The Story Unfolds

Ashheart

''She's back in WindClan, right?'' asks Seedfall.

''Yeah,'' I sigh. I was curled up in the moss at Seedfall's den. The last rays of the sun trickled down my back. It left a gentle warm feeling that I always enjoyed. It reminded me of good times.

''She's a troubled girl,'' says Seedfall absentmindedly. He bustled around the den, putting herbs in stacks. I offered to help him, but he told me I would probably mix herbs up. Which is probably what would happen, since I have no medicine experience at all. ''Dreampaw told me that her only family was her sister.''

''Dreampaw? Her sister?'' I look up from staring at the bug in front of me. I had talked with Dreampaw just a few sunrises ago. She had been looking for catnip near the border, but couldn't remember where. I had lead her it's location. We chatted about how things were going on at both Clans. She was also very cheery. I wonder why her sister wasn't like that.

''What else would she be?'' asks Seedfall wearily. I smile sheepishly. ''At any rate, she's moving ahead blindly into life.'' I grin at his comment. Only Seedfall could say things like that.

''Well, she's sorta cute...''

''...with a sharp attitude. At least, that's what I would think from what I hear.'' He cocks his head. ''Ashheart,'' he says seriously, '' you do realize that whatever she came for, it was serious.''

''Well, I know that. I'm not that big of an idiot.''

''Could it be that...'' Seedfall gazed into space. His eyes were unfocused, as though he were looking at something he could only see. Which is true. For some odd reason, Seedfall was born with the ability to see things others couldn't. I don't know what it does exactly, but I personally think it makes him interesting. I like to wonder what it's like to see things that the naked eyes is unable to see. Things like secrets, hidden messages, and the future. Seedfall always tells me it's nothing I should admire, but I think he's just being modest.

My older brother shakes his head. ''Sorry,'' he says, looking apologetic. ''It happened again.''

''It's alright.'' I curl my tail to my nose. ''What did you see?''

Seedfall eyes me warily, as though wondering if he should tell me or not. It's really despairing that he tries to protect me from things that he doesn't want me to hear. He's been doing it from the beginning. Ever since I was a kit, he's been trying to stop troubling news from reaching me. I understand that he only does it because it thinks it's best, but, it's tiring.

''You can tell me. I'm not a kit anymore. I'm a warrior.'' I look at him square in his eyes.

''There's something that the other Clans know. Something troubling. I just can't catch what it is.'' he sighs. ''It has something to do with why Birdsong came here.'' He pauses. His eyes betray that there's something else to what he saw. His amber eyes, identical to mine, look into my soul. ''There will be a quest,'' his voice grows quiet, so I'm forced to lean in to hear. ''A quest that eight will make. And, you're one of those to be chosen. To save...'' his voice trails. It takes me a couple of seconds to figure out that he just fell asleep.

Sighing, I gently take him by the scruff and drag him to his nest. It drains him to use his ability. I don't know why it does, though. I pad towards the entrance and stick my head outside. Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply and catch a scent that sends me scrambling back into the den.

''Oh, Ashheart!'' chirps Flowerstep. ''Where are you?'' She bounces lightly over to the den before I get the chance to hide. ''Oh, sweetie!'' she puts her muzzle on my neck. ''I've been looking everywhere for you!'' Of course you have. What else do you do other than chase me down? I think bitterly.

''F-F-Flowerstep,'' I stammer as she starts to rub herself against me. I back up, terrified.

''What's wrong?'' she asks innocently. She tilts her head and gazes me with dark amber eyes that would left any other tom at her paws. My best friend, Strippedtail, says I should be happy that the prettiest she-cat in the Clan loves me. He says I'm lucky. Sure, I guess she's pretty. Much like her older sister, Goldstream, she has the same pelt. Yet something about her makes her prettier than Goldstream.

''Ashheart?'' Flowerstep padded closer to me. She pressed her cheek against mine, leaving me in awe at how soft her fur was. She gently rubbed her cheek against mine, but that was all that was needed for me to back away again. Flowerstep looks at me with a hurt expression. ''Is something wrong?''

