Fernfreckle's Dream

Chapter 14

Twilight has gotten comfortable in the nursery. Once she found out she was expecting kits, she came to Flowerclan right away to share the news. Fernfreckle and Darkstar were thrilled, knowing that they would soon be fathers. Fernfreckle didn't even care about the incident with Batstar anymore. What's gone has gone. Only the present matters now. 

Things in Mossclan still don't sound very good. He hasn't heard from Honeystar in a while, and he was starting to worry even more. He couldn't help but leave Flowerclan camp late one night, desperate to know that his old kin and friends were alright. He had a strange feeling in his chest. It felt empty. Empty like it never has before. 

It scared him. 

He trots through the forest, the moonlight just barely leaking through the trees. Everything felt more quiet. He couldn't tell if it was due to everyone being asleep, the unsettling feeling in his stomach, or both. The only thing he could hear was the gentle flowing of the nearby dividing rivers. 

At least for a bit. 

He tasted the air, and the sour scent of blood hit his nose right away. His eyes widened with panic and he quickly raced towards the smell. 

Who's hurt?? Is it Plumfall? Stoneleap? Pinestride? Honeystar? Hollygaze? 

His paws led him to a stop at a small pool of blood. It looked fresh, but there was no body to be found. The blood came from a trail, soaking into the grass below. 

"Fernfreckle!" 

He quickly whips his head around to see Plumfall running at him. 

"Oh Fernfreckle, thank goodness you're safe," she sighed with relief as she skidded to a halt. "I was so worried..." 

"Why were you worried?" 

"I was scared you'd be dead by now..." 

"Why would I be dead?" 

"..Has he not come to you yet?" 

"Who?" 

Plumfall's eyes lock on the small red puddle. Her mouth slightly opens with shock. 

"It can't be..." She quickly drops to the ground and sniffs at the grass, trying to catch the scent of any cat who could be involved. She lifts her head. "It is..." 

"W.. What?" 

"Fernfreckle... He's gone..." 

"Who's gone??" 

"BIRCHFLIGHT!" 

"I killed him, didn't I? Broke all his bones during the Rogueclan battle!" 

"He came back.. just to DIE AGAIN..." 

"What??" 

"You know about the dark forest, don't you..?" 

"Yeah, a little. Runningpond was brought there once, right?" 

"Birchflight went there when he died. But I just saw his spirit! I was down by the rivers with Deerdawn, and I fell into the water and was almost swept up by the current, but BIRCHFLIGHT... He was there, and HE SAVED ME!" 

Fernfreckle felt his mind go blank. 

"So... Birchflight as a dark forest cat is in the living world and he saved you from drowning..?" 

"YES! I spoke to him, face to face. He said he needed to talk to you, and then he started walking in the direction of Flowerclan camp. And.. that's all I saw of him. He did have a lot of blood on him though... The back of his neck looked absolutely mangled..." 

"What happened to him..?" 

"I don't know," Plumfall sighed. "But it looks like he faded before he could reach you..." 

Fernfreckle felt his head start to buzz. 

How does she know so much about dark forest cats?

"Maybe he just.. had to go back to the dark forest? I know Starclan cats can wander the living world, but not for long because it takes a lot of energy. Maybe it's like that with dark forest cats too." 

"He looked too weak to do ANYTHING, Fernfreckle. He used the last of his energy to save my life..." 

"Where's Deerdawn?" 

"He went back to camp to tell Honeystar about what we experienced. She should be able to investigate." 

Fernfreckle's eyes darted back to the blood on the ground. He sighed. 

"Is Birchflight really gone..?" 

"I'm pretty sure," Plumfall mewed. She gently pressed her side against his. "I'll miss him. He meant a lot to me. I'll remember him not for what he did, but of the early memories we had together. He truly did have potential. He just failed to see it." 

Fernfreckle rested his cheek on the top of Plumfall's head. He could feel her grief, along with his own.  

"PLUMFALL!" Deerdawn erupted from the darkness, startling the two. "You won't believe it!" 

"Believe what?" Plumfall asked.  

"Honeystar is stepping down from being leader, and is joining Flowerclan to be with Cedarfall!" 

"She is??" 

"Yeah!" 

"Are you leader now? Deerstar?" 

"No, I'm not. I'm too busy with our kits to be leader right now. I had Mossclan nominate a cat to step up." 

"Who?" Fernfreckle's ears perked up, amused. 

"Stoneleap!" 

"STONELEAP??" Plumfall and Fernfreckle shouted in unison. 

"Wasn't he just having issues a while ago?" Fernfreckle meowed. 

"Well, yes," Deerdawn replied. "But he stopped acting weird a quarter moon or so ago. He's been healing with Hollygaze, and he's gradually recovering from his experience. He said his father was controlling him. But after a while of that going on, he just.. stopped. Out of nowhere." 

"He POSSESSED HIM?" Fernfreckle's eyes widened with panic. 

"I didn't know about this," Plumfall stammered. 

"None of us did," Deerdawn said. "But whatever it was, it's over now. Honeystar took him to the moonstone shortly after we left for the rivers, so they should be back around sunrise." 

"It IS sunrise," Fernfreckle said, pointing at the rising ball of light in the sky. 

"Well then, we better hurry back so we can celebrate Stonel- StoneSTAR's leadership!" Plumfall cheered. "Fernfreckle, can you rush back to Flowerclan camp and get my sweetie settled?" 

"It would be my pleasure." 

Plumfall gave him a quick headbutt on the chest before running off with her mate. Fernfreckle took one last glance at the blood. 

It was fun, Birchflight. But your sons have and always will do so much better than you ever will. Goodbye. 

He shook himself off and sprinted back home. He burst into camp and quickly sat by the fresh kill pile, the perfect spot to scan the horizon. After a few minutes, he saw the faint silhouette of a she cat running in the direction of camp, her familiar and sharp yellow eyes gleaming with excitement. He smiled to himself. 

Welcome, Honeyshade. Glad I could help you realize where you truly belong. You'll love it here.