poison his thoughts. He loved Chantelle and their kits and Alderthorn's presence here wouldn't change that.

"I'm glad you're all right," said Elmheart at last. "After facing the badger."

"It wasn't an ideal situation," Alderthorn admitted. Was that an attempt at sarcasm? He almost sounded like Kitetail. "But we made it."

Elmheart nodded. "Why did you come here?"

Alderthorn's face darkened. "The Clans are in trouble, Elmheart. All of them. The Dark Forest is attacking and StarClan has told us we all need to unite, should we hope to defeat them. We came here to see if you would return."

Elmheart didn't know what to say to that. He was taken aback. He couldn't return. He had a family to take care of. But instead of reacting rashly, he held his tongue. He could see by the worry on Alderthorn's face that he cared deeply for ThunderClan. Elmheart felt a jealousy in response, as if it was unfair that Alderthorn loved ThunderClan now more than he did. I chose to leave, he reminded himself.

"I can't go back," he said, quietly.

"We'll meet with Stoneteller," Alderthorn mewed. "All of us. To tell him why we came and ask him who he can spare."

"Who came with you?" Elmheart asked.

"Thickfur," Alderthorn said, "and Dawncloud."

Dawncloud.

Dawncloud?

"She's alive!" said Elmheart, excitement getting the better of him. And somehow agreed to go on a mission with Thickfur? He cleared his throat and tried to remain composed. "Dawnpaw – sorry, Dawncloud – recovered! But what – what happened?"

"She was in the Dark Forest," Alderthorn told him. "But she could use her mind-link with Sootclaw to – "

"Her mind-link?" Elmheart repeated. "Sootclaw?"

Dark Forest?

"She recovered just after we saved WindClan and the rogues attacked ShadowClan camp, but before the monster crashed into RiverClan territory – "

"I'm sorry," Elmheart said, waving his tail to cut off Alderthorn. What was he talking about? What monster crash? Why would the rogues attack ShadowClan? And what were these powers? It was all too much; his head was spinning.

Alderthorn stopped and looked apologetic. "There's a lot that has happened, and we will tell everything when we meet with Stoneteller. I can give you the basics, but... I think, Elmheart, you might need to just talk to Dawncloud."

.

Elmheart entered the medical den slowly, careful to step lightly, knowing at any time he could turn and leave and half-tempted to do it. The last time he had seen Dawncloud, she had been a gaunt figure, half-alive, in Kitetail's den. Now he had learned that his former best friend had not just been in a coma, but trapped in a hellish underworld, and had shared a link with a ShadowClan warrior. How long? he wondered. He thought back to the moment by the border, when he had confessed his feelings, and his skin crawled. Was he listening even then?

But he had to face his fears so he put one paw after another until he was fully in the den and his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Thickfur was asleep in one of the nests, Dawncloud in the other. She was asleep as well. He stood there a moment, wondering if he should wake her. But she looked peaceful. She also looked… grown up. She was leaner now, muscled, and her face had aged into one of an adult. She was not the same cat he remembered. He felt sadness upon seeing her, sadness for the friendship he had lost and the moments he had missed. But he did not feel love, and that relieved him.

I'm glad you're okay, he thought, and he turned and left the den.

He went to the kit-mothers den next to check on Chantelle, but when he poked his head in, she was already talking to someone. Squall. The grey-and-white tom was sitting close to her and murmuring something while looking at the kits. Elmheart ignored the strange tightness in his chest and walked right in. As soon as Chantelle saw him she lifted her head right up, and Squall sprung back. The grey-and-white tom nodded to Elmheart. "Your kits are beautiful," he mewed. "I wanted to meet them."

"Thank you," said Elmheart, slowly. He had always liked Squall, and had no problem with the tom being around his kits. But why had Chantelle suddenly looked so guilty? The doubt crawled in him like a worm.

"Well," said Squall, looking between him and Chantelle. "I'll see you two later, then." He got up and left the den. Elmheart watched him go before turning back to his mate.

"What were you two talking about?" he mewed, hating himself for asking.

"Oh?" said Chantelle. "I don't remember, really. Nothing important, just small-talk while he met the kits." Nettle and Dove were nursing at her belly.

Elmheart licked her head but his anxiety didn't fade. She must have sensed it, as she said: "You're worried about the ThunderClan patrol?"

"You're not?" he asked. Then, still hating himself: "Did Alderthorn come to see you?"

She shook her head. "I told Squall and Blaze I didn't want to see him." Then she craned her head up and licked his cheek. "You don't need to worry, Elmheart. I love you. We're a family. Alderthorn and other ThunderClan warriors being here doesn't change that."

Elmheart nodded, but once again, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease.

X

A/N: Two Elmheart POVs in a row!? I was initially going to have this one later but in terms of the timeline it made the most sense to put it right here, which unfortunately means that the big Thickfur reveal is going to be all at once in the next Tribe chapter (chapter 16). Sorry not sorry, I'm very excited for it, it should be really good. Anyway, I feel so bad for Elmheart in this one, he's definitely in a bit of an anxiety spiral. Also, don't worry too much about Dawncloud and Blaze; I more just want to show that she's an adult now and experiences attraction.

Aly: it's great to hear from you! I'm glad you are still reading and enjoying! Can't really reply to the other thing you mentioned without giving away too much of the story, haha.

Anyway, thanks all for reading and please review!

- PV :)