Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 2. (A Path Beyond Stars)

~A Path Beyond Stars: Chapter 23~

The rest of the day seemed to pass almost as quick as a mouse running from a predator. Reedtail had taken Brackenpaw and Coldpaw out to spar, because Spidertail's disappearances were causing his apprentice to lack in important skills, and they had caught enough prey to feed the rest of their Clanmates.
A new dawn covered the camp in a warming light as the sun rose slowly. Reedtail sat in the middle of the clearing, watching the peaceful sun awake from its slumber.
If only the Clans could live as peacefully as the sun and moon, Reedtail thought. One day, perhaps.
"Reedtail!" cried Coldpaw, running toward his mentor with a frightened look on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"There are strange cats by the border!" the small apprentice said.
"Strange cats?" Reedtail said, sitting up. "Who? Did you see them? How many are there?"
"I don't know who they were, but there were at least four of them," Coldpaw said quickly. "One big yellow-green one, a small fuzzy gray one that looks a little like Fuzzyear, a big brown one with green eyes and a smaller brown one with an odd scent."
Sounds like Fluffy, Mantis or Frog, Crabclaw and... Who's the other one?
Reedtail thought for a moment before realizing it could've been another ShadowClan warrior or Horizon's brother and remembering the vision Russetfire had shared to her.
"Go," she ordered Coldpaw. "Wake Fernfeather and the other warriors. I'll go and check it out."
Coldpaw hesitantly left his mentor and rushed to the warriors' den while Reedtail surged across the clearing and crouched at one of the bushes that was regrowing its leaves. She sat there, hidden, waiting to see the enemies.
"This is it?" asked a voice she recognized as Frog.
"Yes," said two voices at once: Fluffy and Crabclaw.
"Are you sure they won't be ready for us?" asked another voice, one she heard only once. Was that Jackson?
"They can't be that smart," Fluffy snorted. "They're wild cats!"
"Keep your voice down, kittypet," snarled Crabclaw. "If you go around shouting about the rabbit-droppings you call food, they'll know we're here."
"Well, what're we supposed to do, other than shout about our delicious cream and food?" Fluffy demanded. "We can't go barging in there without a plan, can we?"
"We could," Frog interrupted, "but it's not a very smart idea. Plans are better, that way you know what to work with and exactly what to do."
"What about that kitten that was wandering around the trees?" Jackson said. "He might've seen us."
"I doubt it," grunted Crabclaw. "He looks as though he's barely seven moons old. No new ThunderClan apprentice is that smart."
Reedtail widened her eyes in rage. She did her best to keep her tail still and her claws sheathed.
"Well, we can't go in there without being sure," Frog said.
"Typical!" Crabclaw snarled. "This is what I get for trusting rogues and kittypets. I couldn't possibly get anything useful from helping you lot!"
A moment later, just as the cats were about to crowd Reedtail's hiding place to peer into the camp, Fernfeather tackled Crabclaw and they wrestled on the ground, kicking and clawing each other, furious yowls echoing in the early morning.
The warriors that followed were Tigerfur and Mossgaze. Reedtail jumped out of her hiding spot just in time before Fluffy fell there, laying on her back, dead.
"Rotten mice!" Frog swore.
Mossgaze bared his teeth in a snarl and drove Frog and Crabclaw away.
Reedtail watched Fernfeather and Tigerfur follow him and turned to look at Jackson.
The kittypet crouched, his fur bristling and his teeth bared.
"Run," Reedtail warned. "You don't want to be here when they get back."
Jackson looked confused, but ran back in the direction of Twolegplace.
"If Spidertail were watching, he'd have my head," Reedtail whispered to herself.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" yowled Fernfeather, Tigerfur taking the deputy's usual spot.
Specklefern sat outside the den with Amberkit at her side. The other queens were not present. Reedtail guessed Fuzzyear and Willowleaf were watching Echokit and Ivykit.
"Cats of ThunderClan," Fernfeather announced, "we have recently been attacked by a small group of rogues who sought to spy on our camp."
"How small?" demanded Spidertail. Reedtail hadn't seen him come out from the warriors' den, but turned her head back to the deputy.
"There were four of them," Tigerfur said first. "One of them was Crabclaw of ShadowClan. The other two were kittypets."
"Ah," Windcaller said. "So one rogue?"
Tigerfur flicked his ear impatiently and frowned at the gray warrior, who straightened his sitting position and looked back at Fernfeather.
Reedtail knew Fernfeather's concern. ThunderClan was in a weak position and was currently the only living Clan, other than ShadowClan, who was capable of defeating Half-Sight. If someone were to spy on them and expose their plans, ThunderClan couldn't survive. They would be greatly outnumbered. The last of leaf-bare was bringing its worst. If the kits died, there would be no new warriors, same as the apprentices. If Stonestar and Fernfeather died, it would be the arguments that killed the rest of ThunderClan, and if Russetfire died, it would be even worse.
