News about Shimmerwing's injury spread fast like wildfire among the RiverClan warriors. Dapplestar had prohibited any more discussion about the matter when cats had started to accuse each other of harming Shimmerwing. After Dapplestar's declaration, the rest of the day had passed with the topic being considered taboo, unless any of the warriors wanted to face Dapplestar's wrath. Even the talkative apprentices stayed quiet. Now that morning came, Shellfall stretched his paws and padded over to the medicine den. He looked through the entrance and called out, "Starlingfern?"
"Come in." Starlingfern's voice was soft as honey. The small she-cat padded up towards Shellfall. "Are you okay?"
"Oh, yes," Shellfall replied. "I just wanted to check on Shimmerwing. Are you allowing visitors, now?"
Starlingfern's whiskers twitched. "Fine. She's still asleep, though." The medicine cat led Shellfall further into her den, and Shellfall followed her. His heart broke into thousands of pieces as he saw the powerful RiverClan deputy, reduced to a broken mass of tattered fur. Oh, Shimmerwing… what happened to you?
"Will she be okay?" Shellfall asked.
Starlingfern sighed. "Honestly, you warriors act like she'll be dead by the end of the day! She'll be fine. She just needs a few days, that's all."
Shellfall refused to be stung by Starlingfern's harsh tone. Instead, he watched Shimmerwing's chest rise and fall. I'm so glad she's alive, and she'll be okay. He didn't know what he would do without the powerful RiverClan deputy – and most of all, his friend. RiverClan was as powerful as it was because of both Dapplestar and Shimmerwing, both using their own oft-opposing ways of thinking together for the sake of the greater good. It had been clear for ages that these were two cats that would walk the annals of history together, eternally joined to one another.
A rustle came from the entrance of Starlingfern's den. Shellfall turned around to see Dapplestar's bulky figure. Starlingfern padded over to greet the RiverClan leader. Shellfall's ears twitched, overhearing their conversation.
"Is she all right?" Dapplestar demanded roughly.
"She'll be okay," Starlingfern replied.
"I want to see her." Dapplestar brushed past Starlingfern, clearly unwilling to wait for permission, and stopped when she saw Shellfall. "Shellfall."
"Dapplestar." Shellfall lowered her head.
"Shimmerwing decided to fall asleep before she could tell me who did this to her," Dapplestar growled, staring at the tawny deputy. "I swear, if she thinks she can die on me, I'll kill her myself."
Starlingfern joined the two cats. "There seems to be much confusion on what happened to her," the medicine cat said, seeming to choose her words carefully. "To me, it seems as if she has fallen into the river and hit her head on rocks. See these wounds?" Starlingfern pointed with her tail to the wrapped cobwebs on several of her wounds. "They're not in places where you would be attacked by an opponent, and under the cobwebs, they're jagged and rough."
Dapplestar let out a low growl. "Shimmerwing doesn't have the brain of a fish. There's no way she would throw herself in the tide."
"That's what I was going to say," Starlingfern meowed. "She's too bright for that to happen. I have my suspicions that, perhaps, something may have happened to her."
Dapplestar examined Starlingfern with cold green eyes. Shellfall winced, wondering what the RiverClan leader would say to her. He never saw Dapplestar consult Starlingfern for advice, as he heard other Clan leaders did with their medicine cats.
"Who was with her?" Dapplestar asked, turning to Shellfall. "Surely you've heard the gossip."
Shellfall flicked his tail. "They say it was Minnowflight and Darkshadow."
Dapplestar's breath caught in her chest, and the narrowing of her eyes made Shellfall suddenly realize what had happened. Just a moon ago, Minnowflight and Darkshadow had been accused of recklessness by allowing a dog to attack their camp. Would they also be accused of trying to kill Shimmerwing? They would never! Shellfall knew that if Dapplestar felt the need to blame them, he would have to talk her out of it.
"Apparently, Shimmerwing doesn't recall what happened to her, or so Runningflame says." Dapplestar looked back at the sleeping she-cat. "Will she ever be able to tell us?"
"I don't know yet," Starlingfern replied. "It's too early to tell."
Dapplestar snorted. "Shimmerwing wouldn't just jump in the river," she scowled. "There's something here I'm missing."
"Perhaps she was trying to save someone?" Shellfall suggested. "It's just the kind of thing she'd do. She'd risk her life for someone she cares about."
