Warrior Cats: Darkness Rising. (2/3)

Chapter 17

Timberheart flashed out a paw, hooking Redpaw's paws out from under him. The russet tom huffed as he landed on his chin. Then he leaped to his paws and shook his pelt. Timberheart shook his head. "You're too distracted." Timberheart mewed. "What's on your mind?" He asked. Redpaw glanced at him before looking down at his paws. "Nothing." He mumbled. Timberheart trotted towards him and flicked his ears with his tail. "Now I know there's definitely something wrong." He mewed. "I'm just worried!" Redpaw's mew rose to a wail. "About what?" Timberheart asked, but he could already guess what. The whole clan was worried, and he could feel it in the air, how they moved and how their eyes were constantly watchful. "About the Renegades?" Redpaw nodded. "Yes." He murmured. Timberheart pressed himself up to the young tom. "We'll be okay." He mewed. "Thunderclan has always survived. We are the clan of loyalty, strength and skills in both hunting and battle. We have a lot of kits in the nursery and we'll need to expand the warriors' den soon. The clan is well fed and our cats are healthy. What could we possibly have to fear?" Redpaw looked up at him, his eyes brimming with emotion. "They've already killed Jayfeather, and cats from other clans." He mewed before looking down at his paws. "They'll strike again soon, and I'm sure of it, and I don't know if we can stand up against them." Timberheart touched his shoulder with the tip of his tail. "Redpaw, you'll be a great warrior one day, and if -when- the Renegades will strike, we'll be ready and you'll see that there is nothing worth more than defending and dying for your clan. And when we have chased those fox-hearts out of our territory, which we will, then everything will be back to normal. Every day work will go on as usual. The deputy will send out hunting and border patrols. The kits will be as lively as ever, and the apprentices will continue their training. The warriors will fight and hunt and mentor young cats, and the clan leader will perform ceremonies on the highledge. Turn kits into apprentices and apprentices into warriors and warriors into elders." He mewed. Redpaw sighed and got slowly to his paws. "Thanks, Timberheart." He murmured, looking down. Timberheart dipped his head. "You're young, Redpaw, and you have your whole life ahead of you. Stop worrying and start having fun and getting into trouble like every other apprentice." Timberheart purred. "We're done today." He added and got to his paws. Redpaw nodded before bounding out of the training hollow, and Timberheart followed more slowly.

