Two

The sun was just beginning to rise when the trio made their way into RiverClan territory. Or, what was left of RiverClan territory.

Dovewing was mortified over the fact that the territory had been torn apart by the Dark Forest warriors. Reeds, cattails and other plants were shredded into pieces as they carried along the trail that Hollyleaf followed. She stayed close to Tigerheart's side as Hollyleaf led the way towards what was left of RiverClan's camp.

Their night shift had been incredibly awkward and tense. She didn't bother trying to sleep while Tigerheart curled up beside her. Hollyleaf kept a fair distance between herself and Tigerheart. She could tell the other she-cat was wary around him. It was obvious even from a distance that Hollyleaf saw Tigerheart as nothing more than a traitor waiting to threaten what was left of the Clans. That was part of the reason Dovewing hadn't gotten much sleep. Then there were the nightmares that constantly racked her wary mind. She knew sooner or later the lack of sleep would catch up with her, but for now, she tried to hide the exhaustion threatening to overwhelm her.

"Once we get there, we'll have to keep our guard up," Hollyleaf warned them as they got closer to what was left of their camp. "I'm sure they're going to be on edge after what's happened."

A shiver of unease crawled through Dovewing when she realized what Hollyleaf was implying. She saw how tense Hollyleaf was around Tigerheart. It didn't help that Tigerheart looked exactly like his grandfather. The dark tabby felt guilty enough over what happened without that notion weighing him down. She tried pushing those thoughts aside as Hollyleaf led the way.

She was suddenly grateful for the older warrior's knowledge. Hollyleaf was the oldest cat among the three of them, and she had the most experience having lived as a loner for so many seasons. It made sense to let her take the lead when she knew what she was getting herself into. Dovewing's ears flattened when she heard the sound of pawsteps padding across open ground. Her fur bristled with alarm as Hollyleaf stopped in her tracks, having picked up the noise as well.

Any cat that survived the battle would be on edge. She was well aware of how dangerous one could be if they were cornered. She saw that during the battle and long before said battle. So the three of them agreed to keep it quiet until the RiverClan cats picked up their scent. The last thing they wanted was to stir alarm or raise suspicion, especially in light of recent events.

"Who goes there?"

All three cats stopped in their tracks when a she-cat's voice cut through the tense silence. Dovewing's tail lowered as she shared another look with Tigerheart. She didn't miss the shadow sweeping across his face, or the flicker of doubt that followed. Considering how well-received his presence was with Hollyleaf, she had a feeling Mothwing would treat him in a similar way.

"Mothwing… please tell me they aren't more Dark Forest warriors?"

Another voice caught Dovewing's attention. She peered through the broken reeds to see a much older queen huddled around tiny kits. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she recognized the cat as Minnowtail. Mothwing glanced between the queen and Hollyleaf before recognizing the trio. Her ears flattened though, and she was immediately defensive after recognizing Tigerheart.

A shiver of unease swept through Dovewing when she registered why that was the case.

Tigerheart looked very much like his grandfather. Many cats commented on how the dark tabby looked so much like Tigerstar. Some questioned why his parents named him after such an awful cat. Dovewing had never seen Tigerheart that way. She saw him for who he was – a gentle, caring cat who looked after those he considered family or friends.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Mothwing," Hollyleaf deadpanned. She tipped her head to one side as she noted the damage left by the Dark Forest warriors. "I see that your camp was destroyed as well; it would seem as if we all have a common enemy with the Dark Forest."

"We never saw them coming," Minnowtail murmured. "There were so many of them… and to think that I once trained alongside them."

Dovewing's fur stood on end at the prospect of letting another Dark Forest cat near them. Tigerheart had already redeemed himself by killing his own grandfather. She saw the look written across his face when he joined her heartbeats later. His hackles were standing on end as well, but she held her tail up to keep him from shouting accusations at Minnowtail. They needed these RiverClan cats to work together with the new Clan, especially in light of recent events.

"Are there any other survivors?" Mothwing asked after forcing herself to relax.

She was still hesitant given the way she kept glaring at Tigerheart. Dovewing suspected it would take time for her to recover from the shock of what happened… much like the rest of them.

"I'm afraid we are all that's left," she meowed when Hollyleaf glanced at her. "I've tried listening for any signs of other survivors."

"Then it's just the six of us," the dappled she-cat murmured. "Unless we count Minnowtail's kits."

Minnowtail wrapped her tail protectively around all three kits, flattening her ears in protest. They hardly looked old enough to be weaned from their milk let alone considered warriors. Dovewing held back a heavy sigh when she realized they were starting from scratch. She had a feeling this would be easier said than done once Hollyleaf explained their plan.

