Fireleap, Spottedleaf, and Redtail padded out from the forest's embrace towards the Twolegplace in the southeast part of their territory.
The two tortoiseshells looked around, ears and noses twitching while Fireleap stared at the fence around what used to be her home. The trees had shed most of their leaves but there was enough to cast a soft orange-yellow glow over everything and Fireleap couldn't help but feel slightly nostalgic.
"How does it feel coming back here?" Redtail asked as he came up alongside her. Fireleap looked at him before shrugging.
"Little bit wistful," she admitted, ears low, before sniffing the air. "That's…ShadowClan, isn't it?"
Redtail tasted the air and narrowed his eyes. "Yes," he murmured, pelt rippling. "But why would they be here now?"
"Same reason they were here all those moons ago when you asked me to join," Fireleap mewed, pointing with her tail. "There's a lot of useful herbs growing here."
"Relax," Spottedleaf mewed, brushing against her brother. "There's no reason to get your hackles up. This is technically neutral territory as well."
Redtail exhaled, forcing his fur to lie flat, before stepping forward. "Well, may as well see who's hanging around here." He stared up at the wooden fence and reared up on his back legs, gauging the height before he crouched low and leaped up onto it. His ears and tail immediately shot up in surprise. Spottedleaf and Fireleap joined him, then blinked in unison as they saw who was in the yard below.
Rusty, Russetstar, Littlecloud, and Rowanpaw looked up at them. Rusty nodded to them while Russetstar looked slightly more apprehensive, and Littlecloud and Rowanpaw simply looked mildly intrigued.
"We're not here to yell at you," Redtail mewed, flicking his tail and the ShadowClan cats mostly relaxed. "Twolegplace is for everyone." He tilted his head. "Although you're a long way from home."
Russetstar's tailtip pointed towards Littlecloud, who looked rather sheepish. "We're here to gather herbs, and I'm accompanying him mostly to get the lay of the territory." She glanced at Rusty. "Ran into him by the Thunderpath."
Rusty nodded. "I'd heard Tallstar talk about this place and was interested in seeing where Jake lived." He shifted awkwardly. "Plus, I…really haven't left the farm in moons, and it seems a little strange not to explore."
Spottedleaf smiled slightly. "I can't blame you for not exploring. The clans were a little prickly about trespassers back in the days after the Blackcough outbreak, but things are changing now." She looked at Russetstar, then at Littlecloud. "Are you looking for anything in particular? Fireleap should be able to help you, since she knows this place."
"Not as well as you'd think," Fireleap mewed. "But I know where the essentials are."
"I came here with Runningnose a few times," Littlecloud mewed. "But I usually let him guide me while I was just there to carry the extra herbs back." He dipped his head to Fireleap. "Any assistance will be greatly appreciated."
The two medicine cats trotted off towards a row of flowers and bushes, tails waving. Russetstar watched them go, whiskers twitching before looking back at Redtail and Spottedleaf.
"It's surprising how well she's adapted to clan life," Russetstar mewed, wrinkling her nose. "Took me a while to get used to the rogues we took in, mostly because they took a while to settle into clan routines."
Rusty's ears rotated towards her and Spottedleaf saw him frown slightly before the look vanished. "Weren't you a rogue yourself?"
Russetstar stared at him, fur bristling. "I see you've been talking to Yellowfang." She nodded as she relaxed. "I was, once upon a time. Joined the clan at a young age back when Raggedstar was still around before he was murdered." She snorted softly. "Been busting my flank ever since, and now I'm where I never even dreamed of being."
"But you've helped the clan a lot!" Rowanpaw mewed. Russetstar shot him a grateful look.
Rusty suddenly went still, looking towards the Twoleg nest. "We're being watched."
Everyone followed his gaze to see a cat staring at them from a hole in the Twoleg nest, who vanished once it realized they knew it was there.
Spottedleaf watched Redtail bristle, but he didn't say anything, and she looked at Rusty. "Any idea who that was?"
The loner shook his head. "Nobody I know. Just another kittypet." He shook himself and looked around the yard, spotting Fireleap and Littlecloud coming back, each covered in dirt, various bundles of herbs dangling from their mouths. Spottedleaf blinked as they approached.
"Got enough?" she mewed teasingly.
Fireleap rolled her eyes. "Better safe than sorry."
"I'm just glad we haven't needed to use herbs to patch cats back together after a fight," Littlecloud murmured. "Using them for healing, kitting, and minor injuries from training is far more preferable."
Russetstar flicked her tail, calling Rowanpaw to her side. "I think it's about time we headed back ourselves. It was nice to see all of you. May our paths cross again, and may StarClan guide you."
Spottedleaf watched the ShadowClan cats leap over the fence before looking at Redtail and Fireleap. "I'll be spending some time with Rusty, if that's alright with you?"
Rusty blinked in surprise before licking his chest fur self-consciously, while Fireleap stifled a snicker.
"Shall I have the queens save you a spot in the nursery?" she mewed, eyes gleaming in amusement.
"Probably not until New-leaf," Spottedleaf countered, causing Rusty to choke on a breath. She looked at him, brows raised, and he looked away, tailtip twitching. "Kits during the cold months are always harder to take care of."
"That's fair," Fireleap mewed with a grin. "Take care of yourselves."
Redtail shook his head as the tortoiseshell and ginger tabby padded off. "Never thought I'd see the day Spottedleaf unwound enough to consider having someone like Rusty." He looked at Fireleap. "I suppose I have you to thank in part for that?"
The ginger molly shrugged. "The loner did most of the work. I'm just here to make sure everyone's healthy." She hesitated, before adding shyly, "Thank you, for taking me in."
Redtail nodded. "You're welcome."
The two shared a quiet moment together before heading back to camp.
