That night when the clan returned home, Longfang had been busy going from cat to cat; pressing poultices to wounds and handing out herbs for pain relief. Horsefoot in particular was pretty beat up; he had defended the two young apprentices well, taking on multiple opponents. He would be fine, but Longfang wanted him sleeping in his den for a few days, to make sure nothing got infected.
Dappledshade had gone to sleep long before the herbalist was finished in his rounds, and had fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep quickly.
Icestar's deep voice roused her the next morning. "Dappledshade." His voice had an edge of impatience, like he had been trying to wake her for a while. When her blue eyes opened to tired slits, he let out a little scoff. "Finally. You are coming with me on dawn patrol this morning. Get up, eat something, and meet me at the main entrance." As his words managed to process in her barely awake mind, she bolted up in her nest.
"Yes- Yes Icestar! Right away!" He was already leaving; a flick of the tail told her he had heard her. When she left her den, glancing back to see Sedgetuft still snoring in his nest, she noticed that Icestar was waiting with Waspsting, Cuckoofeather and Spiderstrike. Wait… She was going on dawn patrol with only the elite guard?!
Panicked urgency only deepened with a nervous excitement as she selected a small mouse to scarff down. Were her mother watching she was sure she would get a lecture about bolting down her food being bad for her, but she couldn't take the time and grace to eat politely right now. They were waiting on her; Icestar had chosen her for this patrol and she didn't want to annoy them.
"Ready?" The leader inquired once she was finished and trotted over; Dappledshade nodding eagerly in response.
"Finally." Waspsting grumbled. "I told you we should have just left her." His brother's quick stare quietened the tom.
They fell into line when leaving the camp; Icestar in front, followed by Cuckoofeather, then Waspsting, Spiderstrike, and finally her. In order of authority.
As they moved out into their territory, following towards the Fernclan border, Dappledshade observed from her position at the back. Watching highly practised and experienced senior warriors on patrol told Dappledshade how much more she still had to learn. They moved silently; in perfect unison, relying only on silent subtle signals from Icestar up ahead; a twitch of the whiskers, an angle of the ears. Icestar had taught her well, no doubt; but there were things that only came with time; seasons of working with your fellow clanmate.
About halfway down the Fernclan border, with no incidents in sight, Icestar suddenly called out, causing her to look his way at attention. "Dappledshade, come up here for a moment; I would like to speak with you."
She lifted her tail and eagerly trotted up to his side; feeling Spiderstrike's eyes following her slowly as she passed by him. Blegh. That guy creeped her out, honestly. Sedgetuft said she just felt that way because he used to be a rogue; she countered that he was just a creepy cat.
"Icestar, sir." She greeted as she fell into step beside the white tom.
"Dappledshade, what did you think of the Gathering yesterday?" Right into the questions. He never beat around the bush.
"Think of it, sir?"
Icestar's brow lifted slightly. "Your opinion on what happened."
Dappledshade was silent for a moment, trying to pick her words carefully. She wasn't exactly sure what Icestar wanted to hear from her. He wasn't talking about what happened with Rowanfall, was he? Dappledshade still wasn't really sure to think about that; in truth she had been trying to forget it. Letting enemies go was traitorous behaviour, ordinarily. And that it was Keapaw… Rowanfall had always had a particular relationship at Gatherings with her. He went easy on her, despite all his grumbling about her being annoying… Did Sorrelwind tell him what she saw, and that Dappledshade had seen it too? "I think it is unfortunate that we have come to blows at a Gathering. It is supposed to be the one time we aren't fighting." She decided to answer eventually, avoiding the topic altogether unless Icestar broached it.
Icestar blinked slowly at her, and let out a small purr of amusement. "Yes, it is unfortunate. The other clans can't make things easy for themselves. I had… no, still have, no intention of resorting to force." His tail flicked. "Unless they make me."
"Icestar… This prophecy…?"
"You're wondering if it's true." He summarised quickly. She was uncertain if she had annoyed him by questioning it. It was hard sometimes to know what was or was not a step to0 far with her curiosity. "I'm not mad." He offered before she had a chance to start panicking, making her let out a small exhale. "You are allowed to wonder; the entire clan is, I am sure."
"I think it sounds nuts." Waspsting helpfully supplied from behind them. Cuckoofeather growled at him as Icestar fixed him with a glare. When his orange eyes returned to Dappledshade, they were soft once more.
