Shadow
"Whitestorm, you lead the dawn patrol," Fireheart ordered the next day. "Take Sandstorm and Ashpaw with you. Mousefur, Dustpelt, you'll guard the camp while I'm hunting with Cloudpaw."
Nightfrost watched as Fireheart looked around with confidence now. The black tom almost smiled proudly.
"I'll leave it up to the rest of you whether you train your apprentices or take them hunting, but I want the fresh-kill pile as full as it is today. We're getting used to eating well!"
An amused purr ran through the group of warriors. "Darkstripe, you lead tomorrow's sunhigh patrol. Runningwind, you take sunset. You can choose who you take with you; just be sure to let them know so they can be ready in time."
Runningwind nodded, but Darkstripe's eyes glittered and he asked, "Who will be going to the Gathering tonight?"
"I don't know," Fireheart admitted.
Darkstripe narrowed his eyes. "Didn't Bluestar tell you, or hasn't she decided yet?"
"She hasn't discussed it with me," Fireheart answered. "She'll tell us when she's ready."
Darkstripe turned his head and stared into the shadowy trees. "She'd better tell us soon. The sun is starting to set."
"Then you should be eating," Fireheart told him. "You'll need your strength for the Gathering, if you're going."
Nightfrost held in a hiss when Darkstripe looked away. While Longtail was not as into Tigerclaw as he was before, Darkstripe was still the same. Nightfrost turn to see Bluestar pushing her way out through the lichen to meet with Fireheart. The two mewed before Fireheart dipped his head and headed to the fresh-kill pile. Nightfrost looked around for Nightpaw when he saw a black, thick tail disappearing into Yellowfang's den. Nightfrost finished his sparrow when his brother stood on his paws.
"Mousefur, Runningwind, Sandstorm, Brackenpaw, Brightpaw, Ashpaw, Nightpaw and Swiftpaw."
Dustpelt, Longtail and Darkstripe exchanged glances then fixed their gazes on the deputy. Fireheart only turned away and joined the cats called to wait for Bluestar. Nightfrost turned to see Nightpaw following Yellowfang out of the den. Bluestar was sharing tougues with Whitestorm, before padded to the cats going to the gathering.
"Whitestorm will be in charge of the camp while we're away," she announced. Whitestorm dipped his head as they left the clearing. Nightfrost yawned and padded to his nest.
Nightfrost was nibbling on a shrew, waiting for his apprentice when Whitestorm, Sandstorm and Ashpaw padded though the tunnel with two Shadowclan cats. Sandstorm padded to the warrior's den and Dustpelt heading to Bluestar. The clan in the clearing formed a circle around the trespassers. Only Nightpaw seem to have noticed something very wrong, having stopped what she was doing, prey at her paws. Nightfrost took a careful observation on the two toms. Both were bony thin, with matted fur and reeking of crowfood and fear.
Fireheart padded out to Whitestorm. "Did they put up a fight when you found them?"
"No," Whitestorm admitted, flicking his tail. "When we woke them up, they begged us to bring them here."
Fireheart seem confused. "Begged you?" he echoed. "Why would they do that?"
Before Whitestorm could answer, Bluestar yowled, "Where are these ShadowClan warriors?!" As she pushed her way through the audience of cats, her face twisted in fear and rage.
"Is this another attack?" she hissed at the two wretched cats.
"Whitestorm found them on patrol," Fireheart explained quickly. "They were sleeping in ThunderClan territory."
"Sleeping?" snarled Bluestar, her ears flat against her head. "Well, have we been invaded or not?"
"These were the only warriors we found," meowed Whitestorm.
"Are you sure?" demanded Bluestar. "It could be a trap."
"You two, take a warrior and an apprentice each. Start at the Thunderpath and work your way back to camp. I want every bit of the territory searched for signs of ShadowClan," Fireheart mewed to Mousefur and Dustpelt.
The two warriors obeyed instantly. Dustpelt called Runningwind and Ashpaw, while Mousefur signaled to Swiftpaw and Ravenwing; then the six cats raced out of the camp and into the forest.
Fireheart turned back to the trembling captives. "What are you doing in ThunderClan territory?" he asked. "Littlecloud, why are you here?"
"W-Whitethroat and I came here h-hoping you'd give us food and healing herbs," Littlecloud stammered at last.
Nightfrost hissed with disbelief , rising with the hisses from the ThunderClan cats, and Littlecloud shrank back, pressing his scrawny body against the earth. At the same time, he was amazed, the two warriors were willing enough to seek help from an enemy clan.
Yellowfang pushed though the cats and was about to pad to them before stopping. "They're harmless, but Bluestar, you should take them away from here, back to Shadowclan territory.
The cats turned to Bluestar, who seem confused. Fireheart spoke up. "Why us? What made you come to our territory?"
Whitethoat, a black tom with paws and a chest that used to be white but were now stained with dust, answered. "You helped ShadowClan before, when we drove out Brokentail," he explained quietly. "We hoped you would be able to help us now. Nightstar is sick. The camp is in chaos with so many cats ill. There are not enough herbs or fresh-kill to go around."
