Blood dripped from Tanglestar's neck.
"Hawkmask, I can see the river," she commented, pausing so the warrior could catch his breath.
"Good," he panted, leaning on the clan leader. "Maybe that will help."
Tanglestar knew the tom was tired and his strength was seeping away, but they had to keep moving. Hawkmask needed Silvermoon- the medicine cat- to help him, but Tanglestar wasn't going to leave her friend to get help. He was too far gone, and Tanglestar wasn't going to risk leaving him alone.
Tanglestar peered through the trees, and could see the shimmering creek dead ahead. The sandy shore looked like a welcoming place to rest. "Come on, if you can make it to the shore I'll find you a mouse," she encouraged the warrior.
"But I'm not-"
Tanglestar didn't wait for Hawkmask to finish. She started walking on the worn dirt path, forcing the warrior to hobble along beside her, partly leaning on her flank. Within a couple of steps they reached the shore, and Hawkmask collapsed. His sides heaved, and dried blood glistened in the moonlight.
"I'll be right back," Tanglestar meowed, reluctantly disappearing into the forest.
After searching for a couple of minutes, she caught scent of a mouse. It was hiding near a tree root. Tanglestar crept forward, and within the blink of an eye, the mouse was dead and hanging from the she-cat's jaws.
Tanglestar began heading back to the creek, listening as the wind ruffled the leaves on the bushes. She smelled the air, and picked up the scent of another cat, not Hawkmask. It was Smokesong, an experienced warrior who got into more trouble than he was worth.
The clan leader jogged back to the creek, and found the tom tending to his wounded friend.
"Dawnfur is getting some herbs, and you'll be fine in a minute," the gray cat meowed, licking Hawkmask's wounds.
"Smokesong, what are you doing here?"
The gray cat looked up, and when he realized it was Tanglestar, he stood up straight and demanded, "What happened?"
"It's a long story. Dawnfur is here too?"
Smokesong nodded, and flicked his tail to the other side of the creek. "She's getting Silvermoon. They should be here soon."
Almost as the gray tom said it, two she-cats burst out of the bushes and trotted through the creek, stopping once reunited with the rest of the group. Tanglestar stepped back, knowing Hawkmask was in good paws, and that there wasn't much that she could do.
She dropped the mouse at her paws, and watched as Silvermoon lathered chewed up herbs into Hawkmask's wounds. The warrior flinched, but didn't complain like a kit would. He was always strong, and worked hard. Too bad there weren't more apprentices, or else she would assign him one. They could learn a lot.
Tanglestar watched as Hawkmask was tended to, and she let her gaze travel to the creek. The water was shallow where they were, but at some points along it the water was deep enough for cats to swim across.
"Ok Hawkmask, can you walk back to camp now?"
Tanglestar turned her attention back to the cats. Dawnfur and Silvermoon were standing side by side, a contrast from the solid brown pelt to the silver and black one. Hawkmask was now sitting up, and Smokesong was standing beside him, protective.
"Can I get a drink first?" Hawkmask asked, pulling himself to his feet.
"Of course," Silvermoon answered.
The group traveled to the creek, only a foxlength away. Tanglestar stood back, watching. She was proud of her clan members, their team work, and their loyalty. She felt like she had actually accomplished something as a clan leader.
As soon as Hawkmask finished licking up enough water, they crossed the river and disappeared into the shadows of the forest. Tanglestar trailed behind, carrying the forgotten mouse in her jaws. Somehow she had also been forgotten, but that didn't matter. As long as her clan was safe, it was ok if she got left behind.
The camp was alive. Kits played and squealed outside of the nursery. The elders were laying outside of their days, remembering the long gone days. Warriors were tucked away in corners of the camp sharing tongues and talking as they ate fresh kill. Tanglestar sat just inside her den, watching as life went on.
Across the clearing was the medicine den, where she knew Hawkmask and Silvermoon were. She considered going over and seeing how the warrior was doing, but thought against it. Silvermoon had shooed her out twice already, saying that Hawkmask just needed some rest. Even so, Tanglestar couldn't help but worry.
"Tanglestar. Something on your mind?" A brown cat speckled with gray leopard spots waltzed up, sitting outside of the low hanging branches of the leader's den.
"No Mosspelt, I'm fine." Her deputy and sister, Mosspelt was always in tune with Tanglestar's feelings.
"You're worried about Hawkmask," Mosspelt stated.
"So?" Tanglestar asked quickly. "There's nothing wrong with that," she said defensively.
"I never said there was," Mosspelt replied, getting up and heading for the warriors den.
Tanglestar shook her head; her sister could be so mysterious sometimes.
"Tanglestar! Tanglestar!"
The clan leader turned her head to see one of the apprentices bounding towards her, huffing and puffing. "What is it?"
"Border… Mountainclan…warning… important."
"Lead the way."
The calico apprentice took off running for the entrance of camp, and the Leafclan leader was on his tail.
Thank you for taking the time to read chapter 5! Please review with comments and advice if you have any! I welcome constructive criticism!