"We're here!" A young apprentice broke the silence as Highstones came into view.
"Hush," Mudclaw hissed, glaring at the cowering youngster. "Would you have ShadowClan hear us and come battle us again?"
"Mudclaw, enough," Tallstar gave the warrior a glare, and the tom backed away from the apprentice. He moved at the head of the clan, flicking his tail to signal the cats as he led them to the caves and the safety they brought with them. Scanning the horizon with all the senses he could, he searched for any sign of ShadowClan as his clan paused. The black-and-white tom padded over to where Tornear was standing beside Morningflower. "Tornear, take Mudclaw and go hunt for the clan - but keep a look out for Brokenstar." As the warrior nodded and went off to find Mudclaw, he began herding the clan inside the caves.
"I don't like this," Morningflower mewed anxiously. "Won't StarClan be angry that we've come here?"
Another she-cat, a tortoiseshell named Sunpelt, pressed close to the worried queen. "StarClan would understand, I'm sure," she mewed.
Tallstar heard a scoff, and turned to see Ashfoot wrapped around her sleeping kit, looking up at the two other she-cats. "StarClan allowed this to happen," she kept her voice down, so as not to wake her son. "Why should any of us care if they're ang-"
"Enough, Ashfoot," many heads turned to see Barkface entering the caves, Thrushwing being supported by himself and Onewhisker, while Deadfoot came up behind. "If we do not have faith in our ancestors, what do we have?" As the gray queen bowed her head and gave her kit a few gentle licks, he and Onewhisker helped the injured warrior to lie down. Her neck was wrapped in a few cobwebs, and she held her injured leg close.
"Barkface is right," Tallstar meowed loud enough for the clan to hear. "Yes, we were driven from our home, but surely StarClan has a reason for it. Yes, we lost many of our friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, but now they hunt with StarClan in Silverpelt." He paused. "Barkface and I will speak with our warrior ancestors tonight and see what they wish to share with us." He looked to the medicine cat, who nodded. "Deadfoot, organize watches to keep an eye out for any more ShadowClan warriors, or Tornear and Mudclaw. When they return, get together a small hunting patrol to hunt again." At his deputy's nod, he turned to Barkface. "We will go now."
"Very well," Barkface turned to Onewhisker. "Stay with Thrushwing, you know what to do if her wound begins bleeding again?"
The young tom nodded, but it was the she-cat who spoke, her voice hoarse. "I'm not a helpless kit that needs to be watched, Barkface."
"You will do what your medicine cat says, young warrior," Tallstar meowed sternly, and she bowed her head, though he could tell she did not agree. And with that, the black-and-white leader strode off down the tunnel, Barkface close beside him.
----
"What did StarClan say to Tallstar?" Sedgepaw's eyes were wide.
"What did the Moonstone look like?" Swallowpaw asked.
"Why -"
"That's quite enough," Webfoot gave a raspy laugh. "How can she get on with the story if you lot keep interrupting?
"Sorry, Morningflower."
Morningflower purred, but continued telling her story. "Now, I can't tell you what Barkface and Tallstar did after they left, aside from speak with StarClan, because none of us were there. And besides, the matters of medicine cats and leaders are none of our business. But I can tell you about what happened while they were gone." She looked to Onestar, who was curled up comfortably now, his eyes distant. "Unless Onestar has any objections?" He quickly shook his head, and she continued. "Now, after after Tallstar and Barkface went deep into Mothermouth to go to the Moonstone, Deadfoot quickly set about on the patrols..."
----
"Okay, Sunpelt, you'll take first watch. Larkfang, you and Shortear will be the next hunting patrol when Mudclaw and Tornear return. Ashfoot, you'll take the next watch at moonhigh, and then once Larkfang and Shortear return, Daisytail and Beechwind will go out after them," the black deputy was meowing as the cats began to settle down. Sunpelt gave Morningflower a lick on the ear before going to the mouth of the cave to keep watch.
Many cats were curling up, resting as much as they could while they were safe. Onewhisker had laid down beside Thrushwing, though she had protested.
"You can go find a more comfortable place in the cave, I'm fine," she mewed, her voice hard.
"This is the most comfortable place," he replied without even opening his eyes. "Besides, Barkface told me to wat-"
"I don't need watching!" She snapped, making him open his eyes and look at her. She had her back turned. "I just... I want to be alone."
Onewhisker sat up and scooted closer to her, careful to avoid brushing her neck or her bad leg, and touched his tail-tip to her shoulder. "Your brother -"
She flinched away, turning to glare at him. "My brother died because I didn't notice the ShadowClan cats until it was too late." She looked away, growling. "I swear I'll kill the cat that killed him. Send him straight to the Dark Forest, I will."
"Steady," Onewhisker warned. "You're brother doesn't need to be avenged, Thrushwing."
"Oh he doesn't, does he?" She spat at him. "He was killed the night he became a warrior. I won't rest until that... that piece of flea-bitten fox-dung is crow-food."
Before he could reply, a startled mew came from Sunpelt at the mouth of the cave. "Here come Tornear and Mudclaw!"
"Can you see if they have much fresh-kill?" Ashfoot mewed, leaving her kit curled up beside Morningflower to stand beside the tortoiseshell.
"If not, Larkfang and I will go and bring more," Shortear, a brown-and-white tom, meowed as he and his brother, Larkfang, began heading towards the entrance, ready to go out and hunt for their clan.
The two toms entered, Tornear carrying two rabbits, and Mudclaw carrying a rabbit and two mice. Deadfoot immediately padded over to them. "Any trouble?"
"Hardly," Tornear set the fresh-kill down to talk. "Just a ShadowClan apprentice, and he didn't even scent us."
"Pathetic," Mudclaw had set his prey with Tornear's. "Absolutely pathetic - you wouldn't catch WindClan apprentices missing enemy cats."
"Good," the deputy nodded. "Queens and elders, share the fresh-kill," he turned to the brothers, Larkfang and Shortear. "You two, head out. And even if ShadowClan apprentices are careless, their warriors aren't, so be careful." They nodded and quickly ran out of the cave. He nodded to Ashfoot. "Go take something for yourself and Morningflower." The gray queen nodded, taking one of the rabbits for them to share.
"Are you hungry?" Onewhisker asked quietly.
Thrushwing glared at him. "You heard Deadfoot; queens and elders. I'm not an elder, and I most certainly am not a queen." She laid down, carefully letting her injured leg lie still, hissing quietly when she curled around it. "Now just... Just let me sleep."
"Fine," Onewhisker mewed, but he got no reply. He listened as her breathing became even in sleep, and settled back down beside her, resting his head on his paws, ready to rest for as long as he was able.
i just want to say thank you to my first three reviewers: Swiftpaw of WindClan, Blazefang17, and Becca. hope this chapter was worth the wait. i'll try and update next week, if i'm able.