Unfortunately the patrols did not remain uneventful. Only the next day, rogue scent was discovered on the Flaxclan border, not far from Gorseclan's camp. Then it was found again and again, in different locations every time. As the days passed, Icestar grew more and more edgy. None of the other clans had come back with a favourable answer in regards to the merging he had suggested at the Gathering, not even Tussockclan who was the least hostile about it. He even sent a messenger to get an answer from Dewstar, but when Kauribark got back to camp, he simply said that Dewstar had no answer for him yet; Starclan hadn't sent her any guidance on the matter, and she would not act so drastically without it. Icestar didn't seem inclined to keep his patience much longer, if Dappledshade was to guess. He told her he would need good warriors like her.
The tom was burning stress at multiple ends. He expressed to his elites that time was running short, and he wanted this sorted, quickly. He doubled patrols, after they had already been increased before. He was anticipating attacks from Fernclan and Flaxclan, and now this as well… Icestar was clearly frustrated that the strange cats had not been caught in the act; they were crossing into their territory at this point, possibly even hunting and stealing prey needed for Gorseclan mouths. Dappledshade understood his frustration; she felt it herself. The audacity of these stinking rogues made her furious.
Many of the clan shared her sentiment. Spiderstrike, who had always been on the outer because of his past, and his vain, not-exactly-social personality, had found himself the subject of whispers and pointed looks by several members of the clan. Even his fellow elite Waspsting wasn't exactly subtle about his comments around Spiderstrike's loyalty. That maybe he was actually still on the rogues side, and was using his knowledge of the clan to aid them. He had only joined the clan when Dappledshade was still a small kit. It wasn't that long ago… However, when Icestar overheard this, he was quick to snarl at his brother to mind his opinions. For whatever reason he had, Icestar trusted Spiderstrike completely. He was one of the only cats who would still share tongues with him. He had been talking with him alone earlier that day, before going out to hunt.
Dappledshade supposed that trust Icestar had should be good enough for her too, though she couldn't help a mild suspicion of the thin black tom. She had never been fond of him. He was self-centred in a way a born clan cat would not be, in her opinion. Gorseclan cats were encouraged to improve the self; to aim for high personal achievement, but the clan still came first by rule of the Warrior Code. Dappledshade was sure that Spiderstrike ate prey when he shouldn't and other things like that…
As they discussed the matter over a meal, Sedgetuft called it bias inherited from their father; Thrushwing was one of those who was vocal about his distrust of Spiderstrike. He said "once a rogue, always a rogue." Dappledshade disagreed with Sedgetuft's observation; she called it a healthy degree of caution instead. She would be happy for Spiderstrike to prove her wrong.
"More like you are waiting for him to prove you right." Sedgetuft scoffed with a mouth full of sparrow.
"Uncouth." Dappledshade flicked an ear at him disapprovingly. She hated him talking with his mouth full. "And what, you really think I'm so pessimistic?"
"About Spiderstrike at least, sure." Sedgetuft returned after swallowing the morsel, opening his mouth tauntingly to Dappledshade to show it was clear. He inclined his head subtly in the direction of the slinky black tom, who was currently helping work on the camp's defence thorns with Blackbird. Blackbird was the master at the task, though Spiderstrike also had the deft touch that was vital to the task. When working, the former rogue was methodical, and quiet. Most cats would chatter away when doing something like that. He only spoke to pass task-important information along. Blackbird didn't seem to mind though. She wasn't one of the cats who didn't trust him. She was forgiving like that.
Dappledshade observed the two black cats work for a moment; noting how someone who didn't know better might mistake them as related, being both black of fur and slim of build. SHe had always wondered why Boulderstar had been so honest about his origins to the other clans. They probably could have gotten away with a lie. At the time the clan had so many apprentices it wasn't impossible one hadn't come to a Gathering before being made a warrior… Then again, there were ways to tell they weren't kin. Spiderstrike was angular where Blackbird was smooth. His features were harsh in a way both Blackbird and her actual kin Horsefoot were not. That, and Spiderstrike had white markings; neither of the other two did.
"I guess we will see who's right." After that idle thought, Dappledshade then turned back to her brother. She huffed as she saw he had another giant bite of sparrow in his mouth. "You have absolutely no manners."
Sedgetuft was about to answer her with his mouth full once again when a screeching noise had both jumping to the feet, fur on end and claws unsheathing. The whole camp was on edge; a powder keg ready to explode. Every cat in camp probably did the same thing.
