Cloudtail had never run so fast in his life. Terror both hastened his steps and made him feel like he hadn't just nearly been killed. It was as if he wasn't wounded at all. He leapt over fallen trees with no problem. Brightpaw's the only thing that matters right now. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her.
The rest of the patrol was struggling to keep up. Cloudtail could hear Longtail and Whitestorm near the front. Longtail was panting, but he forced himself to continue on. Swiftpaw was his apprentice, and he was closer to Longtail than most cats were to their mentors since Bluestar wasn't making him a warrior. Whitestorm matched the pale tabby pawstep by pawstep. He was determined to keep up with the younger warriors out of concern for Brightpaw.
Cloudtail didn't bother to slow down and wait for the other cats. Every second was a second when a dog could sink his teeth into Brightpaw's neck and she would breathe her last breath. The same went for Swiftpaw. Cloudtail had never liked Longtail's apprentice, but he still wouldn't want to see the young cat dead or injured.
The Great Sycamore passed by the corner of Cloudtail's vision. It wasn't far to Snakerocks now.
"We're close," gasped Longtail, echoing his clanmate's thoughts. "I just hope we're not to late. That battle took up a lot of time."
"We've trained our apprentices well, Longtail. Hopefully they can hold off the pack."
Longtail disagreed. "Not well enough! If we'd been more strict, then they would be safe at camp or getting wounds from the RiverClan battle healed!"
Cloudtail knew Longtail well enough to be able to tell that he wasn't trying to fight with Whitestorm. His concern for Swiftpaw was making him blame himself for anything that might have happened.
At this point they were at Snakerocks. Nervousness was hanging over the cats like a dark cloud; it was seconds from causing a down pour. A rustling in the bushes alerted the cats that Sandstorm, Graystripe, and Willowpelt were catching up.
"Let's go," meowed Cloudtail. Bracing himself for the worst, he jumped up the rocks and stared at the scene in front of him.
There was a strong scent of dog in the air. Cloudtail could tell that it was recent; there was a chance of the pack still being close. That wasn't what scared him, though. He saw Brightpaw and Swiftpaw lying near each other. Both of the apprentices were limp and covered in blood.
"No!" Cloudtail dashed towards Brightpaw. His paws felt like ice; the chill was slowly engulfing him. Whitestorm was suddenly next to him, sniffing the wounded apprentice. Cloudtail noticed Longtail doing the same to Swiftpaw. "Is she alive?" The words were chocked out of him.
"Barely. We have to get her back to camp." Whitestorm was struggling to stay calm. "Longtail, how's Swiftpaw?"
"He's still alive." It wasn't Longtail who replied. Sandstorm spoke for him as the tabby dragged his apprentice to the camp. His head was down, and he was slightly shaking. Whitestorm reached down to pick up Brightpaw, but Cloudtail pushed him away.
"I'll do it." He began following his clanmates away from Snakerocks. The walk back seemed like a different world and forest. Everything seemed to be duller while the white deputy pulled his injured clanmate through the woodland. The world seemed to be spinning.
At last they reached Cinderpelt's den. The medicine cat was gently sorting herbs. She glanced at the patrol when they came into her den and dropped her juniper berries in shock.
"What happened?!" She shot from one herb to the next, saving every precious second and not waiting for a reply. As she applied the herbs to Swiftpaw, Willowpelt began explaining how RiverClan attacked Sunningrocks, Graystripe saved Cloudtail, and finished with how they found the apprentices at Snakerocks.
Cloudtail barely heard her. His gaze was locked on Brightpaw, who was now covered with cobwebs and smelled of freshly applied herbs rather than her normal sweet scent. He could see that she barely avoided becoming blind. There was a large bite on her tail, and wounds all over her sides. Swiftpaw wasn't much better. He had a cut on his muzzle that would obviously leave a scar. He too was covered with injuries.
"Will they fully recover?" Sandstorm was nosing Swiftpaw and Brightpaw while voicing the one thought no one was willing to say. Although it was noon, Cloudtail felt cold.
