Chapter 17: The One Way Ticket Home

Sparrowpaw fluffed up his fur, the gathering had just started with Mistystar's report. He wasn't paying attention to her words, instead he looked around the clearing. Dread filled inside him when he spotted cat eyes peering through the bushes. Sparrowpaw tensed unsheathing claws in case the cats in the bushes were to attack. Strangely they didn't, yet. He flicked his ears forward to listen to Mistystar, "That is all Riverclan has to report," Harestar took her place, " Some sunrises ago, a fox attacked me, I am grateful for Nightwing and Beaverclaw for driving the fox away. Beaverclaw remained in our camp, her wound and mind were the worst. Thankfully we both healed and Beaverclaw returned to her camp seven sunrises ago. The prey has been running well, and the fox is out of clan territory," Harestar then let the Shadowclan leader step up to the branch. "Shadowclan has been doing well, our new apprentices Lakepaw, Coralpaw, Goldpaw, Brackenpaw, Brightpaw, Snowpaw and Sparrowpaw have been doing well in their training since the moon they began. Prey has also been running well in our territory,"

Tigerstar was about to let Leafstar take his place when a battle yowl sounded. Sparrowpaw leaped up, his brown fur bristling. He let his claws dig into the earth as he waited for the cats to come. A flurry of black fur bowled him over and pinned him down. Sparrowpaw kicked his hind legs and sent the black cat flying. He raced to the medicine cats, who were busy trying to talk to one another. "What can I do to help?" Sparrowpaw asked. Shadowpaw mewed, "Bring any wounded cats to the older cats, I will take the apprentices to find herbs," Sparrowpaw nodded and scanned the clearing. Silverwing is in battle with Beaverclaw, and after he looked right of their direction he saw a pale ginger tabby lying down. He raced through the screeching cats, Sparrowpaw almost got pinned by a Riverclkan she-cat. He escaped and made it. "I am going to bring you to the medicine cats that are sheltered underneath the Great Oak," The tabby moaned and Sparrowpaw put him carefully onto his back. Going into the bushes, he padded to a spot where he could run to the tree in a short distance. "Hang on to me. I am going to run for it," He mewed to the tabby on his back. Without waiting for an answer, he sprinted to the tree. Panting, Sparrowpaw let the medicine cats take the tom off his back. Mothwing mewed, "I will help you in getting injured cats from the battlefield to lessen the load and so that every cat can get immediate care. You take the left side of the oak and I will take the right," The cats split up.

Sparrowpaw lowered himself to the ground as he heard a cry of battle. The cat leaped over him in surprise. Not waiting for the cat to try to attack him again, Sparrowpaw walked away. Seeing another cat that needs help with her wounds, he walked over. He recognized the she-cat, it is Coralpaw, "Coralpaw, I'm going to lead you to where the medicine cats are staying," Coralpaw nodded and leaned on his shoulders. Sparrowpaw walked as slowly as he could while the battle raged on. Apparently no cat attacked him with Coralpaw by his side. He guessed that they thought he was helping an injured cat get help for her wounds. Which is what he is doing. After a few fox paces they arrived at the base of the Great Oak. The medicine cat apprentices were back after getting herbs that grow on the island.

"We're lucky that we have the herbs necessary to treat our clanmates growing on this island," mewed Kestralflight. The other medicine cats agreed to his statement. Sparrowpaw mewed, "I have an inquired clanmate," Willowshine padded up to him. "I will take care of her wounds," Sparrowpaw nodded and padded into the battle again. Suddenly Beaverclaw appeared across from him. Her navy blue eye looked at him with what he assumed was hatred. She unsheathed her claws and started to walk towards him. He fled, racing like mad to the bushes. 'I thought Beaverclaw put the past behind her. I guess not,' Sparrowpaw thought in pure terror. He froze at the edge of the lake. Not looking to see if Beaverclaw is behind him, Sparrowpaw jumped into the icy cold water and started to swim to the shore.

Swimming frantically to shore, Sparrowpaw looked behind him. Beaverclaw hadn't followed him off the island. But he didn't stop. 'She could be underwater,' Sparrowpaw thought as he reached Shadowclan land. Not stopping to shake the water of his fur he raced through the undergrowth, tripping he fell into a ditch, banging his head on some rocks. Conan woke up with a start. Shakily he stood up, thinking 'What happened. All I remember is getting sucked into a blueish hole that appeared. Then..' His memory came flooding back to him, being a cat in Riverclan, Beaverclaw hurting him, his fall into the ditch," Conan touched his head, he felt it sting. Rushing to the bathroom, he saw in the mirror his reflection. His head has blood rolling down his face, his face has little cuts from the dirt in the ditch.

Cleaning the wound he thought, 'So it really did happen. It wasn't a dream at all.' Conan shuddered, 'Then that means Ran and the others went through it too.' His mind created an image of Ran saying the things that Beaverclaw said to him after the rogues and Brightpaw invaded camp. He shouted in his mind, 'They are not the same person!' But he still couldn't get that image out of his head. Deep down he knew that they are the same person, and that Ran probably thought about him the same Beaverclaw does, just does not show it. And she does not resort to violence to solve every problem, like her Clan counterpart. Conan returned to the living room and saw his friends all laying on the floor. He went to the table and patiently waited for them to wake up. Also, he tried to think of what he would say when they woke up.