Thankfully, interrupting Reedtail's thoughts, Fernfeather went on. "We cannot take any risks. Any cats from ShadowClan and any kittypets, rogues or loners you see will either be taken prisoner or killed."
Ashpelt's eyes were wide with fear when the deputy said this. His tail flicked and he gave a very slight shake of his head, returning his yellow gaze to the deputy.
"When, and if, this happens again," Fernfeather continued, "keep the kits in the nursery. Keep the apprentices in their den and do not come out unless one of the older warriors tell you to."
Spidertail glanced sideways at Tigerfur, but the older warrior ignored his accusing look and followed Fernfeather to the Medicine Den.
"Thank you for warning Fernfeather, Coldpaw," Reedtail said to her apprentice, who smiled.
After a slight hesitation, Coldpaw asked, "Can we go hunting?"
"I want to visit Stonestar first," came the voice of his older brother. Brackenpaw was already edging toward the Medicine Den, even though Spidertail sat near the fresh-kill pile, hostility in his eyes as he stared at each of his Clanmates.
Maybe there's already a spy here in ThunderClan, Reedtail thought worriedly. She followed the apprentices to the Medicine Den just as Tigerfur and Fernfeather nodded a goodbye to Russetfire.
Brackenpaw and Coldpaw greeted Russetfire and asked if they were allowed to see Stonestar.
"Yes, but don't get too close," Russetfire warned. "Crookedfire taught me about herbs and illnesses, but I'm not too sure if his illness is contagious, and I'd rather not have you two find out for me."
Coldpaw and Brackenpaw nodded and crept carefully into Stonestar's part of the den.
"Have our warrior ancestors said anything?" Reedtail asked.
"Either they don't think there's anything important enough to share or something's blocking my connection," Russetfire sighed helplessly. "I don't know what's wrong! The last vision I had was about Stonestar ending up like this, Fernfeather being killed and an old tom saying to leave the Lake. Now there's nothing."
So my own fears may very well come true, Reedtail thought. "Did it show you how Fernfeather was killed, or at least who killed her?"
"Just some shadow," Russetfire said with a shrug. "Fernfeather had a bright red star on her forehead and there was a shadow holding its paw there. The star appeared when it removed its paw, then another shadow came along and fought her."
"And she didn't make it," Reedtail finished. Russetfire stared at the leftover borage and chervil she had been sorting as though she was imagining the vision again.
Does that mean Fernfeather will die shortly after Stonestar? Reedtail thought. She can't become leader if StarClan can't even contact the Medicine Cat. And even if she does, how long will she last?
Reedtail wanted to ask Russetfire what she thought the vision might have meant, but Coldpaw and Brackenpaw padded out of Stonestar's part of the den before Reedtail could question the younger cat.
When Reedtail left with the apprentices, she could see that Fernfeather was already organizing patrols near the Highledge.
"...and Tigerfur, you'll lead a patrol across the border between here and RiverClan," the deputy was saying. "Choose whoever. Reedtail," Fernfeather greeted. "Looking for work?"
"Coldpaw and Brackenpaw wanted to go hunting," Reedtail said. "Exercise would be useful after the amount of rain we've had recently. Can't go anywhere without ending up wet as a fish."
"In that case, could you take Frostpaw and Ashpelt with you?" Fernfeather asked. "Ashpelt's been moping since the Clan meeting and I believe Frostpaw is becoming restless."
"I'll find them," Coldpaw offered.
"Be quick," Fernfeather said to the apprentice as Tigerfur's patrol left.
Brackenpaw padded up to the deputy. "Where's Spidertail?" he asked.
Fernfeather looked around, then looked at the apprentice. "I'm not sure. I haven't sent him on a patrol yet."
"He was here just a minute ago though," Brackenpaw said.
"If he doesn't take his duties seriously, I'll assign you a different mentor," Fernfeather promised. Brackenpaw shrugged and sat next to Reedtail.
Coldpaw ran over to his mentor with Frostpaw at his side and Ashpelt following the two of them. He shot scornful glance at Reedtail as he walked ahead of her. Frostpaw hesitantly followed, confused.
"What's his problem?" Fernfeather asked once he was out of earshot.
"He's just angry about something I said the other day," Reedtail said with a slight shrug. "Come on, Coldpaw," she said, turning to her apprentice. "Let's go follow them. Come, Backenpaw."
The two apprentices left with Reedtail and they followed Ashpelt with his apprentice.
"We'll go left," Reedtail suggested. Ashpelt grunted and walked right, toward the Twolegplace and WindClan's border.
Off to see Horizon again, Reedtail thought in exasperation.
As Reedtail walked off with the apprentices, they heard a strange noise coming from behind a tree.
