Author's Note: We approach the end. Has it been a good ride?
CHAPTER NINE
Outside, the murmurs were growing, fragmented news and rumors spreading throughout camp. Yellowstar had emerged from xir den and was calling for the Clan to gather for an announcement. Doveheart offered Wrenface a few words of reassurance, having done all xe could do, and went out to join the crowd of listening cats in the clearing.
"There has been a skirmish on the border with BrookClan," Yellowstar rasped, and at once yowls of surprise and outrage at the confirmation broke out from KnollClan's warriors, especially Yewstorm, who seemed ready to claw BrookClan apart by xemself.
Doveheart felt sick inside. So the attack had been from Fogstone's Clan. Fogstone had always been a very reserved cat, in Doveheart's opinion, but xe had thought after seeing each other at so many gatherings, the two of them might've become friends one day. Now xe had nothing but veiled hostility to expect at the next medicine cat gathering. They weren't supposed to let political squabbles and power plays come between the bond that united all medicine cats, but it was hard not to care when it was one's own food and kits on the line. Xe couldn't stop replaying in xir mind how cool and calm xe had been at the last medicine cat gathering, giving Doveheart no sign of what was to come. Xe resented xem for that—not that the other medicine cat owed xem anything, but bitterness welled within xir heart at the thought of any cat who could so dispassionately disassociate from looming war with the ones xe knew. Xe could have dropped a hint, allow KnollClan to prepare, or even suggest opening negotiations... BrookClan hadn't mentioned needing more territory at the last gathering, but even if they wanted to conceal the deal from MeadowClan, they could have done something, anything, to communicate with Yellowstar before resorting to this.
All these thoughts flew by in a flash, twisting in xir gut, and it was only as xir thoughts drifted back to the leader that xe realized what xe was saying.
"It was Adderpaw who attacked first, after the BrookClan patrol met ours at the border and exchanged words. Adderpaw lunged at their apprentice, and their patrol took that as a cue to attack our warriors as well."
Doveheart felt like the world had dropped out from under xem. Xe couldn't blame BrookClan for this—but now, oh how that xe wished that xe could.
"This outbreak of violence will lead to a misunderstanding with BrookClan if the matter is not quickly rectified, for they may now believe that we are at war. In the resulting fight between patrols, every cat was hurt, but Wrenface sustained the most serious injuries. Doveheart has been tending to xem, and xe has not yet given word on xir present condition. Doveheart?"
All eyes turned to the small gray medicine cat. Xe didn't feel ready to speak. "Wrenface has been blinded," xe answered, xir voice feeling flat and thin in xir mouth.
A wave of murmurs spread through the Clan again.
Yellowstar went on, "A group of cats must be sent to meet with the cats of BrookClan. We must make amends for this mistake and clarify that we do not condone what has happened. Last of all, Adderpaw must understand the consequences of what xe has done. In addition to xir apprentice duties, xe will now answer to Doveheart, who may use xem to complete whatever tasks the medicine cat may require."
Doveheart couldn't help but twitch xir tail upon hearing that. Dealing with an apprentice like Adderpaw was the last thing that xe wanted. What was Yellowstar playing at? Xe could have at least met with xem beforehand to discuss this before throwing it at them in an announcement—but then again, Doveheart wasn't sure how much xe wanted to deal with Yellowstar privately. The leader was intimidating and probably wouldn't be one for much negotiation. But then again, considering what the pale tabby had told xem last time, perhaps this was a show of good faith, an indication of a changed perspective for the better, intended or not. Xe might still be angry that the rogue was healed, but xe apparently trusted xem with some authority over an apprentice, and that was no small poppy seeds.
The medicine cat did not make eye contact with the apprentice even after the announcement had concluded, standing up to head back to xir den. Ahead xe could see Spiderclaw washing Wrenface's head, giving tender licks to xir fur between quiet murmurs. At the very least, xe could be glad that the warrior had someone like that to care for xem.
"Doveheart!" Yellowstar blurted, sounding irritated, and at once the medicine cat spun around.
"Yes, Yellowstar?"
"You're going to the BrookClan border with Blacktail and Daisyfur. Head out."
The gray tabby stood there for a moment before nodding assent, understanding that a medicine cat was the best emblem of truce. Wrenface would be fine in xir absence, and Spiderclaw would keep xem company. Xe had no worries about leaving camp—xe only had worries about making a journey with the deputy.
So xe was put on xir guard when, upon meeting up with the ginger tabby and the white cat, Daisyfur asked what xe planned to do with Adderpaw once xe returned to camp.
"I don't know," xe admitted, feeling sick with xemself for saying that again today, but it wasn't as though xe'd been given time to formulate a task list. Xe followed the two cats through the underbrush in the direction of sunset, adding, by way of explanation, "I wasn't prepared for this, Daisyfur."
"You've always said how much you wanted an apprentice," xe pointed out.
Xe was disgusted that the deputy would take it that way. Daisyfur knew quite well this wasn't at all what xe had wanted—a resentful, impulsive apprentice who had no interest in learning from xem and had been dumped with xem as restitution for Wrenface's injuries.
"Now I see," Blacktail remarked.
"Now you see what?" Doveheart asked, xir hackles rising. If these two were going to start ganging up on xem—
"Why Yewstorm says Daisyfur's a pain in the neck sometimes," xe answered, continuing on with a swaying tail.
Doveheart was too surprised to laugh. Daisyfur, for xir part, scowled and remained silent, but only for a moment. Xe couldn't resist eventually mewing, "And what else does xe say?"
