Chapter 19
"Featherpaw, wake up, it's time for training."
With a soft exhale, Featherpaw opened her eyes, seeing Stormpaw standing above her. "Good morning," she mumbled, a huge yawn parting her jaws.
"Mousefur is already outside waiting." Flicking his tail-tip against her ear, the big dark gray apprentice turned and left. With one final yawn, Featherpaw jumped to her paws, shaking the moss from her pelt before following Stormpaw into the clearing. The late new-leaf sun was only just rising, but the camp was already bustling. Fireheart was nowhere to be seen, though, and Graystripe and Cindercloud stood in his place at the center of the camp. Featherpaw dipped her head in greeting, then moved past the group of cats gathered to receive their patrols for the day and met with Mousefur, who was just finishing her breakfast with Runningwind. As the apprentice approached, both warriors flicked their ears in greeting.
"Good morning," Featherpaw greeted them warmly, sitting in front of them and tucking her plumy tail around her paws. "What will we be doing today?"
Mousefur swiped her tongue around her jaws, then stood, shaking the sand from her pelt. "This one is in fits about Sandstorm, so we'll be taking him out hunting to keep him from driving all of the queens crazy."
Featherpaw felt her whiskers twitching in amusement, thinking about her heavily pregnant mentor. Sandstorm's belly was so round Featherpaw just knew the kits would come soon—and apparently so did every other cat in the camp. The nursery was bountiful—and seeing the way Brambleclaw and Sorreltail had been joined by their tails for all of new-leaf, Featherpaw had a feeling there were many more kits to come before green-leaf was over. As she thought of the kits and Runningwind huffed a retort at Mousefur, Featherpaw turned her attention to the nursery, where Ferncloud lay outside in the sun, watching Sagekit and Thistlekit play. They should have been made apprentices a moon ago… The kits were much too big to stay in the nursery any longer—especially around Brightheart's much smaller kits and soon, Sandstorm's newborns.
"Let's go, Featherpaw."
With a nod, the light tabby followed her second mentor and Runningwind out of the camp, clearing her mind of her prior thoughts and readying herself for a good hunt. They moved slowly through the forest, ears pricked and jaws parted, alert to every sound in the forest.
"Featherpaw," Runningwind suddenly hissed, flicking his tail towards a thrush just a few tail-lengths away. The apprentice glanced at Mousefur for approval, before slipping ahead of the two warriors and falling into a perfect hunting crouch. She pulled herself forward slowly, holding her breath as she watched the bird hop through the leaves that littered the forest floor. When she was only a tail-length away, she pounced, her claws sinking into the bird's flesh and her teeth clamping over the back of its neck. The plump piece of prey didn't even have a chance to let out a cry, and Featherpaw turned back to Mousefur and Runningwind with her chin high, the fresh-kill in her jaws.
"Great catch, Featherpaw!" Mousefur padded slowly to her apprentice, Runningwind on her paws. "I've said it before but I'll say it again, Sandstorm did a great job with you."
Runningwind's whiskers twitched. "Yeah, because every cat in ThunderClan knows you can't stalk prey that well. You're much better suited for fighting than hunting."
Mousefur cuffed the tom over the ears good-naturedly, and Featherpaw's tail curled in amusement. Though she had been sad Sandstorm couldn't keep training her, she wouldn't have picked any other cat to stand in as her mentor. The dusky brown she-cat was quick on her feet and had a good sense of humor, which made the transition easier.
"Kidding, kidding!" Runningwind ducked away from Mousefur's mock-attack, looking much more relaxed than he had been earlier. "C'mon, let's keep going. There's still plenty of time to hunt!"
"Better luck next time!" Featherpaw called apologetically, watching with Mousefur as the squirrel she had been chasing escaped into Fourtrees. By sunhigh, the patrol had worked their way from the ravine all the way to the sacred gathering place of the Clans, slowly adding to their catch as they went.