"The Dark Forest used the Clan's division against them," Hollyleaf explained once Mothwing allowed them entry. Apparently she had been guarding the camp, hoping for any signs of survivors from RiverClan. Dovewing sat between Hollyleaf and Tigerheart as the black molly shared her idea with Mothwing and Minnowtail. "Unless we learn how to work together, a similar attack could happen again. Dovewing came up with the idea of unifying all four Clans into one."

"That's a mousebrained plan if I've never heard one," Minnowtail scoffed. "Not to mention WindClan has been destroyed."

Dovewing didn't miss the way Hollyleaf stiffened at the mention of WindClan's demise.

"That isn't necessarily true," she muttered crossly. "My father was a WindClan cat." Mothwing dipped her head in understanding, while Minnowtail narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "I may not like the fact that my parents broke the warrior code, but I am half WindClan. I will at least honor WindClan's legacy through that connection."

I can't imagine how she must feel, Dovewing thought guiltily. Not only was she half-Clan, but her mother had also been a medicine cat as well. That only doubled the standards that the warrior code gave them. Dovewing remembered hearing stories of how Hollyleaf looked up to the warrior code as if it was a gift from their ancestors. She must have felt shattered after realizing that she was a spawn of broken rules. Maybe falling in love with an outsider isn't that crazy after all.

"How are we going to call ourselves a Clan when there's only six of us?" Minnowtail demanded. "And one of us happens to be a medicine cat!"

"Let's not forget the fact that I also trained as a warrior before I became a medicine cat," Mothwing reminded her with a glare. "I can still go about my duties as a medicine cat, but I will also help the Clan as a warrior. Speaking of which, your injuries need to be treated."

Dovewing hardly noticed the fact that Hollyleaf was hardly putting any weight on her injured leg. Tigerheart looked equally exhausted from the blood loss, while her own body ached in places it never ached before. Though it wasn't just the physical pain that racked her body. She refused to look at Mothwing as she inspected each of them with what few herbs she had left.

The fact that Mothwing had any herbs left was a miracle in itself. She suspected the medicine cat had been gathering herbs before the three of them arrived. With so few resources available at the moment, it made sense for Mothwing to try and take advantage of the peace while it lasted.

"How long has it been since you had a full night of sleep?" she asked warily.

Her heart sank when she caught the knowing look written across Mothwing's face.

"At least two and a half days," she admitted guiltily.

Mothwing hummed to herself before disappearing into a thick layer of reeds. Dovewing watched the scene cautiously as the dappled medicine cat reappeared with a bundle of herbs in her jaw. She wasn't in any hurry to take what few supplies were left, but Mothwing was determined.

"Poppy seeds will help you sleep properly," she explained after spitting the herbs out. "Chew on them now. You're not doing anything until you get some rest."

She was ready to protest when Mothwing gave her a warning look that dared anyone to argue. Eventually she let out a sigh of exasperation and did as she was told, though not without some heavy reluctance. Mothwing moved on to Hollyleaf's injured leg, wrapping a poultice around it heartbeats later. Once she finished treating Tigerheart's injuries, exhaustion crashed over Dovewing like a wave.

She closed her eyes shut and felt her legs give out beneath her. She hadn't realized until then just how long it had been since she went without decent sleep. Mothwing kept a careful eye on her until the world around her went dark.

...

The sound of battle echoed around her as she stood there and watched on with horror. Blood soon soaked the ground as cats fell around her. She was helpless to the scene unfolding before her as cats died needlessly. The wails that soon followed rang in her ears, causing her fur to stand on end with grief and rage.

Dovewing wanted nothing more than to leap in and join her fighting Clanmates. She wanted to score her claws through the remaining Dark Forests cats that caused so much pain and misery. Yet she was frozen to the ground. Her muscles ached from the intensity of her desire to join them. She spotted Birchfall fighting alongside Ivypool. Whitewing fought alongside Brackenfur as they tried to protect the nursery. Mousefur and Longtail were already dead, along with Daisy.

Her heart was racing with dread when she finally managed to break free of whatever was holding her down. Only it was too late. She reached the stone hollow within heartbeats, only to find that everyone else was gone. Her jaw clenched with horror when she finally spotted Ivypool in a heap of silver fur alongside Whitewing and Birchfall.

Her own father had been training alongside the Dark Forest up until the day of the battle. It was only when the Dark Forest attacked them that Birchfall realized what they were planning. By then, it was too late. He was marked as a traitor by the Dark Forest and killed in a heartbeat, soon followed by Whitewing and other cats that tried retaliating.

"Ivypool…"

She reached her sister carefully. Though her grief quickly turned to relief when she saw a light within those dark blue eyes.

"You let this happen." Dovewing stiffened when Ivypool suddenly spoke. "You could have prevented all of this!" It took a few heartbeats for her to register what Ivypool was implying. "We're all dead because of you! Because you couldn't protect us or fight for us!"

"The Clans are gone because of you," Whitewing put in with a withering glare. "Why did you survive while the rest of us were slaughtered?"

