𝖋𝖆𝖜𝖓𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖕'𝖘 𝖋𝖆𝖎𝖙𝖍 | 𝙬𝙘 𝙛𝙖𝙣-𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

x

Fawnleap must have had a contorted expression, because Cougarclaw and Freckleface meticulously made their way over, troubled expressions planted on their faces.

"What happened?" Cougarclaw asked, sounding eager. The cream-and-black she-cat looked up at them, with wide eyes.

Fawnleap took a deep and brisk inhale, her breath shaking as she mouthed her words before she spoke. "Chestnutspots is dead."

Freckleface audibly gasped with her ears jerking backwards, while Cougarclaw just froze.

"-And Snailstar lied about my curse: I'm not cursed, there was no dead fawn or even a dead deer." A knot curled in Fawnleap's stomach, tightening the more she spoke, creating an uncomfortable nauseous feeling.

"Why would . . ." Freckleface's voice trailed off the more she spoke, her stare fixated on the stone below them.

Fawnleap licked Freckleface's ear in assurance. "I don't know. I'm going to find out." She consoled, stepping back for a moment. Cougarclaw's expression hardly moved, not even a twitch of some different emotion.

"Cougarclaw?" Freckleface said before Fawnleap could. The stark tom suddenly snapped back to the present, his eyes still wide with his ears perked.

"Chestnutspots was my brother."

A grip lurched in Fawnleap's chest, a pain of guilt sizzling and surging in the back of her heart. "Cougarclaw . . ." She began, how could she forget? She felt so awful.

"I didn't.. I didn't even say goodbye." The freckled she-cat comfortingly pressed her flank to Cougarclaw, her eyes half-lidded and full of woe.

Fawnleap just stared, shocked and disconnected. How could she just tell him upfront that his brother was dead? That is absurd! Halfleaf should've told him. Or his parents. That would've made things so much easier, right?

"Fawnleap!"

She whipped her head around from the sound of the call, and to her disappointment, Pearlwhisker showed her elated face, her voice lenient as ever.

"Come on. We have to go back to ForestClan now."

Her white muzzle jerked to the skyline, to show the setting sun just start to disappear below the trees, creating an orange glimmer like a beautiful painting. Unfortunately, the beautiful sight didn't last long when heavy clouds billowed, stretching their way across the sky.

"We have to make it right when the moon starts to rise. Let's go." Her sister ordered. It felt weird to Fawnleap, she felt as if she just woken up with the sun gleaming in her eyes.

She was shaken out of her trance when Pearlwhisker began to hobble up the slopes, her sinewy arms clinging to the rocks. Fawnleap followed closely behind, glancing back at Freckleface and Cougarclaw, who didnt pay attention to her; then she disappeared into the undergrowth, her paws brawny against the rock-strewn earth.

.
.
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It was moonrise by the time the sisters treaded down the mountain. It was much harder than before, Fawnleap's hungry stomach was surging the entire time, and for a moment she thought about eating a paw!

Her eyes keek at the same slope where she had her last vision of the mud-wave. She shuddered and stared for a longing moment, earning a harsh tug from Pearlwhisker.

They eventually made their way into the forested biome, where they met the patrol last time. To Fawnleap's relief, she saw the same three cats as earlier. Juniperfang in the lead, with Jaggedtalon and Cedarthorn right behind him- side-by-side. Suddenly, Fawnleap woefully realized that the trio looked thinner than ever. They were practically leaves and bones.

"Greetings." The ForestClan deputy meowed, dipping his head in greeting. Fawnleap copied the tom, but Pearlwhisker didn't budge. "Report?" She steadily asked. Juniperfang glanced at Cedarthorn, and looked back at the scrawny Pearlwhisker.

"ForestClan is coming to the battle." He said with stern. Fawnleap looked at Pearlwhisker, and she couldn't believe that she caught her perform a crack of a smile.

"And what about MeadowClan?" She asked, more eagerly this time. What is wrong with her? What's so good about going to war?

"MeadowClan is joining us."

Pearlwhisker smiled. "Good." Fawnleap felt a pang of utter disgust. She was never more disappointed in her sister. Good? What is wrong with her?

"So..., three Clans will.. fight against GorgeClan?" Cedarthorn hesitantly asked for confirmation, a crack of sorrow in his tone.

"Yeah." Jaggedtalon hissed next to him, causing Cedarthorn to flinch.

"When should it happen? The war, I mean."
"Snailstar told me in three days. Dead of morning after the third day, 'as soon as there's a crack of the sun in the trees'. We'll meet at the row of shrubs right at the border of GorgeClan's territory."

Fawnleap rolled her eyes as the white cat recited the leader's words. Of course Snailstar told her that. Mine as well cut off Falconstrike and make her deputy for StarClan's sake! She thought sarcastically, her muzzle scrunching.

"Noted. Let's go." The deputy said, turning and bringing his minions along with him.

After a few moments of silence, Pearlwhisker snapped her neck towards Fawnleap, narrowing her eyes. "You reek of anxiousness." She spat; rage prickling Fawnleap's fur.

"Of course I do." She retorted, turning her back to her sister. "I don't want to fight a war half-starved, Pearlwhisker. Why are you so eager about this?"

Pearlwhisker treaded next to the she-cat, tail raising in irritation. The stare she gave Fawnleap sent shivers down her spine, her gaze looked as if Fawnleap just killed her mother.

"I'm not. I just need food." Her tone was dull, as if there was something missing. Something more.

Fawnleap didn't say anything, mainly because she didn't know what to say. The two hiked back the mountain in an utter uncomfortable silence.