The thrill of hearing his warrior name for the first time was lost in a surge of terror and confusion that gripped Heronflight by the throat. He choked and blinked against Blizzardstar's white shoulder fur. A different pale shape shone before Heronflight's slightly blurred vision.
Snowbreeze's green eyes flashed with intensity. A voice rang out inside of Heronflight's head, her voice, echoing with grave purpose.
Help them!
Heronflight backed away from Blizzardstar and stumbled. A wave of noise crashed into his ears. The Clan was calling his name just as he had dreamed they would. This was not how he had imagined it would feel.
All around him Heronflight could hear his Clanmate's repeating the names of the new warriors. A different voice, high pitched and terrified, pierced through the chanting. Heronflight snapped his eyes onto the source of the cry.
A blood-soaked white cat stood at the mouth of the fern tunnel, illuminated in a splash of moonlight. Its wild amber eyes shone with exhaustion and shock. Its mouth was stretched wide in a desperate wail.
For a moment Heronflight thought that it was another vision. Then he recognized the young tom's black paws and ears.
The noise around Heronflight died down as cats began to notice what was happening. Triumphant yowls faded into confused mutters.
Heronflight was at Coalpaw's side in two heart beats.
The young AlderClan apprentice stared up at Heronflight. His white fur was plastered with blood. There was no way to tell if it was his own or somecat else's.
"We're being attacked!" Coalpaw gasped. His breath came in sharp gasps. His black paws were shaking. "You have to help!"
Heronflight whirled around. Whiteshade and Blizzardstar were just behind him. From the looks on their faces they had heard what Coalpaw said.
Heronflight looked to his leader. Blizzardstar shared a glance with his deputy.
Whiteshade shook his head. "AlderClan is too far. We'd never make it in time." He said in a low voice.
Dark regret fell over Blizzardstar's face.
Heronflight's belly clenched. "We can try, can't we?"
"They trapped us in camp." Coalpaw choked out. "I escaped. Please, you have to come."
Blizzardstar regarded the bloodied AlderClan cat for a moment before nodding firmly. He swung his great head around and called out to his Clan.
"AlderClan needs our help!" He boomed.
The cloud of shock began to melt away. Hawkstrike and Morningsong jumped to their paws, ready. Kestrelfeather and Swiftwing joined them. Others began rising to their paws. The glint of battle sparked in every eye.
"Whiteshade." Blizzardstar turned to his deputy. "Gather a battle patrol."
Whiteshade nodded and leapt into the center of the gathered cats. Immediately they surged to him, ready to be called upon.
Blizzardstar faced the terrified Coalpaw. "I need details, son." He rumbled. His tone had softened considerably.
Coalpaw shot Blizzardstar a wide-eyed look and shuffled closer to Heronflight's side. The young tom looked up at Heronflight. Heronflight nodded.
"WillowClan." Coalpaw said. His voice shook along with his body. "And rogues."
"How many?" Blizzardstar coaxed.
Coalpaw blinked for the first time since he arrived. "Too many."
Blizzardstar and Heronflight shared a glance.
"Out of the way. He's in shock." Plumleaf growled from behind them. She pushed Heronflight aside and crouched at Coalpaw's flank. Her mew turned low and comforting. She even chirruped a few times as she nosed Coalpaw's flank. Coalpaw flinched at her touch at first but eventually relaxed.
"I need to ask him one more question." Blizzardstar said. He stood his ground as Plumleaf shot him a withering look. She snorted, shrugged, and went back to her work.
"Make it quick." She snapped.
Blizzardstar caught Coalpaw's eye. "How did you find our camp?"
Coalpaw blinked. "The white cat showed me."
Heronflight's belly lurched.
Plumleaf led the poor thing away with her fluffy tail draped protectively over his shoulders. A set of small, bloody paw-prints followed in their wake.
Heronflight watched them go. He felt numb. It felt so strange that the AlderClan apprentice had been dragged into this. The danger had seemed so far away from that mountainside.
Close by, the rest of the clan was coming to a decision.
"Falconstorm, Shadowgrove, Kestrelfeather, Crowfrost, Hawkstrike, Morningsong, Brushfire, and Cherrynose will come with me." Whiteshade was saying.
Blizzardstar nodded his approval. "Elkheart, I am putting the camp's safety in your paws."
Elkheart nodded and gathered the remaining warriors to him with a sweep of his brown tail. The cats who had been called grouped together near Whiteshade.
Heronflight's paws carried him to the deputy's side.
"I want to go." He said.
Whiteshade eyed him. "I thought your shoulder was injured again."
Heronflight stretched his sore shoulder and shook his head. "It's fine."
Whiteshade opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted.
"He's fine, Whiteshade." Petalpaw had appeared beside the deputy with several large bundles of herbs at her paws. She glanced at Heronflight. "Besides, I need somecat to help me with these."
Whiteshade hesitated. His shoulders sank in a shrug. "Alright then." He moved away.
Heronflight stared to speak but Petalpaw cut him off. "Dawnheart needs to tell you something before you go."
Heronflight paused, surprised. Around him his fellow warriors were readying themselves to leave. Petalpaw's eyes flashed silver in the moonlight. "Hurry!" she hissed.
