CottonTail woke the next morning in the warriors den. GingerTail, the medicine cat, was pawing at his shoulder, trying to wake him up from his deep sleep. He got to camp late last night and felt as if he was asleep for only a couple of seconds. When he padded out to see the clan working hard, he was surprised to see SilverClaw, a loner, walking alongside TigerPaw. The she-cat was a Russian blue and her silver coat glistened in the sunlight. When she turned her head to see CottonTail, she waved goodbye to TigerPaw by a flick of her tail.
"Good evening CottonTail!" She exclaimed.
"Hello SilverClaw. What are you doing away from the abandoned two-leg house?" CottonTail inquired.
"Oh." A look of disappointment spread across her face, "just trying to help out with the amount of warriors here. You seem to be running low."
Although CottonTail felt offended, she was right. GoldenPaw, FlowerPelt, and FireTail had all died in a battle between MoonClan and SunClan a couple moons ago. "It is nice to see you SilverClaw. What are you working on?"
"SunTail, TigerPaw, LightHeart and I just came back from a hunting patrol. At moon high we will go on the border patrol. In a minute I will start patching up the camp walls from where MoonClan destroyed it."
"Thank you." CottonTail pressed his mussel against SilverClaw's flank. She trotted across the clearing and started patching the walls. CottonTail looked at his paws and GingerTail came out of the den.
"I know who you're thinking about CottonTail." She mewed with a sympathetic look in her eyes. "I'm sorry but you have to let it go, GoldenPaw is hunting with StarClan now." CottonTail whipped his head around and stared at her blue eyes.
"Is it going to be like this everyday? Am I going to get trust from this clan? Is every cat going to hate me for my mistakes?" He looked across the clearing to see SunTail talking with LightHeart and glancing at him. The cats looked away and stalked off in the opposite direction of him.
"What mistakes have you made?" The wise she-cat meowed.
"I left my birth clan and SmallEar hates me now. I made some warriors disobey their leader. Not to mention I am not even allowed in the nursery." CottonTail sighed and searched for sympathy in the tabby's expression but found none.
"SmallEar doesn't hate you, I'm sure she just misses you. The warriors you took to SkyClan trust you. That is why they went with you." CottonTail wondered how the medicine cat knew what he did. They get dreams from StarClan but how could some small trip be so important? "The nursery won't allow just any cat in there anyway," she continued, "It is very protective of its she-cats and kits." Just then she walked off towards her den and left CottonTail standing in front of the warrior's den alone.
He looked around the busy clearing. SilverClaw was patching the wall still and next to her was TigerPaw. SunTail and LightHeart were walking into the nursery and ShinePaw was dragging a clump of moss towards the elder's den. RaggedStar was about to lead the evening patrol out with BrightPelt, YellowTail, and StormPaw. RedFur was on his way with a plump mouse to RaggedStar's den as his sister, TinyPaw ran at his paws. There were three cats, GlossyPaw, DappleFur, and GlistenFur eating fresh-kill by a tree stump as the elders BlazePelt and FlameFur came up to them. CheerHeart, the deputy was watching the kits TorchKit and ScorchKit rustle in the sand. CottonTail stood up and walked towards the nursery.
SunTail and LightHeart were padding out of the nursery with a pleasant look on their faces. When they saw CottonTail approach, SunTail turned around and LightHeart avoided eye contact yet stayed put. "What do you want?" SunTail spat not turning around to face him.
CottonTail glanced at LightHeart, the young cat still didn't look at him but sat down watching the pile of fresh-kill. "I need to talk with you." SunTail's ears twitched but he did not turn. "Both of you." At that, SunTail turned to look at him but a snarl was plastered across his face. "We should eat."
When the cats settled inside the warrior's den, the other warriors left without acknowledging CottonTail. He let out a long sigh and SunTail and LightHeart glanced at each other sympathetically. "I'm sorry I took you to SkyClan," CottonTail began, "but we needed to."
