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How to Start a Friendship

Ashheart

I blink my eyes slowly, trying to take small bites of it. Birdsong lay half dead on the moss while Jayfether tended to her. Ravenwing stood over him, worried. The rest of us were shocked. I mean, how often is it that you see someone that badly injured?

''What... what happened!'' exclaimed Squirrelflight. Her pelt was puffed up in either fear or anger. I couldn't quite tell. ''This... this...''

''I know, I know.'' Bramblestar glared a Squirrelflight. ''I had no choice.''

''YOU SAID THAT..."

''SHUT UP!'' cried Jayfeather. ''With you two squabbling like this, a cat can't concentrate.'' His blue were as cold as ice as he surveyed the two cats. ''You want her to make it? Shut up.'' And with that, he continued to treat Birdsong.

Onestar stood beside Jayfeather as he healed Birdsong. ''You know what this means, right?'' he said quietly. ''For one of their messages to be severed and end up like this?'' Onestar looks over at Birdsong. ''I'm surprised she's still alive. Though, I couldn't expect any less from her.''

''Surprised? Birdsong is one of the strongest warriors there is. She younger than me by four moons, and she can beat me without batting an eyelid.'' Ravenwing curls her tail. The rest of wait for her to say more, but she doesn't. Not that it matters, though.

If she was such a good fighter, why was she so hurt? Jayfeather had washed away the blood, revealing long wounds. It seemed as though she had been caught in a bunch of thorns and then forced out of it. She now had cobwebs over where the bleeding seemed to persist to flow. It's always calmed me to watch medicine cats work, so I watched Jayfeather has he cured the WindClan she-cat.

I was watching Jayfeather apply some more cobwebs when Flowerstep loomed over me. Her eyes flashed with something I couldn't understand. ''What are you doing?''

''Watching a master at work.'' I replied.

''Or are you looking at a certain she-cat?'' her eyes narrowed dangerously.

I scoffed. ''Why would I be looking at Birdsong?'' Did she have to question every single thing I did that included a girl that's not her? ''I just enjoy looking a medicine cats work. It's peaceful.''

''She's awaking,'' said Jayfeather suddenly. To affirm this, Birdsong twitched her tail. Slowly, but surely, her eyes opened.

''What... where... who...'' she croaked. She turned her head around to face Ravenwing. ''Ravenwing!'' she some how managed to shakily get up.''Where are they? '' she asked. Her voice, though shaky, showed she was more like commanding her than asking her.

Ravenwing smiled. ''Thank goodness you're awake! You knocked out and you were bloody. And it was scary! I thought you would stay like that for much longer. And I have no clue who they is.'' she cocked her head.

Birdsong gave her a quizzical look. ''You... weren't... there?'' she asked, her breathing shallow. Ravenwing shook her head. The sliver and white she-cat looked bewildered. It looked like she wanted to say more, but collapsed into the moss. Her groans in pain and turns to face me. Her blue eyes narrow into slits. ''You...''

''I have absolutely nothing to do with this,'' I say defensively. I was probably still thinking about how she had threatened me at the WindClan border.

''Ashfur?'' Uh?

I turn around to see Ashfur standing right next to me. He was so quiet,, I had forgotten he was there. ''You seem to be healing.''

''Uh, no duh!'' She tries to get up again, but fails. She signs with exasperation, as though the pain were trying on her short patience. That's when she sees me. Her eyes widen in surprise. They quickly turn into slits. ''What are you doing here?''

I, of course, have the perfect way to handle this. ''Um... hehe... Ashfur will tell you!'' I quickly back up.

Ashfur gives me a questioning look and shakes his head. Yeah, I know, I'm pathetic. Ashfur turns to Birdsong. ''You see, there is an enemy on the horizon. There are too many for us to handle by ourselves. So, we're sending two cats from each Clan to find allies.'' Birdsong slitted her eyes as she processed the information. I could almost see her gently molding the idea into something she could swallow.