Dovewing looked between her mother and sister anxiously, eyes widening with alarm and panic as realization dawned on her.

They were right. She should have fought harder for her family. She should have done more to protect her Clanmates. Yet, they were all dead… all because she wasn't strong enough to keep them safe. Their voices kept echoing in the back of her head, taunting her. She let out a soundless wail as she tried escaping the noise. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that would block out the sound, but to no avail.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out helplessly. "I'm so sorry!"

"Dovewing!" Her eyes snapped open at the sound of Tigerheart's voice. "Dovewing, it's okay."

The voices suddenly began to fade, along with her vision of the stone hollow.

It took a few seconds for Dovewing to recognize where she was. Her breathing was so rapid that she had to take a few seconds to regain her composure. She glanced around warily when she realized Tigerheart had been laying beside her. His muzzle was pressed into her fur, providing what little warmth and comfort he could. She blinked a few times guiltily when she realized that she suffered from another nightmare.

"You're safe," he put in once her panic ebbed away. A shudder swept through her when his tongue rasped over her fur. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She squeezed her eyes shut once again and pictured their bodies littered across the ground. She knew it was the right thing to do. Whenever Ivypool suffered at the claws of Hawkfrost, she would always find a way to reassure her sister and make her feel safe. At the time, her sister had been the victim of the Dark Forest. Now she realized with a start that she and the survivors were also victims of the Dark Forest.

"It was just a nightmare," she reassured him once she caught her breath. Tigerheart didn't look all that reassured as she let out a heavy sigh. "I saw them… my family. Ivypool and Whitewing blamed me for their deaths… for everyone's death. And I can't help but wonder if they're right. Why did I survive when everyone else died?"

Tigerheart looked surprised over her question. Then again, maybe he wondered the same thing. His brother died long before the battle, but he had Dawnpelt at the very least. She and his family had been killed in the battle as well, along with any other ShadowClan cat.

"I'm not sure if I have a right or wrong answer for that," he admitted sheepishly. "I know that you did what you could to keep them safe. And in the end, they'd want you to carry on their memories. At least, that's what Flametail and Dawnpelt would have wanted for me."

Warmth spread through her when his muzzle brushed against hers. She hated the way it felt as if something had clawed away at her heart. The loss of her Clanmates weighed down on her like a tree. She knew Tigerheart was experience the same sort of loss. He of all cats seemed to understand what it was like to suffer the loss of family. Yet they also had family that survived. For her, she had Hollyleaf as a distant aunt. Tigerheart had kin through Mothwing, whether they wanted to admit it or not.

"We've been discussing the prospect of merging all the Clans into one," Mothwing announced once she was sure that everyone was awake. Dovewing sat beside Tigerheart while Hollyleaf rested on her other side. Minnowtail kept her tail wrapped around her tiny kits protectively, eyeing the strangers warily. "It may be best to go through with your plan, especially if the Dark Forest decides to attack again." Hope surged through Dovewing when she realized what Mothwing meant by that. "The real question we have now is who will be the leader of this new Clan? And will there be structure with this Clan like in the past?"

Dovewing shared a knowing look with Tigerheart and Hollyleaf. That was something they discussed on their way to RiverClan territory. She knew the memory of the Clans needed to be kept alive with this new Clan. It was the least they could do for everything that happened.

"I think in this case it's best to keep traditions like the warrior code alive," she meowed. "Since we'll be one Clan it won't matter what mate we choose, but it has to be someone within this Clan. I'm not sure who would make a decent leader."

Mothwing looked at her thoughtfully when she realized what the younger she-cat meant by that.

Truthfully, picking a leader out of six cats was easier said than done. Mothwing was the only cat who had an apprentice out of the six of them. She had the most experience and she was the oldest in the group, so it made sense for her to take the lead… at least for now.

"Mothwing, it may be best for you to take the lead since you have the most experience," Hollyleaf voiced her thoughts. The dappled molly's eyes widened in surprise as Tigerheart and Dovewing nodded in agreement. Minnowtail was the only one that rolled her eyes at the prospect of a medicine cat leading their ragtag group, though at least she didn't argue. "As for what we should do next, we should look for the bodies of our former Clanmates and give them proper burials. They deserve that much."

That was something Dovewing also agreed with. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of having to bury those bodies, but it needed to be done. She hadn't even seen her family's bodies since she and Tigerheart reunited. She only knew that they were gone because of those nightmares. That was the main reason she felt so guilty. She hadn't seen her family die around her.

"You won't go through this alone," Tigerheart reassured her with a lick between her ears.

She stifled a purr threatening to erupt when his warmth wrapped around her once more. She suddenly felt like a kit again with a massive crush on an enemy warrior. This time though, Tigerheart wasn't an enemy. They would be in the same Clan now, with no warrior code to hold them back from pursuing their feelings. She knew then and there that maybe this idea wasn't so mousebrained after all.