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When the patrol entered the camp through the Birchtunnel, most of the cats were in the clearing, sharing their prey and sharing tongues.
Just as Larkpaw was wondering how best to explain it to the Clan, a belligerent snarl suddenly sounded.
Fawnpelt took up an attacking stance. "You brought rogues into camp?"
His exclamation drew the attention of the whole Clan, who now drew a tight circle around the arriving cats, hissing and growling.
Nettle began to kick his legs. Don't let him go, Amberpaw, Larkpaw thought anxiously.
"Have you been abandoned by all the cats of StarClan and the Dark Forest?" Flamedash chided them. "Have you forgotten what happened not so long ago? Rogues like them—" The tortoiseshell warrior bared her teeth, "destroyed our Clan!"
Larkpaw couldn't take it any longer. Fernpool could think her disrespectful, but she had to say something. "Can't you see they're hurt?" It felt strangely good to say those words that had been on the tip of her tongue for a long time. "We promised them that we would help them. What kind of cats would we be if we just left them to their fate?"
"That's absolutely right." The RoseClan cats stepped aside to let Palestar and Honeyclaw through.
For some reason, Aster seemed to realise that these were high-ranking cats, because she bowed her head low. "We're sorry to hear that you've had bad experiences with our kind," she meowed in a firm voice, though she planted her paws in the ground to keep her body from shaking. "But my mother here needs treatment for her wounds as quickly as possible."
Fruittail appeared in the crowd, herbs in her mouth. When she discovered Flutter's shoulder injury, she gasped. "How did that happen?"
"A badger attacked us," Fennel answered for Flutter.
Murmuring spread across the camp. "A badger?" Honeyclaw repeated. "Where did you come across it?"
"Far downstream on the mountain side by two intertwined trees," Fennel explained.
Honeyclaw stepped to Palestar, worry glistening in his amber eyes. "We should send a patrol there to drive it out."
Flutter seemed to have overheard them, for she jerkily lifted her head. "There were cubs as well," she meowed loudly. "Better be careful." At the last words, her voice became more quiet and she fell against Aster's flank.
Fruittail stomped towards her, tail thrusting out in all directions. "Stop standing around here like curious squirrels and take care of this badger family instead!" She sniffed at Flutter's injury, her gaze clouding with fear. "It's infected!"
Frightened, Flutter flattened her ears. "Is it bad?"
But instead of answering, Fruittail stood on her other side. "We'll take you to the medicine cat's den first and then we'll see."
