"Again."
Fleetpaw pressed against the rock at Vinedust's command, closing his eyes.
For a moment, nothing happened, and Fleetpaw scrunched up his face, trying to get the rock to push into his fur like it had before. Trying to get the rock to hide him from sight.
Then he felt a paw press against his chest, and heard a deep sigh.
Opening his eyes, he saw Vinedust, watching him intently.
"Is something wrong, Fleetpaw?" He asked. "Yesterday you were at least able to stealth yourself."
Fleetpaw's ears flatten against his head, and he glares at the ground, tearing at the stones with his claws.
"I'm fine," he sniffed. "It's just harder than it looks."
The warrior watched him keenly, before stepping back, sighing once more.
"Let's go again."
Fleetpaw nodded, pressing his pelt against the rock as Vinedust turned away from him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Fleetpaw caught a glimpse of Junipersky working with Weedpaw and his battle moves.
His ears pinned to his head as he recalled his dream.
Was it a sign from StarClan? He thought. Will Junipersky die? Will something happen to Cindercall...?
He thought of the silver cat. Of her panicked but dead gaze, her quick words that stumbled through his mind.
It chilled him to the core, and he lowered his head.
"Fleetpaw," the irritation in Vinedust's mew made him jerk his head towards the warrior, embarrassment prickling at his fur when he realized the warrior had been trying to get his attention.
"Y-yeah?" He squeaks.
"Are you even paying attention?" His eyes narrow with disappointment. "I don't recall you acting this way before."
"I'm fine!" Fleetpaw snapped suddenly, fur bristling at the warrior's words.
Vinedust watched him, before glancing to Junipersky and Weedpaw, who were working hard.
Fleetpaw couldn't help follow his gaze, his ears low.
"Are you jealous of your brother?" Vinedust asked suddenly.
The young apprentice bristled, whipping around to Vinedust.
"No! I'm not!" He spat. "I'm proud of him! He's doing super good!"
Vinedust stepped back slightly, surprised at Fleetpaw's retort.
"Oh?" He echoed. "And yet you keep glaring him down."
Fleetpaw paused.
"G-glaring?" He echoed.
Vinedust squinted at him, before looking back to Junipersky and Weedpaw.
"Ah... Wait... I see," he nods. "I understand." He turned back to Fleetpaw. "But you should really focus on your training and not on she-cats, young one."
"What?" Fleetpaw blinked, confused at what he was saying. "I'm trying to focus!" He snorts. "It's just hard."
Vinedust shrugged dismissively, flicking his tail.
"Being a warrior isn't easy," he mewed. "That's why you must keep working towards it."
Fleetpaw sighed, nodding.
"I understand, Vinedust," he mumbled.
"Good," Vinedust rose to his paws and stepped back. "Let's go again."
Fleetpaw's ears lowered as he watched the sun dip below the horizon.
Another day, wasted.
Another day, and he had nothing to show for it.
Just failure after failure, unable to hide himself among the rocks like he had once before.
"Fleetpaw?" Redear's voice made the young apprentice jump, his fur bristling as he turns to the white tom.
"Y-yes?" He mewed.
"Are you alright? You seem tired; I can always reschedule a meeting for tomorrow when we have time."
Fleetpaw shook his head, fluffing out his chest.
"No, it's okay," he mewed. "We can't let Eelstar catch on, right?"
I can't show weakness now, he chastised himself. I need to prove that I'm capable. I want to help. I'm representing Cindercall in all of this, so I can't back down.
Redear's eyes narrowed, and he surveyed Fleetpaw carefully, before sighing.
"If you insist, then yes," he turns to the group of gathered cats consisting of Mumblebee, Junipersky, Vinedust, Volenose, Weedpaw, and the newer additions of Honeyacorn, and Owlpelt. "Come on, then, let's get this meeting into session."
Fleetpaw nodded, moving around the circle of cats and squeezing in beside Weedpaw and Junipersky, his ears low as he watches Redear expectantly.
"Alright," Redear mewed. "First things first, I need all task leaders to report." He nods to Honeyacorn and Owlpelt, first.
The gentle white she-cat that sat beside the grumpy tom stood, her ears perked forward.
"So far, we've been studying the borders of MountainClan to get a preview of what exactly is happening and to see if it correlates with what Petalpelt was saying. So far, all patrols are lead by a cat with no black markings whatsoever, and if there are cats with said markings, they are heavily watched by their clanmates. No sighting of Shadowcry or any dark-furred cat otherwise. What Petalpelt was saying seems to be backed up." She sits back down. "They're also throwing some of their harsher warriors out to the patrol as well. I've also noted that Shelldust is no where in sight, and it appears that Eaglesun has taken his place as deputy for this moment."
"That's really concerning," Junipersky commented. "Eaglesun is a vicious fighter. Rumors have it that he hunts eagles on his own and takes them out within moments."
"Rumors won't help us in this situation, though," Vinedust pointed out, his ears flicking. "What will help us is facts and solid basis. Not what some cat has said."
"You're right," Junipersky agreed. "But remember; rumors come from somewhere, don't they?"
The group fell quiet for a moment, before Redear cleared his throat.