Blacktail chuckled and carried on, leaping up onto a fallen log that crossed their path and dropping off the other side with the seamlessness of the wind. Xir voice was light and playful as xe responded, "Maybe you should ask xem."
Daisyfur grumbled under xir breath, following the same path up on the log with a little clawful scrabbling. "Xe loves me," xe insisted, though Doveheart suspected xe said it more as reassurance to xemself than for the rest of them. "Xe wouldn't be able to fake the emotion if xe didn't."
Like the last clinging green leaf in the time of leaf-fall, Daisyfur had always been difficult to shake from xir pattern of thought. It was troublesome at times, but it also made xem a source of constancy and peace, for the Clan and for xir mate as well. Doveheart could see how much that might serve as a vexing prickle as well as the adhesive cling of a burr between them.
"You used to be such an agreeable kit," Blacktail commented. "What happened to you?" Xe sent Daisyfur a teasing look and winked at Doveheart.
The ginger tabby pressed on, head low. "Swallowpelt died," xe answered back, referring to the Clan's last deputy. "That's what happened."
They didn't say anything after that.
As the earth cooled, a thin mist had descended over the underbrush, dampening every cat's sense of smell, softening the sounds of the forest, and making it harder to distinguish one scent from another, their olfactory outlines faded and blurred into a vague, pale haze. Blacktail's fur began to stand on end, showing uncharacteristic anxiety. Xe started looking over xir shoulder and kept on high alert as if to compensate for how much might be masked by the weather.
The trouble with silence was that it gave the opportunity for Doveheart's thoughts to drift back to what they were doing, slinking through the forest on the way to meet some probably-defensive-and-hostile members of BrookClan. Their leader, Newtstar, was new to the position after the recent death of Heronstar, and so the medicine cat did not know enough about xem to gauge whether xe might send another patrol so soon or mount an all-out attack. Not much of xir leading style had been seen by the Clans so far. Certainly no cat wise enough to become leader would take a skirmish as grounds for war. Xe just hoped, for KnollClan's sake, that Adderpaw and Brownstripe hadn't greatly harmed any of their warriors in return. And poor Wrenface—he didn't deserve any of this either. If it hadn't have been for Adderpaw...
Doveheart almost stopped short as a foreign smell entered xir nose. It was the smell of another cat, but this was too early for them to have reached the border. It smelled strong and musty and unaffiliated with any Clan, like—
Blacktail froze. "The rogue."
Daisyfur stopped too, opening xir mouth to get a better taste of the air.
"Come on. Let's keep going," Doveheart urged, still walking.
"No. It's been here."
Xe stopped and waited, unsure what the warriors wanted to do.
"About a day ago," Blacktail agreed. "It's not getting any mousier."
The medicine cat looked back over xir shoulder from one warrior to the other, but xe didn't say what xe was thinking. Daisyfur left a new scent-marker, an odorous reply to the intrusion, and then they continued on.
When they reached the border, just a few tail lengths from where a branch of the little brook flowed, they found themselves still alone, no additional patrols in sight, and the KnollClan cats turned to Daisyfur. The ginger tabby was staring out toward the ripples of the brook and the rushes and the reeds, the source of smells wet and earthy and cold, pricking up from the murky gauze that obscured the land beyond and the foreignness of the terrain that made up BrookClan territory. The tall plants that grew up around the water were the perfect place for an ambush, especially with the cover of the fog. Blacktail had seemed on the verge of asking if they should go forward, but the look on Daiyfur's face and xir silence told xem no.
They waited quietly for a time, the two of them waiting on Daisyfur, and Daisyfur waiting on another patrol. The day was waning, the sun dipping to meet with the soggy BrookClan land before them, its light diffusing through the mist. In the following lull, Blacktail took the opportunity to scale a tree and kill a bird. By the time xe brought it down, enough time had lapsed for Daisyfur to get around to speaking again.
"Will you be prepared?" xe asked.
Doveheart wasn't sure what to make of that question, xir mind immediately racing toward a possible confrontation with BrookClan—xir warrior skills were rusty at best, and xe hoped to avoid all conflict if xe could help it, knowing xe would be nothing but a liability if it came to unsheathing claws. Xir blood ran cold at the thought of what angry BrookClan warrior might do to xem. Xe also had to wonder if the deputy was asking something about the rogue—whether xe prepared to withhold medicine from it if they came across it and one of the warriors injured it again, a question xe didn't have an answer for, and xe bristled at the thought, unwilling to be put to the kittypet test yet again. Xe already had the leader questioning xir loyalty. Xe wasn't going to take it from Daisyfur, a cat whom xe had personally healed as an apprentice, that time when the little furball got xemself a minor scratch and had whined like a fussy kit.
"For Adderpaw," the deputy clarified. "You should have something in mind before you go back."
Doveheart's fur flattened. Xe felt embarrassed, catching the confused look that Blacktail sent xem.
"I know... I recognize, now," Daisyfur continued, "that xe hasn't always been... taught the right things... and it shouldn't always be left to you to clean up the mess. Xe's going to be resistant, and if you need me to knock some sense into xem..."
"That shouldn't be necessary." There had been too much reliance on knocking as a method of sense already. Doveheart didn't want to continue the tradition. "I just hope Emberpaw doesn't go back to Redfang and Ravenfur. If you'll just see to it that they don't—"
"Well, well, well."
The medicine cat nearly jumped out of xir fur at the sound of the new voice, whirling to see an approaching BrookClan patrol emerging through the foggy reeds. They were several warriors strong, each one of them fierce and glaring, headed by the chilling figure of the majestic tortoiseshell leader xemself.
