Alone #1: The Raven's Flight

Chapter 9

Ravenflight rushed out of the den to where the golden-brown she-cat lay. She pressed her head to Palefeather's chest, trying to hear her heartbeat. The slow thump shocked her.

"Palefeather's heartbeat is very slow," she said worriedly. She remembered what Kestrelflight had once told her before. If a cat can't breathe, push on their chest a few times then help them breath.

She thumped her paws on Palefeather's chest, ignoring Stonetail's protests. She put her muzzle close to Palefeather's and breathed, giving her air. Palefeather spluttered, gasping up air. Ravenflight drew back, suddenly afraid she'd done something wrong.

"You saved her!" Stonetail flicked his tail excitedly. "Thank you." He mewed quietly.

"It's my job," Ravenflight replied.

Palefeather lifted her head weakly. "Where am I?"

"Is there anything I can do?" Wolfpaw asked beside her.

"Make Palefeather a nest in the den, it'll be cramped but I don't want her to get more ill until we find out what happened to her." Ravenflight ordered.

Wolfpaw nodded and grabbed the rest of the moss, shaping a nest. Ravenflight helped Palefeather into the medicine den, lowering her onto a nest.

"Do you need anything?" Wolfpaw asked Palefeather.

"I'm a little thirsty," Palefeather admitted.

"I'll fetch some wet moss for you!" Wolfpaw chirped eagerly. He left the den, but not before Ravenflight realized he had taken the rest of the cobwebs with him.

"Hey! Come back!" she called. "You've got the cobwebs!"

Wolfpaw turned around guiltily. "Sorry," he muttered, handing them over.

Suspicion pierced through Ravenflight's mind and she stopped. "Wolfpaw, why were you taking the cobwebs out?"

"For a walk, obviously," Wolfpaw mewed under his breath.

Ravenflight grabbed the cobwebs from him and stalked back to the den. Wolfpaw watched forlornly.

"Wonder what she's doing," Ravenflight heard someone hiss.

"Yeah, the rogue," another cat whispered.

She growled under her breath, annoyed. It was clear that some cats still thought of her as a rogue, even though she'd helped the Clan so much.

"She should've not come back from the quest in the first place," Ravenflight twitched her ears in time to hear the speaker. Of course, it was Mudface.

"Say that again," Ravenflight whipped around, lashing her tail. Everyone seemed to think of her as the rogue, even when she proved her loyalty time and time again. Maybe she should've left when she went on the quest. But she didn't. Ravenflight stayed to help the Clan.

"Filthy rogue, I don't need to justify myself to you." Mudface growled.

Enraged, Ravenflight leapt at him, unsheathing her claws in the air, clawing at his face. Mudface didn't fight back though, just watching calmly as she shredded him.

"Oh no! The rogue has gone crazy!" Mudface yowled. "She's going to kill us all in our sleep! Stop her!" he cowered down.

Ravenflight realized she'd been tricked, but it was too late now. Harespring, Hawkclaw and Lilystream advanced on her, claws unsheathed.

Harespring batted at her and while she defended herself, Hawkclaw shot underneath her to nip her legs. Ravenflight leapt up, exposing her belly, but shook Hawkclaw off. Lilystream slashed her claws on Ravenflight's belly, tearing it open.

Staggering in pain, Ravenflight collapsed on the ground.

"Stop!" Crowstar appeared at her side.

"Too...late..." Ravenflight managed to whisper. "Going...to...d-die."

"No! You can't die!" Crowstar looked frightened.

"Blame...Mudface..." she spat before closing her eyes for perhaps the final time.

Ravenflight was barely aware of the cut in her belly when she opened her eyes. A black cat was standing next to her, his face blurred. "Ravenwing?" she guessed.

"Correct," Ravenwing replied stiffly.

"Am I dead?" Ravenflight stammered.

"No, but close. Right now, you're a spirit. You can go anywhere you want to, as long as you don't stray from your body for too long. Crowstar knows your not dead, and Wolfpaw is trying his best to heal you." Ravenwing said carefully.

"Then I'll probably die," Ravenflight mewed dully.

"Take advantage of the freedom, Ravenflight! You can do anything right now!" Ravenwing tried to lighten the mood.

"Anything?" Ravenflight echoed. A thought was racing through her mind.

Ravenwing shifted uncomfortably. "Anything, I guess," he agreed.

I can find out who my parents are! I can find out everything! I can finally not be alone.

"I'm going to find my parents," Ravenflight declared. "And you can't stop me."

"No, don't, please." Ravenwing begged. "It'll only lead to more trouble."

"I have to, Ravenwing. I need to find out." Ravenflight tilted her chin up to look at the older tom. "I'll be careful, Ravenwing, and – thanks."

Ravenwing sighed heavily. "If I can't stop you, then I wish you good luck."

Ravenflight dipped her head before thinking as hard as she could about the word father. The air in front of her disappeared into mist and she walked into it, heart pounding, and eyes closed.

Before opening her eyes, she could already feel she wasn't in Clan territory. The ground was boggy, and sticks jabbed her pads.

"Where am I?" she wondered out loud. To her left were trees, and to her right was a swampland. She realized she was at the edge of ThunderClan territory, on their border with...nothing. Ravenflight stepped forward cautiously, then stopped, feeling her paws brush something soft.

Below her, was an orange tom. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was wide. There were several wounds slashed onto his pelt. She didn't need to examine him closer to realize that he was dead; death-scent was wafting from his body in large waves.

Ravenflight took a deep breath. Her father was dead. She didn't want to see this anymore, so she thought about the word mother.

Ravenflight peeked open her eyes. She was in a den, watching a golden-brown she-cat with dark blue eyes pace around the den. There was comfy moss and feathers on the nest, which was rather large. Bones of fresh-kill lay in the corner of the den, from a mouse, she guessed, and a plump rabbit sat next to it, uneaten.

Ravenflight looked around the den. It was a simple basic den, and she had a suspicion of who the cat was, but where was she? She stepped out of the den, shielding her eyes from the bright light, and her jaw fell open.

The bustling noises of the busy ThunderClan camp came to her eyes. She had walked out of the leader's den. She stared around, shocked. That could only mean that her mother...was Luckystar.