Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 4. (Hidden In Darkness)

~Hidden In Darkness: Chapter 5~

"Remind me where we're going?" Ashpelt said.
"To that dead tree," Whitestripe answered. Russetfire was mildly surprised that they already knew of it, but Firpaw had mentioned once or twice that two of Stonestar's kits knew of the Tree already. The thing that surprised her most was that it was Whitestripe and Ashpelt who were the ones to find it first.
She thought they were all quite daft in their own ways, despite their ages, and Ashpelt, to Russetfire, seemed like the most irresponsible out of all of Stonestar and Grayfur's kits.
Reedtail had become a bit more depressing to be around ever since the RiverClan massacre, which she couldn't blame her for. She'd lost her mother, and a short time after, her father.
But that didn't mean she had to skip Coldpaw's training for days on end. Quite literally, Russetfire thought it a bit hypocritical for the older warrior to go off at Ashpelt for delaying Frostpaw's training when she was practically doing the same with her own apprentice.
Of course, we Medicine Cats only get a say when something's dangerously wrong, Russetfire thought bitterly. Only when queens are having trouble sleeping or have stomach aches, only when they want to discuss the matters of their own problems.
She didn't want to think that way. She knew her duties as a Medicine Cat were serious, and she wanted to help cats who needed it, but if they were just going to take her for granted and just wanted to talk to her about their problems nonstop, of course she was going to be angry.
The five cats came to a stop at the Spirit Tree, a large and dead oak that was completely shed of its leaves due to the rough leaf-bare.
Spiraltail was looking up at the Tree with an odd expression, one that resembled heavy concentration and curiosity as if she were trying to decipher its meaning.
Russetfire felt an odd buzz in her head and glanced at the roots of the Tree. Hidden beneath two tangled roots were three small shards, the largest being purple, the second, blue, and the smallest, teal.
Interesting, Russetfire thought. StarClan leaving hints, perhaps? Maybe I could find a way to contact Firpaw. Surely the connection between the living and dead would be stronger here?
Russetfire attempted to reach out to her dead brother only to fail, merely succeeding in being startled by a dried leaf.
"There's something strange about this tree," Reedtail observed. "Look at its trunk. And the amount of rings on it tells that it must be considerably older than most of the others in the Lake."
"It is older," Russetfire sighed frustratedly. "One of our medicine cats found it when we first moved here."
"And was it very old then?" Ashpelt asked.
"I'd have to say so," Russetfire said. "I can't say for sure, of course, but it's definitely far older than anybody alive today."
"What have any of the StarClan cats said on the matter?" Spiraltail inquired.
"Firpaw's the only one I've been able to contact so far," Russetfire admitted. "I haven't had the chance to see Russetwhisker. Firpaw says she's missing."
"What about any medicine cats from the other Clans?" Whitestripe suggested.
"They're either not interested in sharing anything helpful or they genuinely don't know how to contact me," Russetfire answered. "Although, if that were the case, Firpaw wouldn't be telling me what he currently can."
"You say that like he'll soon not be able to," Reedtail scoffed arrogantly.
"Admittedly, I'm not too sure if he's telling the truth half the time. I don't think my brother would lie, but he has been known to stretch the truth, even in death."
"So, in short, you don't actually know what he says will help, if he's being completely truthful?" Ashpelt said cautiously.
"I find it hard to believe that anyone can be completely truthful," Russetfire mumbled.
Thankfully, before she could say much more, Spiraltail got up and walked toward the tree. She rested her forehead on one of the rings around the trunk and it lit up, the light slowly circling the tree.