The sun had fallen, and Dawnsun still slept like the other FlameClan cats underneath a big blackberry bush. The leaders had disposed that all warriors should rest here for the night. Meanwhile the leaders had gone with the four cats, who have been on the first journey, to observe the strays. The hope that they just could talk had already given up. After rolling back and forth almost all night, Dawnsun had finally found in to a restless sleep. She only dreamed short and incomprehensible, she saw the camp of the strays in a gorge, but she couldn't recognize any familiar cats.
The reek of injuries crept in Dawnsun's nose, frightened she charged out of the provisionally den. She saw the leaders followed by the four cats limping onto the clearing. Her green eyes widened in shock as she saw Sprucefur and Grayleg supported on each other limping onto the clearing, Beechfall only had slight injuries on her hind legs. Oscar jumped to the cats in horror, while Dawnsun froze. "What happened?" the shaggy one-eyed tom asked. "They found us... and tried to chase us away." Slatestar told out of breath. Limestar called Lavendersong, BrookClan's medicine cat, at her side. Hastily he told, after he investigated the wounds, Oscar which herbs he should gather.
With two other cats at his side the former stray ran in the forest. "Set up two nests for them!" the dark striped medicine cat ordered turned to Dawnsun, and directly turned back to the two injured warriors. Without words she nodded to Iceclaw, he returned the look and followed the brown spotted she-cat into the forest. Only a few taillengths they found moos, both of them took as many as the could. On the way back they saw Oscar and his companions returning from the herbs search. Quickly Iceclaw and Dawnsun prepared the nests for Sprucefur and Grayleg, in which they both fell exhausted while Lavendersong patched them up with the herbs.
The night had come, and Dawnsun had curled up in the provisionally den, but she couldn't find rest. That's why she heard steps outside the blackberry bush, through a hole in the scrub she could see the four leaders who gathered on the clearing. Carefully to not wake anyone up she crept closer to the opening.
Quietly she heard Limestar meowing: "What shell we do now? They know that we are here! It's only a matter of time 'till they attack us." Slatestar nodded like he would've said the same thing. Redstar answered: "I am in favor of attacking tomorrow!" Meadowstar's gray fur raised. He replied: "That's mousebrained! Two of our best warriors are injured! First of all they have to be ready for battle again, before we can attack them!" Slatestar stood between the two. He looked at them short, but urgently. Then he answered: "Limestar is right. It's only a matter of time until they attack, ... and then we're trapped like mice." the old gray tom looked Meadowstar in the eyes deeply. Then he continued: "I appreciate that you are so worried about the warriors, but if we wait longer the fate of the entire forest might be sealed." Meadowstar closed his eyes, and took a deep breath then he answered sighing: "All right then, we will attack tomorrow." He lowered his eyes down to his paws. The other leaders agreed the plan, before they divided and went back to their clans again. Quickly Dawnsun curled up in her nest again, so Meadowstar wouldn't knew that she had heard them.
The nudging of a paw woke Grayleg up again, tired he opened his eyes and he frightened as he recognized Beechfall's gray and brown fur. Every time he saw the she-cat guilt burned in his inner. With big amber eyes she sat down next to the warrior. Quietly she mewed: "I want to thank you for what you've done yesterday for me..." In the attack yesterday Grayleg had presumably saved her life in which he threw himself between the attacker and Beechfall. The she-cat's voice brought him back in the reality: "And I want to apologize for everything I've done lately. I know you didn't wanted to..., do this to Hawkclaw." her gaze firstly went to the floor, but then she looked up into the sky, where the pale outlines of the stars and the moon were still visible. Grayleg put his tail onto her shoulder. Without saying a word she stood up again, and walked back to her clanmates without looking back. Grayleg just looked after her, wordless, relief began to grow in him.
From his side Grayleg heard a short painful whimper, it came from Sprucefur, whose wounds were treated by Lavendersong. "When can I find again?" he asked the dark striped medicine cat. One more time BrookClan's medicine cat looked at his wounds closely. "If they continue to heal so well, then you should be able to fight tomorrow." he told the two injured warriors. "When do the leaders want to attack?" Grayleg asked to Lavendersong. He fixed his eyes on a point at the other end of the clearing. Finally he answered: "I'm not sure, but it wont take long anymore." With this words the dark striped tom silently disappeared.
A deep yelp from the center of the clearing drew the attention of the crowd, all the four leaders stood next to each other in front of their warriors. With heavy steps Sprucefur and Grayleg followed the call, too. As all the cats gathered and peace had returned Redstar raised his voice: "Cats of all clans, as all of you should've known two of our warriors have been attacked by the strays." Grayleg felt how all of the eyes were now faced to Sprucefur and him. Slatestar stepped two steps forward, so that he stood next to Redstar. He spoke: "That's why we're attacking at dawn." There was no need for him to speak further, wild battle cry became loud in the crowd. The only one who seemed to have concerns, was Meadowstar, he looked in the crowd of happy warriors with an empty gaze. As the leaders were done with speaking, the cats split up in many small groups again.
Dawnsun sat down next to Grayleg at the edge of provisionally camp. With her green eyes she fixed the center of clearing. Sighing, she mewed: "You can not even tell who belongs to which clan." She leaned over to Grayleg's side. Purring he put his head on her shoulder. She looked him in the eyes deeply. "Grayleg..." she began. "I am afraid." "We all are." the gray tom answered with a serious undertone. "No, not like that. I fear for... you!" it burst out of her. Grayleg moved closer to the she-cat, and liked her between her ears. "So do I." he purred into her ear. For one heartbeat the pictures from his dream came back in his mind. His determination turned to fear. Fear, of what could happen to the battle, a battle in which he led them.
"GET UP!" a voice yelled into the FlameClan den. Frightened all the cats startled out of their nests. Pale moonlight shone through between the branches of the bush, under which the cats have slept. One by one, they trudged into the dark clearing. As all the cats were gathered, Meadowstar raised his voice over the crowd: "I want to make one thing clear again! We won't kill, if it can be avoided." he looked at all the cats again, he stared at the group of StormClan cats the longest. The gray tom continued: "Kits and queens are not harmed either!" The crowd uniformly agreed, everyone was so tensed that the air felt like it was crackling, just like it does after a thunderstorm. Led by Limestar and Meadowstar the warriors left the camp, Redstar and Slatestar made the final, their pelts almost weren't visible in the pale light. None of the cats dared to speak a word, it was so silent that Grayleg had the feeling that the beat of his heart was loud enough that the entire forest could hear it.
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The chosen ones
Fanfiction"Four will save you. Peace will come and war go away." this prophecy was given to four young cats, what does that mean? How are they supposed to reunite their divided clans? And how will they save their forest from an unprecedented danger?