"Did she miss?" Runningwind mumbled, pushing his way out of a swath of brambles with a mouse in his jaws.
"No," Featherpaw shook her head. "It went over the border.
"Bad luck," Runningwind put the mouse down, taking a moment to sit down. Featherpaw did the same, twisting around to smooth the fur on her haunches as she waited for Mousefur to pad back up the hill. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a shaking bush, but before she could alert Runningwind, a blur of dark gray fur shot of the bush in question and barreled into her side.
"Got you."
Featherpaw blinked, her blue eyes wide until she recognized Stormpaw pinning her down. "Stormpaw!" With a momentous shove, Featherpaw propelled her brother off of her with her back paws. "What are you doing way out here?"
"Border patrol." The dark gray tom sat down, flicking his tail towards the RiverClan border. "Whitestorm and Longtail are back there somewhere. I caught ThunderClan sent and decided to go ahead without them."
"I see you found a hunting patrol." Whitestorm strolled calmly out of the bush Stormpaw had come from, his yellow eyes as warm as the dappled sun. "We've seen plenty of prey around the borders, I can only imagine how great a day for hunting it's been."
"It's been wonderful." Featherpaw purred in confirmation.
"We've probably caught enough between the three of us to feed the whole Clan." Mousefur agreed as she joined them.
"Great, I'm starving." Longtail finally emerged from the undergrowth, joining his patrol. Stormpaw rolled his eyes.
"You're always hungry, Longtail."
With a good-natured growl, the warrior pounced at the apprentice, the two cats falling into a playful tussel.
Everyone seems to be in such good spirits today… Even though just yesterday Bluestar completely left StarClan out of Foxtail's warrior ceremony… I wonder how much of it is forced…
Just as Whitestorm was moving to break the play-fight up, another cat came crashing through the brambles, a mere streak of fur that could have been mistaken for blood.
"Have you seen Bluestar?"
"Foxtail?"
Longtail and Stormpaw broke apart immediately, and Runningwind stepped forward to support the newly named warrior, who was swaying on his feet.
"Bluestar," he rasped again. "Have you seen her? Or Fireheart?"
"No," Whitestorm shook his head, both patrols echoing his motion before he continued. "Why? What's happened? Is everything alright?"
Foxtail shook his head. "I don't… Know… Hailpaw woke up today, before the sun came up, and Bluestar was there to see him. He just… He mumbled a few words—I couldn't hear them, but Bluestar did. She got… Really tense, told Yellowfang she would be in her den and left. When she was leaving I heard her call for Fireheart, but… When Yellowfang left to bring her lunch, she wasn't there. She and Fireheart are both gone. Hailpaw woke up again in a panic, he can't calm down and he just keeps asking where Bluestar and Fireheart are. We have to find them." As he spoke, he slowly regained his breath, though it was obvious his wounds were still bothering him. Featherpaw stepped up to his other side, running her tail soothingly down the young warrior's flank.
"Don't worry Foxtail, we'll help you look for her. Are there already other cats looking for her?"
"Yes." The red-furred tom finally seemed to be relaxing, and Runningwind pushed the mouse he had just caught towards the younger tom.
"Eat this," he urged him. "You need to rest before you keep searching. Mousefur, let's go down the ShadowClan border." The dusky brown she-cat nodded, immediately taking the lead and heading towards the ThunderPath.
"We'll go back down the RiverClan border." Whitestorm announced, flicking his tail to gather his patrol. "Stay here with Foxtail, Featherpaw, and help him search once he's rested."
"Yes, Whitestorm." Featherpaw dipped her head, watching the white tom's patrol leave before turning back to Foxtail. "Eat." She urged him, nudging the mouse closer. "You need your strength."
"We need to find Bluestar." Foxtail mumbled, though after eyeing the fresh-kill for a moment, he gave in, crouching down and devouring the mouse in just a few swift bites.