Nightfrost narrowed his eyes. Apparently, these cowards were fearful to what happened to Shadowclan. But...what drove them to seek help from them?
"What's Runningnose doing? He's your medicine cat. It's up to him to tend to you!" spat Yellowfang.
"Nightstar seemed all right at the Gathering last night," Darkstripe growled.
"Yes," agreed Bluestar, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
Littlecloud mewed, "He got worse when he returned to the camp. Runningnose was with him all night. He won't leave Nightstar's side. He let a kit die at its mother's belly without even a poppy seed to ease its journey to StarClan! We are afraid that he'll let us die too. Please help us!"
"They must leave," insisted Yellowfang in a low growl.
"Why?" Fireheart blurted out. "They're no threat to us in this state!"
"They carry a disease I've seen before in ShadowClan." Yellowfang began to circle the ShadowClan cats, studying them but keeping her distance. "It killed many cats last time."
"It's not greencough, is it?" Fireheart asked. Some of the ThunderClan cats began to edge slowly backward as Fireheart mentioned the sickness that had ravaged their own Clan during leaf-bare.
"No. It has no name," Yellowfang muttered, keeping her eyes fixed on the captives. "It comes from the rats that live on a Twoleg dump on the far side of ShadowClan territory." She glared at Littlecloud. "Surely the elders know those Twoleg rats carry sickness, and must never be taken as prey?"
"An apprentice brought the rat back," explained Littlecloud. "He was too young to remember."
"What should we do?" Fireheart asked Bluestar.
Yellowfang spoke up before she could answer. "Bluestar, it is not long since greencough devastated our Clan," she reminded her. "You lost a life then." Her eyes were narrowed.
Bluestar nodded. "You are right, Yellowfang," she meowed quietly. "These cats must leave. Fireheart, send them away."
Fireheart meowed, somewhat reluctant, "Sandstorm and I will escort the ShadowClan warriors back to their border."
Mews of approval rippled through the other cats. Littlecloud stared at Fireheart, pleading with his eyes. The deputy turned away to address to his clan. "Go back to your dens."
Nightfrost watched as Fireheart ran from the entrance, yowling, "Bluestar!" as he rushed to her den. Sandstorm followed with equal excitement. Sandstorm waited a while before Fireheart padded back out with a sign. Sandstorm dashed to him, demanding something. Fireheart nodded and yowled out to Cloudpaw, who was play fighting with Swiftpaw. Cloudpaw stopped and waved his tail to his apprentice. He left with his mentor and Sandstorm.
Nightfrost grinned from ear to ear. Later that day, he padded to his friend, who was waiting outside the nursery eagerly.
"Congrats, Whitestorm."
Whitestorm purred. "I hope your mate will be just as well when your kits come."
Nightfrost shook his head. "I hope so too. The Twolegplace can be crude, worse than here."
The next day, Sandstorm padded to him. "Nightfrost, do you know where Nightpaw is?"
"I have no idea, is Nightpaw missing?" Nightfrost got up, licking off the blood he was feeding from a vole.
"I don't know. I've been looking for her around camp since this morning. His nest was warm at sunrise."
"What are we waiting for? Let's look for her now, Sandstorm. I promise to look out for her," mewed Nightfrost, heading to the tunnel. Sandstorm nodded and followed him. Before they left the clearing, a cat called out to them.
"Nightfrost, Sandstorm, where are you two going?" asked Ravenwing, padding to them.
"We're looking for my apprentice. I haven't seen her since this sunrise," mewed the pale she-cat.
Ravenwing stared at them, shocked. "Nightpaw is missing? I'm coming too!"
Nightfrost nodded and the three cats headed off.
They tracked the scent to Shadowclan border and followed it the opposite way of the Fourtrees, reaching to the edge of their and Shadowclan territory. The three cats turned to each other in wonder and continued. The scent led them to a large tree, near the tow borders. The cats crouched behind a bush. At the hole of the trunk, at strong scent of Shadowclan and sickness. Nightpaw was mixing leaves and berries.
"What is she doing there?" Sandstorm asked and was about to get up when Nightfrost stopped her with his tail.
"Wait, she seem to know what she is doing," he hissed. They watched as she fed the Shadowclan cats the herbs and Littlecloud mewed out a thank you, his voice sounding stronger and better than the other day. Sandstorm flicked her ears in surprise.
"I was wondering who stole some of my herbs," a loud meow from behind. Nightfrost almost jumped out of his fur. Ravenwing was fluffed and Sandstorm was almost hissing in fear.
"I didn't expect to find an apprentice to find a cure to that disease," Yellowfang continued. Nightpaw waved her tail to the Shadowclan cats and padded to the bushes. She almost flew back shrieking. After a scolding from the medicine cat and her mentor, the Thunderclan cats returned to their clan after a talk with the Shadowclan cats.