''Yeah. He's supposed to be helping me.'' I nearly sigh in relief. Seedfall padded up to both of us. He gently pushes Flowerstep away. ''Shoo, shoo, now. Can't have him distracted.'' Flowerstep mutters something like, ''I was about to leave.'' and walks away.

''Thanks.''

''No problem. I know how much she annoys you.''

''Can I ask you something?''

''Sure.''

I look to both sides to make sure no one overheard me. Leaning into his ear, I whisper seriously, ''Can I sleep in the medicine cat den for tonight? Only StarClan knows if I'll survive another night with Flowerstep sleeping nearby.''

Seedfall chuckles gently. ''Alright. But just tonight.'' I give my brother a grateful look.

As sleep settles on me like a stone, I go through the day's events. I reflect on my actions, if they were fair, and what I could have done instead. It's a trick that my mother taught me. She says that if you reflect on what you've done at the end of day, you'll catch what mistakes you made. That way, you can't repeat them. Satisfied that I've done the best for that day, I drift off into sleep.

I tilt my head and blink. Was it even possible to be here? Shaking my head, I pace around the moonpool. At least, I think that's what it is. It fits the description Seedfall has given me.

''Any idea who we're waiting for?'' asks Creampaw for the millionth time.

''No. Now shut up.'' grumbles Pinetail.

''Now, now,'' chides his Clan mate, Skypaw. ''She's young so...''

''YOUNG? YOU AREN'T EVEN OLDER THAN ME!'' spats the RiverClan apprentice. ''YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO...'''

''Is anything wrong?'' Squirrelflight pokes her head in. Her starry pelt was slightly bristled, as though she were a little afraid.

''Don't worry. It's all good over here.'' replies Skypaw smoothly.

''Why you little...'' mumbles Creampaw. She sits down next to her brother, Surviorpaw. He gently licks his sister, instantly calming her down. ''Thanks.'' Surviorpaw nods shyly.

Squirrelflight's eyes sparkle in amusement. She turns to me.''Think you can tell what happened here?''

I'm about to tell her when Flowerstep shoves herself in between Squirrelflight and I. ''Creampaw was asking a question and Skypaw said something that upset her.'' She turns to me and smiles, as though asking for my approval for what she said. I roll my eyes and just nod. Now I'm in a bad mood.

''Squirrelflight, who are we waiting for? I mean, Blackstar gave no details. He only said, 'Someone is missing' and left. Do you think that we can live on just that? I mean, is it a girl or a boy? Oh! Is it a StarClan cat from the distant past? Is the cat alive?'' Ravenwing pauses before continuing. ''Not trying to be pushy or anything of that sort. 'Cuz I'm not a pushy girl. Ya know what I'm saying? So, anyways, back to the topic. Can you just give some more info on what's going on? And who we're waiting for? I'm pretty sure we'll die by the time the cat shows up.'' She looks around and everyone's astonished faces. ''What? Is it so wrong to ask?''

''There is nothing wrong in asking. But you talk so fast, it's a miracle you have breath.'' The StarClan cat tilts her head to the side. ''You're all gathered here for a special purpose...''

''No kidding. I mean, how is it important to meet a StarClan cat in your sleep?'' grumbles Pinetail. His tails curls, and looks unhappily at it.

Squirrelflight shoots him a death glare and continues, ''You see, an enemy is coming this way. But the Clans aren't strong enough to defeat them.'' She raises her tail before we start to protest that we aren't weaklings. '' It has nothing to do that our warriors aren't strong. It's numbers. We would last only a couple of hours due to the sheer amount of cats they have. Yes, we have skills, but we are in desperate need of numbers.'' The seriousness in Squirrelflight's voice brushes me in the wrong way. I hate being serious. It's no fun at all. But if I have to take it seriously for the Clans to live, might as well try.

''We chose two cats from each Clan to go on this journey...'' My thoughts drift over to what Seedfall had said. He had said that the will be a quest. And that I would be chosen. ''...waiting for the eight cat.'' I nearly slap myself for spacing out. But I heard the thing that I needed to hear. Thank StarClan for that.

''So, we're waiting for Ravenwing's partner?'' asks Surviorpaw timidly. It's his first time speaking, so I'm startled to find out he has a voice. ''Ravenwing is the one only without a partner, so...'' his voices drifts off gently. He then looks up shyly at Squirrelflight.