Brackenpaw and Coldpaw crouched defensively. Reedtail flicked her tail as a sign for them to stay where they were as she crept forward, claws unsheathed and ready to attack.
She darted to where the noise was coming from and saw something she couldn't believe was real.
A small black and white kit lay next to the larger corpse of a she-cat with black fur and white stripes.
The mother was dead. Her tail was missing and her shoulder had been ripped open. Visible against her white paws and unsheathed claws was gray fur mixed with orange. Her jaw was hanging open as though it had been broken.
The small kit's tail twitched beneath a dead leaf, which had been the sound Reedtail and the apprentice's heard. One of its front paws were broken and its left ear had been torn. After a few short seconds, the kit stopped breathing.
"Reedtail?" said Coldpaw, padding over.
"Don't look," Reedtail said. "StarClan... This is..."
"What happened?" asked Brackenpaw, walking over to stand beside his brother.
Reedtail couldn't respond. The sight of this dead kit and queen reminded Reedtail of the missing Clans and the amount of dead cats that had been left in their camp. Whoever was left didn't have time to sit vigil for their fallen Clanmates.
Coldpaw and Brackenpaw peered over her shoulder at the corpses, lost for words.
"Should we report it to Fernfeather?" Coldpaw asked after a while of the three staring at the scene.
"Yes," Reedtail said. The apprentices padded alongside her as they went back to camp. "Stay close until we get back to ThunderClan," she told them.
The three returned back to camp and were greeted to Fernfeather speaking with Russetfire just outside the entrance. Fernfeather noticed them and walked up to them.
"You just left," Fernfeather said. "I see no prey. Have you a good reason for returning without food for the Clan?"
Reedtail was confused by her suddenly harsh attitude, but replied, "We made it as far as the patch of oak trees."
Fernfeather flicked her tail impatiently and sat down, waiting.
"We found bodies behind one of the trees," Reedtail whispered, only loud enough for Russetfire and Fernfeather to hear. Coldpaw and Brackenpaw sat behind her, chatting away.
"Anyone we know or recognize?" Fernfeather asked. "Anyone from WindClan or RiverClan?"
"No cat I recognized," Reedtail said, "but I think they might have been killed by our enemy."
"None of them are alive?" Russetfire asked.
Reedtail shook her head. "It was a kit and its mother. The kit was barely alive when we found it. It smelled recent, and by the look of it, I'm guessing the kit would be all the proof you would've needed."
"I wonder what they were doing so close to ThunderClan?" Russetfire said.
"I can take a fair guess," Fernfeather said grimly. "Where are the bodies now?"
"I'll show you. Coldpaw, Brackenpaw," she said to the apprentices, "wait for me inside, will you? I'm going to show Russetfire and Fernfeather the... discovery."
The apprentices obediently ran into the camp while Reedtail led the deputy and Medicine Cat to the tree where the dead queen and her kit lay.
They crouched by the dead bodies for a moment, Russetfire and Fernfeather examining them for either other wounds or something that would let them know which Clan these cats were from, if they belonged to one.
Finally, Russetfire growled. "The gray and orange fur in between her claws belongs to Crookedfire. Her wounds are deep, so he must've dealt a lot of damage for her to end up in this state, but the kit's only problem is that it was already sick."
"What with?" asked Reedtail.
Russetfire thought for a moment. "I thought it was a myth," she started, "or that it had eventually died off as we moved along each territory. Crookedfire briefly told me about it, but the ancestors explained the entire thing to me."
Reedtail waited for the, "Before my connection to StarClan was severed," but it never came. She most likely doesn't want to worry Fernfeather, Reedtail thought. Both of them have enough problems of their own right now. I can't imagine how stressed the two of them must be.
"The kit died to an illness called Redcough," Russetfire said finally. "I thought it was just made-up or that it must have died along with whatever might've been used to cure it. According to our ancestors, it still exists. Russetwhisker said that's what killed Leafstar on his final life."
"Indeed," Fernfeather sighed. "A sad day when he died."
"How do you know if a cat has Redcough?" Reedtail asked curiously.
"Look here, on the kit's back," she said, pointing with her tail. "It's missing fur on its back and some parts of its face. And you can see where its nose was running when it was alive," she added, nodding to the kit's crusted nose. "Was it panting when you found it?"
"No," Reedtail said after a short moment of thought. "But I think it was already dying by the time I got to it, and I'm no Medicine Cat."
"Well, be aware of panting, hunger, thirst and fainting," Russetfire said. "Just in case. Those are also symptoms that come with the disease."
"Oh, StarClan, no..."
Reedtail and Russetfire got up from crouching, their legs beginning to cramp, and turned to look at Fernfeather.
"I know who this is," Fernfeather said slowly. "This is Blackpatch."
"Who's Blackpatch?" asked Reedtail.
"Blackpatch is one of WindClan's old queens," Fernfeather said. "But before that, she was a ThunderClan apprentice."