Chapter 16

"I'll see you tommorrow, and we will have our answer."

What?

I woke up stiff with chills, and squinted. Trying to realize excactly where I was. Then I remembered Peachstar's words from my dream. I was in the warriors den, in a new, warm nest, lined with moss and feathers to protect from the cold.

My heart ached as I thought back to last night, which felt like forever and a day ago now. Scourge had entireley ripped my heart out, and left me, battered and alone, here. In the place of my nightmares.

ThunderClan.

I stood and washed away the pain as best I could. Or- excuse me, moss. Paws aching from the long run yesterday, I stepped into the faint sunshine of the next day. I stretched a little, and yawned. For a moment, I sat in silence, and closed my eyes. I relaxed and listened to the peaceful noises of the camp.

To my right, near the clan's entrance, two kits scuffled and yelped at each other over a peice of prey. Their mother, Dawnpool, sat at a distance, watching them with careful eyes. A few warriors shared prey under the shade of an oak growing out of the side of the camp wall. A mentor and his apprentice vanished through the gorse tunnel, as the medicine cat, Sparrowjaw, walked in.

I heard bits and pieces of the warrior's conversation. My name was mentioned more than once, and a few of them glanced in my direction. I glared back.

Peachstar had told me to stay in the camp until an announcement was made, and I saw him pad out of the lichen covering his den entrance. Our gazes met, and he blinked at me. I looked away, and listened as he called, "All cats able to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!"

Cats began to melt out of the shadows, coming from all directions. They collected in anxious bunches, chattering and flicking their tails at me. Peachstar silenced them with a meow.

"I'm sure word has spread, we have a new cat in the clan. Though, she isn't new at all. This-"

He gestured to me, "Is Beechpaw."

I suddenly scented Whiterain, and a moment later, felt her stand next to me. I tried to ignore her, but she didn't go away as our leader continued.

"She has come back to us, and we welcome her, though some of you, may not know her. Please, give her some time to settle in before asking questions."

At that, he leapt from the highrock and padded up to me, with Bloodfur and the clan deputy, Redwillow.

"Follow me Beechpaw, we've got to discuss your training."

Immediately my mother stood and mewed, quite forcefully, "I'd like to come."

Peachstar nodded, and we ran out of the Gorse tunnel, stiff and silent. I noticed a few different patches of grass that grew right where I used to place my paws on my way to the training hollow. I stepped cautiously and struggled to keep up.

Eventually, we slowed and came to a sandy stop, catching our breath. Or at least- I caught mine. Bloodfur padded out to the middle of our little training area, and looked at Peachstar. "Should she attack me, or should we try basic maneuvers and start from there?"

Peachstar flicked his tail to Redwillow, " Ask her."

Redwillow walked over and stood facing me. "Attack me."

I narrowed my eyes and refused to show any sort of uncertainty I might've felt. She was a lighter cat, so she'd have me in speed. We were about the same size, though, so I could fake and claw her rear leg.

Claws in. I reminded myself.

I leapt directly for her head, paws outstretched, and hissed. Immediatley she dodged to one side, but as she did so, I turned and thwacked her leg, causing her to stumble. She recovered quickly, and swiped at my legs, but I jumped and landed on her, with a paw laid gently on her neck.

Peachstar was looking at me through narrowed eyes, and my heart pounded in my chest.

Did I do something wrong?

Then Bloodfur meowed, "Great job!"

I felt Redwillow stand up, and heard her meow, "That was nice."

Though Peachstar nodded his head, I was still uncertain.

"How excactly did you learn that move?" My leader looked at me quizically now, though with none of the usual disapointment.

"S-scourge, he uh... taught me."

Bloodfur and Peachstar exchanged a glance. I sensed a bit of distrust coming from Redwillow, he eyes showed nothing, but her tail tip twitched when I mentioned his name.

"I think we've seen enough, we can return to camp and discuss just what's going to... happen."

So soon? I wondered as we rose to our feet to leave.

This sun had fully risen in the sky as my paws set down in the camp once again. I was suprised to see cats running to and fro, Sparrowjaw with cobwebs clinging to one paw, a few apprentices reinforcing the elder's den. How had things changed so quickly?

Peachstar led me, my mother, and Redwillow to the leaders den. He ordered Bloodfur to do something I didn't quite catch, and he headed quickly out of the gorse tunnel. I climbed the stone I had when I recieved my appretice name, and ducked through the lichen.

It used to seem bigger, I guess four cats were too many for one den.

They sat in a semi-circle, which I completed. Peachstar sighed as he sat, and I noticed his muzzle again. Grey flecs had stared to make a presence along his nose, and his legs had grown a bit skinny. Though older as he was, his eyes were young and bold.

"So. How much do you know?"

"About what?"

Peachstar looked at the ground, and seemed to think for a moment. "What did you do while yuo were at the Twolegplace? Did Scourge...talk to you?"

"No, he just...disapeared and said nothing. I saw him kill a cat once..."

Whiterain gasped. "You saw a cat die? Oh, dear that must've been horrible!"

I suddenly felt a question burning in my head, so I accidentally cut off Redwillow asking me another one, and I meowed, "What did Scourge mean, 'I'll be waiting.' Tommorrow, is today... So, what happens today?"

My heart thumped in my chest as I waited for an answer. Peachstar's eyes were dark when he mewed,

"There is a great battle happening today, and LionClan will fight BloodClan for the forest."