Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 1. (The Legacy)

~The Legacy: Chapter 13~

When Spiralpaw woke up the next morning, it was quite cold. She was right about yesterday being the warmest day before leaf-bare.
She thought hard about her dream last night. Who could she tell that would believe her? Stonestar was most likely getting sicker every day he spent with Crookedfire, who was also a bad choice to give this new-found information to.
Perhaps Fernfeather or Russetpaw?
Maybe Reedtail and Spiralpaw's littermates?
Her mother would think it to be just a dream, a fragment of Spiralpaw's imagination as she slept. And if she told her friend and littermates, the only one who would see logic, yet go anyway, would be Whitepaw.
Stonestar was sick, and Spiralpaw had bothered her father enough already.
Crookedfire was supposedly evil, and making Stonestar worse by the minute.
So those were her only other options: Russetpaw, or Fernfeather.
She doubted her mentor would believe her, even if he thought Spiralpaw was being honest.
But that cat in the shadows of ShadowClan camp... Who was it?
She did have a fair idea who it might have been, but she wasn't entirely sure. Half-Sight was leading rogue kittypets and loners, was he not? What could he possibly want with the Clans?
Then again, he did attack RiverClan a few moons ago, Spiralpaw thought. If he was planning the same fate for ThunderClan and RiverClan as he had WindClan, he would need allies. And that would explain the glinting moonlight in the strange cat's one eye, instead of both.
If Half-Sight's name was any accurate to his description, it must have been him. And what better a Clan to return to than that of your mother's?
Suddenly, a rustle and a sound of padding snapped her out of her train of thoughts.
She could smell herbs. She thought for a moment, noticing it didn't carry RiverClan or ThunderClan's scent.
It had to be Heatherpelt.
And possibly Crowpaw, her apprentice.
Spiralpaw padded outside the apprentice den to see, as she thought, the odd gray-pink-red Medicine Cat of ShadowClan.
Spiralpaw always wondered what in Heatherpelt's family genetics made her look that colour. One thing the young apprentice did know was that she definitely suited her name. It was similar to the colour of heather, but slightly more dull.
And then, her mind flipped over to Buzzardstar, ShadowClan's leader.
Half-Sight and Webclaw were there... Then where was Buzzardstar?
Depending on how many lives he had left, due to whatever reasons the black and white leader had, it would still take some time to kill him.
So Half-Sight must be holding him captive, keeping him somewhere.
Spiralpaw shook her head as though to clear it, and padded outside to greet the two ShadowClan cats.
"Hello, Heatherpelt," Spiralpaw said, bowing her head to the Medicine Cat, then to their apprentice. "Crowpaw," she greeted.
Crowpaw nodded in respect, then looked to his mentor.
"Are Crookedfire and Russetpaw awake?" Heatherpelt asked Spiralpaw. "We've run out of poppy seeds and burdock, and I need to ask if they've any to spare."
"I'll go look, if you want," Spiralpaw offered, gesturing for them to follow.
Crowpaw padded alongside Spiralpaw, while Heatherpelt lingered behind.
"Is anyone else awake?" Crowpaw asked. Spiralpaw shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just woke up." Crowpaw nodded slowly. This was an odd Medicine Cat apprentice, Spiralpaw thought.
Crowpaw looked around.
"Well, Fernfeather is probably awake, because I don't think I saw Reedtail and Iris-Eye when you came in," Spiralpaw added.
"New warriors?" Crowpaw said, sounding impressed.
Spiralpaw nodded, holding her tongue. She wasn't going to be the one to spill any information to a possible enemy!
"So what have you been learning?" Crowpaw prodded.
"Just the usual. Hunting, border patrols. Things a warrior apprentice learns," she answered.
Crowpaw shrugged, dragging his tail.
Spiralpaw walked inside the Medicine Den to find Russetpaw sorting out herbs in the corner.
Russetpaw looked up in surprise. "Heatherpelt? Crowpaw? What do you need?" the apprentice asked.
"We've run out of Poppy Seeds and Burdock," Heatherpelt said. "Is Crookedfire up? We were wondering if you had any to spare. ThunderClan is reliable."
Russetpaw must not have heard Heatherpelt's final comment, and scoffed at the sound of Crookedfire's name. Shrugging it off and shaking her head, she said, "No, it's just me here. Fernfeather told Crookedfire to relieve our new warriors of their vigil before he went out to look for catmint."
She gave Spiralpaw a look, and they both knew what each other were thinking: Crookedfire was probably off to warn Half-Sight.
"Oh, and Spiralpaw," Russetpaw added. "Tigerfur was going to let you sleep in today. Said he had something special planned for your training."
