Chapter 14

"You were far too harsh, Tinystar," Sandstorm's voice insisted.

"Yeah," Graystripe agreed. "Sounds like we've been going about this all wrong."

From where she was, crouched near the very entrance of the medicine den, Shadepaw could hear the worry in Tinystar's voice: "What else can I do? Brackenfur's omen was so grave… until we know what it means we cannot take chances."

Fury bloomed in Shadepaw's pelt. She dug her claws into the earth. Why is no one considering my interpretation? If the others had just listened to her, she wouldn't be so upset! Not only that, but Nightpaw's frustration wouldn't be feeding into her, doubling down and making her snap at every little thing! Just this morning Frostfur had chastisted her for being too harsh about moss when Shadepaw's pelt felt like it was blazing with anger beyond her control.

"We'll keep an eye out for them," Sandstorm promised. "Mistyfoot can join the dusk patrol, and I don't think Sootfur would mind Nightpaw's company hunting."

Shadepaw sighed. She felt so broken right now, so out of control. It was maddening.

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping, Shadepaw."

Brackenfur's calm voice only sent a trickle of anger down Shadepaw's spine. She got to her paws and padded over to her mentor. "They're talking about the omen," she muttered, "and how upset it's making Mistyfoot and Nightpaw."

The golden brown tom's fur did not stir. Shadepaw wanted to rake her claws through her mentor's pelt, wanted him to feel the constant waves of anger and frustration she was feeling. How else could she make him understand?

"They're only doing what they think is best," was all he said.

Shadepaw bristled. "I can feel Nightpaw's feelings, Brackenfur! He's so hurt and sad, and it's all your fault, for insisting that what you saw was right!"

Brackenfur's eyes flashed. "Shadepaw," he stated, "we do not know who saw the true vision!"

"I know that," Shadepaw snapped, "but why did you have to insist on the worst one being the right one?! Don't you see the damage its doing?"

Brackenfur's ears flattened. He said nothing, not meeting Shadepaw's eye. There was some satisfaction in that – it rippled through Shadepaw's pelt like a cool wave, quenching the fires of her roiling emotions.

Wait, Shadepaw thought, letting the feeling wash over her. She felt satisfied that she gave Brackenfur pause, yes, but… That feeling… that's not me.

That's Nightpaw!

She delved deeper into the feeling. The frustration that had been stuck to her pelt like a burr was gone, now. Almost nowhere to be found. Instead there was a sense of relief like a cool splash in a stream, and the sense that Nightpaw felt less alone than before. Not only that, but there was a sense of freedom, of adventure…

Shadepaw didn't know what made Nightpaw feel like this, but it was worrying, that sense of freedom. Like nothing was binding him down any longer, not even Clan borders.

Shadepaw had no idea where she was.

She was padding through a dark forest, meandering through trees she had never seen before in her life. Even the very slope of the land and the earth beneath her paws was alien – strange and new and unknown. There were hardly any defining features that Shadepaw could pick out in this place, other than the sense of unknown.

When she scented Spottedleaf, it was a relief. Shadepaw picked up her pace and dodged roots and brambles to reach the lovely StarClan she-cat, who was sitting in a pool of moonlight in the middle of a circle of ferns. The dappled she-cat acknowledged Shadepaw with a gentle tilt of her head.

"Spottedleaf!" Shadepaw breathed. She slowed her pace and sat alongside the starry she-cat. "What is this place? I've never met you here before."

Spottedleaf bent and touched her nose to Shadepaw's in greeting. Her sweet scent wreathed comfortingly around Shadepaw, and the unfamiliar forest felt just a little more safe.

"I'm sorry, little one," Spottedleaf mewed. "Worry not for this place. I sensed that you have been troubled lately."

Shadepaw leaned into Spottedleaf, letting the StarClan medicine cat support her. "I feel like I'm rooted in place, Spottedleaf," she meowed. It was so easy to talk to Spottedleaf, as if the former ThunderClan medicine cat could draw out Shadepaw's worries like poison in a wound. "I'm being forced to watch things happen, and I can't say a word."

