Fawnstar's Return

Chapter 5

Fawnstar shifted restlessly in her moss-covered nest. The bracken and lichen smell swirled around her head as the breeze carried in fresh scents from the awakening forest. Fawnstar stretched wearily, her thoughts somewhere else than in her head. It felt as if a tiny claw scratch, the size of a kit's claw, was pulling itself through her brain. Night. I must find Night. Fawnstar yawned, pushing her mouth at the base of her leg to lick the fur.

"Fawnstar?" The mew came from somewhere outside the leader's den. Oaktail padded in softly, his tail held high. "Fawnstar, are you awake?" he whispered. She grunted. Oaktail hung his head. "I'm sorry to wake you," he meowed. "But Jaywhisker says he needs you in the medicine den immediately. Something urgent, he said." Fawnstar looked up.

"Of course," she mewed. "Of course. Oaktail, you didn't wake me. It's fine. There are other important things for me to be doing." Oaktail nodded before padding out into the clearing. Fawnstar yawned and followed him sleepily. The morning sun cut

through Fawnstar's gaze. Cats were awake, milling around the clearing in happiness. She saw the dawn patrol leaving. Blossompaw bounced excitedly after her mentor as they trotted out through the bramble screen shielding the camp from danger. Starflower lounged in a patch of sunlight at the edge of the clearing while her two kits chased a leaf.

"Hi Fawnstar!" Honeykit squeaked. Her fluffy cream fur bounced up and down as Fawnstar passed.

"Hush," Starflower meowed. "Fawnstar has more important things to do."

"But I wanna come with her," Honeykit whined. Starflower

shot Fawnstar a sympathetic glance before herding the two prancing furballs back inside the nursery. Fawnstar purred at the sight of well-fed kits. Her Clan was thriving. But a voice whispered at the back of her head. Not for long. The river will destroy all the Clans soon enough. Fawnstar shivered as she padded into the medicine den. No. Night will help us.

"Hi Fawnstar!" She heard Patchpaw's cheerful meow as she entered the den. He lay stretched out in his temporary nest. Jaywhisker emerged from behind the fern screen.

"Patchpaw's leg is doing better," he meowed. "I wanted to make sure it was okay with you, but I think he is ready to go back to his warrior training. A smile spread across the black and white apprentice's face.

"So?" he meowed. "Can I continue training?" Fawnstar looked down at Patchpaw. She nodded.

"If it's okay with the medicine cat, then it's okay with me," she

meowed. Patchpaw grinned.

"Thank you Fawnstar, thank you!" Patchpaw bounced up and down, clearly excited to continue his warrior training. As Patchpaw headed out of the den, Jaywhisker glanced at Fawnstar.

"I would take it easy today," he meowed. "If Patchpaw jars his leg, it could get hurt, so make sure he doesn't chase many squirrels." Fawnstar nodded.

"Fawnstar, hurry up!" Patchpaw was sitting at the entrance to the medicine den, his tail flicking in the air.

"That's a bold tone to talk to your leader," Jaywhiser commented. Fawnstar smiled.

"He'll learn," she meowed. Fawnstar gave a look of thanks to Jaywhisker before padding out of the den after Patchpaw. He was already sprinting across the grassy clearing and out through the bramble screen. Fawnstar had to race to catch up to him.

The air was bright and filled with the scents of prey as they padded out of the camp. Patchpaw stopped to sniff a clump of bracken, it had the foul taste of Twolegs on it.