"May I have a word with Spiralpaw first, please, Russetpaw?" Heatherpelt asked. Crowpaw looked astonished.
Russetpaw nodded uncertainly. "Crowpaw, could you help me sort these? I put the poppy seeds away somewhere, and there's a bit of burdock on this shelf."
"All right then," Crowpaw said simply, padding beside Russetpaw, smiling.
Heatherpelt walked outside and sat on the rock beside the Medicine Den.
"Yes, Heatherpelt?" Spiralpaw said, sitting in front of her.
Heatherpelt looked around for a minute, her eyes darting off in every direction, but nearly every cat was asleep.
"Were you really there last night?" Heatherpelt asked.
Spiralpaw hesitated. "What do you mean?"
"I saw you. Eavesdropping."
Spiralpaw flattened her ears and curled her tail in embarrassment. "Maybe..."
Heatherpelt gave a quiet sigh. "I'm not going to tell those two fleabags about you, do not worry," said the Medicine Cat.
"Why was I in your camp, though? I'm not a Medicine Cat."
Heatherpelt thought for a moment. Then slowly shook her head. "I am unsure, but whatever you do, keep out of sight if you are taken to ShadowClan again."
"Because of Webclaw and Buzzardstar?"
Heatherpelt gave her a dark look, and said grimly, "It is not the leader and deputy to be afraid of, Spiralpaw. It is the son of a deputy."
Spiralpaw's head exploded in realisation, but kept her face straight and her tail still.
Heatherpelt walked into the Medicine Den, and Spiralpaw poked her head in. "Russetpaw, where did Tigerfur go?"

Spiralpaw had found Tigerfur speaking with Fernfeather in the extra den. Seeing as camp was relatively empty, and dawn was soon to come, they could speak anywhere, and it would still be somewhat private.
As for the mole, however... Crookedfire, going to get catmint? It sounded unrealistic. Surely it would've been lost to the cold by now?
That being said, Spiralpaw didn't know a thing about herbs. Good thing she wasn't Crookedfire's apprentice.
It was obvious what he was really doing, though.
Spiralpaw found Tigerfur and Fernfeather in the spare den, chatting away. She briefly heard something about Crookedfire having some sort of vision, and Tigerfur snorting loudly. After that, the conversation ended as Spiralpaw walked in.
"Tigerfur," Spiralpaw said as she bowed her head, also, to ThunderClan's deputy.
"What do you need, Spiralpaw?" Tigerfur asked his apprentice.
"What were you having me do today?" Spiralpaw asked. Tigerfur said nothing, merely glancing at Fernfeather, who shrugged helplessly.
"Well, we'll save that for afterwards," he said, as though hinting to something. Though Spiralpaw was completely lost at this.
Fernfeather peeked outside the den. "It looks like dawn has arrived. Tigerfur, take Willowleaf and Windcaller with you and Mossgaze, and your apprentices. You can go on a hunting patrol, and I'm eager to see how Spiralpaw and Whitepaw do."
Tigerfur nodded. "We shall leave Iris-Eye and Reedtail to rest today," he said. "They sat their vigil, and deserve to rest so they can regain their strength and stamina for tomorrow."
Spiralpaw gulped, remembering quickly.
"Fernfeather, could I talk to you for a moment?" she asked while Tigerfur shrugged, sauntering to the warriors den.
Fernfeather sat down, her fuzzy brown tail puffed out like the rest of her fur to keep herself warm.
"What is it, Spiralpaw?"
"I... think ShadowClan is planning to attack. Tonight," she said hesitantly.
Fernfeather scrunched up her nose. "Why would they attack a few days before a Gathering?"
This, Spiralpaw knew not. But she thought it was probably to get rid of ThunderClan, just as they had WindClan.
"I'm not sure why, but... it was like some sort of dream. But more real," she added at the sight of Fernfeather's quick look of disbelief.
Spiralpaw spoke as quickly as she could, filling every detail after the dream about Ashpaw. She didn't want the Clan to worry any more than they already were, leaving out the Ashpaw story.
And so she explained almost everything to the deputy.

"Like a vision, you say?" Fernfeather said.
Spiralpaw nodded.
Fernfeather looked down at her paws for a moment, obviously thinking hard about what she'd just heard.
"I will look into it, and we will prepare if they do attack," Fernfeather said finally. "In the meantime, our main priority is making sure our Clan stays fed, and searching for Firpaw."
Spiralpaw nodded, and, as though waiting for their conversation to end, Tigerfur walked in. "Let's go," he said.
Spiralpaw simply nodded, hoping Fernfeather would be reasonable about this. Precaution was very important, even the youngest kit knew that.
