Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 3. (A Dead Star)

~A Dead Star: Chapter 22~

The next morning, the camp was busy and filled with noise.
Ashpelt, Flameclaw and Reedtail seemed to have left early to train their apprentices, and Amberkit and Echokit were playing outside the nursery with their mother watching.
Other than the kits, warriors and elders worriedly stared at each other or looked around at the dens.
"What's happened?" Whitestripe asked Swiftflight reluctantly.
The tortoiseshell she-cat shrugged and said, "Something happened to Fernstar last night, and Russetfire isn't feeling too well. Windcaller and Beeflower have fallen ill and Tigerfur seems to be unable to handle the pressure of having to sort the Clan out on his own."
"And you won't help?"
"Nobody else will, so I don't see why I should be the odd one out." Swiftlight flicked her tail. Her face was set in a frown.
"Where is Fernstar now?" Whitestripe asked, irritated.
"Not sure," Swiftflight replied, standing up. "She and Tigerfur left to go somewhere. A bit strange if you ask me, but I can't say much, according to them."
Well, you can't, Whitestripe thought. She used to like Swiftflight. As a young kit, she'd actually thought she was Spidertail's mate instead of Willowleaf, but no, she was just a loner Spidertail had brought to camp. A loner who seemed to think quite highly of herself.
"Do you know where they went?" Whitestripe asked.
Swiftflight shook her head. 
"Does someone more useful know where they went?"
The tortoiseshell she-cat scowled and nodded to Russetfire and Rockhopper, who were talking outside the Medicine Den.
Swiftflight flicked her tail impatiently and sauntered toward the fresh-kill pile.
Whitestripe wandered over to the Medicine Den. Rockhopper passed her and nodded his head in greeting. It was strange to know now that they were kin.
"Hi, Whitestripe," Russetfire said from inside the Medicine Den once Whitestripe had entered. "Need anything?" The red-brown she-cat left the den from the side and sat next to her shelf of herbs, facing Whitestripe.
"No," Whitestripe said with a shake of her head. "I came to check on you and ask where Fernstar and Tigerfur went."
"Oh," said the younger she-cat, surprised. "Well, I'm doing fine. Feeling a bit queasy this morning, and I'm unsure why, but Fernstar and Tigerfur?"
Russetfire looked hesitant. "Let's go outside for a moment."
Russetfire and Whitestripe left the camp and sat just outside so they were out of earshot but still in sight of their other Clanmates.
"I finally had another sort of vision last night," Russetfire admitted.
"What did you see?" Whitestripe asked.
"Some... place. I saw Shadedclaw, one of our old Medicine Cats.
"He was in front of a cave. A large cave with lots of light... It sounded like there was whispering coming from inside. The moon was full and there was a little trail leading toward the cave's entrance."
The moon wasn't full when we were at the Winding River, Whitestripe thought. Maybe that's what the whispering was? Maybe that moonlight path was trying to lead us to the cave...
"Do you think that's where Fernstar and Tigerfur might be?" Whitestripe said aloud.
"I think so," Russetfire said slowly. As Whitestripe turned to leave, Russetfire said, "Could I come? I think, if it had something to do with StarClan, maybe I could help."
"What about Beeflower and Windcaller?" Whitestripe said. "Aren't they sick?"
"They are," Russetfire said, looking back to her den. "But Frostpaw's been helping me. She's in there right now."
"Wait, but Ashpelt's not in camp!"
"He went off with Fernstar and Tigerfur to show them where to go," Russetfire replied calmly. "Frostpaw's in my den right now. Somehow, she seems to be learning herbs and their uses quite fast, even without my help. She's not even my apprentice."
"Maybe Ashpelt's been teaching her bits and pieces about herbs he knows?" Whitestripe said with a doubtful tone.
"I don't think so," Russetfire said, following Whitestripe as she began to walk away. "Ashpelt doesn't know much about herbs. He knows a bit about catmint and chervil, but not enough to teach another cat."
"Strange," Whitestripe muttered. Louder, she told Russetfire, "Come on. We'll go find them."
The younger she-cat nodded and ran after Whitestripe, following her to the Winding River, where they were most likely to find their leader and deputy.