I'm kind of tired from the last chapter, so this one might be short. It depends on how things turn out. To confirm things, I've decided to do a chapter on ThunderClan, even though I said I probably wouldn't.

Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. If I did, Tawnypelt wouldn't be such a WUSS and she would've been able to put up with ThunderClan's non-trusting inhabitants.

CHAPTER SIX
Recovery

Reedtail was still sitting in the medicine den.

How many days had it been? He pondered drowsily. It had only been two, but both of them had stretched out like a cat basking in the sunlight. He still felt weak, and jittery, and his limbs were quite stiff...but the pain in his head had softened to a dull ache. He also had a mild burn on his tail that stung and felt dry and cracked, but it wasn't enough to keep him from his warrior duties. There was much to do in ThunderClan. Oakstar was still getting over the gash on his flank, and at the same time trying to organize a makeshift camp since their old one was under BloodClan's control. It was a shock to everyone that BloodClan had succeeded in driving them out, but Oakstar wasn't sure if the other Clans knew yet. It was still another half-moon until the Gathering, so the chance was subtle. And Oakstar refused to let any patrols check ThunderClan's camp, in fear that a warrior might be killed.

Reedtail's throat was hoarse, but he didn't find it difficult to breathe. In fact, he was sure that if the tragedies that had occured in the past few days hadn't happened, Pearlnose would have let him out by now. He knew the real reason she was so worried about him: the loss of his kits.

It had been a harsh blow. Once things were sorted out, they decided that the cat who had served the painful whack to Reedtail's head was the perpetrator. Reedtail was filled with anxiety as he thought of where his kits might be: locked up somewhere, in the cold, dark crevices of BloodClan territory. It made him feel sick inside. The Twolegs' land was no place for three newborn kits whose veins were thick with warrior blood, who were supposed to be curled up in their mother's belly, suckling milk. They would never be able to grow up in a home where they were loved, nurtured, and praised. They would forever breathe the air of the tangy, bitter Twolegplace, instead of fresh, earthy forest air.

Depression had completely knocked Reedtail off his paws. Pearlnose, being intelligent in the ways of healing and medicine, knew that Reedtail wouldn't be able to perform his deputy duties properly. Marblepelt, a senior warrior, had taken his place temporarily. Reedtail, as much as he hated to admit it, thought Marblepelt was doing a terrific job. She wasn't bossy or sharp and she showered every cat with encouragement. Reedtail wondered if Marblepelt would become deputy forever.

His kits' disappearance wasn't the only thing bothering Reedtail. It seemed nobody would let him see Gingerflower. He would struggle and protest, but Pearlnose wouldn't let him budge. She insisted that he was sick and needed to rest, even though his condition was getting much better. He was sure that the finicky medicine cat was hiding something from him, and in the pit of his belly he knew it was about Gingerflower. Gingerflower was deathly sick, and he knew that nobody in ThunderClan thought he was strong enough to deal with it.

Reedtail sat up, his joints cracking. His stomach rolled on the dry mouse he'd eaten earlier that day, the clumps of stringy meat making him regret he'd eaten at all. He made a decision: he wasn't going to put up with everybody's pathetic lies anymore. Pearlnose was being ridiculous. He wasn't going to let anybody stop him from seeing his mate. They didn't understand the love he felt for her.

Wobbling on his dehyderated pads, he felt how tight his muscles were. He scrunched up his nose. Being in the medicine den was probably worse for his health than hard work was. He was so stiff, he could barely move!

After a brief moment to let his muscles relax, he poked his nose out the den. Pearlnose was talking to Oakstar, her meows hushed. He studied the gash on his leader's side, and winced. It was half a tail-length long, and it was red and sticky with drying blood. He could tell that Oakstar was uncomfortable. The pale tabby leader had a mate and kits of his own- Tulipfur, Moonkit, and Stonekit. Surely the leader loved them very much, and surely he understood Reedtail's pain. Why wouldn't Oakstar let him see Gingerflower?

Reedtail ducked into the bushes, the thorns pressing against his fur. In two days, he had collected a very important bit of information- whenever Pearlnose left the den, she would venture over to the far side of the clearing to a large, hollow tree. A few nervous-looking cats often crowded her. She would peek in, her tail flicking hopefully, and always came out sporting a look of fear. She would then say something to Oakstar, then slip into the woods and bring back a wide variation of herbs. He just knew Gingerflower was in there. He couldn't see any other cats absent from sight.

He decided to stay in the bushes and observe Pearlnose's actions from a distance. If he confronted her, she would most likely bustle him back into the medicine den and give him a quick scolding- probably something about how she knew exactly what she was doing when she said he needed to rest, and that's what he had to do. Pearlnose's expression faltered as she spoke to Oakstar, her blue eyes circular, and she looked towards the hollowed-out tree. Reedtail swore he could see the tip of a tortoiseshell tail sticking out.

Pearlnose turned her attention back to Oakstar, and nosed a sticky bunch of cobwebs to him. She prodded his wound lightly with her tail, and then applied the cobwebs to it. She nodded at him crisply, then turned tail and padded towards the tree. Reedtail had the temptation to follow her, but he resisted it. He instead followed her with his eyes.