What they saw when their eyes caught up with their ears was Longfang; the herbalist had burst in the entrance in such a hurry thorns had caught in his fur, no doubt adding to the discomfort he was already feeling thanks to a nasty injury. The lanky blue spotted tom had his hackles raised and tail bushed out, blood dripping to the ground from the left side of his face and his left ear. It looked like someone or something had got him good; a chunk of his ear was missing, and his eye was scrunched shut, bloody claw marks raked over its surface.
Longfang's legs shook as several cats rushed to his side; before he slowly sank down to the ground, putting one front paw over his injured eye like he was going to rub at it. He then seemed to think better of the action, and put the paw down again. "Someone…" He mumbled quietly. "Someone get me cobwebs, celandine…" His good eye narrowed, like he was trying to gather his thoughts through his own stress and pain. Dappledshade realised the flaw in only one herbalist in this situation. Longfang had to heal himself. Gorseclan wasn't in the habit of giving any first aid training to warriors. "Marigold. And thyme…" She knew what the last one was for. She wouldn't be surprised if Longfang used thyme on the regular to help settle his endless anxiety.
Unsure glances were exchanged. Most cats wouldn't even know how to tell what was what in the herbalist's den. "I can get it." Dappledshade volunteered after a beat when it was clear nobody else was going to. Oh look, Stoatberry's education on poisonous plants (and what wasn't poison and therefore less important) turned out to be useful after all.
She darted across camp and squeezed into the narrow passage that led to the herbalist's den. The cavern nestled in the rock outcrop was cool and filled with strong, conflicting scents. Her nose crinkled slightly to try to drive the smell out. She hated coming in here; she had no idea how Longfang could stand it all day. Rimuleaf, who was recovering from a cold, lifted his head as she entered. He seemed to have been sleeping. "Dappledshade? What's going on?"
"Longfang's hurt; he asked for some stuff. Do you know where he keeps his cobwebs?"
"Left side near the water…" Rimuleaf replied, his voice showing his congestion. The tabby flicked his tail towards a small pile of cobwebs lying near where a pool of water trickled down from between the cracks in the rock. "What happened to him? He was going to get me some honey for my throat…"
"I'm not sure… it seems like he was attacked; his face is all bloody." Dappledshade replied as she started to gather the requested herbs up into a bunch. "I'll find out." She said through the bunch in her teeth, trying to ignore the strong smell of the thyme.
When she returned, Icestar was on the scene. He glanced over as his former apprentice approached. "You have his herbs? Good, bring them here." His gruff voice was urgent. He knew fully the health of his only herbalist was important. "Do you need help?" He asked Longfang gently as Dappledshade placed the bundle at the spotted tom's feet.
"It's- It's fine, Icestar… I can do it." Longfang took the marigold and thyme quickly and began chewing them.
"Put the cobwebs on his wounds at least, if you would, Dappledshade." Icestar said while the herbalist was occupied. As she pressed them onto his scratches, causing him to flinch before relaxing slightly, she could see how bad the injury was. She wasn't sure if his eye would be okay. "Now, Longfang…" Icestar said once the herbalist was done chewing. "Tell me what happened."
Longfang swallowed nervously, his good eye darting from Icestar back to the ground and at the remaining celandine, then back to the leader. He looked terrified. Whatever had happened had scared him good. "I- I was out gathering herbs and looking for honey, for Rimuleaf… His throat has been sore from his cold so…" Longfang shook his head, like he decided that detail wasn't important. "I was near the Fernclan border since lots of plants grow by the river. I heard something, and then out of nowhere a small group of cats- they attacked me. I only barely got away with my life." His eye grew wide with fear at the memory, and he winced as the expression stretched the wounds on the other side, where Dappledshade was still pressing cobwebs to him. "I thought it was Fernclan, at first… But then I realised I had never seen any of these cats before, and their smell- they didn't carry a clan scent."
Icestar exchanged a concerned look with Sorrelwind. "Rogues?" His deputy said, looking quite disturbed about it. She was no doubt worried about her brother's injury.
"It's likely." Icestar growled. "They're getting damn bold!" The off-white tom turned with a frustrated hiss and leapt up onto the High Stone to address the clan as a whole. "Gorseclan, this affront to our clan and our territory rights can not stand!"
Some yowled their agreement, causing Longfang to flinch again under Dappledshade's paw. Sorrelwind seemed to notice, and crouched down beside her brother, offering him quiet words of encouragement.
"We will not tolerate this direct attack on one of our clanmates!" Icestar's claws scraped at stone in his anger. "We will make these rogues pay… But for now, we must keep safe. These cowards will likely target cats on their own because they are too scared to confront us directly. Nobody is to leave camp alone. "