"Volenose, how have things been going with Mumblebee's collection of herbs and information on the ill cats?"
"They've been going alright," Volenose mewed. "I managed to speak to Petalpelt and got her to bring Frogheart to the border so that Mumblebee could pass off medicine for Shelldust; they haven't been lying in the fact that he's come down with greencough, which is likely why he hasn't been seen," he nodded to Honeyacorn, who twitched her ears in acknowledgement. "Other than that, I've been helping collect medicines for Mumblebee as well as scout an area to hide the cats until it's safe for them once more."
"And?"
"So far, I've found a cave beside Feather and another one a little further off. It's a much smaller one, though, so it may be needed for quarantine only. All healthy cats could remain in Feather's den as well, since she hasn't appeared hostile."
"Agreed," Redear mewed. "However we ought to give them warning beforehand. We don't want them thinking it's a trap."
The white tom then turned to Vinedust and Junipersky, his ears twitching.
"You two; how has training been going with the apprentices? I know that the extra training has been hard on you all, but it is key that they understand stealth as best as they can before we attack."
Fleetpaw held his breath as he turned his gaze towards Vinedust.
Would the tom tell them about how he was failing at it?
How he just couldn't hide?
Vinedust's ears twitched, and he rose to his paws.
"Training's been going well," he mewed. "Each apprentice is doing well, and though much work needs to be done, I'm confident they'll be ready by the time we attack."
Fleetpaw stiffened in surprise, unable to speak as Redear nodded.
"Good."
Redear turned to Mumblebee, who gave him a slight nod, before he cleared his throat.
"If that's the case, then I want to be able to strike by the end of this week," he announced. "So far, we've had good detailing of their patrols, and we have Petalpelt on the inside to help us avoid anything. I'll try and meet up with her to speak about our plan. Once I've gotten the go-to from Vinedust that the apprentices are ready, I'll announce the plan to you all and we'll strike. Is that understood?"
The cats all bobbed their head in agreement, and Redear exhaled, his tail twitching behind him.
"Alright, then. Get some rest, everyone," he mewed, rising to his paws and slipping out of the medicine cat's den.
As the others dispersed, Fleetpaw got to his paws, moving over to Vinedust quickly and quietly, prodding the warrior in the side.
"Yes, Fleetpaw?" He asked, not looking to the apprentice as he begins to make his way out of the den.
"Why didn't you tell them?" The apprentice spat. "I'm not going to be ready in a week! Why didn't you tell Redear I can't stealth on rock yet?!"
Vinedust paused, as the other cats drifted out, turning to him, his gaze cool and even.
"What would that do, Fleetpaw?" He asked.
Fleetpaw paused, blinking.
"What?"
"Telling the others that you can't stealth on rock. What would that do?"
"Uh, I dunno, make them postpone it?" He snapped.
"Wrong," Vinedust moved outside of the den, sitting at the entrance, waiting for Fleetpaw to follow. "They would've left you here. You would be kept from going."
"You don't know that!" Fleetpaw hissed quietly, sitting in front of him.
"But I do," Vinedust replied. "Tell me, Fleetpaw; if you had lost someone near and dear to your heart, if you lost someone you loved, wouldn't you do anything to prevent another from feeling that pain?"
Fleetpaw swallowed, his ears lowering.
"I... I dunno," he whispered. "I don't know what it's like, feeling that pain... So... I don't know..."
"I do," Vinedust's voice dropped, and his gaze fell to the ground. "I lost my mother a long, long time ago. To wolves. Which is why I would gladly do anything to keep anyone from having the same happen to them. Cindercall would do it too, it's why she invited Feather to stay with us. And Redear is no different." His eyes narrow, and he meets Fleetpaw's gaze again. "Someone's sibling is at stake here, and Redear's already lost two himself. He wouldn't have waited for you to train up to stealth against rock, Fleetpaw. He would've left you and gotten someone else who could do it."
Fleetpaw's eyes widen, and he crouched down as Vinedust began to hover over him, the warriors' eyes narrowing.
"But I know you, Fleetpaw," he mewed. "I don't talk, but that's because I watch. I'm not good with situational observation like Nettlepelt, but I know my cats, Fleetpaw. You would've been torn to know we left without you. Especially if someone died..." Vinedust's gaze traveled off to the side, and Fleetpaw followed it, his eyes landing on Junipersky, who was stretching in front of the warrior's den.
He swallowed, shaking as he turned his gaze to the ground, staring at his paws.
"But if I go," he whispers. "Then... Won't I just put them at risk even more?"
"That's up to you," Vinedust mewed. "You have it in you, Fleetpaw. To hide like only a MoonClan cat could. You just have to find what brings it out in you." He rose to his paws. "Often times, finding what brings it out in you, requires that you let go of something you're feeling."
Before Fleetpaw could ask what he meant, Vinedust turned and padded off to the warrior's den, slipping inside after Junipersky.
Fleetpaw watched him leave, his tail twitching as his words echoed in his mind.
Let go of something I'm feeling?
His gaze drops to the ground.
What do I let go of, then? How can I keep my Clanmates safe if I don't know what to do?
He closes, his eyes, sighing.
He had to find the answer.
Before it was too late...