Heronflight jumped into a run. In moments he was at the mouth of the medicine den. Just inside he could see Plumleaf settling a ragged looking Coalpaw into a nest. Dawnheart was lying a few nests over. Frayclaw was sitting beside him.
Heronflight hurried by Plumleaf, hoping she was distracted enough not to notice him.
Dawnheart straightened up as he caught sight of Heronflight hurrying over.
"Petalpaw sent me." Heronflight muttered once he was close enough.
Dawnheart nodded. "There's something you need to know about Crowfrost."
Heronflight's heart skipped a painful beat.
Dawnheart's blue eyes shone as he looked up at Heronflight. Fear lingered in their depths.
"He's being influenced by something." Dawnheart paused and shivered. "Someone."
"What do you mean?" The words came out sharper than Heronflight had intended. Frayclaw showed a fang and he backtracked. "What happened?" he said more softly.
Dawnheart shook his head. "Slatefoot found me while I was unconscious. He dragged me out onto the beach. Crowfrost was there. He was talking to someone."
Frayclaw gave Dawnheart a lick around the ear. A deep, comforting purr rumbled in the gray warrior's chest. Dawnheart leaned into Frayclaw slightly and continued.
"She said not to believe what the Clan says about Cranewing. She seemed to know Slatefoot too, and he was afraid of her." Dawnheart closed his eyes. He curled his body into a tighter ball.
"I don't know how to explain it, Heronflight, but there was something wrong."
Heronflight knew exactly what his friend was talking about. His suspicions had been correct. Whatever force Snowbreeze had warned him about was in contact with his brother. Crowfrost was the traitor.
"There's something else." Dawnheart opened his eyes and lifted his head. He fixed Heronflight with a piercing stare. "Is Slatefoot going to AlderClan?"
Heronflight tried to remember who was called. Before he could answer, Dawnheart continued anyway.
"Don't trust him." Dawnheart's eyes were glazed with fear. "Don't trust Slatefoot."
Heronflight faltered, confused. "But Crowfrost-"
"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere other than here?" Plumleaf demanded. Heronflight jumped and spun to face the testy medicine cat. She lashed her plumy tail and glared at him.
In that moment, the foolishness of not telling Plumleaf about his visions hit Heronflight like a blow from a warrior twice his size.
The annoyed look in her eyes faded as she searched his face.
"CedarClan, move out!" Blizzardstar's call to leave was muffled.
Heronflight stared into Plumleaf's eyes. Panic started to fill his chest. Why hadn't he come to her with this before? He had thought that he knew what to do; now he was sure that he knew nothing. Something bigger than he could ever hope to understand was going on. The weight of his realization began to crush his chest. He gasped for breath.
Plumleaf flicked her ear and nodded. "Tell Petalpaw." She said. She slipped to his side and whisked her tail at his back legs, forcing him to move.
"What?" Heronflight stammered.
"Tell. Petalpaw." Plumleaf repeated as she swept him forward. "Don't do this alone."
Heronflight opened his mouth but nothing came out. With a final shove from Plumleaf, Heronflight stumbled through the medicine clearing's exit. He found his footing and looked back.
Plumleaf was already bustling away.
Suddenly steeled by her words, Heronflight moved. He hurried across the clearing. Ferntail wished him luck as he passed. He waved his tail to let her know he heard. He reached the entrance just as the last of the battle patrol was disappearing through it. Petalpaw was waiting for him. With a nod to her, Heronflight scooped up a bundle of herbs. Petalpaw did the same.
Together they slid through the bracken tunnel and out into the night.
. . .
"Crowfrost?" Petalpaw's eyes widened with distress.
Heronflight nodded and ducked under an approaching branch.
The patrol was making their way through WillowClan territory. Blizzardstar had decided that taking the fastest route was more important than risking an early run in with WillowClan. Heronflight and Petalpaw brought up the rear of the company. Hawkstrike and Morningsong ran just in front of them. Petalpaw's herb wraps were safely grasped in the new warriors' teeth.
Petalpaw shook her head and stared through the ranks of CedarClan warriors. "Has he really changed that much?" Her voice was small and full of guilt.
Heronflight's paws grew heavier as they raced through WillowClan's forest.
"It isn't his fault." He said. He wondered if his statement was meant to convince Petalpaw or himself.
"This is why Cougarstar knew so much about Clan business. Crowfrost must have been meeting with Cranewing." Petalpaw dropped her gaze to her paws. Her fur fluffed up a little. "We should tell Blizzardstar."
Heronflight's heart sank and his belly twitched with unease. "How?" How could they possibly explain everything in time?
Petalpaw clamped her jaws shut. She seemed to have realized the problem as well. There was too much to tell. Too little time.
"I'll keep an eye on Crowfrost." Heronflight said. He readied himself for Petalpaw to argue but she didn't. Instead she locked eyes with him for a heightened moment as they leapt over a fallen tree in unison.
It felt like moons since they had last been in this forest together. Everything had seemed simpler then.
Heronflight watched Petalpaw's tabby-and-white coat flash in and out of the moonlight. Her green eyes were narrow with focus. She was so strong. So beautiful.
