Ch 4

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I rose to my paws, before shuffling them. I wasn't quite sure what to do. I don't think I've had an idle day that wasn't from sickness or injury. Here I stood, perfectly healthy, but no tasks.

Eventually I padded away from the medicine den and sat near the warrior den to watch the busy ants of the clan.

Soon before the sun fully rose, a sleepy Fireheart pushed his way through the dried and dead ferns that covered the den, following Greystripe. He stretching with a yawn before grumbling to himself and heading out to. He had an anxious look on his face and I hoped the hunting calmed him down.

Soon after he was followed by the ever eager Sandstorm who mewed in greeting to me before she called for Brackenpaw and they headed after the ginger and grey toms.

I gently purred, the familiar scene calming me. Unfortunately, soon Tigerclaw came padding through the tunnel, squirrel in his jaw despite his border patrol. Darkstripe and Falconclaw followed behind him, both carrying at least a mouse.

Falconclaw chirped almost immediately when he noticed me and came over, dropping the mouse at my paws.

"For you! You shouldn't be outside for too long you know. You'll catch a cold." Falconclaw chastised, despite offering me the mouse.

"Thanks. I was just about to head in for a nap." I purred back at him good naturedly.

"Must be nice. Napping the day away." Darkstripe sneered as he passed us. I ignored him and dug into the fresh mouse in front of me.

"Don't be shy, make sure to get some prey too. Especially when it's scarce." I urged him.

"No, you know the code. Queens and Elders first!" Falconclaw teased. I looked at him in shocked confusion.

"What, how..." I started before he interrupted.

"As if Tigerclaw could hide it from me. He practically led me into his reveal. You might even think he's excited about it" Falconclaw chuckled.

"And to think you think he doesn't like you." He teased.

"Well, I guess I didn't think he'd be so thrilled?" I stated, furrowing my brows in confusion. I almost got distracted thinking about his strange behavior and forgot my growling stomach.

I quickly ate the last few bites, though I could still feel hunger in my gut. I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning from the prey scarcity, so a single mouse was bound to not be enough.

I buried the mouse as best I could in the snow before standing and shaking my fur out.

"I'm going out on a hunting patrol this time, so I gotta go." Falconclaw sighed, before mewing goodbye and headed back to the entrance where Mousefur and Willowpelt sat and I could tell with a sinking feeling that the whole clan would hear about my condition before sun-down.

I groaned mentally before heading into the den. Inside it was empty aside from Whitestorm groomed himself near the center and Longtail snoozing in his nest.

I ignored them and headed to my nest, turning a few times before laying down and resting my head on my paws.

I dozed there for a bit, staring at the wall of the den. I sighed as I waited for sleep to come.

Then I blinked and I was in a dark damp cave.

Before I could really look around a bright light lit the area and I recognized the Moonstone.

Before me stood a familiar white cat.

"What are you." She asked me.

"What. I thought we went over this." I responded nervously.

"But what are you. Why can we not see you." Snowfur demanded.

"I....I don't know. I don't know what you are talking about." I stammered, alarmed by her aggressive tone.

"We can see all the cats in the clan, from the oldest elder, to the youngest kit. But you are a mystery. We don't know your future aside from strange glimpses, and we cannot see you under our stars." She stated.

"We can see your kits' future, we know their life, we know their place. But we don't know YOURS. WHAT ARE YOU." she hissed at me.

I pressed my ears back, taking a few steps back in fear of the Starclan cats anger.

The Moonstone flashed brightly again and I pinched my eyes shut.

Opening then again I once again looked at the wall of the den. I blinked in alarm, looking around.

The den now sat empty.

Was I still asleep?

I stood up and quickly made my way to the entrance, glancing out and saw a few clan members lounging around the camp and I sighed in relief, feeling anxiety creeping up my spine.

I turned back and laid down again, hoping to get some actual rest.

Uninterrupted rest

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