Dapplestar said nothing, her face scrunched, while Starlingfern nodded slowly. "Possibly," the medicine cat agreed.
"I'll speak to Minnowflight and Darkshadow," Dapplestar meowed. "Shellfall, I want you with me when I do."
Shellfall nodded. "Of course." I may be the only one to stop you from physically harming them.
"Gather them," Dapplestar ordered. "I'll be waiting in my den."
Shellfall lowered his head to Dapplestar, and when she was gone, Shellfall began to make his way out of the den. He skidded to a halt when he heard Starlingfern call out, "Shellfall!"
"What is it?" Shellfall asked.
"Be careful." Starlingfern's voice revealed nothing, but her eyes said everything as she locked gazes with Shellfall. Shellfall felt the fur on his spine prick. He said nothing, just giving her a dip of his head and leaving her den. As he looked around camp, the atmosphere was as tense as ever.
Sparkpaw and Blossompaw stayed at the entrance of the apprentices' den, not moving, even when their mentors, Gooseclaw and Iceshine came to collect them. Runningflame sat guard at camp, looking lost in thought. Dewfrost, the Clan's new and only elder since Ivycloud and Mossystone passed away in their sleep, had her gaze focused on the leader's den. She must have seen Dapplestar go in there. Shellfall finally spotted Minnowflight and Darkshadow, about to leave camp.
Shellfall bounded over to them. "Minnowflight, Darkshadow!" he called out. "Dapplestar wants to see you."
The two gray she-cats looked over their shoulders, and they both swallowed lumps in their throat. When they nodded, Shellfall flicked his tail and led them towards the bramble thicket that made Dapplestar's den. Dapplestar sat in the shadows, her green eyes revealing nothing as Shellfall sat behind her. The two she-cats were clearly uneasy, shifting their paws. Darkshadow actively avoided eye contact with Dapplestar, while Minnowflight caught her gaze, but Shellfall could tell she was shaking.
"I am told that you two were with Shimmerwing when she nearly drowned the other day," Dapplestar growled. "Is that true? Before you speak, remember that I have not forgotten about the dog incident."
"Well, yeah," Minnowflight replied. "But we parted ways when we were at the river. I wanted to look for prey in the streams, while Shimmerwing wanted to try her paw at land prey."
Darkshadow nodded. "I left before Minnowflight did."
"So Minnowflight was the last one with Shimmerwing?" Dapplestar inquired.
Darkshadow flinched. Minnowflight stared at her paws.
"Is that true?" Dapplestar's voice was as harsh as a raging fire.
Minnowflight took a deep breath. After a moment of silence, she spoke. "Yes. But I did not harm her, Dapplestar. I swear to you. Shimmerwing was my mentor, and she is one of the warriors I respect most in the Clan. I would never harm her."
Shellfall held in a breath. He knew that all the evidence against Minnowflight was circumstantial. There was nothing Dapplestar could do – or at least, he hoped there wasn't – because there was no witness to what had happened to Shimmerwing. Minnowflight simply admitting she was the last cat with Shimmerwing would not cut it, if he knew Dapplestar. As he focused on Minnowflight, he saw that her eyes held an emotion, one that Dapplestar didn't seem to notice. Was that fear? Is she scared of Dapplestar? Or… The fear looked too raw to be for Dapplestar. Is she afraid of someone else?
Dapplestar let out an irritated sigh. "Fine," she growled. "If that's what the two of you insist on, then so be it. Leave my den. Now." With a barely concealed hiss, the RiverClan leader turned away. Minnowflight and Darkshadow lowered their heads, and when Dapplestar was no longer looking at them, they darted out of her den.
Shellfall glanced at his former mentor, knowing that she was taking this hard. To the other cats, Dapplestar seemed like a fearsome, powerful figure. That was what she was, yes, but there was more to her. She was a caring leader who wanted peace for the Clans. Shellfall knew that. And he also knew that she was taking Shimmerwing's injury very hard. But she trusts Shimmerwing. And so do I.
"What do you think happened to her, Shellfall?" Dapplestar asked. "That cat is not stupid enough to throw herself into a river and assume nothing bad will happen to her. Something happened, I can feel it in my bones. And if there was someone behind this… well, I'll just have to kill them." Dapplestar unsheathed her claws and swiped at the ground.
