Chapter 6

Volepaw watched Firepaw creep out of the medicine den, tail dragging in the dust, like a kit who was just scolded. Volepaw sighed and went back over to sorting herbs, while Hollyeyes rested in her nest. Volepaw looked toward the entrance of the den, half hoping the rouges would come back into camp, causing something to do besides watch Hollyeyes and Redstorm sleep. She sat down and sighed. my life is so boring... I thought being a medicine cat would be interesting...

She dragged herself over to the entrance of the medicine cats den and watched Crowpaw talk to Littlepaw. She was so bored that she hid her mind from others but read Littlepaw's mind. I hope he doesn't get hurt in a battle patrol... What was with Firepaw's claws? I mean, she didn't seem hurt just now, but, she was on fire! It doesn't make sense...

Volepaw went out of Littlepaw's mind, unamused. Her ears pricked at the sound of a cat yowling. Finally! Something interesting!

She ran out of camp, ignoring all the thorns and branches pulling and hitting her. She came into a clearing, seeing all of Windclan, a total of three cats, standing there with Kestrelfoot, the deputy, lying, bleeding in the middle of them. Riverfur glared at Volepaw, her icy-blue eyes untrusting and hating.

" Why are you here?" Volepaw said, looking worriedly at the deputy, who was yowling in pain. Riverfur looked at her leader, soundlessly asking permission. Sprintstar nodded, his long, dark blue fur waving like grass.

" W-w-w-e have come for assistance." The dark she-cat said, looking at her clan's deputy.

" Why from us? Don't you have a medicine cat?" Volepaw questioned.

Sprintstar growled.

" We need to talk to Lionstar, nothing more." He pushed past Volepaw, dragging his deputy with him, and with his only warrior trailing behind.

Volepaw raced after him, surprised at the injured cats' speed in the thick undergrowth.

"You can't just march into our camp!" Volepaw screeched after them.

Riverfur glared at Volepaw and ran back to her. " You need to watch your tongue." She picked up Volepaw by the back of her neck and ran, with Volepaw hanging like a kit, towards the Thunderclan camp.

Sprintstar burst through the camp entrance, his chest heaving and formerly closed wounds open again. He gently placed his deputy next to him, who was at this time, unconscious and breathing shallow.

Thunderclan warriors leaped in front of them, snarling and bristling. Sprintstar stood over his clan mate, ready to fight to the death for him.

Sprintstar lowered his head in respect. " I am so sorry for this..." He said softly. Volepaw looked at him, and felt a pang of sadness for him. The warriors backed off, but remained hostile. Lionstar padded over to the blue tom and looked calm and a bit surprised.

" Sprintstar? Why are you here?" He looked at Kestrelfoot and his eyes widened. "What happened?" Lionstar asked very quickly. "Them... that's what, they stole everything... destroyed all the dens. Our camp is gone..." Sprintstar leaned his head forward. His body began to shake as he cried. Volepaw was astounded, a threatening clan leader reduced to a mewling kit, in another clan's camp. " Lionstar, please..." He looked at his deputy beneath him. " You have to help them... Leave me... " His body shook more violently as he begged for Lionstar to help. " I will, brother. I will help you too. Join me, we can help you." Lionstar put his head against Sprintstar. Volepaw looked at all the other cats, all open-mouthed and astounded beyond belief. Even Riverfur, Sprintstar's best friend, was gaping.

Lionstar helped Sprintstar over to the medicine cat's den where Hollyeyes was waiting.

Firefang tried to pick up Kestrelfoot but Riverfur hissed at him to back off and she picked him up and followed Sprintstar.

"What do we do?" a cat whispered from the crowd. Firefang glared at the crowd.

Rainywind stepped up and said, "We must follow Lionstar's orders, treat them like our own clan, After all, he is apparently your half-brother, Hazelstripe." Volepaw looked at Hazelstripe, who was, apparently, the cat who spoke earlier. He shrank back, looking embarrassed.

" To your dens!" Rainywind spat. All the cats went into the dens for the night.

" Rainywind?" Volepaw came up to her.

"What?" She asked, looking at Volepaw. "Did you know about Sprintstar being Lionstar's brother?" Rainywind bristled and slapped her tail on her mouth.

" Do not talk about this, ever." Rainywind hissed then stalked to the warriors den.

" I was only asking..." Volepaw sighed and sat in the camp entrance, watching the sun go dark.