Hey yall! Updated thrice in a row! I hope you guys are loving this! Anyways... Now for review answering time!
Ravenwing Of Thunderclan: You're either 66% right or 66% wrong.
Birdflame: Magical chances! XD If only it were that easy, but no, it's not Pinestar. He wouldn't torture Greyleaf like that.
Raeda2001: Thank you! And yes, it is the same cat that saw Pinestar. *evil grin* It knows many things...Also, your comment on not feeling sorry for Goldenfur made me laugh, but hopefully, he can redeem himself in this chapter. He isn't a bad guy, really, he's just a bit crazy. :) Okay, a lot crazy. :P
Chapter 28: Greyleaf
The past two Leaf-Fall moons had been hard, but with her warrior status restored, Greyleaf was able to numb the pain of Blackfur's passing with work.
Fernfoot also helped with her steadfast companionship. The tabby warrior had been quick to step in and comfort Greyleaf when she had been depressed, and the brown she-cat had become one of Greyleaf's best friends again.
On this particular morning, they were patrolling along the Windclan border with Sparrowclaw and Sunstar. The foursome moved along quickly, for the freezing wind was ferociously biting into their pelts. Seeing her short-haired clanmates shiver in the cold when she had a fluffy pelt to help keep her warm, Greyleaf felt a flash of guilt, and she wanted to try and ease the power of the snapping gale from their backs.
"Here," she said, pressing up to Fernfoot's side to block the wind, "This should help."
Her friend looked at her with grateful green eyes. "Thank you! In another minute, I would've turned into a mouse-icle!"
They giggled despite the unpleasant weather and continued the patrol in earnest. After marking most of the border, a group of cats appeared on the other side, and Sunstar called out a greeting to them. The group of three turned around and headed towards them.
"Sunstar," a brown pelted, amber-eyed tom named Windflight greeted respectfully, nodding his head down once.
His small, golden-furred apprentice hung back, her blue eyes wide with wonder at seeing the Thunderclan leader. "Windflight," she whispered, none too quietly, "Is that really the Thunderclan leader?"
The Windclan warrior gave his apprentice a 'really, you just had to say that' look and exasperatedly said, "Yes, Brightpaw."
The Thunderclan patrol remained quiet, not really knowing how to respond and not wanting to cause anyone to be offended.
"Well, that was awkward," the third cat—a light brown tom with amber eyes—joked. Greyleaf recognized him as Grassfur, a new Windclan warrior.
Fernfoot blinked. "Agreed," she mewed formally.
"Well, um," Greyleaf stammered, trying to come up with a topic to break the ice, "How's Windclan—um—doing?"
Grassfur opened his mouth to reply, but Windflight shot him a glare and defensively answered, "Windclan is strong. The prey is running well and our clanmates have been honing their skills to the peak."
Brightpaw let out a small cough that turned into a body racking fit, causing Sparrowclaw to back away—he had been standing right in front of the apprentice—and Greyleaf suspected that the tom might not be telling the whole truth.
"Windflight," Sunstar mewed, brown eyes concerned, "Is your apprentice okay?"
"She's fine," he snapped, "It's just allergies."
The blue-eyed paw' nodded and covered her mouth. "I'll be okay. It's just allergies." She repeated, her voice muffled.
"Okay, then. Farewell, and good hunting." Sunstar said, flicking his tail for his patrol to follow.
Once they where many fox-lengths away, Fernfoot whispered in Greyleaf's ear, "Well that was weird."
"Yeah," the light grey warrior answered, "I think that Brightkit might have whitecough. Maybe other cats in Windclan have it too."
The brown tabby considered this for a moment. "Maybe it's Greencough. It is almost Leaf-Bare, after all."
"You could be right. I just hope they have some catmint."
Fernfoot snorted and narrowed her green eyes. "I hope they don't! The less cats in Windclan the better!"
"Why?!" Greyleaf exclaimed, surprised.
"Starclan's kits! Isn't it obvious!" Fernfoot shook her head. "If their clan is weak, then they won't attack us! And if they don't attack us, Thunderclan will be safe! Plus," she added, licking a paw in nonchalance, "If they ask us for catmint, they'll owe us a favor. Then, if we ever get in any trouble, we can call it in and help our clan."
Greyleaf couldn't argue with her logic, but it just didn't seem right to her to hope for another clan's downfall. She stayed silent the rest of the way back.