"Alright, so you said she spoke with Hailpaw before the sun had come up, left to speak with Fireheart, and now she's nowhere to be found?" Featherpaw cocked her head to the side, watching Foxtail carefully as he stood and shook himself—as if ridding his pelt of water.
"Yes."
"Come to think of it… Graystripe and Cindercloud were divvying up the patrols for today this morning, not Fireheart." Featherpaw recalled with an uncomfortable shrug.
"It doesn't make sense…" The young warrior's tail lashed anxiously as Foxtail began to pace back and forth across the small trail they were on. "Why would she just leave…? And where did Fireheart go…?"
Featherpaw was quiet for a moment. "I'm sure that wherever she went, she must have taken Fireheart with her. That's the only explanation."
Suddenly, Foxtail froze, his ears pricking and his eyes widening. "I've got it."
"Got what?"
The red-furred tom padded in a small circle, inhaling deeply through his mouth. "Bluestar's scent, it's here."
Featherpaw blinked incredulously, before parting her own jaws and tasting the air. It was almost so faint she couldn't tell it was there—and she was certain that if Foxtail hadn't said something she wouldn't have noticed at all—but Bluestar's scent was there. "Fireheart's scent is here, too!"
Foxtail nodded, then turned towards Fourtrees. "This way."
Without another word, Featherpaw fell in behind Foxtail, letting the newly named warrior lead her down to Fourtrees. As they got further from ThunderClan's warm, familiar scent and into the jumbled scents in the clearing where Gatherings were held, it became easier to separate Bluestar's scent from the others.
"Did she…" Featherpaw watched as Foxtail followed the scent straight to the slope leading up into the moorlands. "Did she go to Highstones?"
"I… I don't know why else she would go to WindClan's territory, especially with only Fireheart with her." The red-furred tom sat down, shaking his head. "It just doesn't make sense… She declared war on StarClan—why would she go to share dreams with them now?"
"Maybe something Hailpaw said brought her to her senses…" Featherpaw's pale blue eyes drifted to the sky, where the sun was slowly sinking behind the trees. "We should go back and report what we found."
"But if she's at Mothermouth, we have to go get her! What if she and Fireheart are in danger?" Foxtail stood again, his tail once again beginning to lash anxiously.
"The senior warriors need to know, that way we don't have warriors scattered through the forest searching for her when we know where she is." Featherpaw stepped closer to Foxtail, resting her tail on his shoulders. "She'll be alright, Foxtail. Fireheart will make sure nothing happens to her."
A long, tense pause followed her words, before with a heavy sigh, the young warrior bowed his head. "You're right as usual, Featherpaw." His midnight blue eyes met hers, swirling with emotions that Featherpaw couldn't even begin to understand. Even though their pelts were brushing, she had never felt more far away from her former den-mate. "You always did have to keep Stormpaw and I in line, didn't you…?"
Featherpaw forced a purr, pushing the discomfort from her mind. "I still do," she reminded him good naturedly. "Now let's go, we really need to report back." She didn't wait for his reply, turning and padding back into ThunderClan's territory.
Foxtail… What's going on in your head right now…? Is Hailpaw so out of it right now that it's rubbing off on you…? It was no secret that Foxtail and Hailpaw were closer than most siblings—even closer than she was with Stormpaw. If one was not okay, the other was as bad off or worse. The sooner we get Bluestar back in camp and figure out what's going on, the better…
As her thoughts trailed on, getting darker as they went, the young she-cat began to pick up speed, until she and Foxtail were pelting through the forest together. Foxtail took the ravine in almost one bound, and Featherpaw clambered swiftly after him, jumping down to the gorse tunnel and following the red-furred warrior into the camp. As they burst through the gorse tunnel, Featherpaw was surprised to see Hailpaw sitting in the middle of the camp. As they entered, the pale silver tom rushed to his brother, his icy blue eyes dark with distress.