Timberheart leaped into the air and batted the ball of moss to the ground before swiping it to Whiteraven again. She stretched up into the air and swatted it back to him. He snagged it with a claw and pinned it to the ground. "If that were prey it would be shredded by now." Whiteraven mewed. Timberheart twitched his whiskers and bounded towards her. She purred as he wove himself around her. They settled down in the mossy clearing, pelts brushing. He could feel a warm wind blowing towards them. "Looks like newleaf is not so far off." Timberheart mewed, touching her ear with his nose. He looked up at the trees, and to his happiness, he could see small buds on the trees, and it wouldn't be long until fresh leaves would pop out of them. She ran his paw over the ground beneath him, and he could feel tiny baby fern leaves curled beneath his paws, and with them, flowers. He took in a deep breath. After a moon or two, these woods would be swarming with prey, and wonderful scents would fill the forest. "How's it going in Shadowclan?" He asked, swatting a leaf that got swirled up by the wind to the ground. Whiteraven shrugged, although Timberheart could feel unease and fear pulsing off her in waves, and he could see it by the way her fur prickled. "What is it?" He asked, but he could already guess. She sighed. "We found Beeflight's body by the border a quarter moon ago. And a couple of days after the gathering, Flamepaw was killed." She murmured. Timberheart felt his belly flip over. Timberheart gulped. "Do you know what killed them?" He whispered. Whiteraven shook her head. "Cats. We don't know which cats though." She murmured, flicking her tail. "But we've found strange scents along the border. Not Thunderclan, but rogue scents." She mewed. Timberheart pressed his forehead up to her cheek. "I'm sorry." He murmured. "I'm sure they were brave and loyal to their clan." Timberheart mewed. Whiteraven nodded. "They were." She murmured. "Any new apprentices or warriors?" He carried on, trying to distract his worried mate. Whiteraven nodded once. "Larchpaw, Hoppaw and Waterpaw. Crowflight has moved to the nursery with Eagleclaw's kits." She mewed and then added with a more serious tone. "But a few cats, including me, Skycloud, Swanwing, Puddlepelt and Runningriver are not happy with Blueleaf being deputy. Her leadership would be cruel and there would only be constant battles and bloodshed." Timberheart felt the fur along his spine rise so he looked like a hedgehog. A shiver ran through him. "What about Rowanstar? Have you tried talking to him?" Timberheart asked. Whiteraven shook her head. "No one dares, not even his only living kit, Tigerheart." She mewed. Timberheart sighed. "I hope-." He was cut off as something rustled behind them. They snapped their heads around, both growling. They slowly rose to their paws. "Who's there?" Timberheart hissed, and a moment later, Fernleaf and Coalfrost stepped out of the undergrowth. Timberheart felt Whiteraven stiffen beside him, and she must be surprised by the way Fernleaf looked. Her eye had become cloudy, and Alderleaf said that there was nothing he could do to save her sight. Her black pupil had disappeared, and only a cloudy blue fog had taken over the emerald green color. "Cloverpool said I might find you here." Fernleaf murmured, the tip of her tail twitching. Timberheart felt anger boiling beneath his pelt. Cloverpool promised she wouldn't tell anyone! He looked at Whiteraven, her face grim as she gazed at Fernleaf and Coalfrost. "You'd better go." Whiteraven sighed. Timberheart nodded but pressed himself up to her and nuzzled her. He glared at Fernleaf as she let out a hiss of annoyance. "Goodbye." Timberheart murmured and gave the white she-cat a lick on the head. Fernleaf flicked her tail before whipping around and disappearing into the undergrowth. Timberheart stomped after her, leaving Whiteraven behind. They padded in silence through the forest, although tension hung in the air like a storm cloud threatening to rain. Then, when they had entered Thunderclan territory again and a little further in, Fernleaf spun around, eyes blazing with anger. "Are you serious? She's from Shadowclan! Where is the loyalty you always talked about when we were kits?" She snapped. Timberheart felt fury building up inside him. "Well, I'm still loyal and I never went to join another clan." He spat before jerking his head to Coalfrost. "You're not so loyal either. You took a mate from another clan." He hissed. Fernleaf lifted her chin, anger pulsing off her in waves. She opened her mouth for a stinging retort, but Coalfrost mewed calmly. "That was after I joined Thunderclan." Timberheart's gaze shot towards him. "But she still visited the Renegades, and even if you hadn't joined our clan, she would still have chosen you as a mate. At least I don't visit Shadowclan every other day, or fight their battles." Timberheart snarled. With a yowl of rage, Fernleaf lunged at him. Timberheart reared up and she crashed into his belly. They writhed on the ground in a bundle of grey and brown fur. "Stop!" Coalfrost yowled before digging his claws into Fernleaf's shoulders and hauling her off Timberheart. It took a massive effort for the dark brown tom to control his anger. Blood trickled out of a scratch above his eye, but he had managed to claw a few clumps of fur out of her shoulders. Timberheart took one step away before spinning around and haring back to camp.

To Timberheart's dismay, Stormcloud was on watch. He sprang to his paws, eyes wide. "What in Starclan's name happened to you, Timberheart?" He asked, astonished. "Your pathetic excuse for a daughter happened." Timberheart snapped as he stomped past him. Stormcloud let out a hiss. "That is not how you talk about your sister, no matter what she did." Timberheart flicked his tail without answering and then squeezed himself into the warriors' den. His wound felt sore and painful. Ignoring it, he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.