Chapter 28: Goldenfur
Goldenfur happily awaited Greyleaf's return from her patrol. He had gone out with a hunting patrol earlier and had brought back a plump thrush for them to share, so when she emerged from the thorn tunnel, he quickly bounded over to her.
"Hey, Greyleaf! Do you wanna share a thrush?"
"Sure," she replied, troubled eyes lighting up.
The golden-pelted warrior bounced over to the fresh-kill pile and plucked his thrush from the top. He carried the prey to the sunning rocks and laid it on one of them before settling down beside it.
Greyleaf came over and sat next to him, and when he signaled for her to go ahead, she began tearing into the prey.
"Mmmmmm," she purred, swallowing the succulent meat, "This is amazing!"
"I'm glad you like it," Goldenfur mewed, smiling. He didn't mention catching it himself. Arrogance was a quality that he didn't like to indulge upon. Sure, he'd joke and act like he was proud, but he never really meant it.
"Hey!" An angry voice suddenly yowled, "Get away from my mother, you piece of fox dung!"
Goldenfur heard Greyleaf's head whip up at the sound of her son's voice, and he slowly turned his head to see the apprentice furiously running towards them.
"Nightpaw! What in the name of Starclan!" The she-cat exclaimed, eyes wide.
The dark gray-brown tom stormed up to Goldenfur and stared him down, nose to nose. His sisters appeared from the medicine cat den and raced over as well.
"I said get away," Nightpaw growled, amber eyes fierce.
"Nightpaw!" Sparrowkit yelled, "Stop it! Leave him alone!"
"Sparrowpaw!" He retorted, eyes aflame, "How can you just say that after what he did!"
She stared him down, and Nightpaw looked to his other sister for help. Goldenpaw remained silent.
"Just, leave it," the grey medicine cat apprentice pleaded.
"Fine," he huffed, stomping away, "But next time will be different."
With a glance at the male warrior, Goldenpaw followed her brother, leaving the three of them behind.
Goldenfur knew Greyleaf was watching them go with sad eyes, and he also knew she had already opened her mouth to ask him what that was about. He answered before she could get a word out.
"We," he sighed, "we had a falling out."
"Oh," Greyleaf murmured, not pressing further.
"Is that a thrush!" Sparrowpaw suddenly shouted, cutting into their conversation and bouncing over to the rock, "I haven't had thrush in forever! May I eat some?" She asked Goldenfur, widening her pupils in the same way Blackfur once did.
"Of course!" He replied, jumping on the chance to get close to his kit again and ignoring the trait of the cat he had let die.
Sparrowpaw jounced happily, purring and smiling as well, and sat down on the golden warrior's other side. She took a bite out of the fresh-kill with relish and closed her eyes in enjoyment.
"Do you like it?" He asked, blue eyes hopeful.
"Uh huh! It's the best!"
Goldenfur purred, filled with joy at the sight of Sparrowkit's forgiveness, and he heard Greyleaf—after a bit of a choke—purr as well.
"Hey," the she-cat of interest mewed, "What do you think about going out into the forest?"
Goldenfur nodded enthusiastically, but Sparrowkit hung her head.
"Sorry," she apologized, "But I have to treat Runningwind's fever and joint aches while Rosepaw and Featherheart are out gathering herbs. It won't be long until Leaf-Bare comes."
As if to prove her point, a gust of wind full of tiny ice crystals suddenly ruffled their fur, and Featherheart called for Sparrowpaw.
"Sorry," the green-eyed she-cat mewed, "I have to go."
The two warriors nodded, and she sped off towards the medicine cat den. But before she reached it, a nearby Sparrowclaw suddenly fell to the floor in a fit of racking coughs.
"Oh, no," Goldenfur heard Greyleaf whisper as their daughter veered off track to help the deputy.
Featherheart and Rosepaw soon joined the apprentice, and the grey medicine cat gave the light gray tom a checking over. She gasped and quickly gave Rosepaw some urgent-looking instructions, shooing off curious cats that came too close, before she and Sparrowpaw dragged Sparrowclaw into the medicine cat den.
"Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no," Greyleaf repeated, and Goldenfur turned to see her eyes fixated upon the den in the same way they had been fixated upon Blackfur's body.
He knew then that something was seriously wrong.
I don't really know what to write at the end of this... My mind has stopped working! Gahhhhh! RANDOMNESS ACTIVATED!
Did you ever realize that
OK
looks like a person (turn your head sideways and look at it) and that
QK
looks like a ninja!
Wow, my mind is just collapsing! AAAAHHHH!
Question Of The Day: What do you think is wrong with Sparrowclaw?