Stormfur stretched, his mouth opening into a yawn. Ivy eyed him over what was left of a rabbit carcass.
"And what have you done today?" Feathertail's whiskers twitched as her brother peered at the tortoiseshell.
"The sun's barely halfway up. Can't I just be tired?"
"I think that's more reason not to be," Feathertail remarked. "You've got yolk on your paws still." The tom flicked his tail, letting out a grunt as he rolled back onto his side, beginning to groom one paw.
Feathertail pushed herself back up, wrapping her tail around her paws. They had found a hawk's nest the day prior and the eggs were brought back to the cave. The last time she and Stormfur had had eggs was at the barn when they were apprentices. She had almost forgotten how they tasted.
"I'm sure we'll have something to do soon," Ivy paused where she was removing the rabbit's fur, looking to where Fisher and Bear were talking. "She always finds something to do."
"Is that why you're stockpiling?" Stormfur tilted his head toward an alcove further into the cave. It was cool enough that prey could be kept without going bad. Feathertail knew that RiverClan had done similar things in the past, she had not heard of any other cats doing the same.
"The water will be frozen sooner than later," Ivy replied. "Better to get what food we can." Feathertail gave her a puzzled look.
"It's not even close to leaf-fall." Ivy scoffed.
"It'll be cold soon enough." She glanced back toward the queen. "I love her and she can be a real stickler when it comes to these sorts of things but she's right. We need to gather meat before the snow comes." Feathertail nodded.
"Ivy!" Bear was looking toward them now. The colony cat rose to her paws. Stormfur raised his head.
"Let me know if they want me to do anything." The tortoiseshell twitched her ear, pushing the carcass toward him.
"Why don't you finish dealing with that for now? If we need a group, I'll let you know. Might even get Wolf along." Stormfur chuckled, mewing his thanks as the other cat stepped away. Feathertail looked at her brother.
"Not getting too comfortable, are we?" He glanced up at her.
"We've just been here a bit – there's nothing wrong with being comfortable." He used his claws to pull the rabbit's fur back, "We're leaving our home as it is, again. Best not to get attached to anything before we find where WindClan's ended up." Feathertail did not respond for a moment.
"Why don't we leave?" Stormfur looked at her, surprised. "I am able to make it – we can't get too far behind our Clanmates." Feathertail was getting restless. They had been with the colony for over a moon at this point and they needed to return to WindClan.
"We don't know where they've gone," He pointed out. "We don't know where 'behind' is."
"They've got to have headed upriver," Feathertail replied. "They must have picked up TigerClan and go from there – it makes sense, WindClan is further away. Either way, Barley and Ravenpaw are bound to know." This was all assuming nothing happened to their Clanmates at the old territories. She knew they had to have reached TigerClan a long time ago but she was worried about what they would meet.
She was worried about Crowpaw, too.
Tawnyclaw seemed to give the apprentice little regard outside of the prophecy. Whatever was facing him when he returned to his Clan was bound to be bad. Feathertail knew how Tigerstar viewed traitors.
"Then we have a long way to go," Stormfur muttered.
"Better to get there quicker," Feathertail pointed out. "So we can help."
"Are you sure you're ready?"
"Yes," Feathertail's response was instant. "Stormfur, I'm not incapable!" He pushed himself to his paws, stepping forward to lick her cheek.
"I know you're not – of course, you're not, but I just want to make sure you're ready for something like this. I know I can't stop you." She held his gaze.
"I am." He nodded.
"Okay," Stormfur glanced toward the rest of the cave. "Okay, we'll make a plan."
"Why did you bring him there?" Barkface demanded, tail lashing. Cloudtail shrugged.
"I did not want to go," he said. "But he's leader – his word is law, is it not?" The medicine cat sighed.
"This was supposed to be a trip to Twolegplace and back." He shook his head, "You should not have gone in the first place!"
