The Barn Cat

Chapter Five

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Mistfoot muttered, trotting next to the Running River. The water was the only sound, and the stars sparkled in the sky. She padded out of her territory, making her way to the sandy, dirt, and rocky clearing of meeting rocks. She glanced at the leader's and deputy's stones, then gazed across the clearing. It was just as silent and empty here as it was in her territory. The silentness was starting to make Mistfoot nervous, and she trotted over to sit with her back against the deputy's level of the stones. I must be crazy for waiting here. She glanced up at the stars who were silently watching her, waiting as patiently as she was for another cat to appear. A noise ahead of her made her tail fluff a little. She focussed on the spot the noise was coming from, there was definitely something coming towards her.

Her ears twitched as she saw a familiar calico tom with the Frostclan scent. Her whiskers quivered with displease. The tom looked up at her, his yellow eyes relaxing as he saw her. "I'm so glad you're here, I thought I was going to end up being crazy and alone out here tonight." The tom padded over to her, fluffing out the fear in his pelt. "Why are you being so friendly? I'm a Fireclan warrior," Mistfoot kept her mew low. The tom's gaze didn't change, "I've met you already, and we're going on this quest together. I figured I'd rather try and get along with these cats instead of arguing the whole time and being miserable. Wouldn't you, Mistfoot?" Mistfoot sighed, "I don't understand you, Leafstride. How can you be so trusting in cats you aren't supposed to trust?" His gaze looked pleased, "because I know deep down the cats don't really hate me, they are only trying to do whatever they think is best." "Not all cats believe that," Mistfoot's mew was firmer. "No, but I know you do. I could see it on your face the moment I saw you face that fox. You act tough and fierce, but deep down you were scared for not only your life, but your clanmates. You even tried to be strong when I came to help you to make your clan look strong." Mistfoot turned her gaze away from him, "just because I am a cat that can feel it doesn't mean you trust me." "Well, we're all going to have to trust each other on this quest, so I guess it would be better to start now," he finished his mew as he started padding over to sit next to her.

"I guess we just wait here then?" His mew had grown quiet, trying to listen to the nothingness in front of them. Mistfoot stared into the darkness, "I guess so." The silent of the night had taken over again, but now Mistfoot could hear Leafstride's smooth breaths. He was breathing a little heavy, he was either scared or unsure. Mistfoot was guessing that he was unsure whether or not he really wanted to do this. She looked at him, trying to read his gaze. He was staring at the stars, his gaze unreadable, lost in thought. She turned her gaze back in front of her, he wasn't the only one doubting his presence on this journey.

After a few moments of only silence, another rustle came from ahead. The two cats in the clearing perked their ears, awaiting the next sight of the new cat to join them. A smaller, black tom with a single white stripe down his back with matching white toes and piercing blue eyes padded out from the darkness. Mistfoot stared at the newcomer, studying him. "An apprentice?" Leafstride got to his paws, "an apprentice got this message too?" The small black tom eyes grew defensive, "are you saying I shouldn't have got the vision?" Leafstride shook his head, "of course not, I'm just surprised an apprentice has been sent to travel with us." Mistfoot nodded to the tom, "whats your name?" "Ivypaw," Ivypaw's mew was firm, "I'm from Fogclan." "You're Duskfeather's kin, aren't you?" Leafstride's question made Ivypaw shift his paws uncomfortably, "how do you know that?" "I've heard him talk about you time to time," Leafstride's eyes were warm, "he's a good cat." Mistfoot stared at Leafstride, did this cat know every single other cat in every clan? Ivypaw stared at the tom, clearly still uncomfortable, or even embarrassed. "Of course he's a good cat."

"You don't sound too certain." Mistfoot stared at Leafstride, who's gaze was curious. "I am certain," Ivypaw growled, "he's a good cat." Leafstride nodded slowly, "I won't ask anymore, but I can tell that there is tension between you two by the way you speak about him." "Why is it any importance to you?" Ivypaw took a step forward. "Could you two knock it off?" Mistfoot grunted, "that's Leafstride and I'm Mistfoot." Ivypaw nodded, his tail still swishing irritably. The tom slowly padded over to the other side of Mistfoot, hesitantly sitting next to her. She thought about introducing herself and what clan she was in, but she figured he knew by their scents. It grew silent again, but the cats were more relaxed now, comforted that they weren't alone anymore.

