Forgotten Whispers: Silent Echoes

Chapter 6

A/N My internet had some issues and I had to post this late. Also, my messaging thing isn't working so I can only reply to people. I hope u guys enjoy (●'◡'●)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Not getting enjoyable sleep Partridge stretches in her grassy nest and cringes at the pain that shot up her leg. Hearing her discomfort Morning wakes up and sits up with her yellow eyes shown with regret as she silently stares at the bush's branches.

   "I'm guessing you didn't get much sleep," Morning murmured hoarsely without even giving Partridge even a glance.

   "Yeah, but I think we'll feel a little better when we're back at camp." Partridge mewed trying to keep a brighter tone in her voice.

   Morning glanced at her and walked to the entrance. She then looked back at Partridge her voice, " I'll go get something for us to eat, and if Meadow comes by telling her I said hi." She turned her head and walked out before Partridge nodded.

   Partridge limped to the entrance on her wobbly front leg and half of the cats were gone. Trying to smell through the sents of cats she picked up Lily's sent and found where the queens were sleeping the night before, but now the cluster of ferns was deserted.

   Partridge then thought it would be better to sit outside the bush she was sleeping in the night before, her leg aching from the unrelenting limping. Within a few heartbeats of sitting, Morning came back with Honeycomb and a rabbit. Honeycomb looked a bit beat up with a couple of scratches and her tail covered in cobwebs.

   "Look who I found she was being cooped up like you. She's going to have to work on her balance for a while until she gets better." Morning mewed happily dropping the rabbit.

   "I can speak for myself thank you very much," Honeycomb quipped back at Morning.

   "Sorry," she replied her eyes darting to her left.

   "Is everyone else back at camp? Almost no one is here," Partridge mewed worriedly.

   "Some cats are here but a few are at camp with the queens and elders. I also think Flamethistle is with them too," Morning replied her voice was much clearer than when she woke up.

   "That's good...Wait! Fox dung, how did you guys chase away the dogs?" Partridge questioned both of them.

   "Are you going to eat or not?" Honeycomb's tail twitching towards the rabbit and a small cringe of pain was evident on her face.

   Before she could take a bite Meadow scurries up to the she-cats with dandelion leaves. "I'm so sorry you had to wait so long," Meadow's mew was slightly muffled as she set the leaves down. "Brightwave was in a frenzy with me taking some herbs to Flamethistle and I got here as fast as I could," Meadow continued as Partridge and Honeycomb ate the leaves.

   "Meadow, you're fine it doesn't ache as badly as yesterday," Partridge replied after she finished chewing the bitter leaf.

   "Brightwave may have said that but I still worry," Meadow's eyes wavering to her right.

   "Leave the worrying to the queens. Brightwave is going to need you back," Honeycomb mewed her eyes holding sympathy for the young she-cat.

   "Y-yes Honeycomb," she replied before trotting back across the clearing, and more cats were gathered as Dawnstar scrambled up to a low branch in a tree.

  "What's going on?" Partridge asked as Morning just gave her a confused look as they moved their way to the crowd.

   "Cats old enough to catch their own prey meet under this birch for a clan meeting," Dawnstar called from her perch for the time being.

   A clan meeting? I guess they must have sent out a patrol earlier. I can't imagine having to stay up at that time of night. Partridge thought as Dawnstar continued.

   "As you may all know, we were attacked by dogs last sunhigh and lost two of our beloved warriors, Swallowclaw, and my mate Duskclaw. They shall walk with Starclan and may their memories be what binds them to us." Dawnstar takes a small unnoticeable breath before continuing, "Twilightstep issued a patrol to find the camp untouched, except for our fresh-kill pile which they devoured. Most cats have returned with exception to the injured and Brightwave with his apprentice," Dawnstar's ear flicked before finding Meadow's and Partridge's eyes in the crowd.

   "The reason you cats are hearing this is we are upping hunting patrols and remember complaining will not feed the clan through Leafbare. As Starclan watches this meeting is dismissed." Dawnstar mewed sharply as she lept down from the branch and cats started crowding Twilightstep. The black and white she-cat handled scheduling hunting patrols and border patrols.

   Dawnstar padded up to the group of she-cats her tabby cream coat somewhat covered in mud, " I've already assigned Rocksong and Branchwatcher to escort all of you back to camp. I'd expect you all to get better care back at camp," Dawnstar mewed looking at both Honeycomb and Partridge specifically as the two toms mentioned pawed up to them.

   "Patridge, you sure you're good walking on your own?" Rocksong questioned pointing his tail at Partridge's wrapped leg.

   "I think I'm going to be fine. I don't think camp is that far of a walk." Partridge replied assuredly. The group left with Dawnstar watching them with her anxious amber eye boring into their backs.