"What's done is done." Attention went to Sandstorm as she spoke. Leafpaw could not help but look at her father, curled up against her side. His face was pressed against her shoulder. Graystripe lay on his other side. They had had to give him poppy seeds upon their return and they were beginning to take effect. "We will deal with this as we can. If Firestar wanted to do it, nothing was stopping him."
"But right in front of a TigerClan warrior –" Barkface began. Sandstorm interrupted.
"As I said, what's done is done." She sighed, "We are about to travel with them – for who knows how long. I would be surprised if they did not notice then." Graystripe nodded.
"There's nothing we can really do but support him." Barkface sighed, tail lashing.
"We'll do what we can for him." He looked to Leafpaw, "Come – let's get some sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow." He turned back to the warriors. "If there's any issue, come get us. Remember, he's taken less than usual."
Between herb supplies being questionable and the poppy seeds seeming to have less effect on the Clan leader, Barkface had opted to cut back. "There's only so many we can give him before it starts to be unsafe," Barkface had told Leafpaw. There was a reason pregnant queens were not allowed to have them.
As Sandstorm and Graystripe mewed their agreements, the medicine cats left, Cloudtail following after them. Leafpaw paused in her step as she realized Brambleheart was approaching, Squirrelpaw following after him. Her tail was lashing.
"Why won't you tell me?" She demanded. The warrior sighed.
"As I've said, it's not mine to tell." He looked at the den, "I'm going to sleep."
"What are you two talking about?" Leafpaw asked. Squirrelpaw looked at her.
"What's up with Firestar – he won't tell me." Squirrelpaw stepped toward her sister, "You've got to know, don't you? You're a medicine cat."
"It's not hers to tell either," Brambleheart gave Leafpaw a look. Squirrelpaw's eyes narrowed.
"I think I have the right to know what's up with my father!"
"She does have the right to know." Attention went to Cloudtail as he spoke. Barkface looked at the warrior, sighing.
"You can tell her." Squirrelpaw's tail raised and she shot Brambleheart a look. The dark tabby was looking at the medicine cat.
"Did Firestar say she could know?" He asked.
"I'm giving permission." Brambleheart almost looked almost ready to protest before he shrugged.
"Then I'm going to sleep," He turned away. "Good night." Squirrelpaw's ears were folded as he disappeared into the den the others had just come out of. Cloudtail looked after him, surprise lighting up his blue gaze.
"I didn't know he was sleeping in there," He commented.
"Firestar wanted him to," Barkface explained. Cloudtail snorted.
"Of course."
Squirrelpaw turned to the warrior. "You said you'd tell me," A serious look had come to her green gaze. Cloudtail nodded.
"I did," He glanced at Barkface and Leafpaw. "Let's find a place – good night, you two."
Both medicine cats meowed their good nights before stepping away. Leafpaw glanced back toward her sister and Cloudtail one last time as they padded off.
Stormfur licked her ear, anxiety clear in his amber gaze. Feathertail pulled away.
"I'm fine," She assured.
"Okay – just let me know if you need a rest," He meowed. "We'll stop whenever you need." Feathertail waved her tail dismissively, frustration pricking at her.
"It's been two inclines," She replied. "I'm fine." Stormfur nodded.
"Okay." She did not believe he believed her.
It was nearing sunhigh. They had told Fisher of their plans to leave the day prior and they left at dawn. It was strange, to leave after so long but they needed to go.
Feathertail pulled away from her brother, forcing herself to speed up as they got onto a ledge. Stormfur followed after her.
"We'll need to stop at some point." Stormfur peered into the valley below them. "You still owe me a fish." Feathertail glanced back at him, her whiskers twitching.
"I told you; I'd get you your fish." Stormfur hummed, a silence forming between them as they continued.
Feathertail slowed in her step as they came across the same flattening as before, their encounter with Sharptooth filling her mind. Stormfur stepped up on her side, his nose in the air as his tail flicked. She knew they were both scenting for the same thing.