She followed Tigerfur and Mossgaze, who were being tailed by Windcaller, Willowleaf and Whitepaw.
The seven cats left the camp and began their hunt. Spiralpaw caught at least three fat voles, while Whitepaw managed to catch a few small sparrows and a finch.
Tigerfur ordered the patrol back with all their prey, and when they got back, the camp was more active than when they'd left.
Specklefern and Fuzzyear were helping to clean out the nests, along with Spidertail and Iris-Eye, while the elders and Grayfur patched up any holes in the dens.
Flamepaw and Ashpaw were helping Fernfeather, who had rushed back into camp to check on everyone, and Reedtail to clear out any bad prey, making way for the new fresh-kill and preparing for a ShadowClan attack of any sort.
The patrol brought the prey over to the fresh-kill pile. Spiralpaw was sure Ashpaw was hungry, but he knew better than to take before the queens, kits and elders.
Instead, resisting his obvious urge to devour the food, he offered it to the workings queens, the kits and Beeflower. Rockhopper claimed not to be hungry, but Beeflower snuck a vole into the den for him later.
Spiralpaw and Reedtail finally met up later that afternoon, Reedtail being tired after the vigil and the work, while Spiralpaw was still energetic and wanting eagerly to catch up with her friend.
"So, what's the warriors den like?" Spiralpaw, Ashpaw and Flamepaw asked. Whitepaw was with Mossgaze, who had offered Voleroach help as she was off to join Rockhopper and Beeflower.
"Weirdly noisy," Reedtail replied. "Do you know how loud Spidertail and Redpelt are when they talk? And Windcaller! He snores like a kittypet!"
Ashpaw laughed. Flamepaw was mysteriously quiet, which Spiralpaw questioned.
A short moment of silence passed through the four cats. And then, suddenly, Flamepaw got up and walked away, his tail dragging along behind him. Spiralpaw and Ashpaw looked at each other in confusion.
"So I heard Tigerfur and Voleroach have something special planned later," Reedtail began. "Do you know what it is?"
"Nope," Ashpaw said. "We're just hoping it's not cleaning out nests again. Or, I am."
"That'd be such a cruel joke," Reedtail snorted.
"Reedtail," came a voice from behind. It was Iris-Eye.
"Yes?" said the black warrior.
"Fernfeather wanted to meet us near the Highledge," Iris-Eye said. Then, to Spiralpaw, she added, "And she wants you to check on Stonestar."
Reedtail got up and followed Iris-Eye, while Ashpaw followed his sister. She wasn't going to stop him from coming. Ashpaw and Whitepaw hadn't seen Stonestar at all since he got sick.
Russetpaw was making poultices to prepare for any upcoming battle, such as that of Spiralpaw's dream.
She suspected Russetpaw might have had it too. Perhaps this is why she was so urgently chewing herbs into poultices, and sorting the cobwebs and moss on a separate shelf from everything else.
"Crookedfire's gone out again and I'm busy, please wait," Russetpaw said threw a mouthful of herbs.
She looked up, realising it was only Spiralpaw and Ashpaw, then flicked her tail towards the direction of Stonestar's nest.
The two apprentices looked over at Stonestar, who seemed to be wheezing. Ashpaw looked worried for his father, as did Spiralpaw. But, despite this overwhelming view, the ThunderClan leader looked up at his children.
"What do you two need?" he coughed.
"I thought Russetpaw was trying to help you get better?" Ashpaw said grimly.
"She is," Stonestar grunted, sitting up. "But I'm afraid my cough is beyond even Russetpaw's talents, both hidden and visible."
"Fernfeather wanted us to check on you," Spiralpaw said before her brother could mutter another word about Russetpaw.
"That's not why you two came here," Stonestar said wisely. "Yes, I know you wanted to check on me. But what you really want is information, about a certain cat, I assume,"
Spiralpaw and Ashpaw nodded slowly in surprise.
"Don't think that just because I am old means I am less observant," Stonestar said firmly. "Ask whatever you wish, and I will tell you what I am able to."
"We need to know where Firpaw was before he was taken," Spiralpaw said.
Stonestar looked at his paws, thinking.
"Perhaps... the Greenleaf Twolegplace."
Spiralpaw nodded, looking at her brother.
"You two should be careful," their father warned. "Your assessment is soon. And there are still enemies within our walls."
Stonestar's eyes narrowed. "Whatever you do, don't get caught."
The two gray cats nodded and padded out of the den.
"Should we take Whitepaw and Reedtail?" Ashpaw asked.
"Reedtail has done enough work for the day," Spiralpaw answered. "And Whitepaw will need rest. Instead, we can take another one of our fellow apprentices. One I know will help."