This next chapter is dedicated to Mallowfeather of Earthclan, Russetwing, and WyldClaw!

You guys are awesome!

Chapter 4

For a moment, Batwing just stood frozen in place, her golden eyes wide in shock. Then in one fluid motion she bent down and pressed her ear against Dawnspirit's chest.

"Thank Starclan!" she gasped as she felt the injured cat's heartbeat faintly thumping. She was only unconscious.

Batwing sat back on her haunches, breathing deeply. "What would Dawnspirit do if it were me injured," she muttered, her eyes narrowed in renewed energy for the sake of her friend, the she-cat jumped to her paws, racing around the clearing, searching for cobwebs.

Batwing's heart was trembling as she scooped up the wispy webs in her jaws. She tenderly placed them on Dawnspirit's wounds, her golden eyes gleaming with worry. "Don't worry," she murmured, nuzzling the young medicine cat. "You're going to be alright."

Batwing wasn't sure how long she lay next to her friend, feeling helpless, however the sky was tinged with streaks of scarlet and lilac when Dawnspirit's eyes fluttered with life. Her blue eyes burst with fear as she struggled to take in what she saw. She blinked several times, her gaze unfocused and confused. "Batwing," she murmured, her tone raspy.

"Don't worry," Batwing whispered, smiling sadly. "You're going to be alright, I patched you up a bit."

Dawnspirit sighed, her eyes flickering closed and then reopening suddenly. "Crookedstar!" she hissed quietly. "Is he gone?"

Batwing shook her head in confusion. "Crookedstar? What-" Suddenly she stopped, a horrible thought dawning on her. "Did he do this to you?"

"Yes." Dawnspirit's voice was blunt and there were tears at the corners of her eyes. "He was on his way back from the moonpool," she began softly. "I don't know what happened, but he was furious and just attacked me. I don't think he was mad at me, something else set him off and I was just in the way."

Batwing narrowed her golden eyes in faint suspicion. Something about the way her friend glanced away and avoided her gaze wasn't right. There was something that Dawnspirit wasn't telling her.

Dawnspirit pushed herself into an upright position and inhaled deeply. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before at the gathering," she murmured, her azure eyes filled with regret. "Its worse now, everything is spiraling out of control."

Batwing shook her head in confusion. "What is? What are you talking about?"

The medicine cat took a deep breath and began. "The clan hasn't been the same since Crookedstar took over. He's been breaking the warrior code multiple times and no one has said anything! They haven't been big changes, just small enough for cats to let it pass. He made Cougarkit and Sparkkit apprentices although they were only five moons old, and he's allowed cats to feed themselves before the elders."

"That doesn't sound that bad." Batwing forced her tone to remain calm, hoping it would rub off on the trembling she-cat.

Dawnspirit shook her head in irritation. "Thats not all. He hasn't announced a deputy yet. But the worst thing was yesterday." She shuddered and then continued. "A hunting patrol was sent out and they only came back with two frogs. Crookedstar- he attacked the head of the patrol, Hawkstorm, in front of the other cats and warned him that if he came back with that amount of prey again an apprentice would be the one to pay the price."

Batwing's golden eyes burned and she shook her head in disbelief. "Hasn't anyone done anything?" she hissed. "They could drive him out!"

"They have begun to support him. Many cats believe that he will take control of the forest and so they follow him for power." Dawnspirit's voice had remained strong however now it began to take different turn. "Theres something else," she mewed, choked. "Did you know Pebbletail?"

Batwing froze. Images of the medicine cat from her dream flashed before her eyes, and she began to tremble. "Very well, actually," she said quietly.

"I think Crookedstar murdered him." Her words were short and a thick moment of silence followed.

"You're joking."

Dawnspirit shook her head sadly, her long silver fur rippling. "Crookedstar said it must have been old age, but I didn't believe him. I keep a very short supply of deathberries out of reach of wandering kits and some of them were missing."

"Oh Dawnspirit." Batwing brushed her tail against her trembling flank. "I'm so sorry." She hated herself for sounding so detached however she was afraid that if she said anything else, the story of who Pebbletail was would spill out.

The two friends sat on the ground in silence, sharing a bond of empathy and understanding. Batwing gazed at Dawnspirit, her mind slipping back to her dream. Pebbletail had been so kind, so warm. She could hardly believe that he was simply gone, poisoned by Crookedstar. She leaned forward and touched noses with Dawnspirit. "He'll be avenged," she whispered.

"Really? You'll help me?" Dawnspirit cried, relief washing out over her grief. "He has to be stopped!"

"Woah, slow down!" Batwing warned, surprised at the alarming change of attitude. "We can't do anything crazy yet, you're still grieving, you're not in the right mind to do anything." She looked away, licking her ebony black fur quickly, unsure if she should say what she was thinking. "We have to wait."

"No!" Dawnspirit said, her eyes as round as moons. "We have to do something now! Cats will die!"

"Listen to me." Batwing stared at the she-cat, her voice fierce. "Crookedstar is a new leader with power who has a burning hatred for me. Right now if we were to try anything he'd kill us both before we stopped him. We have to think of a plan, and bide our time."

Dawnspirit sighed in disappointment, yet she didn't argue. "I know," she mumbled. "So what can I do?"

"Find his weakest link, or what he most fears," Batwing instructed. She paused for a moment, suspicion once more flaring up Dawnspirit winced at her words, as if there was a greater knowledge she was hiding, something which the dark leader feared. However she brushed it off, sure she had imagined it. "In the mean time, I've got an apprentice to attend to."

"An apprentice?" Dawnspirit squealed. "Since when?"

Batwing managed a small laugh, her whiskers twitching in amusement. "Today," she responded. "And right now she's waiting back at the camp for me, wondering why I left her in such a hurry." She jumped to her paws and turned to leave.

"Wait-"

Batwing looked back at Dawnspirit's now warm and hopeful eyes. "Yes?"

"Whats her name?"

"Fawnpaw." Batwing smiled as she said the name, her heart warming just at the sound of it. "Her name is Fawnpaw." She then raced away into the woods, returning to where her hopeful apprentice awaited her return.

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