"I don't know, Dapplestar," Shellfall confessed. "I really don't. No one was there. No one can say for sure what happened. Shimmerwing doesn't remember. Maybe, when she wakes up, she can tell us. But for now, I think we just have to thank the gods that Shimmerwing is okay, and she's here with us."
"Maybe," Dapplestar grunted. "Although I doubt she'd want to live the rest of her life not knowing what happened to her." She flicked her tail. "Go on, get out of here. Go check on her. Make yourself useful."
"Yes, Dapplestar." Shellfall lowered his head, meeting her gaze, the eyes of a cat who would stand against gods and demons. Dapplestar was right – he should check on Shimmerwing. Perhaps she had awoken by now. He padded out of Dapplestar's den and headed towards the medicine den. As he walked in, he could see Runningflame's brawny ginger-and-white figure. He got here before I did.
"Glad you're awake, Shimmerwing," Runningflame meowed. "It would truly be a shame if the lass I carried on my back died, huh?"
"You'd never forgive yourself," Shimmerwing was meowing. "How'd you end up on the waterfall, anyway?"
Runningflame's body stiffened, but in the next moment, he was relaxed again, so quickly Shellfall thought he imagined it. "RiverClan territory is mine to roam, don't you know that by now?"
"How could I forget?" Shimmerwing chuckled. Shellfall padded forward, brushing against Runningflame to show himself. Shimmerwing's eyes focused on Shellfall, and her blue eyes lit up. "Hello, Shellfall!"
"Shimmerwing," Shellfall greeted her respectfully.
"Hey, you don't have to act so formally with me," Shimmerwing purred. "We're friends. Drop that act."
Shellfall felt himself relaxing. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay," he meowed. "Dapplestar was worried about you."
"Oh yeah, she was on about how she was going to kill you if you died," Runningflame told Shimmerwing.
"I'm sure she'd follow me into the next life to get revenge on me if I died on her," Shimmerwing laughed. It felt good to see the tawny deputy have mirth in her blue eyes. Shellfall had been horrified when he saw her laying on Runningflame's back, barely breathing, unable to move. Although he knew she wasn't at her best yet, he was sure she would be back to her old self in no time.
"Do you remember what happened?" Shellfall decided to ask.
Shimmerwing froze, and her blue eyes gradually began to cloud over. "I… I don't…" She stared down at the ground, shuffling her paws. "I don't want to talk about it." Her voice turned soft, desperate, as she looked up to stare at Shellfall again.
Oh. "I'm sorry," Shellfall meowed. "I won't force you."
"Thank you, Shellfall," Shimmerwing said.
"Actually, the most furious one here is Rippleheart," Runningflame meowed, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. "He told me he's going to tie himself to you, Shimmerwing, so you're always in his sight."
"That does sound like something he'd do, all right," Shimmerwing agreed. "Better hide all the reeds so he can't."
"Or you could let him and just lure him away from Clan territory," Runningflame suggested. "Kick him out, and all of us will be left in peace. No more worrying from the mother hen, no more being told what to do, no more lectures…"
"Who do you think saves you from Dapplestar's wrath when she wonders where you are?" Shimmerwing asked, rubbing her paw down her face. "Although no more lectures sound nice."
"What are you all saying?" An angry roar echoed through the medicine den, and all three cats froze in place as they turned their heads. Rippleheart was at the entrance of the medicine den, his blue eyes blazing as he prowled closer to the RiverClan cats. Runningflame swallowed the lump in his throat. "Gossiping about me when I can't hear you? That's a low blow."
"The Brookfeather of ThunderClan," Runningflame mumbled. "Don't worry, Ripple, we were just talking about how great you are. You really keep us on top!"
"That's how it better be." Rippleheart sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. His blue eyes were hard as he stared at Shimmerwing. "Honestly, Shimmerwing! You should always be with someone. What would happen to you if no one found you? What would happen if you were alone in some territory? We might have lost you! You should have an escort from now on. And I want you back in camp by sunset. And I want you to tell me where you are at all times. You must be safe, Shimmerwing!"
As Rippleheart rambled on, Shellfall could see Shimmerwing's eyes roll and Runningflame let out a sigh. Shellfall held back the chuckle in his throat. Even though Shimmerwing was gravely injured, she was on the road to recovery, and she was cared about by all the RiverClan cats. I'm so glad she's going to be okay, Shellfall thought. Rippleheart is right in a way. She can't get hurt again.