"You see? I understand scepticism; especially from within Gorseclan given we have never been the tightest in our bond to Starclan…" He looked her up and down. "You yourself among those who aren't particularly faith-driven."
"Icestar…" Dappledshade started, but he lifted his tail to quieten her.
"It's alright. I understand; you do not have to justify your belief or lack thereof to me. My own faith in Starclan is what matters, my warriors simply have to follow instructions and Starclan will be served regardless. They visited me, Dappledshade, several times… If I do not fulfil the prophecy they have given me, it could doom us all; including the other clans. I must bring us all together, even if they like it or not. The fact Starclan did not signal to prevent the battle at the Gathering by covering the clouds is proof enough for me this is what they want me to do. It's for their own good, and soon enough they will understand that."
"Everything is a means to an end." She echoed his teachings as a mentor in a thoughtful tone, mulling over his words.
"Exactly." He nodded eagerly. "I taught you well… It's a shame I was not able to present you to the Gathering as a new warrior properly. I have no kits of my own, after all. You are as good as my kin becoming a warrior as I will have…" Icestar and Sorrelwind had tried for kits for moons, so Dappledshade had heard, but the deputy was apparently barren. To hear that he practically saw her as his blood made her glow with pride.
"I will follow your lead, Icestar." She promised. She had rarely seen him show so much passion as he did when speaking about Starclan and this prophecy he had received. She didn't understand it. Still, she did understand her duty. She owed him this much with the faith he put in her as an apprentice, and for getting her this far.
"Very good. I will be relying on loyal, talented warriors like you more than ever in the near future." He inclined his head to her slightly in a show of respect. "I have half a mind to make you an elite before long; never mind the nagging I will get about your age." Dappledshade could feel her stomach in her throat a moment as he stared intently at her. "Make sure to show me you are ready for it."
"Yes Icestar, sir!"
"Excellent, now head back to your position; we are coming up the flats now. Best be quiet." The flats were the area of the river that was disputed with Fernclan. If Fernclan cats were going to be a problem today; it was here.
"Check the scent marks thoroughly." Cuckoofeather commented to Dappledshade as they spread out to examine the border markings near the river. They were fresh on the Fernclan side; the mossy scent of the forest was strong and the scratches in the grass had been made recently. The Fernclan dawn patrol must have come by not long ago, but they were gone now. And the marks were still on the right side of the border. Waspsting scoffed he was surprised. Dappledshade was not; everyone would still be licking wounds after yesterday, apart from Tussockclan who were smart enough to run away. She estimated nobody would be causing any trouble for at least a few days.
The rest of the patrol was incident free as well, and Icestar even let them hunt on the way back if they wished. Given that her stomach had cramped from bolting down that mouse (yeah, yeah Shadefeather, you were right), Dappledshade declined the offer and headed back to camp alone while the rest hunted.
Sedgetuft was gone when she got there, along with several other warriors. They must have gone out on hunting patrol. She decided to park up in the shade near the warriors den and relax for a while; Mottledtail and Rowanfall were gone too. She was going to enjoy the unusual peace and quiet. Lying stretched out, her eyes began to grow heavy.
Before she knew it, she was standing with mud underfoot. "Starclan damn it." She grumbled, flicking her feet clean as she hopped up onto one of the dry spots in the Dark Forest's bog. "What do you want, Stoatberry?"Dappledshade looked around, trying to spot the brown and white she-cat. She had to have been the one to bring her here, so where was she?
"Up here, darling." Stoatberry's sing-song purr had Dappledshade craning her neck upwards. The former herbalist was stretched out on one of the gloomy willow tree branches that obscured the sky here.
Dappledshade narrowed her blue eyes, repeating her demand. "What do you want? This isn't our usual time."
Stoatberry lounged, carefree, her legs swinging slightly below the branch. She let out a long, light laugh. "Icestar is a complete idiot… truly, an ignoramus for the ages."
"Care to elaborate?" Dappledshade growled impatiently. She was really getting tired of this dead cat's coy behaviour. And her insults to Icestar.
"If you can't figure it out, then you really are a fool after all; trailing after him like a dog." Stoatberry straightened up slightly so she could meet Dappledshade's eye; her orange gaze piercing. "A lost, foolish wee pup."
Dappledshade huffed up at her, hackles bristling. "I don't come here to be insulted. Don't bring me anymore if that's all you have." Stoatberry laughed again, rolling over on the branch so her back was to the young warrior.
"I don't need to tell you my reasoning. If I didn't make a mistake choosing you, you will realise it on your own soon enough."