"Is this normally how long it takes?" Ivypaw murmured, glancing at Mistfoot. Mistfoot shrugged, "I guess this Mistclan cat is taking their time." Ivypaw looked at his paws, a questionable look on his face. He looked defeated, Mistfoot was guessing because of the hard decision to leave his clan. She felt sympathy for the tom, this was a lot of pressure on an apprentice's shoulders. He was probably worried that Springstar would be mad at him when he returned and decided to not make Ivypaw a warrior. Mistfoot shook out her fur, if she was an apprentice she would worry about that too.

All three cats looked up, their gazes sharp as they heard the bushes start to move once again. A small, white she-cat with sand-colored tabby stripes padded through the bushes. Her hazel eyes lit up as she saw the other three cats, clearly pleased about something. Before the other cats could speak, she introduced herself. "I'm Palepaw, from Mistclan," her pitch was still a little high. She still must be under five moons, Mistfoot decided. "Another apprentice?" Leafstride was shocked, "we're supposed to do this journey with two apprentices and two warriors?" He looked at Mistfoot, a puzzled expression. Mistfoot sighed, "I guess so." She looked at Palepaw, "I'm Mistfoot from Fireclan." "Leafstride," Leafstride dipped his head, "from Frostclan." "Ivypaw," Ivypaw was staring at Palepaw, he seemed more relaxed now that he knew there was another apprentice. "So," Leafstride turned to Mistfoot, "we should decide where we start."

Mistfoot nodded, "I wasn't told where to go." The other three cats shook their heads, they hadn't been told either. A small breeze cooled the air around them, making their pelts shiver. Leafstride perked his ears, "lets follow the wind." "Are you crazy?" Mistfoot retorted. "A breeze only started when we asked where we should start traveling. It must be Starclan trying to show us the way." Ivypaw got to his paws and stood next to Leafstride, "I agree with him." "I do too," Palepaw shrugged, "and if it's not what harm will it do?" Mistfoot shuddered, who knew? "Well, the breeze is going in the direction of Fireclan territory," Leafstride nodded to Mistfoot, "can you lead us through it?" Mistfoot stared at the three cats, hesitating. We have to trust each other if we want this to work. "Fine, but stay together. If my clanmates saw you guys on our territory they would rip you to shreds." Leafstride looked pleased, "fair enough. Lead the way."

Mistfoot pushed through the bushes surrounding Meeting Rocks, leading her way into her territory. She feared getting caught, but was not going to show that to the other clan cats. They followed the Running River, which was flowing the opposite way than the path they were walking. "Theres a lot of trees here," Ivypaw whispered. "You guys don't have trees?" Palepaw's mew was filled with surprise. "We share Fog Trees with your territory," Ivypaw murmured, "thats our largest tree area. We only have a few pine trees at the bottom of our territory." "Our territory has tons of trees, and water." "I've heard your camp is on an island surrounded by water," Ivypaw's mew was questioning. "It is." "Can you two keep it down until we are out of the territory?" Mistfoot hushed them.

She padded behind Sun Tree, they were halfway through her territory now. A voice made all the cats jump, panic filling the eyes of the other three cats. Mistfoot could smell the scent, she had memorized this scent for a long time now, and it made her paws tingle. "Hide," she hissed quietly. The three cats charged in past her, hiding behind bushes. Smart, the cats had hid further up on her territory so the breeze would carry their scents uphill, not reaching Mistfoot. "Mistfoot? What are you doing out here?" The gray tom with a gray tail and lighter gray belly came padding up to her. "Hello, Splashclaw. I was just going for a walk," Mistfoot tried to keep her mew even, fearing that Splashclaw knew her too well to know that she's hiding something. Her heart fluttered as his yellow eyes grew warm, "you could have asked me to go with you." "I just needed to clear my head," Mistfoot had to stop herself from inviting him to join her.

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Splashclaw's mew was soft, making Mistfoot's heart hurt. "I think I just need time alone right now," Mistfoot had to stop herself from nuzzling her head into his chest as his eyes grew sad, "but we can walk tomorrow night. During the day we can go hunting together though." Splashclaw nodded, "okay. I'll see you back at camp then." Mistfoot nodded, "see you." She watched sadly as Splashclaw turned and padded away into the darkness of her territory. The other three cats waited long enough to know he was gone, then stood up from the bush. Mistfoot stared at them awkwardly, then trotted past them, "c'mon, let's go."