As they continued cautiously, it was as if a jab hit her heart. She knew it was going to be different than before with just the two of them but she was missing how it was before. There was none of Squirrelpaw's near-constant chatter and no remarks from whoever had been pulled into that conversation this time around. She even missed whatever quips Tawnyclaw had to say.
Stormfur slowed in his step as the sun was almost halfway down. Feathertail gritted her teeth, readying to protest. She knew she was starting to get breathless – discounting the leg, she did not go out as often as Stormfur but she could continue until sundown. She would.
"There's a river down in the valley." Feathertail followed his gaze, spotting it too through the trees. "Come on!" He started quickly down the side of the vale, not giving her a chance to speak. Feathertail could do nothing but follow.
Stormfur pressed against her side, purring. Feathertail pulled away, looking into the forest. They continued toward the river.
The steady sound of water filled Feathertail's ears as they came to the bank. Stormfur looked at the forest surrounding them. "I'm gonna go see if I can find us a place to sleep tonight." He glanced at her. "Yowl if you need me."
"You yowl if you need me," Feathertail responded.
"Of course," The warrior murmured. He pressed briefly against her before disappearing back into the forest. Feathertail turned her attention to the water in front of her.
A tree lay across the river and she padded forward, stepping onto its trunk to get to the middle.
Her stomach groaned at the thought of what lay beneath. She moved carefully to the river's side. She licked her muzzle as she caught sight of what she was looking for.
Carefully, Feathertail balanced herself as she steadily raised one forepaw. Her heart beat quickly with anxiety. She had yet to catch something since her injury.
Feathertail hesitated, watching one fish swim by. She took a deep breath, allowing her paw to slam down on another. Her claws dug in as the fish resisted and Feathertail sprang forward, grabbing it with her other forepaw as she went under.
Her teeth sank into the fish's flesh as she quickly moved toward the shore. She kicked out her backleg, alarm jolting through her at how different this felt. She let out a breath as it got to the bank. As she killed it, something in her eased.
Feathertail's tail swished as she took in the prey's scent. The last time they had had fish was the golden ones with Purdy. She was tempted to start eating but knew she should wait for Stormfur. She sat, beginning to dry herself.
It did not take Stormfur long to appear. Alarm lit up his amber gaze as he caught sight of the drying Feathertail. "Did you fall in?" He asked, moving toward his sister.
"I jumped in to get this." She shot him a look. The water had a weak current. A kit could get to shore. Feathertail pushed the fish toward him. "You're welcome."
Stormfur's tail raised as he sniffed the kill. He shook his head, looking up at his sister. "I smelt a fox," He reported. "It was old but there are foxes up here." Feathertail was surprised.
"Really?" She asked. "I didn't think they would be able to get up here." They certainly hadn't heard of any. Stormfur shrugged.
"If cats can get up here, I see no reason why foxes couldn't." He glanced back toward the forest. "I want to show you something," His voice was low. "We can take the fish and eat in a bit." Feathertail nodded, picking it up and following Stormfur back into the woods.
Feathertail slowed in her step as a scent hit her nose. It was faint, a day or so old. One she did not know. Stormfur glanced back at her, gesturing to the mud in front of them. "Look."
She set the fish down, eyes widening as she stepped toward the biggest pawprint she had ever seen. "Great StarClan," She breathed.
"I think it's whatever that scent is." The fur on her back bristled uneasily. "It's certainly not a wolf or another catamount. Doesn't look like a dog or cat paw." Feathertail mewed her agreement.
"Let's go before it decides to come back," Feathertail looked at her brother. "Did you find a den?"
"I spotted a small opening further up the valley wall – I don't think we should stay here." He eyed the fish, "We can eat there." Feathertail mewed her agreement, picking the fish back up.
It was nearing dark as they made it to the opening.
It was big enough to fit them but not much else. The warriors settled, tearing into the fish eagerly. As they finished and the bones were buried, they curled back up together.
Stormfur purred as the littermates began to groom each other. It did not take long for either to fall asleep.