His comrades nodded and LightHeart spoke up, "we doubted your loyalty CottonTail." The grey tabby she-cat admitted, "we thought you would return to your birth clan." CottonTail was surprised his friends didn't trust him.
"Especially because of SmallEar." SunTail added, "we know you like her."
"I do not." CottonTail stated, "she likes me."
"We don't mind," LightHeart meowed, "we just can't be here to disguise you all the time."
CottonTail was about to say something when a shriek sounded from the clearing. The warriors burst out of the den to see YellowTail lying down in the middle of the clearing. Her pelt was soaked in blood and her ear was ripped in half. Her mouth was opening and gaping for air. "MoonClan!" She gasped, "they're coming for camp!" The ripple of gasps ran through the cats.
"Where is RaggedStar?" CheerHeart shouted over the meows of panicked cats.
"Fighting..." YellowTail let out a long moan and her stomach was rising and falling all the more slowly. GingerTail ran out of her den with a leaf of poppy seeds and behind her was ShimmerPaw, who was holding a stick with cobwebs.
"SilverClaw, LightHeart, SunTail, CottonTail, RedFur, and HotFoot go!" CheerHeart ordered, "the rest of you prepare to fight!"
The warriors she called sprinted to the exit. CottonTail couldn't help noticing CheerHeart didn't call any apprentices. The others left, leaving him alone at the exit so he trotted over to CheerHeart. The she-cat was watching the clearing, making sure the elders and kits were hidden. "CheerHeart, we need more cats." CottonTail suddenly said.
"They're coming for camp, we need our cats." She responded, "now go!"
"If we are to keep them from getting to camp, we need more apprentices." CottonTail argued, disobeying her order.
"Fine," she finally mewed, "GlossyPaw, TigerPaw, and TinyPaw go with CottonTail!" The three cats she called came scrambling up to CottonTail, their eyes shining with anger and their tails lashing from side to side. He lead the way into the forest and towards the battle cries. He couldn't help noticing TinyPaw's swiftness. She was right at his paws while the others lagged behind. Then, he noticed TigerPaw's agility. He jumped over logs and ducked under low branches as well as CottonTail. Lastly, he noticed GlossyPaw's focus. She was not as distracted by the scurrying prey or scared by the battle cries as the other apprentices were.
When they reached the battle scene, the apprentices ran into the fight without question. CottonTail hesitated, not sure where to join in. He then saw RaggedStar lying on the ground, his stomach still and his eyes closed. CottonTail instinctively ran towards the motionless leader when a large, white pelted tom jumped onto CottonTail's back. The cat's jaw was locked on his shoulder blade but his stomach was open. CottonTail turned so his back claws could rake the opponent's belly. The MoonClan cat let go of CottonTail and let a shriek of defeat ring from his mouth as he scrambled into the bushes towards MoonClan's territory.
CottonTail reached his leader as RaggedStar gasped and his eyes jerked open. It was not his last life, and he seemed to be as energetic as ever. "Thank StarClan you're alive, I thought that was your last life." CottonTail sighed.
"Not this time." RaggedStar meowed. CottonTail wondered what that could have meant. It could mean this is his last life or he has more to go. Would he have mentioned that at all if he had more to spare? His thoughts were interrupted when an all black cat pounced on him. CottonTail was stumbling in the leaves and dirt as he tried to stand up. When he was about to get up, the cat scratched his flank and another cat chomped down on his shoulder blade again. Tumbling down, the weight on his back was suddenly lifted. He looked up to see SmallEar, the SkyClan she-cat, wrestling with the MoonClan intruder. Her claws were unsheathed as she scratched the cat across the face and grasped his hind leg in her mouth. Blood tricked into her mouth as the MoonClan cat tried to get free.
CottonTail was now face to face with the black cat who scratched his flank. SunTail was close behind him, writhing on the ground as a yellow tabby was was about to pounce him. CottonTail took his claws and scratched the black cat's throat and launched onto the yellow she-cat right before she landed on SunTail. When she fled in the direction of MoonClan, he noticed more warriors approaching. These cats belonged to CloudClan.