Super Edition: Briarsong's Renascence

Chapter 12

Briarsong followed Mango out into the field a ways before coming to a small patch of bushes where Morris sat waiting for them.

"Told you," Mango sneered. 

"Someone is here to see me, Morris?" Briarsong asked. The orange tom shrugged and got up, pointing to the bushes. 

"She won't come out of there. Keeps asking for you but won't say anything else. I think I might frighten her."

Briarsong padded up to the bushes and knelt down to look in. She made out the shape of a cat but couldn't pick out details through the thick leaves.

"Hello, I'm Briarsong." she called softly. "Are you looking for me."

"Yes," came the meek voice of a young she-cat. 

"Why don't you come out here and we can talk?"

"No."

Briarsong sat back and looked at Morris and Mango who were watching eagerly.

"Could you please leave us?" she asked.

"I want to see what this is all about," Mango whined. 

"I already asked nicely." Briarsong warned. Mango flinched and clearly remembered their brawl many moons ago. She she-cat tossed her head and padded off with Morris following close behind. "There. They left,"

"And the big one." the voice urged. Briarsong looked over at Sully but he shook his head.

"He's okay. He's with me. Why don't you come out so we can talk?" Briarsong stepped back and stood next to Sully to give the she-cat some space. Ever so slowly the slender and wirehaired body of a she-cat crawled her way out. She looked older than she probably was, her eyes deep and sunken in, her ears ripped from fighting. Patches of her pelt were missing and her skin was flaking and covered in scabs.

"You don't remember me do you?" she asked in a soft voice.

"I'm sorry. I don't think I do," Briarsong admitted, looking at Sully with a shrug before looking back at the mangy she-cat.

"You met me back when I was Rosepaw." she she-cat prompted. 

Briarsong gasped as she realized the ugly little she-cat was the Mountainclan Medicine Cat apprentice, although probably a full Medicine Cat by this point.

"Rosepaw," she whispered. "You're so much older now. You probably aren't an apprentice anymore I suspect."

"No." she shook her head. "After Pebblestone died they made me the Medicine Cat. I'm Rosethorn now."

"How did you find me out here Rosethorn?" Briarsong asked bewildered. "I'm not even sure I would know how to get back to the forest." 

"Pebblestone showed me the way. Said to walk into the sun and not stop until I found you."

"So Starclan sent you?" Briarsong felt a twinge of excitement at knowing she hadn't been forgotten like she had feared. A twig snapped somewhere and Rosethorn darted back into the bushes.

"Flightily little thing isn't she?" Sully whispered. 

"Come on out Rosethorn," Briarsong called, giving Sully a glare at his comment. They waited patiently as she very slowly crept back out, her eyes darting around wildly as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.

"You seem really exhausted," Sully observed. "Its almost dark, why don't you sleep here tonight and rest. We can all meet back when the sun comes up?"

"Yes." Rosethorn nodded vigorously and darted back into the bushes. Briarsong was left frustrated that Sully had suggested they wait until morning to speak with Rosethorn, but she was also aware the she-cat needed to spend some time calming down.