Chapter Twenty One: Lionblaze
Something's wrong. And that's saying something because at the moment there are a lot of things wrong.
Let's focus on Hollyleaf shall we? She's already in the nursery and she's only known about her kits for three days. Three! She should not be in the nursery! Jayfeather's really worried; in fact I don't think I've ever seen him this freaked out. He and Brightheart spend all their time in camp watching after Hollyleaf, they're almost always whispering together with grim looks on their faces. This doesn't really help.
Then there's Leafpool who is acting like she wants to help. I'll see her start to walk toward them, but then she'll catch herself and fade away. Well I can't say I feel bad for her. She made her own decision and it is over and done with. She can't go back.
And on top of all this I think Jayfeather was right about Firestar. He hardly leaves his den anymore and when he does he looks confused and weak. Sandstorm never leaves his side; I think she's his last link to a sane mind. It's really terrifying. Brambleclaw has taken over most leader duties at Sandstorm's (and when his mind is clear Firestar's) urging. He has me and some other warriors doing most of his deputy duties. The whole Clan is hoping that the gathering might never even happen. There is no way ThunderClan can come out of it not looking weak.
I flick my ear and stand up, leaving my untouched mouse behind. I walk slowly to where Graystripe sits.
"Border patrol. Take five cats, no apprentices and loop around the territory. Take whoever you want, but they have to be fast runners." He mews shortly. I nod once and scan the clearing. The morning light illuminates the hollow, throwing the tree into sharp relief. Spiderleg, his long legs make him a fantastic runner, Rosepetal, she inherited her dad's legs, Cinderheart, a good runner and I need her beside me, Ivypool, her Dark Forest training has given her incredible stamina, and Dovewing, we'll need her senses.
"Spiderleg, Rosepetal, Cinderheart, Ivypool, Dovewing! Patrol!" I yowl and they thread through the crowd toward me. Cinderheart twines her tail with mine as Dovewing asks,
"Where are we going?"
"Looping the entire territory." I reply and Ivypool gives a barely audible sigh causing me to flash her a look that says: Are you up to this? I don't want to over work her. Her blue eyes harden mutinously, YES! They read. I shrug; I can clearly remember how exhausted the nightly training had made me, but she never seems to want to be anything less than a hundred and ten percent for her Clan.
Spiderleg has been eyeing Dovewing and chooses this moment to mew, "Will she be able to keep up?"
I am sure Dovewing is about to rip him limb from limb so I quickly and firmly mew, "She'll be fine." I stare Spiderleg down, intent on defending my former apprentice. Dovewing flicks her tail irritably but settles on fixing Spiderleg with scorching glares.
"Come on, the sooner we start the sooner we're done." I mew quickly steering my patrol out before anyone can kill each other. Dovewing goes straight to the lead with Ivypool where I can hear them insulting Spiderleg. Spiderleg is in the back apparently unconcerned. Go figure. I'm hoping that we don't find anything, I don't know how much more bad news we can handle. I choose to go to the ShadowClan border first and we are remarking the border when Tigerheart appears from the underbrush. The reaction is immediate; Dovewing and Ivypool stop dead, and Tigerheart stares at them in shock, with a little bit of fear mingled on his face. Snowbird, Oakfur and Ferretpaw appear from the woods behind him.
"What's the hold up?" Oakfur mews, "We can all mark borders at the same time."
"I don't know." I mew watching Dovewing closely, "Dovewing are you okay?" She is frozen and shaking slightly. There is a look of such devastation on her face that it is heartbreaking.
"Dovewing?" I mew when she doesn't answer. She pulls her gaze from Tigerheart.
"Yes?" she asks hazily.
"Are you all right?" Even the ShadowClan cats are watching her concerned now.
"Oh yes, I'm fine. I must have just dozed off." She mews, injecting an airy confidence into her voice.
"I hate that!" Ferretpaw mews sympathetically.
"You should! Especially since you seem to doze off right when I'm teaching you!" Oakfur mews sharply. The apprentice flicks his ears embarrassedly.
"All well in ThunderClan?" Tigerheart asks politely.
"Yes, thank you. And in ShadowClan?" Cinderheart replies.