"Petalpaw…" Heronflight was cut off as the cats in front of him slowed their pace. He forced his attention to the front of the patrol where Blizzardstar had given the signal to stop.
Heronflight looked around. The place was slightly familiar. They were near the AlderClan border.
Blizzardstar curled and un-curled his tail once. Silence. He flicked the tip three times. Ready for battle.
Hawkstrike and Morningsong slipped silently to Petalpaw's side and dropped their herbs. Petalpaw gave them a nod of thanks and they returned to their place in line.
Heronflight caught Petalpaw's eye one more time. She held his gaze without blinking. Heronflight wanted to assure her that they would meet once the battle was over, that they would figure this out together, but there wasn't time. There weren't words. There was only this shared look. He hoped it was enough.
Ahead, Blizzardstar gave the signal to move.
. . .
Dawnheart lay, too restless to sleep, in his nest in the medicine clearing. The pain in his head had lessened to a dull thump, but his worries had risen to a relentless pounding. Frayclaw had been called away by Elkheart to protect the camp. So Dawnheart lay alone, listening to the AlderClan apprentice's snores and the occasional whimper from the eyeless rouge.
Things were out of Dawnheart's paws now. He just had to trust in StarClan and wait.
The shadow of the rocky overhang above his head did little to give him any sense of comfort. A stray, dead leaf tumbled across the darkened medicine clearing and landed in the little frozen brook. Dawnheart watched it skid across the ice.
Movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. He looked up, confused. His confusion turned to horror as he saw two green eyes peering at him from across the stream. They winked out as whoever was watching him turned away.
A sinking feeling in his belly told him he knew exactly who those green eyes belonged to. He was proven right as Slatefoot emerged from the shadows on the other side of the clearing.
Dawnheart stiffened in his nest. Slatefoot stood, unmoving, half-obscured by the darkness.
Why was he here? A dozen reasons sped through Dawnheart's mind. Was this the real Slatefoot or whatever else had shadowed the warrior's steps lately?
Shaking slightly, Dawnheart peered into his Clanmate's eyes. They were wide and unblinking. The pupils were slits. Icy claws of fear gripped Dawnheart once more.
"Forgive me."
It took a moment for Dawnheart to realize that Slatefoot had indeed said those words.
The pale warrior swallowed hard. "What?"
Slatefoot blinked once. "This isn't what I wanted." He murmured.
Dawnheart stiffened. "What do you mean?" He asked slowly. He didn't know if he wanted to hear the answer.
Slatefoot shook his head. "He was so much like me. I thought he would understand."
Dawnheart was utterly bewildered. "I-"
"I never meant to twist him like she twisted me." Slatefoot cut him off. His voice was tight with guilt and sorrow. The dark warrior paused and dropped his gaze to the ground.
There was a moment of tense silence during which Dawnheart considered calling out for help. Curiosity and pity stayed his tongue. Was this Slatefoot apologizing for his treatment of Dawnheart?
Slatefoot's head snapped back up. Dawnheart jumped.
The gray warrior's pupils had rounded once more. The vulnerability in his posture shifted to stiff determination.
Dawnheart slid his claws out. Green eyes met blue.
"I have to stop her." Slatefoot growled.
Dawnheart raised his head a little. "Who?" His mind raced.
Slatefoot didn't seem to have heard the question. "I have to stop her from taking anyone else." He continued. He looked past Dawnheart's shoulder and narrowed his eyes at something that wasn't there.
Dawnheart's pulse quickened and he sat up. "Do you mean that cat that was talking to Crowfrost?"
Slatefoot's ears twitched and he lifted his scarred lip in a half-snarl.
Dawnheart fought the worsening pain in his head and pushed himself to all four paws. "We can tell Plumleaf or Blizzardstar." He offered. "You can get their help."
Slatefoot shook his head as Dawnheart spoke.
"You can't go after her alone." Dawnheart took a step forward out of his nest.
Slatefoot thrashed his head back and forth and backed away. "No one else." He hissed.
Dawnheart stopped advancing. He didn't want to scare Slatefoot away this time.
Slatefoot turned his head away from Dawnheart and fell still except his nervously flicking tail. Dawnheart clenched his jaw, frustrated. What could he say to get through to the disturbed warrior?
Rustling from the medicine clearing entrance caused Slatefoot to snap his head around. Plumleaf's voice announced her imminent arrival.
Dawnheart cursed and took a few steps towards Slatefoot. The gray warrior cast Dawnheart one last conflicted look before turning and fleeing into the closely-knit trees. The darkness swallowed him up in less than a heartbeat.
Dawnheart stared after the vanished warrior. Fear and uncertainty pricked at his paws. He ignored Plumleaf as she entered the clearing and asked him what in StarClan's name he thought he was doing up and about.
He let the grumpy medicine cat shuffle him back to his nest without complaint. He considered telling her where Slatefoot had gone, but something about the last look the gray warrior had given him gave Dawnheart pause.
Let me do this. It had said.
Dawnheart settled back into his nest and watched the place where Slatefoot had disappeared.
Now was the time for trust.