Warriors: The Return Of The Greatest Heroes

60. Asking For Guidance

Harestripe dashed out of the medicine den as soon as he heard Crowfeather and Leafpool run into camp yelling about an injured tail. Surely it was no cause for concern, but he couldn't hear it all. There might have been something he had missed.

"Who's tail is hurt?" he was still a little groggy from the recent visit with the other medicine cats at half moon.

"No one's tail is hurt!" Leafpool stood up. "It's Talltail! Moorwhisker and Runningflight told us to run back here to inform you while they tried to get him back to camp."

"What happened?" Harestripe was suddenly alert. Attacks were rare, and it was an attack on the clan leader's son. That was even more rare, since the other clans feared the rath of the clan leader.

"We don't know. Moorwhisker, Runningflight, Leafpool, and I were hunting by Horseplace. All was well until we picked up the scent of many Twolegs, Talltail, and blood." Crowfeather explained. "We immediately knew something was wrong, and when Leafpool saw Talltail, she frantically told us. When we all got a look at him, Moorwhisker and Runningflight told us to come back to camp while they helped him back as well." the black tom explained.

"So, I'm guessing it was the Twolegs that did it?" the medicine cat guessed. "Brackenfall and Yellowpaw had warned us medicine cats that Twolegs were attacking their cats and that we should be on the lookout."

"This has been happening in ThunderClan?" Leafpool felt a rush of fear for her former clan mates who still resided in that clan.

"Yes," Harestripe nodded. "No other clans though, not yet. We are the second clan to be affected. Either Antstar or Ashstar will probably mention this at a Gathering. Ravenheart of ThunderClan had been brutally attacked and poisoned; he is almost through with his recovery, though. Silverstream and Graystripe of ThunderClan were also attacked, but they didn't sustain as many injuries and were not poisoned. They recovered quickly." the medicine cat informed.

"Is there a chance that Talltail was poisoned?" Crowfeather asked.

"Yes, but I'd have to see him first. Also, I'll need someone to fetch Brackenfall from ThunderClan, I'll need his help." Harestripe explained.

They were silent for a little bit.

"Shall I go inform Antstar?" Leafpool questioned.

"Yes, please," the medicine cat shooed her away.

She quickly left, leaving the two toms to their own solitude. Of course there was a chance that Talltail would die, but, as Harestripe's mother always said, always find a good thing in every situation. Never look to the dark side. Things can change as quickly as the moon appears and disappears every moon.

And, of course, to never stop believing.

Moorwhisker and Runningflight appeared in the camp only a few heartbeats later, sharing the weight of Talltail's limp body between them.

"Harestripe!" Runningflight herself looked relieved to see the medicine cat already out in the clearing.

The two warriors gently put Talltail down in front of the medicine den, where Harestripe was frantically sorting through his herbs. Antstar had bolted out of his den, informing Leafpool to ask for Brackenfall's help in a none-to-calm way.

The she-cat had bolted out of the camp almost immediately, already knowing the fastest way to get to the camp.

"This will scar..." Harestripe mumbled out loud.

"What?" Mudpelt, the fallen warrior's mother freaked out in the backround.

"It's not like it's his first battle wound." Crowfeather growled.

"I know, but..." the she-cat looked doubtful.

They were silenced by a flick of the medicine cat's tail. He appeared to be in deep concentration, pasting cobwebs on wounds varying from cuts, scrapes, and all the way to a gaping whole in his flank. He also noticed foaming in the tom's mouth. A definite sign of being poisoned.

"Whatever poisoned Ravenheart," Harestripe turned to face Talltail's family. "Has also poisoned Talltail."

"Why would anyone do something like this to him?" Antstar ranted. "Even rogues have enough sense to know that doing this...torturing him is wrong."

"This wasn't the work of a rogue." the medicine cat notified. "It was Twolegs who did this."

"Rabbit-brained mongrels," the leader said a few more words that were censored to save the innocence of many young cats. :)

It was all Harestripe could do to tilt Talltail's head so that he didn't choke on his own vomit. He really did not know what to do anymore; all of the abrasions on his skin had been properly taken care of. All that remained was the poison in which the whole of WindClan was pleading to ThunderClan for help. Hopefully they would take action; they have an alliance for a reason, you know.

"Get some wet moss for him to lap at when he wakes up," Harestripe instructed.

"Yes," Mudpelt zipped away at a record speed, even for a WindClan cat.

Now all they could do was hope that ThunderClan would come in time.