''Yes, that's right. Though,'' Squirrelflight looks nervously over her shoulder,'' I don't understand why it's taking so long. It isn't very hard to summon cats, so it troubling that finding her is taking time.''

We find out what's taking so long after a few seconds of silence. Bramblestar bursts in with the limp figure of a cat in his jaws. He's going so fast, I can't actually see who it was. Scrambling right after him is Jayfeather. ''SLOW DOWN!'' he screams as both of them barrel through us. Their alarm sends a shiver through our group.

''Should we follow them?'' asks Creampaw. We all look at the shocked Squirrelflight to answer the question.

''I say we follow them. Maybe the cat they were holding is Ravenwing's partner.'' I say. It's probably not my place to take charge of the group, but I can't help it. I just have to try and find a solution to everything. Squirrelflight snaps out of her shock, and nods in my direction.

Taking that as a cue to follow the two toms, we all sprint after them. Ravenwing, a natural runner, takes the lead. Behind her is Surviorpaw and Pinetail. Tailing after her brother, Creampaw is in front of Flowerstep and me. We run in this little formation until we find ourselves in what could be the grandest medicine cat den ever.

The transparent ceiling sails over our heads, showing us the moon and stars. The den is aligned with every herb a medicine cat could want. I'm also certain there were a bunch of other herbs that even my brother didn't know. The ground is made of the soft green moss, making a perfect place to just lay an injured cat.

We're startled by the two cats who basically barge into us from behind. Creampaw is thrown to the left and her brother gets thrown to right. Ravenwing, Skypaw, and Flowerstep get their tails stepped on. And me? I basically get trampled. The only that is not affected by this is Pinetail. He smirked at us as we groaned injuries.

I'm pretty sure I could have gotten up a whole lot faster if Flowerstep hadn't started trying to help me up. Instead of getting me up, she seemed to be pushing me down. I had to tell her to cut it out so I could stand up properly. It was humiliating, since the rest of the group seemed to be holding back laughter. Except Suriviorpaw. He gave me a sympathetic look, as though he understood what it felt like. I'm really starting to like this kid.

''Is that, Ashfur and Onestar with Bramblestar and Jayfeather?'' asks Ravenwing. Her dark yellow eyes were trained on the two cats that had just barged into us. I noticed that unlike the rest of the group that had been trampled, her black fur hadn't bristled one bit.

''They fit the description of the stories,'' replies Creampaw. ''Right, Surviorpaw?'' He nods in agreement.

Bramblestar looks up. His eyes scan the area until they land on us. He gently narrows them, as though wondering something. He then turns to Jayfeather and whispers something to him. The former ThunderClan medicine cat nods. Bramblestar gets up and pads toward us. ''So, your the rest of the group, aren't you?'' We all nod, unable to speak.

Well, except of Ravenwing of course. ''Yeah, we're the group you guys chose.'' Her eyes suddenly widen, as though remembering something. ''You were the one that bumped into us! You were holding a cat in your jaws? Who was that? Some other StarClan cat? Or was it my partner? Oh! It's a girl, right? Squirrelflight said her, so it's gotta be a girl! Okay, but who is she? I mean...'' her voice trails off when she notices the look of astonishment on Bramblestar's face. She puffs up her cheeks in an angry manner. ''It's like you've never heard someone talk!''

The StarClan cat shakes his head in bewilderment. ''You sure can talk.'' He looks up at us with a sort of troubled expression. ''Yes, the cat that I brought in was a girl and she is from WindClan.'' Ravenwing perks her ears at this. Bramblestar sighs. ''However, she doesn't look very good.'' He motions for us to follow him. Glancing nervously at one another.

Ravenwing gasps in horror at her Clanmate. She's got blood all over her body, so it's hard to see who it is. Her chest raises painfully slow. Although I can't see wounds, I'm sure she's got some. Ravenwing gently starts licking her, which is sort of gross. But the licking reveals a white chest spot that only one cat has. It's Birdsong.

So, what do you think?

R&R!

So... yeah... Bye! :D