Chapter Three

It had been a few sunrises since Moonstar's meeting with the strange cat and she wasn't sure when she would be seeing him again. She found herself wondering about him more and more, wishing she had gotten to ask him more questions about his group before he had dissapeared. She still felt guilty any time she thought about his ebony pelt but she kept it to herself. She had just exited her den right before sunhigh when Battlescar came charging into camp; a loud wailing could be heard outside the entrance to the camp.

"We need Webpelt! Morningsun is hurt," he exclaimed as he flew past her towards the leafmender's den. Moonstar emmediatly went to leave the camp to go find Morningsun. It was quite easy, the she-cats wails could be heard all over the jungle. As she approached, she was not prepared for what she saw. Her most recent warrior, a spunky and young she-cat, was covered in gashes and her chest was ripped open. You could see her bones in some places where the gouges were too deep.

Antlerheart and Fernpaw anxiously crowded around the injured warrior, pressing anything they could into her wounds to stop the bleeding. Eventually, her wailing stopped, and she lay on the jungle floor shivering. "Morningsun, what happened to you," she whispered in horror.

All she did was cry out, her legs stiffening with the obvious pain she was in. Antlerheart drew close to his leader's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "We don't know what happened. Fernpaw was hunting near the beach with her and came running over to me in a panic." Moonstar looked at the apprentice for a moment but she would not meet her leader's eyes.

In a few more moments, Webpelt was there, Antlerheart following behind with a bunch of herbs smashed in his jaws. Webpelt whisked by Moonstar, flicking his tail for the others to give him space. Antlerheart led his apprentice to the base of a nearby tree and pulled her close beside him to try and ask her what had happened. She just shook her head and stared down at her paws.

Moonstar padded over and rubbed her tail down Fernpaw's back, hoping to calm the apprentice. She could feel tension and terror tightening her muscles, making her stiff. "Would you like me to take you back to camp," she asked softly. Antlerheart started to object but Moonstar silenced him with a glare. If the apprentice was suffering from shock, she needed to go back to camp to be fussed over a little. Fernpaw nodded quickly, her silvery tabby fur fluffed up and prickly.

"Stay here and help Webpelt," Moonstar ordered Antlerheart. All he did was nod and turn back to the leafmender and the injured Morningsun. He turned back to Moonstar before she left and called, "Make sure to tell Crimsongaze that I'm alright." She assured him that she would pass on his message and started to lead Fernpaw back to camp. She could feel emotions surging around the apprentice like a violent aura.

"You don't have to tell anyone what happened until you're comfortable," Moonstar meowed softly to Fernpaw. The apprentice leaned into her leader's fluffy white fur and seemed to relax for a moment before standing up straight once more. She was still uncomfortably quiet, something that worried Moonstar. What if this makes her mute, she thought sadly, I remember when she was still a kit at Venompool's belly. And now she might be changed into a completely different cat.

The walk back to camp felt long and awkward, but when they returned Venompool was at the entrance pacing. Berrysplash was also there, sitting calmly in the shadow of a holly bush. As soon as they padded into sight, Venompool rushed towards her daughter; but Moonstar blocked her path. "She has had a shock, she needs to see Webpelt when he returns," she commanded her softly. Venompool glared at her for a heartbeat, but then turned back to the camp entrance and walked inside.

Silent, questioning gazes passed over Moonstar and Fernpaw as they padded over to the leafmender's den. It was cool and calming inside the herb scented den, the walls of the bush gave off a slight rustling sound that buzzed in the background. Moonstar led Fernpaw to a moss lined nest in the corner, licking her head as she settled inside.

"Was it a boar, or a badger," she tried to coax the apprentice one last time; but she just shook her head and whimpered softly. Moonstar felt unimaginably terrible for not only Fernpaw, but for Morningsun as well. What kind of creature could do that to a cat; if not a boar, then what? She took up sitting at the entrance to the den but she could not get the deep gouges in Morningsun's body out of her mind.

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It was well past sunset before Webpelt and Antlerheart returned, supporting Morningsun between them. To Moonstar's relief, she could see that the gouges and rip in her chest were packed tight with cobwebs and sticky from a fresh dressing of herbs. Before they entered, Moonstar whispered in Webpelt's ear at the entrance, "I put Fernpaw in the far corner. She is in shock."

All Webpelt did was grunt, but Moonstar saw panic in his eyes. For a second, she stood frozen as the two tom's carried Morningsun into the den. What had her healer been so frightened for? She didn't know if she should go in and talk to him, but when Antlerheart exited a moment later she lifted her tail and he stopped infront of her. He looked exhausted and his fur was dusted with blood; Morningsun's blood, she thought and she felt her sides heave with sadness.

"Did Webpelt discuss her condition with you at all," she asked hopefully. He spoke softly, only loud enough for her to hear, "Webpelt said her injuries look as though inflicted with precise claws. It was hard, we almost lost her." His voice shook on the last words, emotion choking him. Moonstar could scent herbs on his breath, from helping Webpelt treat his group mate's injuries.

"We will have to be careful out in the jungle now, no one must go out or venture off alone. Neither apprentice can leave the camp without atleast two warriors accompanying them. We will also set a guard outside the camp, to alert us of any predators," she meowed. She saw the anxiety in Antlerheart's eyes fade but she knew she needed to tell him about his apprentice. "I know you saw Fernpaw in there, she is in shock right now. I would come visit Webpelt in the morning and see what he recommends for her," she meowed calmly.

Antlerheart dipped his head sadly and padded away to the warrior's den. She decided she wouldn't assign him to any patrols tomorrow, he needed to rest as much as Fernpaw or Morningsun. As she left to walk to her den, Venompool once again approached her. "Can I talk to you quick," she asked as she neared. Moonstar nodded, not quite sure what she was going to say to her. All her questions would be better answered by Webpelt, or even Antlerheart.

"Did anyone say if this looked like an isolated incident," she asked, "I don't want Fernpaw and Tinypaw out there if there is some kind of predator that can do that to a full grown warrior." Moonstar understood her concerns, she felt fresh pain prick her heart when she pictured Fernpaw laying in Webpelt's den.

"I did think about this. It won't do the apprentices any good to be afraid of their territory. I will make an announcement in the morning that neither of your kits may leave the camp without atleast two warriors with them," she assured her. Venompool still looked doubtful but she dipped her head respectfully.

Before she turned to leave, Venompool sighed softly. "I hope Morningsun survives the night," she heard the warrior whisper; and she knew that it really seemed like Morningsun was not going to win this battle. During all this time, she had not thought once about that mysterious cat and the group he harbored on the Red Mountain.