Chapter Twenty-Nine
Fawnpaw sat next to Sundapple, the late evening chill sinking into her bones. Vinepelt had seen to her wound soon after his return, after seeing to the most seriously injured cats. It was now wrapped with cobwebs, with a finely chewed poultice pressed against the wound.
Alderheart limped up to them, his normally smooth coat criss-crossed by slashes. "Sundapple. Fawnpaw." His green eyes were dull.
Sundapple stood and pressed her nose to her littermate's shoulder, not saying a word.
"How was your first battle?" Alderheart directed the question at Fawnpaw.
Fawnpaw looked down at her paws. "Difficult," she murmured. "I'm beginning to understand the sacrifices a warrior has to make."
Sundapple let out an amused meow. "You sound like an elder, Fawnpaw!" She turned to Alderheart. "She did very well. Her fighting skills were just as successful in battle as they have been in training."
Fawnpaw shot her mentor a grateful look. She didn't want to talk about the battle more than she had to. She glanced over to where Heronfoot sat conferring with the senior warriors. Soon, he would go to the far corner of the camp to receive his nine lives, and be tasked with naming a deputy afterwards.
"Fawnpaw!" She turned quickly at the voice, nearly unbalancing herself and falling. Larkfeather stood by the warriors' den with Mintleaf and Deerleap. Fawnpaw stood and waved her tail in farewell to Sundapple and Alderheart, going over to join the group.
As she reached them, Larkfeather glanced furtively around, as if making sure that no cat would overhear them. She turned her intense gaze to Fawnpaw. "We're going to find Flowerpaw."
"But Heronfoot said you couldn't!" Fawnpaw felt a touch of discomfort at the idea of going against their leader's wishes.
"Be quiet!" Deerleap's voice was a low hiss. "We don't want anyone to hear."
Larkfeather swiped her tail across the snow. "We're going. Whether you come or not is your decision. Mintleaf, come on." She turned and headed towards the tunnel, brushing nonchalantly past the cats in the clearing.
The white tom gave Fawnpaw a hopeless shrug and followed his littermate, Deerleap at his side.
I have to go, thought Fawnpaw. It may not be what Heronfoot wants, but it's the right thing to do. She took a bracing breath and loped unsteadily after them.
As she caught up, Deerleap gave her a warm glance. "I knew you'd come around," she purred.
They moved through the thorn tunnel without any trouble and emerged into the quiet forest. As they padded in the direction of the battleground, they heard a rustling in the bushes just ahead.
Larkfeather flattened her ears to her head, standing stock-still. "Who's there?"
Finchstripe emerged from the undergrowth, stalking haughtily to stand a tail-length from Larkfeather. "Where do you think you're going?" He rumbled.
"None of your business," hissed Larkfeather, her voice filled with hatred. "Get out of our way."
Another voice chimed in from behind Finchstripe. "Larkfeather, how dare you address a senior warrior that way." Eagleclaw picked his way down a small slope near where they stood. Fawnpaw noticed that his tan fur was pristine, showing that he hadn't participated in the battle. His good eye darted around, taking in the cats in front of him.
Deerleap shouldered past Larkfeather to confront the two toms, and Fawnpaw nervously shifted her weight from side to side.
"Eagleclaw," started Deerleap, "let us through. I'm leading this hunting patrol, and unless you've forgotten, I'm your senior."
Eagleclaw hissed. "Heronfoot hasn't sent out any hunting patrols since the battle. I know what you're doing, and neither Finchstripe nor I are going to let you jeopardize the safety of the Clan for your silly little rescue mission."
Larkfeather lashed her tail in anger, stepping forward. Deerleap stopped her with a sharp glare. "Don't speak to me like that. You can't stop us."
Finchstripe let out a sharp snort. "We may not be able to stop you, but it would surely be a shame if someone mentioned to Heronfoot that you were directly defying his orders. You're one of the top candidates for deputy, after all." The tom leaned back on his haunches and drew a tan paw nonchalantly over his ear.
"Deerleap," Fawnpaw swivelled her head to where Mintleaf stood beside her. His voice was quiet, and he looked nervously between his littermate and the older she-cat. "Maybe we should just go back. I'm sure that Heronfoot will send cats after Flowerpaw as soon as it's safe."
Larkfeather rounded on the smaller tom, the fur on her spine standing up. "You've always been a coward, Mintleaf, but you're really willing to abandon your sister like that? She could be hurt! She could be dying!"
Fawnpaw held her breath. She had never heard Larkfeather speak like this. The she-cat was usually so level headed, but right now she almost sounded like Flowerpaw.
The white tom cowered, his belly brushing the snowy ground, almost looking like he was trying to blend in. His green eyes were wide with fear, and Fawnpaw could see him trembling.
"Stop!" The yowl came from the direction of the camp, and Fawnpaw gulped as she saw Heronfoot approaching with Crowflight at his heels. "What's going on?" His meow was demanding.
Fawnpaw scuffled her paws. She couldn't give away the fact that they had been about to disobey their new leader's orders. He certainly wouldn't be happy that members of his Clan were trying to undermine his authority on his first night as leader. "We were going to go hunting," she started, "but I said I was too tired from the battle."
Heronfoot stared at her levelly, his amber eyes unreadable. "Where is your mentor, Fawnpaw?"
"Back at camp. She was busy." She knew that her excuse was flimsy, and wouldn't be surprised if the leader punished her.
Deerleap came to stand at her side, brushing her tail across the apprentice's back. "Sundapple gave me permission to take her out. We were about to head back, but we ran into Eagleclaw and Finchstripe and were talking to them."
Heronfoot dipped his head, obviously believing the words of his senior warrior. "Fine." He glared at Larkfeather and Mintleaf. "You two. Go back to camp, and stop bickering!" The long legged tom turned, and over his shoulder he called, "Deerleap, I need to speak with you privately."
Fawnpaw stumbled after the other cats as they trod in a line back to camp, her fur prickling as she felt the gazes of Eagleclaw and Finchstripe following her until she moved out of sight.