Timberheart woke at sunhigh. Cherryfall had come out of the nursery and was warming herself in a spot where the sun's weak rays were just beginning to reach. Her kits huddled together outside the nursery, blinking sleep from their eyes. Hazelpaw, Foxpaw, and Icepaw were sharing tongues by the basking rocks. Their slender dappled bodies reminded Timberheart of their mother, Rosepetal, who was nosing through the remains of yesterday's fresh-kill pile with Flamingheart and Berrynose. Acornfall was leading Lionblaze, Willowfern, Redfang, Smokeheart and Littlepaw out on a hunting patrol. Timberheart sat down outside the warriors' den and opened his jaws into an enormous yawn. He watched Sootfall trot out from beside him and to the nursery. Gone to visit Junipercloud. Alderleaf said that the kits were due any day now. Timberheart felt a shiver run through him from when Fernleaf brought the news of Jayfeather no more than half a moon ago. Bramblestar, Alderleaf and Lionblaze had been distraught, and Lionblaze barely ever said anything these days. Timberheart sighed inwardly when he saw Ivypool striding over to him with Stormcloud on her tail. "What?" Timberheart hissed softly. "What is this your father tells me? Did you and Fernleaf fight last night?" She snapped. Timberheart fidgeted uncomfortably under the gazes of his clanmates. Then Frogleap trotted towards him. "Yeah, well. Fernleaf tends to do that quite a lot." He mewed, glancing from Ivypool to Timberheart. Timberheart twitched his whiskers, but flicked his tail, telling Frogleap to leave when he saw Ivypool's eyes flash with annoyance and anger. "It was just a misunderstanding." Timberheart mewed slowly, not daring to meet his mother's eyes. "I want you two to be friends again by tomorrow morning." Ivypool mewed before whipping around and stalking away. Timberheart sighed, hanging his head slightly. He glared up at his father when he saw that he hadn't left. "What do you want?" Timberheart muttered. Stormcloud lashed his tail. "Come, take a walk with me in the forest." He mewed.

Timberheart trailed after his father as the grey tabby tom padded through the undergrowth. The forest was filled with birdsong, and fresh prey scents hung in the air. "Seems like newleaf is here." Stormcloud mewed. Timberheart murmured something in agreement. Then Stormcloud stopped and turned to face his son. "Timberheart, I don't understand how you and Fernleaf could fight. I always relied on you to take care of your siblings." He mewed, his voice a bit high-pitched. Timberheart sat down, shoulders hunched. "Why not Cloverpool? She's wiser than all of us, and intelligent and thoughtful." Timberheart mewed. "Or even Fernleaf? She already thinks she's the leader of this clan." He mewed, anger edging his voice. Stormcloud tipped his head. "Do you really think Bramblestar would appoint Fernleaf as his deputy if she keeps attacking her clanmates?" Stormcloud asked, twitching his whiskers. "That's as mousebrained as saying that Shadowclan are giving us free territory." He snorted. Timberheart rolled his eyes. But his father was right. "Come on, let's get back to camp."

"Do you think he'll survive?" Timberheart murmured in Oakshade's ear. Oakshade opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Jayfeather snapped. "Of course I will." Then he added with an angry murmur. "I can't believe those mousebrains saved me instead of Alderleaf." He snorted, a look of sadness spreading into his blind blue eyes. "Coalfrost and Fernleaf say that there was nothing they could have done. They are no medicine cats, Jayfeather." Timberheart mewed. Featherpaw came trotting into the den, his jaws laidened with herbs. He dropped him at Jayfeather's paws. "Are these the right ones?" He asked. Jayfeather stretched his neck from where he was lying, sprawled, in his nest, and sniffed the herbs. He nodded curtly. "Yes, that's horsetail." He mewed. Featherpaw nodded before grabbing up the stems and padding to the pool in the back of the den. Then Sorrelstripe came limping into the den, leaning onto Dewnose's shoulder, groaning. "What is it?" Jayfeather grumbled. "Sorrelstripe's belly is hurting." Dewnose explained. "Oakshade, find some juniper berries." Jayfeather ordered. Oakshade nodded before padding into the cleft. Everyone knew what juniper berries looked like. A moment later, the brown tom emerged with a few of the pale purple-blue berries in his jaws. He dropped them in front of Jayfeather. "How much does she need?" He asked. "Two or three, no more than 4." He mewed. Dewnose nodded and padded forward and grabbed some in his jaws before dropping them in front of Sorrelstripe. "Eat these." He ordered. Sorrelstripe groaned as she stretched out her neck and began chewing them. Timberheart turned to Jayfeather again. Half a moon had passed since he and Alderleaf had been attacked, and his scars still showed.