Chapter 17!

Hailpaw watched in equal parts shock and horror as Bluestar immediately slid from the Highrock, barely landing before ducking back into her den, the tip of her still-lashing tail disturbing the lichen that veiled the entrance as she vanished behind it. For a moment, the heavy silence lingered over the entire clan, before Thistlekit piped up suddenly, "Can she even do that?"

The kit's innocent—though suddenly relevant—question broke the spell, and the cats of ThunderClan erupted into chaos. Hailpaw watched helplessly as his Clan-mates argued amongst themselves, fur bristling and voices rising into desperate yowls.

"Enough!" Fireheart's sharp command echoed around the clearing, his tail lashing as he squared his shoulders against the huge task Hailpaw knew he had to face next. Somehow Fireheart has to convince ThunderClan that everything is still okay. Our leader just declared war on our warrior ancestors—and Fireheart has to make them believe that she's okay, and that we'll be okay. He turned his icy eyes to the dark sky above them, a chill creeping down his spine as he realized the lingering clouds moving to blot out the stars. Oakheart, what can I do…?

"The last thing we need right now is arguing within the Clan." His father's sharp green eyes raked across the cats of ThunderClan, as if daring them to object to his statement. They didn't, and he continued more quietly, "Bluestar has not been feeling well since Tigerstar returned, as I'm sure you all know." Taking a deep breath, Fireheart sat down, beckoning with his tail for the clan to move closer to him. Cindercloud slipped through the crowd to press her flank against his, and Yellowfang took his other side, her patchy shoulders as tense as if she were ready to rush into battle at any time.

"Bluestar may seem rash and angry," Fireheart began softly. "But everything she says, she says only in fear for her clan's safety. In her eyes, Tigerstar is the largest threat. He was one of the best warriors in the Clan, and to lose him hurt us all greatly—especially Bluestar, who put more trust in him than any of us by making him deputy of her clan. For him to return—and then for the forest to be shaken by such a mighty storm—has frayed on the last of Bluestar's tightly wound nerves. In time, she will recover. As she sees life in the forest continuing naturally, and her Clan thriving despite these challenges, she will come back to her senses."

"And if she doesn't?" Runningwind's question was met with unease, as cats began glancing warily at each other again.

"She will." Whitestorm rumbled gently, meeting Runningwind's gaze. "Bluestar will always come back to us, no matter how far she may stray from being the wise leader we've known for so long."

Frostfur nodded. "She's never let us down before."

More sounds of encouragement were coming from the Clan now, though Hailpaw felt little relief—and he could tell Yellowfang and Fireheart felt the same.

"For now," Fireheart cut off the chatter with a raised paw. "The first evening patrol needs to be on its way. Brackenfur, Swiftstep, and Sorreltail, go now." The three warriors named jumped to their paws, falling in behind Brackenfur as the golden-brown tom led the patrol out of camp. "Longtail, you'll lead the second night patrol, and I need Runningwind and Tawnypelt each to lead a hunting patrol in the morning—prey will be scarce after that storm, we'll need as much as we can get. And now," Fireheart raised his voice again, addressing all of the Clan. "I need all of you to get some rest. I will stand guard tonight."

At the dismissive wave of his tail, the clan disbanded, immediately breaking into groups and murmuring amongst themselves, even as they made their way to their dens. Hailpaw noticed Foxpaw meowing brightly to Thistlekit and Sagekit before pushing them into the nursery with his fluffy tail, his demeanor instantly changing to one of concern when he no longer had to convince the kits all was well. Stormpaw and Featherpaw stayed by Ashfur's side, along with Ferncloud and Dustpelt. Hailpaw sighed.

Though they seem to have calmed down, the clan is still in turmoil… Fireheart made a wise choice, divvying up patrols. Completing normal tasks will help them feel as if nothing's really changed…

"Hailpaw!"

Yellowfang's sharp meow broke Hailpaw from his thoughts, and the pale silver tom made his way to his mentor's side. "Yes, Yellowfang?"

"I need you to make sure all of the herbs are in order in the medicine den—take a good inventory check. After a storm like that, it's going to be hard to restock, so we need to know now if there's anything we're going to have to live without for a while."

The pale tabby nodded. "Of course." He noticed the small pile of herbs at his mentor's paws, giving the old she-cat a curious glance.

"For Bluestar." She supplied quietly. "To help her sleep."

"I see." Hailpaw let his gaze wander to the ground. "She'll be okay, won't she, Yellowfang?"

The old queen let out a heavy sigh, and suddenly Hailpaw felt even less sure than he had before. "We can only hope."

"Can you smell it…?"

Hailpaw parted his jaws, taking in the harsh scent. "Oakheart, what is that?"

The reddish-brown Starclan warrior only shook his head, his shimmering image slowly beginning to fade. "Be cautious, young Hailpaw—in the wake of the storm, a greater danger comes. A mighty hunter prowls the forest."

"Oakheart that doesn't make sense!" The slender tom lashed his tail, turning an icy glare on the former RiverClan deputy, but he was already gone. Hailpaw sighed, peering carefully out of the undergrowth. A mighty hunter…? What…

His eyes widened as he remembered his dream from just a few nights before. A fox? He stood, whirling around and inhaling deeply. The scent was everywhere now, he realized, surrounding him and making it impossible to tell where it was coming from. To the left?!

Too late—the tabby could only gasp in terror as bright white fangs flashed out of the darkness, shutting his eyes quickly. The pain never came. Only the heavy, familiar feelings of blood crashing over him and seeping through his pelt. StarClan… Why…?

