Warriors: Silent

35

      "Frostcloud. Wake up." Buckheart whispered quietly. Frostcloud stirred from where she slept, her Clanmate's voice tugging her away from her slumber.

  "Hmph." She huffed, using her paws to cover her eyes. We brought Bailey home... could we sleep in just once?

  "Come on," He urged as he pressed his muzzle into Frostcloud's shoulder, "we need to discuss a few things."

  Reluctantly, Frostcloud leaned upright. Her eyes burned when she opened them, and she found herself in active thought to keep them from shutting. The dawn light just barely spilled into the barn and small specks of dirt glowed as they floated into the beams of sun. Next to Frostcloud, Smudge laid sleeping in a half-circle on his back. She had been sleeping in the curve of his arc.

  Just a rabbit-length away, Bailey slept in the midst of her friends, of whom were piled onto eachother and forming a small mound.

  Frostcloud gave a mighty yawn. "What is it?" She asked before she licked her paw and began to wipe the sleep away from her whiskers.

  "It's- it's sort of a meeting." Buckheart said awkwardly, like he wasn't sure what words to use, "Duskpaw's waiting for us outside."

  After getting to her feet, Frostcloud followed Buckheart outside of the barn. The horses that she had slept near were now grazing a far distance away near a herd of cattle. "Over here." Buckheart said as he led the way to Duskpaw, who was perched on a wood structure that vaguely reminded Frostcloud of steel gorse.

  Frostcloud leapt nimbly, landing on the top bar of wood. She greeted Duskpaw with a slow blink while Buckheart jumped next, and the surface under the cats moved lightly under the toms impact.

  "We need to plan a few things," Buckheart began, "For starters, when are we leaving for PineClan?"

  Duskpaw and Frostcloud caught eachothers eyes. "I- I was expecting today." Duskpaw said.

  Buckheart didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to face Frostcloud, silently asking for her answer.

  Warily, Frostcloud checked the sky. She could feel the air becoming thick with moisture, and the clouds from yesterday creeped closer. Her eyes dropped to the barn: where the cats could take shelter in a storm. "I think we should rest." Frostcloud said eventually.

  "Don't you want to get back to PineClan?" Buckheart asked.

  "I do." Frostcloud confessed. She longed to be back with her mother, her old mentor, her friends... but being caught in a storm without shelter? And not to mention how raw her pads felt, how tired her legs were. And she liked talking with Smudge and the others. "You promised Riverpelt you wouldn't overwork yourself- that you would take breaks." Frostcloud said to Buckheart. And with an amused twitch in her whiskers, she added, "And I promised her I'd make you."

  Buckheart stiffled a purr. "Tomorrow, then?"

  Frostcloud nodded. Surely the storm would come and go by then. She observed Duskpaw gently, noticing his mix of emotions. He seemed almost disappointed by the decision, but his tired demeanour and roughed up pelt made it clear he needed time to rest.

  "Duskpaw." Buckheart said, turning to his apprentice, "You did a remarkable job keeping an eye on Bailey while Frostcloud and I hunted. We didn't need to stop for you a single time on our journey here. So, on our way back, I would like for you to lead our patrol."

  Frostcloud felt almost as surprised as Duskpaw looked. "Me?" He asked like he had misheard.

  Buckheart nodded encouragingly. "Of course. You'll set the pace, decide when we hunt or rest. And Frostcloud and I will be right here to help you."