She turns to me. ''So, you chose this guy from ThunderClan?'' she smirked as though it were amusing to think of. ''This is going to be a fun journey.'' I didn't like the sound of that. Maybe I shouldn't have so openly expressed how terrified I am.

Onestar clears his throat. ''Well, since you have all gathered, we should tell who you are looking for exactly.'' We all stare blankly at him. The former WindClan leader bristles. ''Do you seriously think we're going to let you wander around? There are too many possibilities of you dying.'' True, true.

'' We only have names and a vague idea of where they are for some,'' warned Bramblestar. ''The first allies your going to recruit is the Tribe of Rushing Water.''

''I know where they live!'' say Creampaw happily. ''My parents told me everything about them.'' Her fluffy white tail stuck up in the air to show her excitement.

''That's good. You'll have to lead them to the Tribe then.'' Creampaw beamed at the suggestion. Bramblestar continued. ''The next place is SkyClan. We also know where it is located, but we won't tell you until the Tribe is recruited. The next three on the line are SunClan, MoonClan, and The Order. SunClan and MoonClan live closer to us than Order of the Rain, but they still are far away. They live somewhere sandy and and hot. Probably a desert.'' He pauses for a moment. He motions us to get closer to him. We all do that, except for Birdsong, who isn't able to stand up.

I looked over my shoulder to see her give a look of unhappiness towards the group that had gathered around Bramblestar. I remember feeling that, always left out of important things. Maybe that's what moves to go over to her and offer to carry her.

''What?'' her disbelief is evident.

''I don't want you to miss this.'' I explain gently. ''If you don't want me to carry you, you can lean on me. It's really not a problem at all.'' I grin. ''If we're going to be stuck together on a journey, might as well learn to get along with each other.''

Birdsong looks at me closely. She then turns her attention to the group. I could see her debating whether or not to let me help her. Then, deciding she wouldn't be left out, she said, ''All right. I'll lean on you.'' She shakily gets up and almost falls down again. I quickly duck my head and catch her. She gasps,''Ow! That hurt!'' Only later do I see that I caught her in one of her wounds.

Even in her battered state, Birdsong moved pretty quickly. It was obvious that it was tiring her out, but she didn't stop. I was worried since she was limping really badly, but she pushed down any offers of stopping. It took us only a couple of minutes to reach the group, which was faster than I had expected. Birdsong was panting, her breath ragged, when we arrived. She looked up at Bramblestar,''Ready.'' she said simply.

Bramblestar looks at Birdsong with respect. I don't blame him. I'm half surprised she isn't dead from the distance she walked. The leader leans in closer. His eyes shift side to side nervously. I don't what there was to worry about. No one was evil here. Well, maybe not in the Tigerstar type of evil.

''The Order,'' whispers Bramblestar. What's up with secrecy? ''are the cats we know less about. All we know is that they live closer to SkyClan. It's also known that they are famous in their area. They usually help out when there is evil.''

''Then all we have to do is ask.'' We all turn to Ravenwing. ''It shouldn't be too hard to get information out of them. I mean, I would love to talk about a group of cats that help me. Spread the word around, ya know?''

''You said what?'' Creampaw looks bewildered. Ravenwing rolls her eyes and repeats what she said, but faster. I don't think there's ever been a time in which I've felt so helpless.

It seems that Birdsong has magical powers, because she explains to us what Ravenwing had said. At what Ravenwing had said, Bramblestar shakes his tabby head. ''The thing is, the cats in the area keep to themselves. Very suspicious of wandering cats. You'll have to find a way to get closer to them.''

''Like ninjas?'' asked Creampaw hopefully.

''What are ninjas?'' asked Skypaw.

''I don't know. I just made it up.''

''It's time for you to leave,'' interrupted Onestar. ''You've slept long enough.''

And with that, my eyes opened up and I found myself staring into the filtering through the den. I was back in ThunderClan.

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