Spottedleaf wrapped her tail around Shadepaw. "Your destiny is in your own paws," she purred gently. "You need only follow your heart to know what's right."

Shadepaw sighed, feeling her temper soothed and her frustrations quenched. "Thank you, Spottedleaf."

"Any time, little one."

Follow your heart.

Shadepaw woke with the message in mind and Spottedleaf's scent in her nose. She knew what she had to do.

Dawn was almost upon the forest as Shadepaw rummaged through the herb stores, trying to be as quiet as possible. She pulled out every traveling herb she knew, feeling as if Spottedleaf were guiding her paws.

She could feel Nightpaw in the distance. He hadn't come back to camp, and Shadepaw knew from his feeling of companionship that Mistyfoot had not, either – and she had a feeling that they wouldn't be back for a long time.

Shadepaw bundled up her herbs and was just about ready to leave when she looked back at Brackenfur's den and saw the golden-brown tom staring right back at her from the shadows.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

"Are you going to stop me?" Shadepaw asked, her voice steady.

Brackenfur shook his head, his amber eyes flashing with emotion. "No," he said, gently. "Go, Shadepaw. I know not where StarClan is taking you, but you must follow the destiny they have laid out."

Shadepaw frowned. "I still think I'm right about that vision, Brackenfur."

"I hope you are," Brackenfur admitted. "Go, Shadepaw."

Shadepaw picked up the herbs in her jaws. Part of her wanted to apologize further to Brackenfur – but she knew she didn't have time. This was her destiny, and it meant leaving Brackenfur behind, for now. There would be time to work things out between them later, she hoped.

It was a struggle to navigate the forest with her jaws stuffed. Her eyes were watering and her nose was clogged, and Shadepaw found herself finding her way to Nightpaw using the connection between them rather than scent or sight. It didn't help that dawn hadn't yet arrived, and she kept tripping over roots and tangled plants, stumbling around the forest she'd been born in as if it were as unfamiliar as the one in her dream.

She found them by the Thunderpath, huddled beneath one of the Twoleg monsters that were scattered here and there along it. So far the massive, boxy, bright yellow creature had not moved – but its stink penetrated even the herbs clogging Shadepaw's senses.

It was Nightpaw who spotted her, and he did not look the least bit surprised. Shadepaw felt at the boundaries between them and though the prickly wall was still there, she felt relief coming through the cracks.

Mistyfoot, however, was bristling with shock. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, crawling out from beneath the Twoleg monster.

Shadepaw had to drop her herbs to speak. "I'm coming with you."

"What?!" Mistyfoot breathed, eyes wide. She turned to Nightpaw. "You told her?! After you said you hadn't told-"

"He didn't tell me a thing," Shadepaw insisted, willing Mistyfoot to believe her.

The blue-gray she-cat looked between Nightpaw and Shadepaw, her eyes flashing skeptically. Shadepaw recalled her vision in the forest, the mist swirling out of Mistyfoot's pelt and how warm and protective it was – that feeling was in her gaze now as she looked upon the two of them.

"I'm sorry, Shadepaw, you can't come," Mistyfoot meowed. "It's too dangerous."

"We don't even know where we're going, really," Nightpaw added.

"That doesn't matter," Shadepaw meowed. "I know that my destiny lies where you're going. I can feel it in my heart – and are you seriously telling me that you have no need for a medicine cat?"

Mistyfoot's jaw opened, and then shut. Nightpaw twitched his tail, embarrassment flooding out of him. Shadepaw raised her chin with satisfaction.

"I think she's right, Mistyfoot," Nightpaw sighed. He looked up at Mistyfoot pleadingly. "We could use a medicine cat."

Mistyfoot's tail twitched, and Shadepaw wondered if she was too overwhelmed to handle this right now. Her eyes were full of emotion. "I cannot guarantee your safety," she said quietly.

"We can guarantee our own," Shadepaw pointed out. "I'm not helpless, and neither is Nightpaw."

Mistyfoot blinked. "Very well." There was an immense amount of reluctance in her mew. "Let's go."