Observing closely, he could only see Pearlnose's bushy white tail. It was still for a moment, hanging in midair like a fluffy white snake, and then, it straightened. He heard mews coming from the tree. Reedtail became immediately wary. He was out of the bush before Pearlnose had withdrawn from the tree's empty trunk.

Oakstar heard the racket of the leaves and spotted Reedtail's black-and-white fur with surprise. The pale leader moved in front of Reedtail's swiftly moving paws, flinching as he was stabbed by a searing agony in his side. Reedtail skidded to a stop, glaring at his leader. Oakstar met his gaze, although he had only seen Reedtail so serious once before: when he was searching for his mate in the BloodClan battle.

"Let me see Gingerflower," he mewed firmly. "I know that's where you've been hiding her. You won't let me see her because you're afraid of me seeing her so ill."

Oakstar swallowed. He made no move to stop Reedtail as he pushed forward, his paws crunching over leaves scattering the ground. H. Pearlnose a few tail-lengths away from the hollowed-out tree. Her blue eyes were glassy.

Reedtail's heart dropped into his stomach. "What's happened to Gingerflower?"

Pearlnose shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she mewed softly.

R&R. Short chapter, but it's going to happen sometimes. Instead of Q&A, I have character profiles instead!

Scorn- he's evil...but yeah, I guess what sets him apart from Scourge is that he's more organized. And he thinks before he does things. He's smart, and easily controls things. And, as written, he has a very miniscule soft spot that reacts at random times.

Sulfur- Sulfur was named after fire, or an element that is related to fire, purposely. He is a very general cat who doesn't question his leader, and his trust in Scorn is what makes him a good deputy. He has a big imagination, and is sometimes very paranoid. He's known Scorn since he was a little kit, and they are good friends. Scorn tends to be more patient with Sulfur than with other cats, so when he yells at him, his temper cools down quickly.

Viper- I picked Viper out as a secondary companion to Scorn, since one seemed like too little. I wanted to make Sulfur the more likable of the pair, so Viper is the less likable one. Viper is an overly confident tom who I compare to one of those cheesy, stupid villains in kid's shows that give a bad reputation to adults. He sort of expects to be promoted if he sticks with Scorn long enough, but it's apparent Sulfur isn't going to step down from being deputy any time soon. This angers Viper and he often tries to impress Scorn in pitiful ways. Yes, he IS a coward, so he usually picks on cats smaller than him. And yet he's considered one of the best warriors...probably a thing of luck.

Jay- while she seems creepy, she's also very sensitive. She is one smart cookie, at least for her age, taking after Scorn. She loves blood, as all BloodClan cats should, and targets Asphalt a lot. She does hurt him constantly, but deep down she cares for her brother and doesn't try to overdo her frequent claw-sharpenings on him. She's merciless, but she understands the overall concept of life but chooses not to consider it. She kills off any cat who appears weak to her, and she admires her father greatly. The two are very close, and in the recent episode when he ignored her, she was very upset. So don't judge her for being a psychopath...she has feelings too.

Asphalt- I think Asphalt is just plain unlucky to have ended up in BloodClan. He could be a great forest warrior. Asphalt is timid and curious, and he likes to explore and try stuff out. He understands that in BloodClan, it's either you or the enemy, but he doesn't really get it. Asphalt's the kind of cat who would just like to relax and not have to worry about anything. He's not a coward, like Viper, but he knows that if he pushes his sister to a certain point he gets clawed whether he likes it or not. So he just tries to stay away from danger and go about his own way. But since he is the son of Scorn, he does have a love of blood he hasn't quite discovered yet.

Reedtail- Reedtail is made to be a very stubborn, determined character, but he's also loving and considerate. He's sometimes headstrong to a point where it sometimes makes him seem emotional or forceful, which wrongly emphasizes the negative side of his personality. He's protective and dedicated and knows the importance of his duties, but can get distracted from them if there is an occurance having to do with those he loves. He often puts too much thought into things, and he will make a big deal out of anything. He never overlooks any matter. He believes every cat has a good heart.

Gingerflower- Being a minor character, there isn't much to reveal about her personality. Gingerflower is very soft and has a frail heart, being easily emotionally hurt. She tends to be naive and sometimes puts too much trust into matters she doesn't know much about, and then is despaired when they turn on her. That's why she needs a strong, brave, determined cat like Reedtail as her mate.

Ember- I will reveal her personality later. For now, she is the main character as she was the kit blessed with the "sign" that urged Scorn to keep she and the other two. Un-Mary-Suelike, she might possess some of her father's qualities.

Night- I will reveal her personality later. For now, she is one of the main characters. I think I will bestow a comical, unusual personality upon Night, as it fits her.

Mist- I will reveal her personality later. For now, she is one of the main characters. She will probably appear serious, haughty, or noble. A mysterious cat.

Ice- the Mary Sue of our story. I killed her early, so don't get angry, 'kay? But her story is not over here...it will continue to weave the story of our main character kitties.

Cement- a character who will plop himself rudely into the middle of our story. Very sarcastic and short-tempered, Cement holds a promising future.

Scrap- an overprotective mother who is probably going to plop HERself rudely into the middle of our story, too.

Bye-bye for now. Sorry for the chapter's shortness.