It was sunhigh the next day by the time the group got to the edge of the forest. Willow had cracked pads, and was leaning against Dusk as they trekked through the last stretch of trees. Fern itched to move faster, but Willow's limp meant they had to slow their pace. According to the rogue's stories, the Clans lived across a stretch of dry land, then over hills and to a forest. Trotting faster, Fern reached the barren landscape. Narrowing her eyes against the dry breeze, Fern looked back to see even Willow forcing herself into a trot.
"Great StarClan," breathed Night as he stared out. "Willow is going to have troubles."
The gray she-cat gave no sign of hearing, so Fern flicked her tail and they began to pad over the dry grass. The wind pulled their fur back, and they had to pause multiple times when Willow's pads began to bleed. Soon they had to stop beneath a thorn tree to let her rest. Fern settled down and began grooming the grit from her fur. The others did the same, and soon the four fell into an uneasy sleep.
The ground seemed to quiver beneath Fern as she slept. Soon she felt like she was sinking beneath the ripples of a river. Blinking her eyes open, she leaped to her paws and looked down. The breath caught in her throat at the sight. Instead of on the solid ground under the thorn tree, the ground was clear and rippling. She was standing on water! Fern didn't dare move a whisker in case she fell. Flinching her head up, she looked for her friends, but they were gone. The dry landscape had vanished as well. What she saw was a pebbly shore, and great trees lush with greenleaf growing down to the water's edge. The further she looked, she noticed pine trees begin to mingle with the oaks and maples. Then it was a solid prickly green forest.
Whipping her head the other way she saw the trees continue until it stopped at a stream. From there heather grew and rabbit burrows dotted the ground. Looking further, Fern saw a tiny speck that looked like a twoleg nest and even further on was a tiny island. Screwing up her eyes against the light reflecting from the water she saw reed grow tall and the lakeshore lap against small low islands. Then it hit her. The Clan territories!
Fern looked down at her paws again and saw that she wasn't in fact standing on the water but in it. She was in the shallows and the gray pebbles made the water seem to deepen to nothingness. Tilting her head she glanced up again to see four cats slipping down the shore towards the pine trees. Curious, she stepped from the water and trotted into the undergrowth where she could catch up unnoticed. There was a tom with a flame-colored pelt and numerous battle scars, and beside him trotted a muscular dark tabby. A cloud-white tom matched him stride for stride while a sleek gray tabby loped after them.
Once she was within earshot, she crept forward and pricked her ears to their conversation.
"They have been stretching the boundary well into our territory, Firestar," the dark tabby growled. "We know Blackstar won't settle this peacefully." Firestar and Blackstar! Fern's eyes stretched wide. Those must be the Clan leaders!
The white tom flicked a glance at the tabby. "Brambleclaw is right, Firestar. ShadowClan are dark-hearted through and through. Except for Tawnypelt." He hastily added at a sharp look from the tabby, Brambleclaw.
Firestar flicked his tail. "Those are just nursery tales. ShadowClan just like to extend their territory for more prey."
The gray tabby spoke up from beside the white tom as he stepped back. "I know you want to keep peace, but it won't happen. We have to do this quickly." More gruffly he added, "I can tell we'll have to fight for this piece of land, though."
The Clan leader halted and his warriors stopped beside him. "Leafpool had a sign from StarClan saying there would be no deaths but new arrivals. This could be the sign we've been waiting for!"
Brambleclaw murmured his agreement. With his patrol silent, Firestar took up the pace again towards the Clan boundary. Confused, Fern shot forward until she was just behind the gray tabby. She was sure she was safe, since it was clearly only a dream right? Taking a deep breath, she reached out with a paw and tapped the tabby. The warriors paused for a moment and glanced around with a puzzled look on his face before trotting after his companions. But just as Fern was taking a step towards them, her vision blurred and she felt like she was falling. Fighting down the sudden panic that rose in her throat like bile, she calmed herself. It's only a dream. It's only a dream.
"What's only a dream, Fern?"
The she-cat opened her eyes to see Night peering at her curiously. "You've been muttering in your sleep."
Completely embarrassed she muttered something and licked down her ruffled fur. Willow was stretching and yawned as she got to her paws while Dusk helped her up. Suddenly she remembered her hunger and groaned inwardly. Surely there was no prey here?
Then she looked under the thorn tree and noticed four rabbits piled on one another. "I went out early," Night explained and picked up a rabbit. Fern purred her gratitude and picked her own rabbit. Tearing into it hungrily she tried to call back the images she saw in her dream. They came to her fresh and untainted. Soon her eyes were glazed as she ate deep in thought.
Dusk must have noticed for he he padded up to her and sat down with his own rabbit. "What's troubling you?" he murmured. Fern looked up and rapidly told him about her dream and the warrior's conversation.
Dusk nodded. "That's probably where we're going. As long as we recognize someone we'll be okay."
The rest of the day, Fern kept telling herself that. As long as she knew a cat, they would greet her with friendship. Or would they think of her as odd? Fern shook off the feeling of nervousness and together the four cats trekked across the barren landscape until the rolling hills could be seen.