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Chapter 13

Camp was buzzing with activity as cats joined patrols or chose fresh-kill from the pile. Frostwind was given no fresh-kill as punishment for venturing into the territory. She seemed perfectly fine with that though, and that was what unnerved Stormsong.

She kept her distance from Frostwind. She wasn't sure what Frostwind was planning, but she could be certain that it effected all of the Clans.

Even Snowpaw had kept her distance, even though Frostwind had taken care of her. The creamy brown she-cat had glared at Snowpaw when she trotted after Brightheart.

"You would rather trail after a one-eyed cat than follow me?" Frostwind spat when Stormsong was close enough.

The white-furred apprentice suddenly whirled around and swiped a claw across Frostwind's muzzle. The guards jumped back in surprise while Frostwind hissed angrily.

"Brightheart's a better mentor than you ever were!" Snowpaw snarled.

Pride gleamed within Brightheart's single green eye. She nuzzled her apprentice affectionately before leading Snowpaw out of camp for training. Stormsong realized that it had been an entire day since she had taken Larchpaw out for training.

I've been spending too much time with Hawkfrost, she thought guiltily. She truly loved Hawkfrost with all her heart now. He hadn't taken advantage of the news she shared with him about Frostwind. Any other cat would have been keen to tell their leader.

"Come on Larchpaw, why don't we go out for some training," she suggested when she reached her apprentice.

Larchpaw looked up in surprise and was about to say something when Firestar approached them. Stormsong's ears flattened when he dipped his head to her.

"Stormsong, I need to speak with you," he suddenly meowed. "Inside my den," he added when Larchpaw stood up.

The apprentice glared at him coldly before turning around. Stormsong glanced at her apprentice and wondered if she should scold Larchpaw for such behavior. It was her responsibility after all to teach Larchpaw respect for leaders and elders.

Her whiskers twitched every now and than as she trotted after Firestar. Once inside the den Firestar sat beside Sandstorm, whose pelt was groomed as best as it could be.

"Why did you call me in here?" Stormsong demanded when she sat down in front of them.

"We needed to call you in here because it is about Ravenpaw," Sandstorm replied in a gentle tone.

Stormsong wasn't used to Sandstorm's gentle voice. Usually she was hard on her kits so that they wouldn't become a nuisance to the Clan when they were older. Squirreltail was usually the one who faced their mother's wrath.

"What's wrong with him?" Her ears flattened as she remembered that Ravenpaw was her father. If anything had happened to him... she wasn't sure what she would do.

"Leafpelt had a dream about him last night," Firestar sighed. "She thinks that he is dying of sickness, and he's too proud to admit that he needs help."

The silver and black she-cat stared at Firestar in disbelief. No, it couldn't be true! She wasn't sure if she had said it out loud, but Firestar's eyes gleamed with grief.

"I'm afraid that it is true," he meowed. "Tonight we will visit Ravenpaw and Barely. I wish to see him one last time."

Reality suddenly kicked in and she looked down at her paws. First her mother had died, and now this! She couldn't imagine what it was like to lose her father. Firestar had always been a fatherly figure to her, but after today... She knew that life would never be the same.

"We can all go," Sandstorm suggested when an uneasy silence fell upon the den.

"No, it's better if I go with Stormsong," Firestar suddenly told her. "Besides, I have nine lives while the rest of the Clan has only one."

I guess you forgot about Frostwind, Stormsong thought bitterly. Frostwind had come back from the dead somehow. Or maybe she had never really died. Stormsong had begun to notice the scars on her chest where her claws had met their mark.

She shook her head and decided not to think about it. Lives were beyond her control - something only StarClan could predict. Maybe that was why Leafpelt had been given the strange dream. Either way she wanted to see her father one last time, if he really was dying.

OoOoO

Dusk had arrived by the time Firestar decided to leave. After her meeting with Firestar, Stormsong had taken Larchpaw out for more training. The young apprentice was becoming an aggressive fighter, and could easily hold her own in any battle. She reminded Stormsong of Dustpelt when he got angry.

Firestar was waiting for her beside the gorse tunnel entrance. Most cats were inside their dens already by the time dusk arrived.

Frostwind sat beside the elder's den, listening intently to the sounds of the forest. Stormsong narrowed her eyes at Frostwind before she joined Firestar.

"I'm not sure how long this will take," he whispered.

She didn't care how long it would take. Seeing her father one last time was more important than spending time in camp chatting.

The flame-colored leader gave her an odd look before bounding through the gorse tunnel. Stormsong followed suit, soon feeling the effects of the herbs Leafpelt had given her. The journey to the barn was a long one, according to Leafpelt.

Once they were outside the camp Stormsong's pelt fluffed up against the bitingly cold air. She was shocked at how cold it was. Leafbare was still in full swing, despite the signs that newleaf might come early. Now she understood what the elders had meant when they said not to be fooled.

Silence fell upon them as Firestar led the way, avoiding fallen branches and turning away from the trees. It didn't take them long to reach Fourtrees, where the battle against WindClan had just occurred. She felt her ears pinning against the back of her head at the memory of that battle.

I hurt Shadowpelt, she thought angrily. Yet he was one of the rogues that had followed Frostwind. He could have easily turned on the Clans if he decided to. Maybe what she had done was a good thing.

"We'll have to be quiet in WindClan's territory," Firestar told her when they reached the border's edge. "The last thing we need is another skirmish."

Stormsong nodded in agreement and bounded after him as he took the lead once more. She had been through WindClan's territory before, when she journeyed to the mountains. That journey had been a dangerous one, but it was where they had met Snowpaw.

They moved as silently as they could across the moors. Wind buffeted against Stormsong's fur. She wondered how WindClan cats could stand living out in the open like this. There were few trees or shrubs for them to hide under when it got cold like this.

"How do they stand it?" she asked out loud in a whisper.

"You have to be born into it I suppose," he replied with a shrug.

She thought of what Crowflight had said during their journey. You have to be born into something in order to like it. She decided that he and Firestar were right. Liking something was different when you were born into it.

Soon the barn came into view as they climbed to the top of another hill. Stormsong sighed when she thought of what lay ahead of them. Would she find her father dying in the barn?

The two of them streaked across the territory, avoiding any night patrols that might be out. Fortunately the ground wasn't stained with snow like Stormsong had expected. Instead it was a muddy brown color, as if pawsteps had trampled all over the ground. So neither she or Firestar stood out against the hill landscapes.

"Firestar, Stormsong, what brings you here?" A surprised mew filled the air, and Stormsong spotted Barely staring at them in alarm.

"We've come to visit Ravenpaw," Firestar explained when the black and white tom grew suspicious.

Barely tilted his head to one side before deciding that they were safe.

"Very well... but you may not like what you see..." Barely cut himself off when Stormsong narrowed her eyes. "He's slowly losing his battle."

AN: Uh-oh, what happens now? You'll have to wait and see :P