Hailpaw woke trembling, his breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps as he struggled to calm himself. It was just a dream… The silver tabby nearly scoffed even as he thought it. I'm a medicine cat apprentice—it's never just a dream… Taking his first deep breath, Hailpaw stood, still a little unsteady on his paws. It's been almost a moon since the storm… Flicking his ears thoughtfully, he padded through the fern tunnel and into the main clearing, not surprised to see that the camp was already busy in only the very first light of dawn. Bluestar has the warriors and apprentices working nonstop, and because of her 'war' with StarClan, she won't give Thistlekit and Sagekit their apprentice names—though they reach their sixth moon in only a small number of days… As he thought of them, he saw the two kits following Dustpelt as he left the nursery. Probably asking when they'll be apprenticed…

"Hailpaw."

He turned to see Foxpaw heading towards him, his dark blue eyes seeming even darker in the pale morning light. "Good morning," the pale silver tabby touched his nose to his brother's in a quiet greeting, silently taking note of how tired the red-furred tom looked.

"I'm on hunting duty today, want to join?"

A vivid image of snapping white fangs flickered behind Hailpaw's eyes, but he blinked it away. "Let me check with Yellowfang. There may be some herbs she want me to gather while I'm out."

Foxpaw perked up immediately. "Great!" For the first time in what seemed to Hailpaw to be far too long, his dark-furred brother paced around him in a wide circle, his tail-tip flicking. "Hurry up! It's been forever since we've been able to hunt together!"

"Alright, alright," Hailpaw purred, his tail curling in amusement. "She mentioned seeing to the elders last night, I'll go see her and meet you at the gorse tunnel."

Despite his grim dream, Hailpaw found himself getting more and more eager as he approached the elders' den. It really has been a while since I've gone hunting with Foxpaw… Maybe this is the break I need.

"Yellowfang?"

"Hm?" The old gray she-cat didn't look up from rubbing a poultice on Smallear's pads, but Hailpaw knew her noncommittal grunt was a good a sign as any that he had her attention.

"I was wondering if I could hunting with Foxpaw this morning? And gather those herbs we spoke of last night on the way back?"

Yellowfang sighed, though it was as good-natured as it was exasperated. "For being as good with medicine as you are Hailpaw, there's still an awful lot of warrior in you." She finished with Smallear's pad, and turned to swipe the young tom affectionately over the ears. "As there should be. Now go, get out of here—and bring me back something fat!"

Hailpaw ducked, purring in amusement as he darted away. "Yes, Yellowfang!" He bounded straight to where Foxpaw was waiting at the gorse tunnel, flitting past him with a bright, "Beat you up the ravine!"

"Yeah, right!"

The medicine cat apprentice could hear his brother gaining on him, until with a startled yep, he felt Foxpaw's full weight come crashing down on him just as he reached the top.

"I think we should call that a tie," Foxpaw meowed smugly, pinning Hailpaw until the silver tabby finally sighed with defeat.

"Alright, alright, now get your hulking mass of warrior muscles off of me!" Foxpaw let him up with a laugh, and Hailpaw couldn't help but to add with a twitch of his whiskers, "Or is that from all the fresh-kill you've been eating recently? Are you expecting kits, Foxpaw?"

The warrior apprentice brushed the taunt off with a dramatic gasp, his eyes growing huge in mock terror. "But Hailpaw—! How did you know?!"

Hailpaw rolled his eyes, feeling his heart grow lighter and lighter. He hadn't realized how little time he had been spending with his brother recently, and suddenly, he was glad they had this chance. "Alright, alright, you're going to scare away all of the prey—and maybe my herbs, too!" They spent just another few moments laughing, before Foxpaw finally shook his head, then the rest of himself, as if shaking water from his pelt.

"That was nice, Hailpaw," he meowed softly. "It's been too long."

Hailpaw sighed. "Yes," he agreed. "Once Bluestar feels better, we'll be able to have time like this more often. For now, let's make the best of the time we do have."

With a nod, Foxpaw turned and led the way, Hailpaw close on his tail. Soon, they had both shifted into balanced hunting crouches, creeping along the trails with their ears pricked and jaws parted. It wasn't long before Foxpaw flicked his ears towards a mouse, scuttling beneath the trailing limbs of a bush, and Hailpaw broke silently away, deeper into the foliage to scout for more small animals that may be foraging for food. There. His ice blue eyes locked onto a plump mouse, nibbling steadily away at a nut held between its paws. Thank-you for the life of this mouse, StarClan. As easily as breathing, Hailpaw lunged forward, dispatching the mouse with one blow.

"Hailpaw?" Foxpaw called to him quietly. Why is he being so quiet…? He straightening a little, intending to stick his out of the tangle of branches above him, when he thought better of it, in case his brother had been warning him to be quiet to he didn't disturb his hunt. Maybe I'm hearing things…

"Hailpaw!"

This time Foxpaw's voice reached him as a panicked yowl, and as the medicine cat apprentice whipped around, an all-too-familiar stench washed over him, followed by the ferocious snap of the largest fangs he had ever seen.

Hey! These last few chapters have been kind of fast-paced, and I'm so sorry if they seem rushed _ I'm trying so hard to get to the main story line without just skipping a thousand moons, and I really need to know if you guys are even still interested… I just feel like I'm losing a lot of interest by rushing through these chapters like this, and like the plot is getting really hard to follow. Is it just me? Help me guys, I'm really not sure if this is turning out well Dx

I'm going to try to keep writing the next chapter, but I would really like some input, if you don't mind… If it's too much trouble, don't worry about it, I'll continue as is, I just want to make sure I'm not being dumb or making mistakes Dx Anyways, thanks for reading!