Fawnstar's Return

Chapter 6

Dewpaw sighed as Fawnstar padded out of the clearing, her tail held high. She had begun her big journey, across unknown land to find Night, the cat who was prophesied to save all the Clans.

With one last glance at the fern screen, he padded back inside the Medicine den, where Jaywhisker was waiting for him to check the herb stores to see if they were running low. He was rummaging around, sticking his nose in a pile of tansy. When Dewpaw walked up, he jumped.

"Scared?" he meowed, looking mischievously at Jaywhisker. He shook his head.

"You only startled me." Glancing up, Jaywhisker continued, "Go fetch some tansy. We seem to be running low."

Depaw growled under his breath. "I always have to fetch the herbs."

Reluctantly, Dewpaw raced out of the den. His senses were alert for any sign of danger as he trekked through the forest. He headed for the Twoleg den, which was the main

spot that tansy grew. Dewpaw padded up and bit off a few clumps of the yellow herb, until he was stock full. As he turned to leave, a familiar meow sounded behind him.

"Hello Dewpaw." He recognized that strange kittypet voice anywhere.

"Jessy!" he set down his tansy and jumped up onto the fence surrounding the Twoleg den beside her. Jessy purred.

"How's it goin' Dewpaw? Are your warrior friends healthy and well?"

"Oh yes, we're fine, thank you. I've come to fetch some tansy for the herb store." Jessy sighed and looked around. Dewpaw cocked his head to one side.

"I just saw a brown and white tabby come this way. I smelled fear scent on the breeze," Jessy rasped.

"That's Fawnstar," Dewpaw replied. "Do you remember her from when I brought her here to meet you?" Jessy nodded.

"Why did she seem as frightened as a mouse? Is she goin' off to fight danger or somethin'?" Dewpaw shook his head. He turned his nose towards the mountains. "She's goin' to fetch my son, ain't she?" Dewpaw nodded.

"He is the one destined to save all the Clans," he mewed. Jessy's eyes grew wide.

"Save all the Clans?! My, whatever seems to be the matter, child?" Dewpaw almost spat an angry retort at her calling him a child, but then remembered Jessy was a friend.

"The river," he meowed. "The river will flood." Jessy gasped.

"How could my kit save all your Clans from the river? He's just one cat!" she wailed. Dewpaw laid his tail on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," he meowed. "Fawnstar will look after him." Jessy just sighed and looked away.

"But does that leader of yours knows what she's gotten herself into, trying to find my son? He's impossible to find, and even if she does that, she'll never be able to persuade him."

"Honestly, I don't know what Fawnstar will do," Dewpaw mewed. Jessy gazed at him, her green eyes round with sympathy.

"You young cat folk. Goin' away to save your families and your homes for danger. I never doubted the mind of the youngin's." Dewpaw smiled at her.

"I should get this tansy back to Jaywhisker before he lines his nest with my fur." Jessy looked scared. "Don't worry," he meowed. "Jaywhisker isn't that harsh." Dewpaw waved farewell before grabbing the tansy and leaping off the fence.

"Goodbye Dewpaw!" Jessy called after him. Dewpaw trotted away from the nest and through the trees. He stopped to breathe in the scent of the forest, and the breeze carried a leafy tang.

"Hey Dewpaw!" He heard a meow behind him. Dewpaw

realized it was Patchpaw. Patchpaw emerged from the undergrowth, and Blossompaw soon followed.

"Where are you going?" Dewpaw asked. Patchpaw looked around and brought his mouth to Dewpaw's ear.

"Don't tell anyone, but me and Blossompaw are going to follow Fawnstar!" Patchpaw whispered. Dewpaw's eyes widened.

"Are you crazy!" he shrieked. "You can't go with her! She told us that she was going alone! I'll tell Oaktail!" Patchpaw frowned.

"You wouldn't do that," he scoffed. "Not if I have anything to do with it. Tell you what, if you don't tell anyone, I will clean out the elders' ticks for a moon when I get back." Dewpaw snorted.

"Like Fawnstar wouldn't already confine you to camp."

"Okay fine I will also tell Jaywhisker I think you should get your medicine cat name." Dewpaw grinned.

"Fine," he meowed. "But promise me one thing. You will tell me all about your trip when you get back."

"Alright," Patchpaw agreed. "See you later!" Dewpaw waved farewell with his tail as the two cats bounded away through the trees. As he was about to pick up his tansy and head back to camp, he realized with a jolt what he'd just done. They can't go! I should tell Oaktail. But Dewpaw couldn't bring himself to do it. He trusted Patchpaw and Blossompaw. They

were with Fawnstar, after all. What could go wrong?

Dewpaw woke the next morning to the sunlight filtering through the fern screen and into his nest. He stretched, gave himself a quick wash, and padded out of the den. Jaywhisker was already in the main clearing, talking to Oaktail. Dewpaw walked up until he came within earshot.

"... needs to do better work if we are going to hold the Clan together while Fawnstar's away," Jaywhisker was meowing.

"I'm sure he's doing fine Jaywhisker. Why would you doubt him?" Jaywhisker leaned in closer and whispered, "I saw him with another cat. She was in the medicine den after he got struck." Dewpaw gasped. They were talking about Sagepaw and him! He immediately broke into the conversation.

"Hey what are you guys talking about?" he meowed suspiciously. Oaktail smoothed down his chest fur in embarrassment.

"Jaywhisker was just telling me how well stocked the herb stores are," he meowed quickly. Dewpaw's eyes clouded with anger.

"No you weren't!" he spat. "I heard you!" he added, sticking his nose in Jaywhisker's face. "You said I wasn't doing the best work I could do!"

"I suggested you pick up the pace!" Jaywhisker snarled. He glared down at Dewpaw. "And for your information," he hissed, shoving his mouth next to Dewpaw's ear. "Sagepaw must never see you again. Do you think I don't know the scent of my own clanmates?" Dewpaw gulped, realizing Jaywhisker was right.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered. Jaywhisker's eyes glistened with fury. He turned back to Oaktail and meowed something urgently into his ear.

"You are confined to the camp for half a moon," Jaywhisker meowed, turning back to Dewpaw. He looked at his paws.

"O-okay," Dewpaw mumbled. He whisked around and stalked back to the medicine den. So much for Patchpaw telling Jaywhisker I'm so great.