The Bird's Fall

Chapter Twenty Seven

Reedsky, Rainingpaw, and Dewheart had agreed on their plan. Reedsky would wait by the ShadowClan border and Rainingpaw and Dewheart would follow Sparrowheart from their camp.

Now, the silver speckled tom was crouched by the shades, anxiously waiting for a golden tabby shape to appear. He should've come by now! The moon was at her peak already. There was no sign of Sparrowheart's rogues, either.

Suddenly there was a rustling, and Reedsky's green eyes flashed.

But that was a white cat with gray markings.

"Dewheart?"

"Yes! Come quick. Your brother went to the WindClan border."

Reedsky's eyes widened in alarm.

"Rainingpaw sent me. Quickly!"

The silver tom followed the white-and-gray warrior to the WindClan border, out of breath.

"There. There're some rogues, too, just like you said there'd be," murmured Dewheart darkly. "Look, there's Rainingpaw. Let's go."

Sparrowheart was talking in low voices, barely murmurs, with Dust, Bracken, and Ice. Reedsky could hear him say, "Spark, Wish, and Hark wanted to take part, and decided they'd do SkyClan with you, Ice."

Ice snarled. "With them? No."

"You have to. Without you, they'll fail," persisted Sparrowheart.

The white-and-gray she-cat sighed. "Very well. You'll have to pay for this. And then? What about..." At that point Ice's voice was so low Reedsky could hardly hear her at all.

Rainingpaw was staring at them, frozen, with her navy eyes wide with fear.

Dewheart looked stricken and at loss.

"Let's go," murmured Reedsky, after seeing Bracken and Ice head away.

The pale gray tabby and the white tom nodded, and followed Reedsky back to RiverClan camp across the secret entrance.

"I didn't know Sparrowheart would do something like that," whispered Rainingpaw weakly. She lifted her head to reveal her pale face. "Could I go back to Ottersnow's den, please? I really am not feeling good. Especially after tonights detour..." She shivered. "Maybe that mouse I ate was wrong. It seemed dead for a while... eh. Bye, guys."

Her words gave an ominous feeling to Reedsky, but he decided to ignore it.

"I'll stay out a bit," murmured Dewheart quietly, raising his misty green eyes to the night sky. There was a faint light in the far horizon. "To clear my head."

"Sure," replied Reedsky, and he padded into the den, after whispering, "Don't stay out too late."

Sparrowheart might come.

Reedsky kept his eyes open to check if Dewheart returned, but he never did. Not before Reedsky's eyelids began to feel heavy and droop.

The next day, Dewheart greeted him with a concerned frown on his face.

"Sparrowheart saw me yesterday," he meowed. "He questioned what I was doing."

Reedsky's jaw fell. "So what did you say?"

"I said I was clearing my head," Dewheart answered. "Do you think that was okay?"

Why're you asking me? Surprised by the sudden call for help, Reedsky answered, "Yes, I think so."

The white tom looked relieved, and started licking his cream chest fur. "Thanks. I was really worried."

"He might try to confront you," warned Reedsky, after some thought. "So stay prepared."