"Please tell me you found her," the apprentice medicine cat rasped, his paws almost seeming to tremble beneath his slight weight.
"No, but we know where she is." Foxtail ran his fluffy tail down Hailpaw's shoulder, and the silver tom let out a soft sigh, his shoulders slumping.
"Thank StarClan…" He sat down, seeming dazed and out of breath. "Where is she?"
"We think she went to Highstones," Featherpaw provided, stepping forward to stand beside Foxtail.
"Highstones…?" The medicine cat apprentice echoed faintly, his eyes clouding. "Why would she…"
Slowly, cats were gathering around the three cats, Whitestorm's patrol included as they entered the camp. "If she's gone to Highstones, does that mean she's made her amends with StarClan…?" The large white tom inquired quietly.
Hailpaw shook his head. "I don't… I don't know."
Featherpaw felt her fur crawling as the entire clan's eyes fell to the small silver tom, as if expecting him to know the entire inner-workings of Bluestar's quarrel with StarClan.
They have no right to put all of this pressure on him…! Before the light gray tabby could speak, Yellowfang shouldered her way through the crowd, growling from the bottom of her chest.
"Stop heckling my apprentice," she snapped fiercely, taking a protective stance in front of the smaller tom. "If Bluestar has gone to Highstones, all we can do is wait for her to return. Graystripe, Cindercloud, I noticed you were organizing patrols this morning? I have a feeling tomorrow will be busy, so go ahead and set patrols for tomorrow as well."
Graystripe nodded, squaring his shoulders. "Right away. And we'll set up a rotation of guard near Fourtrees to keep a lookout for when Bluestar and Fireheart return."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the clan, and slowly, the crowd moved to circle Graystripe and Cindercloud again. Featherpaw didn't move from Foxtail's side, and she noticed that Stormpaw had taken a position at Foxpaw's other shoulder, his amber eyes dark with concern for Hailpaw.
"Will he be alright…?" The dark gray apprentice asked softly.
"I'll be fine…" Hailpaw mumbled, standing shakily.
"Go get some rest." Yellowfang grumbled. "You've got no business being up and about like this."
Hailpaw only sighed, turning towards the medicine den and trudging slowly away, his tail dragging through the dirt. "Hailpaw has… always had a deeper connection with StarClan than anything I've ever seen." Yellowfang explained quietly. "I can tell he's been dreaming while he recovered, but he has yet to speak of any of it, except for the few words that Bluestar overheard as he woke up this morning." The old she-cat looked concerned. Featherpaw couldn't blame her. She was more worried about her den-mate then than she had been when Foxtail had brought his bloody body back two days before. "He'll recover soon enough, he's just trying to work through the dreams he's been having. Help me keep an eye on him though, will you? And if he says anything to you about his dreams, please let me know." All three younger cats nodded, and with a tired exhale, Yellowfang turned and followed her apprentice.
"Let's go see what we can do to be helpful." Foxtail finally meowed.
"Yeah…" Stormpaw agreed quietly. Featherpaw stayed silent, merely following the toms to the group circling Graystripe and Cindercloud.
I'm sure everything will be alright, but… She turned her eyes to the rapidly setting sun, feeling a sudden weight in her heart. I've got a bad feeling about tomorrow…
Well, here's chapter 19! I actually updated faster than 6 months! Yay! I want to go ahead and give a quick thanks to Sunny for reviewing my last chapter, I really appreciate the input (: I was afraid it was too unrealistic, but I think it worked out alright. Thanks again for reading and reviewing guys! I'm sorry this is dragging on so long, but there's a LOT coming up soon, and I'm excited to get it all posted. Please continue sticking with it, and while I'm not going to wait for reviews to continue writing, I love hearing from you guys, and Sandstorm's kits are due soon, so if you've got any names you'd like to suggest, I can't think of any, so the suggestions would be much appreciated! I love you guys, and feel free to let me know what you thought of this chapter! Thanks again for reading!