"All is well." Snowbird mews slightly awkwardly. Ivypool opens her mouth but Spiderleg beats her to it,
"We missed you at the gathering." Five pairs of ThunderClan eyes glare at him.
"We had some trouble with two-legs. But we dealt with it quickly." Oakfur's mew is sharp.
"I'm glad to see you found Hollyleaf. I can imagine how good it must feel to have your sister back." Tigerheart mews, reminding me once again of Flametail's death.
"Thank you." I mew. The tension in the air is electric. Tigerheart cannot seem to look away from Dovewing, who is carefully looking anywhere but him.
"Well we better be going," mews Snowbird, who nudges Tigerheart to get him to look away from Dovewing and start moving.
"Us as well," Cinderheart mews, turning around. There is a swish of brambles and in a matter of seconds we have all vanished into the undergrowth.
Worry gnaws at my heart. Could Dovewing be in love with Tigerheart? Could they possibly be sneaking off and meeting each other like I did with… Heathertail? What should I do? What if I'm wrong? But what if I'm right?
"Dovewing, I need to talk to you." I mew surprising myself. The whole patrol stops and I add, "You can go on a head."
She eyes me warily, "What is it Lionblaze?"
I take a deep breath, there's no time for formality, "What is going on between you and Tigerheart?" A show of emotions flit across Dovewing's face: shock, fear, worry, pain, hurt, anger, and more pain.
"NOTHING!" She yowls shocking me, "There is absolutely nothing between us!" She whips around and runs off to the rest of the patrol. Well that went well.
I don't do much for the rest of the patrol, well no one does really. We don't find anything so we just mark the borders and head home. The camp is more or less quite, Cherrypaw is rushing around trying to clean out Mousefur's bedding before she explodes (not going to happen) because Molepaw is at battle training and forgot.
I'm not really all that hungry but Cinderheart does the 'I'm worried about you' thing so I eat a small mouse before we go visit Hollyleaf. She is lying in a nest next to Ferncloud who is talking to her quite cheerfully. Hollyleaf seems a whole lot calmer than yesterday when she came out of Jayfeather's den freaking out, for obvious reasons. We sit and talk for a little while, Ferncloud assuring me that she will take good care of my sister.
But this doesn't ease my fear, or take anything off of my ever growing list of worries. So when we leave all I really want to do is sleep. But I can't as I have to be productive. I'm wandering camp looking for Brambleclaw or Graystripe, I want to do something with the least amount of work and I think they'd understand when I run into Jayfeather – literally.
"Really Lionblaze!" Jayfeather mews standing up, "I may be good but I'm not that good."
"Sorry!" I mew immediately.
He shrugs and surveys me, "What's up?"
"A lot. But at the top of the list is me worrying about Hollyleaf." I mew quickly feeling the confession lift a small weight from my shoulder.
"You're not the only one. In fact I'm debating on even going to the moonpool tonight." Jayfeather admits, way to add the worry back on.
"You have to go! You can ask StarClan what's wrong!" I exclaim, my voice rising.
"I just don't want to leave Hollyleaf." Jayfeather mews bleakly and I sigh softly.
"I think she'll be fine. And if something happens I'll come straight to the moonpool and fetch you." I promise.
He nods, "I have to go find Brightheart then." He slips away and I go to find a quite spot outside the nursery. I curl up in it and try to get comfortable. I am officially Hollyleaf watching.
Hollyleaf watching is boring. I've fallen asleep at least five times and it's been the stabbing pains in my neck and side that's woken me. (Neck, weird angle; side, the thorn that I left there to make sure I stay awake. Not my best idea.)
Dawn has passes and I remove the thorn from my side and wait for Jayfeather to return. Just when I'm starting to get impatient he stumbles in a look of ragged fear etched on his face.
I jump up and follow him to the medicine den.
"Jayfeather, what happened?" I ask as he looks at me shaking.
"Something is very, very wrong. We are in huge trouble. We're as good as dead."
Cliff Hanger! hahaha yep. So. Review! Oh and it's almost over! :( But Dove's Flight is about to be published, so don't worry, the story is not done (well technically this one is but the series isn't)
-Echosong