Cinderpelt smiled. "I think so. They should be back to training soon."
"Thank StarClan. It would be awful if they couldn't be warriors after all of this." Whitestorm gave the unconscious Brightpaw a lick on the ear and left. "Sleep well, little one." Everyone else followed him except Cloudtail. He was watching Brightpaw breath slowly as she slept.
"You should rest," Cinderpelt mewed. "It won't help them if you stand there. And sleep will help take your mind off of things."
Cloudtail sighed. She was half right. It wouldn't help to stand there. What would is talking to Bluestar… Turning, the ThunderClan deputy dashed to his leader's den. As always, it was dark. Bluestar was at the same spot in her den. She barely lifted her head to acknowledge her deputy.
"Bluestar… Graystripe has returned." He chickened out, but the gray warrior would have to be brought to her attention eventually.
"Why?"
Cloudtail explained to her about Leopardstar's claim to owning Sunningrocks. When he was finished, Bluestar laughed.
"Just give it to them! I don't care!"
"This is about Graystripe, not our territory," Cloudtail muttered.
Bluestar's eyes flashed. "Let him stay! He's a traitor like the rest of you! What's one more in an entire clan filled with cats waiting to betray me?! Now get out of my sight!"
Remember Brightpaw and Swiftpaw. "T-that's not all, Bluestar. Brightpaw and Swiftpaw are hurt." He launched into a second explanation. "I believe that they have a right to their warrior names. If they die, then at least they will go with a warrior's death." Cloudtail knew he was taking a big risk. Cinderpelt had said that they would live, so he was lying to his leader. But this was something he had to do. The accident was pretty much his fault, because he had received his warrior name before Swiftpaw.
"Why should we honor traitors?"
Cloudtail was prepared for this question. "Brightpaw's mentor is Whitestorm. Can't you trust him?" She more than likely wouldn't give Swiftpaw his warrior name, but Brightpaw had a chance.
"Snowfur's kit…" Bluestar's eyes grew distant. "Yes, my sister. She was taken all too early, you know. StarClan took her from me. Took her from all of us." Bluestar rose to her paws. "And now they want to take two more! Swiftpaw and Brightpaw, who were trying to help us! Of course. That makes since for StarClan. They punish two apprentices for doing what they feel is right!"
But they're traitors… Yeah, Bluestar makes sense. "So will you-"
Bluestar cut him off with a fit of coughing. "I will name Swiftpaw Swiftdeath! It suits a cat who will be taken from us all too soon!"
She can't do that! "Bluestar, you can't! That's not fair to Swiftpaw!"
Bluestar jumped out of her nest and padded to the entrance. Cloudtail chased after her. "Unfair is being condemned to a traitorous clan and losing young cats all too soon!" When she reached Cinderpelt's den, the she-cat pulled the unconscious apprentices out to the center of the camp. Cinderpelt protested, saying that their wounds could open again. But Bluestar was set on her mission. She pushed the medicine cat to the side and bounded up and onto the Great Rock while summoning the clan.
"I have been asked to give warrior names to our apprentices." Cloudtail dug his claws into the earth while she spoke. "I have come up with fitting names for such an event. When Swiftpaw and Brightpaw die, all of StarClan will see in them what they have done to ThunderClan!"
A gentle murmuring swept across the clan. Everyone knew that she was about to name the cats something cruel.
Longtail raced forward and hissed at Cloudtail. "What have you done?!"
"I was trying to help," explained Cloudtail. "Now hush so I can think. Unless you want your apprentices name to be Swiftdeath?"
At that moment a loud howling erupted from the fern tunnel. Dustpelt and his hunting patrol flew into the camp, eyes wide and fur standing on end.
"What's happened?" Cloudtail made his way to the camp entrance, worry shadowing his mind in the same way the moon did at the Gathering.
Dustpelt took in a sharp breath. "We're in trouble…"