By the time the patrol got back to their fishing spot, Rosepetal had recovered enough strength to walk on her own four paws. Still shivering, she grasped her catch in her jaws and followed her clanmates back to camp. It was sunhigh by the time the patrol reached camp, and although Rosepetal had fluffed out her fur, she was still damp and cold.
Toadstep and his mate, Silverscale, were at one of the sunny corners of RiverClan's camp, watching their kits play in the reeds. Other cats, like the elders, and warriors not chosen to go on a patrol were also relaxing, enjoying the sunhigh warmth.
A silver tabby appeared at the medicine cat den, and immediately spotted Rosepetal. "What happened?" Whispersong exclaimed, hurrying over and giving her friend a good sniff. "I fell into the river." Rosepetal mewed, barely managing not to chatter as she spoke. "In this weather?" Whispersong shook her head. "You're coming to the medicine cat den for some herbs." Sighing, Rosepetal dropped her prey and followed the silver tabby she-cat to RiverClan's medicine cat den, which was nestled in the roots of a willow tree.
"Rub your fur the wrong way. That'll warm your up faster." As Rosepetal licked her fur, she watched Whispersong sort through her herbs. Whispersong is like a sister to me. She was around three moons older than me when Dewstar took me into Riverclan. She thought to herself. Whispersong was the spitting image of her mother, Dewstar, with the exception of Whispersong's tabby markings. Rosepetal was snapped out of her thoughts as Whispersong dropped some herbs in front of paws. "Eat this, it'll help with the shock." Whispersong mewed, pushing a sprig of small, dark green leaves. Rosepetal stooped over and ate the leaves, feeling soothed by the fresh tang of the leaves.
She pricked her ears as a shadow blocked the newleaf sunlight that streamed into the den. Turning, Rosepetal saw Stemberry lope into the den. "I heard what happened. How did you treat her?" he inquired, giving Rosepetal a sniff. "I gave her some thyme and she rubbed her pelt the wrong way." Whispersong mewed as she put the herbs back in their slots. Stemberry nodded in approval. "Good." he turned to Rosepetal. "Clearstar has selected you to come to the Gathering tonight. Will you be well enough by then, or do you not want to go?"
Rosepetal's heart quickened with excitement. I haven't been to a gathering in moons! And it would be great to see how Lilysky is doing. "Of course I'll go!" She gave Whispersong a pleading look. "Please?" The silver tabby sighed.
"Fine. But take a nap in a patch of sunshine to warm yourself up." Rosepetal nodded, and sauntered out of the medicine cat den, Whispersong not far behind her. "I'll tell Clearstar that Rosepetal is going." Rosepetal heard Whispersong say to Stemberry.
The RiverClan camp was slightly more filled now, as many of the hunting patrols had returned by then. Still slightly chattering, she went to a sunny, secluded part of the camp. I'll eat some prey before I leave. she determined as she settled down in the sunshine, and slowly fell asleep.
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Rosepetal was faintly aware of a slight breeze blowing over her. She opened her eyes to see where she was, and gasped in surprise. She scrambled to feet, taking in the scene.
She was floating in the sky, the view of the whole forest below her. She could see the Twoleg place near RiverClan's border all the way to the furthest reaches of the pine forest, which is ShadowClan's home. She gazed at the sight, awestruck, and then she noticed something.
A small cloud of darkness was rising from the heart of the moor, slowly stretching over WindClan's territory. It then seeped into RiverClan, than ShadowClan, and ThunderClan.
Rosepetal could only watch as the darkness spread even farther, and as cats yowled in pain and horror from inside the dark cloud.
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Warrior Cats: New Beginnings
FanficThe Clans have had their new beginning. But destiny is not finished in the forest. It has been 200 years since cats from the lake settled in the changed forest. Now, generations after, a radical darkness looms over the clans. Rosepetal, a Riverclan...
